How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
A thread on another forum spawned my curiosity about how much importance various
hunters give to their camp comfort, meals, and rest periods. I'm not referring to large
groups that set up elaborate camps because they expect to remain in one spot for a
lengthy time. I've never hunted with more than 5 people, usually by myself or with one
other person. Until my wife began coming with me during the latter years, a comfortable
camp or taking the time for designated meals just wasn't of importance to me unless done
either before or after legal hunting times. Many times rather then set up a camp, I would
either sleep in or under my truck and eat out of a cooler. Of course there also were many
times I would set up a tent or lean-to after dark in pre-scouted locations, and then prepare
proper meals over the campfire....but never the fancy camps I've seen others build.
What about you?
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
We hunt the November 4 point season in region 8. There are 4 of us in a wall tent. Its easy to haul and setup. We are there for 8-10 days usually and could not live without it now. In September when legal shooting is 430am to 930 pm you don't have very long to be sleeping in or under a truck. Grab a handful of trail mix and jerkey and dissapear inyo the hills with a bottle of water. However, with shooting hours in Nov 630am to 5pm there's a lot of idle time for good food and good rest.
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
I have changed my camp methods over the years.
My camps used to be a real production...wall tent, stove, kitchen tables and chuck boxes, cots, big firewood piles, thunder boxes, tarp shelters around the fire pit, multiple lanterns, coffee percolator and even a small generator at one point...you name it; I brought it. Meals were a big production and there would be a couple of big coolers of grub and a grub box as well (and I hate cooking!). The logistics of my hunting trips were similar to the logistics needed on D-Day:roll:!
Now I have a very comfortable teepee tent and folding wood stove and one grub box and a simple pot set and single burner gas stove. I pre-cook most of the meals at home and vacuum pack them. I might bring a chain saw but often I don't. I have whittled the mountain of gear down to the basics and I'm still whittling!
The result is that I'm just as comfortable (even in bad weather) and I enjoy the trips even more because I'm not running herd on a mountain of gear. I come home refreshed because I have not had to wrangle all that gear and the post trip clean up is a snap because there is so little to deal with.
The hunting experience is so much more enjoyable now that I pack only what's required and I leave the "wants and might needs" at home. It's not perfect yet but I'm getting close!
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
Hmmm on easy access hunts..ie moose drive in or fly in ..great grub..plenty of it..on hike in trips with mountain house...whatever i can carry..i usually put Idaho potato flakes in some zip lock bags for a handful extra for my dinner.
Steven
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
northernguy
I have changed my camp methods over the years.
My camps used to be a real production...wall tent, stove, kitchen tables and chuck boxes, cots, big firewood piles, thunder boxes, tarp shelters around the fire pit, multiple lanterns, coffee percolator and even a small generator at one point...you name it; I brought it. Meals were a big production and there would be a couple of big coolers of grub and a grub box as well (and I hate cooking!). The logistics of my hunting trips were similar to the logistics needed on D-Day:roll:!
Now I have a very comfortable teepee tent and folding wood stove and one grub box and a simple pot set and single burner gas stove. I pre-cook most of the meals at home and vacuum pack them. I might bring a chain saw but often I don't. I have whittled the mountain of gear down to the basics and I'm still whittling!
The result is that I'm just as comfortable (even in bad weather) and I enjoy the trips even more because I'm not running herd on a mountain of gear. I come home refreshed because I have not had to wrangle all that gear and the post trip clean up is a snap because there is so little to deal with.
The hunting experience is so much more enjoyable now that I pack only what's required and I leave the "wants and might needs" at home. It's not perfect yet but I'm getting close!
Also hunt mostly solo or with 1 person and pack light.
Just curious what teepee your using? I’m looking for some wood heat at night
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
Day hunt out of my house. LIG
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RackStar
Also hunt mostly solo or with 1 person and pack light.
Just curious what teepee your using? I’m looking for some wood heat at night
I have the Seek Outside 6 Man Teepee with their medium stove. Pricey stuff but it works well and their service is great. There are some tricks to learn when using a floor-less silnylon tent but it's easy and I doubt I'll go back to anything else.
It's important for me to have a camp that I can dry gear and get warmed up fast. This set up does that with minimal weight and volume.
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
Great thanks I will check them out. I’m thinking this may be the way to go for me as a wall tent can be a bit much for solo
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
We only stay in motels/hotels now. It means a lot more driving, but it’s worth it for the easy restaurant meals and comfort.
Re: How important is a good camp and regular meals to you?
When I'm hunting with my older buddies (ie: 70+ yrs old,) we usually rent a motel or cabin. If Im by myself or younger buddies, we can manage sleeping in trucks for a week straight! I have to have good food though. Pre cooked meals and good snacks. Can't help it. I'm fat lol!