Solo travel across country

[jt4]

How many of you travel solo across country for a hunt? What’s the longest drive you make and how long do you make the trip last.

If I end up doing the hunt I want this year it’s about a 32 hour drive one way and it will likely be solo bc of the crap that’s going on this year. Not a fan of the thought of driving for nearly 70 hours to hunt 3, maybe 4 days but I also hate the fact that this hunt gets pushed off every year for one reason or another.

Help me ration this and make a decision.


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[Jagger0502]

why not fly for that distance? I have driven 16 hours for a weekend hunt and I was whooped by the time I got home. And by weekend I mean leave Friday after work, hunt Saturday and drive home Sunday.

flying to hunt would gain you 2+ days of hunting. That is well worth the cost to me to get a flight and rent a truck when I get there. It’s not that expensive when you get two or more hunting days in.

 

[Bdjones]

I'll be driving 7 hours one way for my hunt that I will do consistently. Granted I do have a few contacts in the area in case of emergency or packing out needs. I even looked into one of those outfitters that will help pack out the animal.

Noted: I am not in grizzly country either which does make a difference to me. Maybe not to someone who knows the mountains well.

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[FLS]

I drove from SC to WY then to CO then back to SC last year. 5300 miles in 10 days. Flying is way easier, but I like being on my schedule and having my stuff with me.

 

[jt4]

I’ve considered flying but not too much bc like above I like having freedom and being on my schedule. It’ll be my first hunt out there so I know there’s temptation to bring a lot of unnecessary crap. Flying would definitely help limit that but it also adds more logistics into it I haven’t dug into yet.


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[Backyard]

I drive 16 hrs one way. While it's a bitch to do alone, the hunt is worth it. But I also wouldn't do it for anything less than 6 full days in the field.

 

[5MilesBack]

With a 32 hour drive on each end, I wouldn't go unless it was a full two weeks.

 

[FLS]

Only downfall to flying is getting meat home. Deer and antelope are no problem. I’ll fly if that’s what I’m hunting. I’m driving for elk.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Personally, other factors would come into play for me to drive that far only to hunt 3 or 4 days. How well do you know the area or have you ever scouted it in person? Guided or unguided? What is the average success rate of the hunt? If it's an unguided low odds hunt in a place I had never stepped foot in then I would definitely try to acquire more time somehow.

 

[jt4]

Have not been before, and unguided. It is “only” an antelope hunt with maybe a leftover doe deer or antelope tag. So my odds of success should be pretty high.

What’s it cost to fly a cooler full of meat? Never looked that far into it before.


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[Jagger0502]

I fly a lot for work and am used to it so it’s really not a big deal for me but know when I fly with my wife she is nervous the whole time because she doesn’t do it much. If you are looking at 30+ hours of driving each way that’s at least two days factoring in stops and sleep. Then when you get there you are going to be exhausted and the first day will be a waste. So three days lost on the front half. Walk for a few days of hunting and if you ha e to pack an animal out and drive two days straight home? Seems dangerous solo. Fly in, rent a car is a day. Spend the next too the last day shipping meat home or packing cooler to fly home with is only two days lost traveling. It will double the days you are able to hunt hard.

I would take the logistical nightmare of flights and shipping meat and gain hunting days any day.

 

[Scottyboy]

Personally, I would not drive 2x longer than that of which you will spend time hunting.

 

[txhunter581]

Do you want to enjoy your hunt? If so then fly. If you don’t, more than half the enjoyment will be drained from you.

 

[Fatcamp]

Reserve now and it's probably way cheaper.

 

[Brendan]

I've done it about 6 times now? 36 hours of driving. Leave afternoon after work on a friday, get about 8 hours in. 17 hours on Saturday. The remaining 10-11 on Sunday and I'm hunting Sunday afternoon.

This is for 10-12 days of hunting, never done it for a week, that'd be pushing it.

If I've got 2 weeks on my hand to hunt, I'm driving every time...

Here's another way to look at it: If I can do 12 days of hunting on two weeks off, how much hunting time am I actually losing, especially when you'd have to deal with the logistics of rental cars, flights, packing meat antlers and cape for flying? (Although, Antelope will be the easiest to get back with you)

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I pretty regularly drive from S Florida to Northwestern MT, about 38 hrs. There is nothing pleasant about it, but I’m usually staying for long periods of time. There is no reason to drive that far for pronghorn. Fly in, rent a car, purchase a soft cooler, Debone in field or hotel and put into zip lock bags. Get a freeze on the meat by staying at an extended stay hotel one night with full size freezer or buying some dry ice, freeze meat and fly home. Will save you money, time, hunting days, and mental sanity.
Flying with the right soft cooler and a frozen deboned antelope will be right at 50lbs, cost will be just a regular checked bag. Even if it is oversize, it’s one way and still will be saving a lot of money compared to driving.

 

[bozeman]

Drive! I’ve driven 25 hours for a 5 day hunt. To me, that’s part of it. You see all kinds of country side and you have all of your stuff. Flight delays and crazy people only add stress. I go one way and come back another way to see more of the U.S. best of luck and be safe.

 

[FLS]

Have not been before, and unguided. It is “only” an antelope hunt with maybe a leftover doe deer or antelope tag. So my odds of success should be pretty high.

What’s it cost to fly a cooler full of meat? Never looked that far into it before.


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Depends on the airline and their baggage fees.
I put a boned out antelope, with hide and head in a cooler I bought at Wally World. It weighed 57 lbs, Airline baggage fee was $200. Overnight Fed Ex shipping was less.

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

Drove year before last from NC to NM for an elk hunt (30hrs). This was with my dad, and even though I drove a majority of the trip, I wouldn't want to do it along, especially for something smaller than elk. Last year, drove from Michigan to Colorado for 6 days hunting. Again, had a buddy and wasn't too bad. I did a 19 hr day driving back and wouldn't imagine doing any more in one push. As seems to be the consensus, flying seems the better option in this case.

 

[JRMiller]

That’s way to far to drive. Cuts into your hunting time too much. I never drive farther than what can be done in a day. My farthest are Wyoming runs every other year or so, usually alone. I do 21 hours non-stop ( well one quick stop for a pee and maybe some food if it’s convenient)