Help me out here...

Rich M

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Jun 14, 2017
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I keep seeing posts about guys who can't hunt a week without struggling. What am I missing?
 

jhm2023

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Jan 2, 2018
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Delta Junction, AK.
My guess is that it's mostly the hunting bro and soy boy types attempting too much of a real hunt. The long pack in and stay a while hunts aren't for everyone and often times it's a test of your ability to tolerate misery. I suppose some just prefer being able to go back to the lodge or house at the end of the day.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
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Guess I haven’t seen those posts. I’m a newbie to back country hunting and last year was my first experience at it. I covered 51 miles over 6-7 days per my phone calculating steps. Two things I struggled with. 1) getting up in the mornings. I was pretty worn out and already sleep like a log as it is. 2) physically I was worn out by the end of the week. Not sure I could have lasted another 2-3 days. I packed in and set up camp and then hunted from there. Started every morning going straight up lol. And it’s definitely not for everyone. I enjoyed it quite well. Just need to train harder I suppose.


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kiddogy

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Jul 14, 2019
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idaho
My guess is that it's mostly the hunting bro and soy boy types attempting too much of a real hunt. The long pack in and stay a while hunts aren't for everyone and often times it's a test of your ability to tolerate misery. I suppose some just prefer being able to go back to the lodge or house at the end of the day.
I know I do. older I get the more I love my own bed.
I love the backpack hunts just wish I could figger a way to do it without sleeping on the ground.
 

dtrkyman

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Oct 2, 2014
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For me it’s mental, hard for me to commit to a place for a week, I know you can keep moving but there is something about being able to drive to a new area that gets at me after a few days.

Seems I typically hunt close enough to camp/truck to justify hiking out.


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EastMT

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Dec 19, 2016
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Eastern Montana
I haven’t seen any posts about being unable to hunt a week here either, because everyone would have giggled at him. I used to have a hard time getting a day off work to hunt.

I’ll be off for 4 weeks this year,out hiding in the weeds. One of those will be with a wife and 5 year old, based from the enclosed trailer for caribou, the rest I will actually get to sleep haha.

I sleep better in a tent than at home, way less things swirling in my head than after a day of work.


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OFFHNTN

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Apr 10, 2015
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I keep seeing posts about guys who can't hunt a week without struggling. What am I missing?

I haven't seen these posts, but what do you mean by "struggling"? There is a difference between hunting for a week, staying at home, eating nice warm meals, sleeping in your own bed with your wife, walking a few hundred yards, and texting your buddies as you sit in a tree stand...............versus driving 18 hours by yourself, packing in 5 miles, sleeping alone in a one man tent, eating ramen and trail mix, not seeing or talking to anyone, and hiking 7-8 miles a day at 10,000' with no cell service. One is definitely harder than the other.
 
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Mar 21, 2012
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Longer hunts require much more than being in physical shape, I think being prepared mentally is nearly more important than most physical preparation. At any rate, I too haven't seen any posts like the OP is talking about. That said, it's not all fun and games. Like jhm stated, you have to be comfortable with being miserable :) Some cannot tolerate that.
 

Alchemy

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Jul 7, 2013
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I haven't seen these posts, but what do you mean by "struggling"? There is a difference between hunting for a week, staying at home, eating nice warm meals, sleeping in your own bed with your wife, walking a few hundred yards, and texting your buddies as you sit in a tree stand...............versus driving 18 hours by yourself, packing in 5 miles, sleeping alone in a one man tent, eating ramen and trail mix, not seeing or talking to anyone, and hiking 7-8 miles a day at 10,000' with no cell service. One is definitely harder than the other.
True! They both have parallels, for me if I’m seeing mature animals in either setting it sure makes it easier to get up and hit it hard day after day. Once I stop seeing game I can come up with some pretty creative excuses in my head to either pack it up, move spots, whatever. Something I have been working on over the last couple years. A certain hunt comes to mind where a buddy came in a couple days later in same spot after I had written it of knowing in the back of my mind that it was as good or better than my plan B or C spots and killed a whopper.... being in physical shape is very important to get you to location, hunt in location and packed out of location but it’s 90% mental.....
 

Mattt

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 8, 2018
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I know what he's talking about I saw a couple. Talking about guilt from home, disconnect from others etc. I don't get it either but have taken a lot of guys up the mountain and have seen the breakdowns happen. I love my family. Pretty sure they know me and that high country life is part of me and accept it. But if I don't have enough time alone u guys would probably see me on the news. Hell I don't even take a fone with me after 22 years my wife knows if I tell her I'm gone for 3 days don't worry till after 5.
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2018
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Colorado
Ahh the breakdowns. I have a good friend who ended our weeklong backpack fishing trip after just two nights. A trip that we drove 10 hours to another State to go on and had planned months in advance. Some people just can't be away from home for long in a remote area with no cell service or internet. Nowadays, if it's a trip in which I have strong personal goals I go solo. On trips with others I temper my expectations in regards to hunting and fishing and focus more on enjoying my company and being flexible to their needs.
 

Ucsdryder

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Jan 24, 2015
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I can’t hunt 7 days straight. I guess I’m a puss. Getting up at 330am and getting back to camp at 10pm 7 days in a row isn’t my idea of a good time. I usually cover 10-15 miles a day if I’m looking for elk. Not all of us can be as manly as the OP.
 

kiddogy

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Jul 14, 2019
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idaho
I can’t hunt 7 days straight. I guess I’m a puss. Getting up at 330am and getting back to camp at 10pm 7 days in a row isn’t my idea of a good time. I usually cover 10-15 miles a day if I’m looking for elk. Not all of us can be as manly as the OP.
lol. I am also.

in my youth I was a walkin dude and chased the big trophies . now, every joint aches just to hit the head and I have become content to just get out and fill the freezer ,most years.

really don't chase the bone much anymore , unless I get lucky and draw a controlled hunt, which seldom happens

I will still walk when and where I must to get the elk but have learned from experience that it is much more productive to sit and let my eyes do the walkin.


to do otherwise ,I couldn't handle a week straight anymore . this way I can and also have success ,more often then not.
 
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