Pack hunt back east?

[Guy M]

When I was stationed on the east coast I did a little backpacking along the Appalachian Trail. That's about the extent of my experience with backpacking there.

The rest has been out west: California, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming... Quite common here in Washington for guys to get out and hit the high Country trails with rifles and a deer tag in September. Just got to wondering if such a thing happens anywhere east of the Mississippi?

Just curious if this is a western style of hunting only, or if hunters back east ever shoulder a pack and head in somewhere for a few days or a week of hunting beyond the reach of ATV's & 4x4's...

Regards, Guy

 

[7STDUBBERU]

It is done alot here in NY. Guys pack into the Adirondaks and either tent or lean-too camp. The DEC builds and sort of maintain these sights and they do get very remote. I did it as a young man but it has been years since I just strapped on a pack and went in with no plan. The Adk's are a very tough hunt and you will most likely go home empty handed except for the experience of the hunt.

 

[7mmpredator]

There are plenty of places in NY, some within a couple of hours drive from the city that are big woods and one can pack in and avoid the "opening day shooting gallery". And even to access the backside of some lakes/reservoirs can be a nice hike and over night.

I lived in Colorado and Arizona and took advantage of the backpacking/hunting and had many friends that did the same and more importantly had the basic skills to scout, glass, navigate and pack out game when needed.

Fast forward to NY. In fifteen years I've yet to come across anyone (friends, family and co-workers) who is even remotely interested in this level of exercise. And the one or two that would go purely for the "adventure" would certainly become a casualty in some form or another if I don't hold their hand!

So when I go off on my own my wife gets concerned and rightfully so but my response is always the same, "if I wait around for some one to go with I'll never experience the outdoors the way that I want to"

My last two Wyoming hunts (guided) I've left NY on my own and I will be on a plane alone in September as well.

Thank god I'm so hard headed!!!

 

[ol mike]

Having been born in Ohio [southwest] i can say -no- maybe there are places but i have never heard of them.
Lived on the northern gulf coast [biloxi] for 22years and NO ONE will walk or hike ,if they can't ride a quad or something they aren't going.They think you are weird if you walk in -if you want to go in there -you should buy a 900 quad is their mentality.
N.Georgia [appalacian trail] has some areas where some people hunt -i hunted there a bit but it's nothing compared to the west or better yet the northwest ,just too many people and too little public land.
A person who staps on a backpack and rifle and heads out on a multy day hunt is very rare and getting more rare i'd guess .

 

[Gene Jr.]

Spring turkey is the only time I pack in on a regular basis. It makes a nice cast/blast weekend for turkey/trout. There are a few places to pack in for a deer hunt but most places you'll be coming out the other side and hitting a road within a few hours anyway. We can not hunt on Sundays so it's a Saturday only deal for the weekend, not really worth packing in for.

 

[Guy M]

Interesting responses guys. Thank you!

I'd forgotten the size of the Adirondaks. Yes, I imagine it's plenty big enough for a pack-in trip. Last year I packed in 8 miles and set up camp near that little lake in the photo. Treasured my time there, and let a young buck go. After all the work to get in there (heck of a climb) I wasn't going to settle for anything but a good mulie buck. Or maybe a bear or cougar if the opportunity presented itself. As it was, I spent a few days hunting the morning hours, fly fishing a bit and hunting the evening hours. All alone, real nice.

The backpack hunt isn't an every-year thing for me, but I still enjoy it even in my mid 50's.

Regards, Guy

 

[remington79]

I'm all about backpack hunting. When I lived in Texas a couple of friends and I would hike and hunt in the National Forest there. We'd make camp where ever we were that night. My wife and I might move to VT or NH and I'll be backpacking in their National Forests to.
backpack hunting is part of the experience for me. It combines my passion for hunting, camping, and backpacking. It gives me another reason to head to the woods.