#1 - They don't, and #2 - Strap yourself in for a wild ride.
They have their place in summer backpacking but IMO not well for a fall/winter hunting camp in the Rockies.
But maybe they're fine back east.
My .02
Idaho hunt
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#1 - They don't, and #2 - Strap yourself in for a wild ride.
They have their place in summer backpacking but IMO not well for a fall/winter hunting camp in the Rockies.
But maybe they're fine back east.
My .02
Rafter o
Member
It's big country check out maybe get some one to pack in your camp. I do it in Wyoming for some hunters. Make sure that you can start a fire in all conditions. Cold and wet is a bad situation in the making.
Unless it's really rough country that I don't want to hike far in the dark, I have evolved towards hiking back to a comfortable camp at the trail head each night. My 4" memory foam mattress in the back of my Expedition calls after a long hunt. If never met a sleeping pad or fartbag that compares! lol
Rafter o
Member
wapitiaddict
Well-Known Member
yeah, I knew that...just didn't want to let him down hard
I remember my first backpack hunt in Colorado. I was living in Virginia and was going with a brother and two friends who lived out there. I was worried about the elevation making a big difference, so I worked on my stamina by walking 5 miles every day and then adding some weight and jogging 5 miles. I did that all summer and when I got there I could keep up. Of course those guys worked desk jobs. Layered clothing is very important. You can be wearing everything that you have in the early morning or late evening and in the middle of the day be comfortable in shirt sleeves. Later I lived in Salmon Idaho and hunted that area. I was only out one night at a time and a tarp over me with a pad and down sleeping bag worked well. Wear and take enough to be comfortable and definitely be in the best shape you can be in but stamina so that you can handle the thin air is very important. Have a great trip and find time to sit and marvel at the country. It doesn't get any better.
stljc2
Well-Known Member
Not that I'll ever get to try a hunt there...it's nice to know...THANKS Friend.
RAGGED EDGE
Well-Known Member
If he wanted to get out of the wind he could have moved to WYOMING.
Starcraft88
New Member
Ive been sleeping in hammock tents for years at 5-10 days at a time. Mainly up in Canada on remote fishing trips. Up there it's so hard to find a clean spot big enough for a tent or level enough. The wind doesn't really go through the tent.....it's like any other tent. I keep my gear in dry bags under the tent and if the weathers real nasty I just string paracord above the hammock and run a tarp from peak to ground on wind side. Plus hammock tents can be setup on ground like a normal tent if desired. Buy a cheap one online for 60-$75 and try it out in backyard. You'll be buying a good one in no time. Big advantages are they are small and light to carry. Very comfortable with no pad needed, and they don't get wet from ground moisture and if they do get wet they dry fast because there hanging
I hunt in NM and CO, which are usually warmer than Idaho, but I have some advice. My hunting pack weighs 3 lbs. A pack frame is a waste of time. I even take the aluminum struts out of my internal frame pack. Get a video on how to bone out your animal, then you don't need the pack frame. Use a Thermarest z-pad to sleep on. Put it on top of pine duff, and it is enough. I have an open end silicone nylon tent that weighs 13 oz. Appy Trail tent on eBay has 4 sides and only weighs 20 oz. I can spend one night out and only add 7 lbs. to my pack. You'll probably need a heavier sleeping bag than I do. I use an 8 oz bivy rather than a ground cloth. It adds about 10 degrees to your bag. I recommend the Pocket Rocket stove, and MSR Kettle to cook in. I cut the bottom off a quart plastic bottle for a cup. Much lighter than most systems. If you expect really cold or wet weather, buy a Kifaru tent with a stove. Mine weighs in at 11 lbs. (sleeps 6) but when you're wet and cold, It is worth its weight in gold. I generally stay at base camp when the weather is bad. Definitely get used to your pack with weight before you go. It just makes the hunt more enjoyable. I also recommend Endurox R4. It restores you muscles and increases endurance. I drink some at lunch, and at the end of the day. Keeps your muscles from being sore. If you live at low altitude be aware of high altitude siickness. Spend a couple days at altitude before the hunt, and drink lots of water. I use a Sawyer water fllter, and have never had any problems. I use Platypus water bags (similar to Camelbacks but lighter). I rig two to gravity feed through the water filter. Get good light raingear. Also my A-Bolt Mt. Ti weighs 6.5 lbs with scope and sling. Give us an after hunt report. Good luck.i
When I got old, my wife started worrying about me hunting alone. I bought a Personal Locator Beacon. If you get in trouble, you open the antenna and push the button. It sends a signal to a satellite and NOAA relays your location to the nearest search and rescue team. It gives me a warm fuzzy feel when I'm miles from camp and wondering which way to go. It is small and light and you should have one in your pocket.
I use cotton balls soaked in vaseline for fire starters. Light, cheap, and effective. Always carry a compass. A map is nice when it's light, and a gps is great when it works, but in the dark, or fog, or when your batteries die, a compass will tell you which way is north. I got lost in the fog just the other day. My compass is about 1" in diameter and weighs next to nothing. I keep it in my pocket. I once went back in the dark for an elk shed a few hundred feet off the road. I got turned around and had no idea which way the road was. When I finally found the road, I didn't know which way the truck was. Keep survival essentials in your pockets. I hunt in Army BDU's just because of the colors and the pockets. I keep my neck warmer, glomitts, wool cap, and emergency kit (Bic lighter, fire starters, compass, Advil, whistle, mini flint/steel) and sunscreen in my pockets.
I use cotton balls soaked in vaseline for fire starters. Light, cheap, and effective. Always carry a compass. A map is nice when it's light, and a gps is great when it works, but in the dark, or fog, or when your batteries die, a compass will tell you which way is north. I got lost in the fog just the other day. My compass is about 1" in diameter and weighs next to nothing. I keep it in my pocket. I once went back in the dark for an elk shed a few hundred feet off the road. I got turned around and had no idea which way the road was. When I finally found the road, I didn't know which way the truck was. Keep survival essentials in your pockets. I hunt in Army BDU's just because of the colors and the pockets. I keep my neck warmer, glomitts, wool cap, and emergency kit (Bic lighter, fire starters, compass, Advil, whistle, mini flint/steel) and sunscreen in my pockets.
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I use 1 inch strips of old blue jeans rolled up and tied with thread soaked in candle wax for fire starters . They aren't messy kept in a zip lock bag also keep water resistant matches in a zip lock bag . If you carry the disposable gas lighters keep them in a pocket next to your body as at higher altitudes and colder temperatures they don't work when they get cold . unroll the denim a little to light it and it will burn long enough to start even damp twigs to get your fire started . Don't store these in a hot area
