Backcountry hunting advise needed

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jwzimmer
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby jwzimmer » Wed Sep 20, 2017 8:41 pm

Octang, how do you mange stand, sticks, and pack when hiking everthing in? My stand stick combo is around 30lbs. My pack weight is also around 30lbs. I'm thinking of trying saddle hunting to get my "stick/saddle" weight to around 10lbs. Just keep scratching my head around how to make the hike with a stand setup.


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flinginairos
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby flinginairos » Wed Sep 20, 2017 10:03 pm

jwzimmer wrote:Octang, how do you mange stand, sticks, and pack when hiking everthing in? My stand stick combo is around 30lbs. My pack weight is also around 30lbs. I'm thinking of trying saddle hunting to get my "stick/saddle" weight to around 10lbs. Just keep scratching my head around how to make the hike with a stand setup.


I think for this type of hunting a saddle is the only way to go. My SitDrag setup can be rolled up small and strapped to a pack easily. I would also climb using the one stick method if I were hunting this way. I could get my hunting and climbing setup to around 5lbs total doing that.
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Hatchet Jack
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby Hatchet Jack » Thu Sep 21, 2017 1:30 am

you can get one inch webbing and some of those buckles that you see on backpack straps then weave it through you stand and pack then cinch it down. i got a molle pack just for that reason. makes is really snug and easy to carry/balance
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Octang
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby Octang » Thu Sep 21, 2017 3:37 am

flinginairos wrote:
jwzimmer wrote:Octang, how do you mange stand, sticks, and pack when hiking everthing in? My stand stick combo is around 30lbs. My pack weight is also around 30lbs. I'm thinking of trying saddle hunting to get my "stick/saddle" weight to around 10lbs. Just keep scratching my head around how to make the hike with a stand setup.


I think for this type of hunting a saddle is the only way to go. My SitDrag setup can be rolled up small and strapped to a pack easily. I would also climb using the one stick method if I were hunting this way. I could get my hunting and climbing setup to around 5lbs total doing that.


I agree completely with flinginarios. I can't imagine this would be feasible with a traditional hanging stand.

Getting everything down to 40lbs total is very manageable. That is how much my hiking packs generally end up weighing with gear, food and water. As long as you know there is a water source back there just bring a Sawyer Mini water filter (https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-mini-filter/) and you won't need to lug any water weight.

Unless the access trail is flat enough for you to haul a deer cart in behind you with a cooler, you're probably gonna need a high-end pack like Mystery Ranch to get out your deer with gear. Bring game bags and plan on boning it out in the field. Keep a cooler filled with dry ice back at your truck so the meat can cool down asap.
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby backcountrychronicle » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:30 am

Yes, check that acreage... 1 square mile is 640 acres, so we will assume you are talking about a larger parcel.

Backcountry camping is one thing, but add hunting to the equation and it gets more complicated...
If you are not used to camping, you probably won't sleep well at first.
I don't know if you need to be "Bear Aware" there or not, but I would find out and take precautions...

It might be possible just to slip into a place before dark and sleep there for a night. I have "cold-camped" (basically slept the ground without a fire) many nights just to wake up in an area I wanted to hunt the next morning, but here in the west we don't get rained on as much as you guys in the east, so it we don't have to pack as much gear (we also have few ticks and no chiggers).

If you plan to stay several days, a camp stove is a necessity because being around a camp fire will load you up with smoke.
Smoky clothes is a small problem for western spot and stalk elk and mule deer tactics where scent control is not easy (must constantly watch the wind direction)...
I can only imagine how hard it will be to control that odor for hunting white-tails on their home turf in a humid eastern forest...

I have heard some that say smoke is a natural odor, so don't worry about it, but I don't think that is wise... Smoke mixed with all your other odors will create a cocktail that deer are likely to pay attention to.

Sounds like an adventure...
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Re: Backcountry hunting advise needed

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:19 pm

jwzimmer wrote:Octang, how do you mange stand, sticks, and pack when hiking everthing in? My stand stick combo is around 30lbs. My pack weight is also around 30lbs. I'm thinking of trying saddle hunting to get my "stick/saddle" weight to around 10lbs. Just keep scratching my head around how to make the hike with a stand setup.



You said there were hiking trails? Unless you just had your mind set on back packing in, why not use a deer cart?? :think:
Bucks,ducks, turkeys,and bass!


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