Backpack hunters-how far are you walking in?

[Squamch]

Question for the guys who are doing backpack hunts, what's a "long" hike in? The spot I have in mind is about 6.5km of STEEP overgrown road to get to, with a 10km nice flat easy warm up walk before that. I've never done a backpack hunt before, I've been hiking with my pack all summer, but don't want to discover that I'm over-committed on the way in.

[smallfry14]

You're huntin harder than me!! The mulie spots I have picked out are only 2-5km. What are you hunting?

[monasheemountainman]

If you're walking on an old road should be easy other than the steep part. how long you going for? Multiple days I would assume

[ryanb]

It's doable. How miserable it is will depend on how overgrown the road is. You might find it easier to get off the road into the timber for the hike up if the road is badly overgrown.

[Ron.C]

For my solo mtn goat\ mule deer trip this fall

Spot 1 - have one spot that I am planning on riding a bike for 15km(VCA), then hike up the 5 km to where I will be hunting.

Spot 2- hiking about 9 km on trail that can be tough depending on blowdowns. But there is a parks cabin at the end of this hike so I can lighten up my gear.

Spot 3 - 6km hike up a river valley, then up another 3.5 to hunting area. No trails on this one and never done it yet unlike the other two spots .
But I think this one will be a tough pack out with an animal.

Point I'm trying to make is on a backpack hunt, the longest may not be the hardest.
Everyone has different limitations,fitness levels, and what I think is the most important thing ,determination.

If you are sure you can pack an animal out, then give er!!!! Just be brutally honest with yourself along the way and if you think you've at risk of over extending yourself, stop.

[Lastcar]

I am sure you are implying this in your question by asking how far is too far going in. It is the coming out heavy that'd worry me.

I have tons of experience backpacking for multi-day trips in and out of places before I was hunting.

But only one coming out heavy with my share of a deer in the pack last year. An 80-90lb pack sounds heavy on paper.

That summa bitch is "heavier" in real life.

You find things out about your pack and its fit in a hurry. You find out what shape your knees are in a hurry. You find out what your will and determination are.

In my case, it wasn't long but somewhat steep. I could have gone longer both in time and distance. But sure wouldn't have been keen on a second trip in if we had to make two. I want to say it was about 3.5 - 4km with quite a bit of elevation change.

Obviously sample size of one, but that's what I learned from my first one. Came out of it a bit smarter and prepared for the next ones this year. Basically this means, ready to make new mistakes and damn why didnt I think of that in advance moments. :)

[monasheemountainman]

yep packing a moose out 3 miles, boned out meat, 2 of us took 3 trips that's 18 miles with 90-110 pound packs for 9 of them....makes you wonder why you love hunting so much....but when youre done, best feeling in the world

[Squamch]

What I'm hunting is blacktails.
I've been into the area, through an open gate, which is apparently typically locked. According to the guy who told us that, it actually WAS locked when we drove through it. He may have been full of shit, but since he was drinking and shooting down the mainline onto a blind corner, I didn't argue much.
The road isn't terribly overgrown, but it's getting worse. There are a few areas to hunt on the way to "the spot" so I have cop-out options. Don't really want to use them though!

[nicktrehearne]

For my fly-in this year, the area I plan on hunting is approx 15km from the lake I will be dropped at. I have shot animals as far as 27 km from the truck on backpack hunts though...

[Wentrot]

For the 10 km flat easy area would a mountain bike do the job? Gave that a try a couple weeks ago setting a camera in a new area-It was great in the flat areas and coming out since it was all down hill.

[Squamch]

For the 10 km flat easy area would a mountain bike do the job? Gave that a try a couple weeks ago setting a camera in a new area-It was great in the flat areas and coming out since it was all down hill.

That may be the ticket. Not sure how I'd do riding with a really heavy pack though...maybe use one of those trailers all the crackheads use!

[Corb89]

my last goat hunt was a miserable 16km of blow down to get to the headwaters where we made camp, then hunted from there, roughly 3-5 km per day from camp

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

Hike it during the summer first . .that will help . lol

[Wentrot]

That may be the ticket. Not sure how I'd do riding with a really heavy pack though...maybe use one of those trailers all the crackheads use!

Exactly the thought in my head, even one of the child carrier trailers may work well.

[Squamch]

This was at 3pm yesterday. There's no summer left up there, it was pretty seriously October-y!

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg630/rednecksamwise/59A86D25-3E6D-428A-AE7F-6A7CBEECF51A.jpg (http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/rednecksamwise/media/59A86D25-3E6D-428A-AE7F-6A7CBEECF51A.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

I will go 3km from road through bush for moose with the realization the pack out will be a miserable, miserable, wonderful time

[ishootbambi]

You can get a little farther if you're deer hunting, but you'd best not get too far if it's a moose you're lugging out. The farthest I've carried anything was my bighorn at 23km. That hurt. I killed a ram and he damn near killed me back. A friend and I were onto two real good bighorns 49km in a few years ago. I have one already and he doesn't. I told him to take one and we'd split it. He insisted it was my area so I should take one. Two was just not going to be an option. It was August and pretty warm. We decided that at minimum it would be two days out and there was too much potential for green meat and rotten capes meaning no mount. We took pictures and walked away.

[HarryToolips]

For my fly-in this year, the area I plan on hunting is approx 15km from the lake I will be dropped at. I have shot animals as far as 27 km from the truck on backpack hunts though...
Lol your nuts....the longest pack out I've done a couple times is 1 km, a couple deer, halve em and it's a walk in the park...i could see myself doing 5+ k for a good buck, or close to that for a moose or elk if I have a partner but lol you guys that pack em out 10+ k through rugged $hit are nuts!

[hunter1947]

For me I used to allow myself 4k that was it reason being is at this mark at the 4k I would hike up the mountains from the road and hunt the mountain side all depends on if you are going to hike up off the old grown up road a person has to keep this in mind ..

[jtred]

My hunting partner and I usually hike in anywhere from 3-7km depending on trail or lack thereof. It's nice to get at least as far as the point where day hunters would start to think about hunting their way back and not as far as the horse guys would go. This way we're in a pretty quiet area and seldom if ever see anyone else. We usually have a destination in mind, often an alpine lake with decent cutthroat trout fishing so we can spend a couple of hours fishing while glassing the surrounding slopes. Sure beats freeze dried.

[twoSevenO]

So, lets say 35lbs pack for a 3 day hunt including all gear and food and rifle. A deboned mule is, say 120lb (?), and say you ate all the food (5lb?). We are talking 35 - 5 + 120 = 150lb. So 150lb pack for upwards of 10km? Some even claiming 20+?


Considering most of you average hunters are in the vicinity of 170-180lb, you're telling me you carry almost your own body weight for a distance of 10-20km on uneven terrain? That does not seem possible. What am i missing here?

[.308SLAYER]

That's why it's always nice to have a hunting partner lol ^^^^

[Ron.C]

Furthest I've packed an animal out on foot with gear and boned out deer was just over 9km.
Its doable. I'm 5'6" and weigh about 175. You just need to pace yourself and take frequent breaks. Going downhill loaded is much worse then going up and very hard on the knees. Hiking poles are worth their weight in gold and aside from a solid pack that fits well, the most valuable piece of kit when carrying heavy loads.

Another way to do it is to ferry your load with multiple trips over tough/dangerous portions. Takes longer and if weather is on your side a good option.

[ryanb]

So, lets say 35lbs pack for a 3 day hunt including all gear and food and rifle. A deboned mule is, say 120lb (?), and say you ate all the food (5lb?). We are talking 35 - 5 + 120 = 150lb. So 150lb pack for upwards of 10km? Some even claiming 20+?


Considering most of you average hunters are in the vicinity of 170-180lb, you're telling me you carry almost your own body weight for a distance of 10-20km on uneven terrain? That does not seem possible. What am i missing here?

I weigh 180lbs and have packed 130lb packs quite a ways many times. I think the longest was over 20km.

Fun? No! And every time I do it I swear I'll never do it again, but the bad memories always fade, and the good remain and I do it again.

[Ruffed]

My hunting partner and I usually hike in anywhere from 3-7km depending on trail or lack thereof. It's nice to get at least as far as the point where day hunters would start to think about hunting their way back and not as far as the horse guys would go. This way we're in a pretty quiet area and seldom if ever see anyone else. We usually have a destination in mind, often an alpine lake with decent cutthroat trout fishing so we can spend a couple of hours fishing while glassing the surrounding slopes. Sure beats freeze dried.

I really like your style. haha You've thought it all through..Nothing like fresh fried trout when you're punishing yourself physically.

[nicktrehearne]

So, lets say 35lbs pack for a 3 day hunt including all gear and food and rifle. A deboned mule is, say 120lb (?), and say you ate all the food (5lb?). We are talking 35 - 5 + 120 = 150lb. So 150lb pack for upwards of 10km? Some even claiming 20+?


Considering most of you average hunters are in the vicinity of 170-180lb, you're telling me you carry almost your own body weight for a distance of 10-20km on uneven terrain? That does not seem possible. What am i missing here?

You're not considering the fact that multiple trips are required if solo, or people are not hunting alone and split the weight of the animal...

[jtred]

I really like your style. haha You've thought it all through..Nothing like fresh fried trout when you're punishing yourself physically.
One hunt we had fresh cutthroat stuffed with huckleberries and garlic with a starter of blue grouse shish kebab marinated in spices and single malt scotch. We like to eat well in camp and often bring home quite a bit of the freeze dried we take along. Most of our hikes are under 5km into camp but the elevation change can be extensive.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I weigh 180lbs and have packed 130lb packs quite a ways many times. I think the longest was over 20km.

Fun? No! And every time I do it I swear I'll never do it again, but the bad memories always fade, and the good remain and I do it again.

This.

The further I have to pack an animal out, the the bigger the animal has to be. Not willing to pack out a barely legal ram for 3 full days but a ram of a lifetime??? Well, let's say distance wouldn't play a factor in my decision.


We just passed on these goats as it would have ended our hunt. The first goat was big and mature but the second goat was GINORMOUS and would have ended our hunt for sheep. Our 'guesses' has us estimating the pack out weight near the weight of two rams. Goatzilla's ass had to be 3' across. He actually waddled thru the cliffs.
Luckily, we are getting wiser with age.....well, hopefully. Pictures are a lot lighter than meat.

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13912788_323942791275609_6160444082993093205_n.jpg ?oh=26db8d160a526e61668c0edee1c2aa35&oe=585D8F7D
https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13882693_323942807942274_7193262456652329725_n.jpg ?oh=db95a4b96e5eb856129ea09d7b3abe3c&oe=581E3CDF

[HarryToolips]

^^^^wicked pics there SSS, look at the muscles on that goatzilla...

[twoSevenO]

You're not considering the fact that multiple trips are required if solo, or people are not hunting alone and split the weight of the animal...

If people are packing out an animal by themselves (such as ryanb) for 20kms there is no way in hell they are making more than one trip out.

[twoSevenO]

I weigh 180lbs and have packed 130lb packs quite a ways many times. I think the longest was over 20km.

Fun? No! And every time I do it I swear I'll never do it again, but the bad memories always fade, and the good remain and I do it again.

72% of your body weight .... That's impressive. Guess i'll be loading 100lb of weights into the pack this weekend to see how that feels.
Was that on relatively flat terrain? The downhills seem like torture for the knees with that kind of weight.

Also, how much of that weight was meat and how much was actual gear you brought in?

Cheers.

[ryanb]

72% of your body weight .... That's impressive. Guess i'll be loading 100lb of weights into the pack this weekend to see how that feels.
Was that on relatively flat terrain? The downhills seem like torture for the knees with that kind of weight.

Also, how much of that weight was meat and how much was actual gear you brought in?

Cheers.

The goat I shot last year solo, was only packed out about 5km. This is the only time I've ever actually weighed a pack and it was 131lbs. Was able to weigh it by driving out right away. This was about 25lbs of day hunting gear and the rest meat, hide, and horn. Now that I've actually weighed a loaded pack, I know that I've had a pack at least that heavy many times before.

[BgBlkDg]

For many years, I would pack my L/O season's supplies at altitude to the actual L/O. This, started with Pioneer Trapper Nelson 3 packboards, then I started to buy/use my own Camptrails Freighter frame packs.

Some loads were 10 gallon steel cream cans full of water and these plus the packboard would weigh about 140 lbs. I was young, very fit, born and raised in these mountains and it was still HARD work. Most loads would go 75 lbs, not bad even on rocky trails where I had to climb hand over hand up the steep inclines.

I trained on the steep Boundary Rd. hill by Central Park, using an original MR NICE frame, loaded with a 75 lb. sack of sand, water, etc. to an overall weight of about 90 lbs, until I was 65, then spinal stenosis hit me hard and now I have a self-imposed limit of 35 lbs at age 70.

I do still have one Dana Design Shortbed frame left and with my custom additions, I can carry 100 lbs. still, but, alas, no longer in the hills.

I would also strongly advise scouting the place with pack loaded FIRST and thus learning just what your actual limits are and maybe flagging a decent route through the Sitka Alders and Devil's Club. BTDT, helps a LOT.

In 60 years now of carrying packs all over BC and using many of the finest packs made, I have learned one thing for certain-packing out loads of meat in warm weather is just BRUTAL and a good partner helps enormously. HTH.

[skibum]

How much training are you doing? In gym training is good, but nothing compared to on the trail training.

I walk the dog in the morning for 30-40 minutes up a steep slope with 50lb in the pack - helps you know what muscles you will actually be using on your hunt

[tigrr]

Some things that come to mind never go with new boots. Practice hiking with the pack you plan on taking. Go short the first time!! I packed 5 miles in an seen a herd of moose. 3 cows and 2 bulls in a meadow. Said hello and turned around and walked out empty. Know your limits.

[.264winmag]

For sheep/goats I'll go 3 full days in, furthest in I've been is 35km. Elk/moose I draw the line at 4 hr hike. Would do a full day for a big mulie and do two trips for meat etc.

[two-feet]

For sheep/goats I'll go 3 full days in, furthest in I've been is 35km. Elk/moose I draw the line at 4 hr hike. Would do a full day for a big mulie and do two trips for meat etc.

This is a good guideline

[ishootbambi]

So, lets say 35lbs pack for a 3 day hunt including all gear and food and rifle. A deboned mule is, say 120lb (?), and say you ate all the food (5lb?). We are talking 35 - 5 + 120 = 150lb. So 150lb pack for upwards of 10km? Some even claiming 20+?


Considering most of you average hunters are in the vicinity of 170-180lb, you're telling me you carry almost your own body weight for a distance of 10-20km on uneven terrain? That does not seem possible. What am i missing here?

My goat last year in your province was the heaviest pack I've ever carried. I wish I'd have weighed it, but I figure it must have been about 150 including a life sized cape. As brutal as it was carrying that much, I know it was easier than making multiple trips...especially having to climb the mountain more than once. I'm 6'1" 230 lbs. Yea, it hurt. The option just wasn't better though.

[horshur]

Average mule deer is going to be 60 pounds deboned.
5 day carefully planned trip you can be coming out heavy with 80-90 pound pack.