What is the "Process" of a Back country Hunt

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,720
Location
Montana
Man this thread is great. Cool to see some wily backcountry vets helping out, that's what makes Rokslide so awesome.

I moved to Washington from Wisconsin back in 2015 specifically to start hunting and fishing the West, and these guys are all hitting the nail on the head.

Read up on some gear lists and watch some YouTube videos, get in the best shape you've ever been in (that still won't be enough though haha), upgrade your clothing system, get comfy with your rifle out to 4-500 yards and you will be light years ahead of most guys. BUT, there is something that you really can't prepare for until you get out here...and that's the mental side of things:

If you haven't been in the mountains before, you are going to be in over your head for a while simply due to the novelty of everything. I cannot overstate that. Like seriously, prepared to be completely out of your element when you see the backcountry for the first time. The scenery, the weather, the elevation...everything is just WWAAYYY more intense out here and you can't help but feel a little nervous your first time out.

When I first moved here, I remember just sleeping in my truck at the trailhead and freaking out lol. Now I can sleep like a baby with just a tarp on the side of a cliff 10 miles back haha...just takes time getting comfortable and developing your system.

My advice is to think of it as a long term game. Every single time you set foot in the mountains out here you are going to learn a lot, like definition of information overload. Every single time out you will become a better hunter and a more skilled mountain man. It's a process and if you embrace it, you will get better FAST. Take time to reflect at the end of each day and think about what went well and what you could improve. Sounds lame but I'm dead serious, it helps.

And most importantly, look forward to the mental and physical challenges that you are sure to face and meet them with a smile on your face and I guarantee that you will have a kickass time and be hooked for life. Keep us posted on how you do back there, be safe and good luck!
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Messages
437
Location
New Mexico
I want to emphasize the affects of high altitude. ... Take things slow and easy, rest if you feel tired, and KEEP HYDRATED. You will be amazed at how much water you lose at altitude and how much that dehydration will affect you.

And of course, all the good advice you got above.

This reminds me... if you drink, alcohol also hits you a lot harder at altitude.
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
7,407
Location
S. UTAH
These threads are interesting. So many perspectives. To me its not that big of a deal. Get the gear you need and go. In reality for most hunts your only a couple hours from the trail head, or less.

The altitude is real though. I live at about 6000ft. The first time I took my wife to about 11-12000 she got sick.
 

Rockin'A

FNG
Joined
Mar 24, 2018
Messages
66
Location
Texas
View attachment 70240

Get a training mask. They help! You still get winded but not nearly as fast. We live at 52ft. Wife and I spent a week in Colorado last September we started around 10K and ended over 12k.
 

sneaky

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
10,024
Location
ID
One of the best post ever.

I will add after two years of hunting Idaho that just because the map says there is a trail does not mean it has been used. If people can ride a motorcycle on alot of those motorcycle trails they need to be in the xgames i could barley walk them.
You can tell when those guys are coming on their bikes, you can hear their brass balls clanging together. Seriously, I could barely scramble through a section of trail last year and there they were... motorcycle tracks. I think they were riding trials bikes.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
OP
M

maddmartagan

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 29, 2016
Messages
145
Dang, really appreciate all the responses guys. Sorry it took so long to follow up. Hope it didn't look like I was getting help and then bailing. I also got a few PMs about helping me out if needed. Great community. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go out for bear, but I used everyone's tips to do some turkey hunting in Southeast Montana for a few days. It was awesome, and much easier than I anticipated. I didn't have any luck, but it was really fun, and great to just be able to get out there and basically walk anywhere I wanted without seeing another person. Here's a pic of my setup. Again, thanks for all the insight guys.

View attachment 74057
 

Mark86

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
107
Location
Castle Rock, CO
Not trying to over simplify it but yeah that’s about the jist of it! The only way to figure it out is get out and go for it.

1) yes 2) google, google earth, ID hunt planner on the Idaho fish and game website, onx maps, etc. all good recourses.
3)yes 4) yes 5) yes 6) yes and 7) yes

If it’s your first backcountry Hunt maybe learn from some of the mistakes I made my first go at it.

1) I took way too many clothes
2) I took way too much food
3) I didn’t set camp high enough, sucks hiking up to glass every day. Avoid that if you can
4) I would avoid a “base camp” too much crap to lug around. Way easier to run around with a hammock and tarp this time of year. Also doesn’t limit you as much to area. Mark your truck on the GPS and go disappear a few days that’s the fun in it
5) I took too much fuel. You’ll be surprised how much water you can boil on one little canister

I’m still young in the backcountry life but those are a couple things I’ve learned over the years. The more backcountry backpack type hunts you do the more you’ll learn what works for you and what you can and can’t go without.

Have fun and good luck!
 
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