Truck camping/hunting

[Fatcamp]

Cab of the truck works. Gets really old, really fast though. A small tent set up in back is far more comfortable.

If you know you are going to hunt a specific area a bigger tent with a comfy bed and Mr. Buddy heater is pretty nice. Especially if you get lucky and the wind doesn't blow.

But, as others have said, finding a used topper would be a priority. My advice would be an aluminum one of you intend to take it on and off. Fiberglass is annoyingly heavy.

 

[Pinewood]

Why would you set a tent up in the back of a truck rather than on the ground? Am I missing something?

 

[Fatcamp]

Why would you set a tent up in the back of a truck rather than on the ground? Am I missing something?

Mice, dust, rocks, cactus, easy to move short distances, dries faster in wet environments. Cover the bed of the truck with 2" foam for added insulation. Showing up in the dark to a brand new place it removes the unknown.

Not something we do a lot, but we have and will again.

 

[isItFallYet]

I think the difference between sleeping in the cab or the bed would be determined by the type of hunting you are doing. If you're backpack hunting and cover a lot of miles a day, then there is no way I'd want sleep in the cab of a truck. Not being able to stretch out after a strenuous day would make for an awful experience the next days to come. I started off with a cheap used $50 aluminum topper that didn't fit my truck perfectly, but it served it's purpose.

 

[Ron.C]

This was my elk camp last year when I went solo and my plan was to hunt several different areas and be able to camp where I wanted to set off from each day. Worked great. Simple, mobile,and comfortable. Need to keep a window cracked to manage condensation but that was no problem. If it were cold you can get away with a little buddy heater. Add a CO2 detector and make sure you have ventilation.

Had a second 150 quart cooler full of 10 # blocks of ice in the back seat of the truck. Split the ice and a boned out elk fits nicely in the 2 coolers.

I've done the same sot of thing in passed years simply throwing up my backpacking tent at the end of each day. Works fine but I have to admit I get a hell of a great night sleep on the cot and 4" foam

 

[Marble]

I've always been good in a tent. I use a heavy foam futon, a big oversized sleeping bag and regular blankets. If I have weather coming in I'll bri g a bale of grass and put it down on the ground, or if there is snow ill put it down on top with my tent on the hay. Inside the tent ill have a 5 gallon propane jug with a heater. Takes about 5 minutes to get that thing super warm in the morning.

You can also take a larger tarp and put itnover the tent for another wall of insulation. It helps.

Foe just quick over nights I sleep in my truck in my shell. Against the cab of the truck I put a 3' piece of ply wood to make a shelf. It's an 8 foot bed. I can cook and make coffee from there if needed and, my gear is always out of the weather at night.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[Dwight2180]

Sleeping in the cab can be a nightmare depending on how the seats are cushioned. I saw a video somewhere of a guy that used pvc as a frame for a "tent" in his truck bed. He stretched a tarp over it and bungee corded it to the fenders. It was pretty slick and didn't take too long to set up. Definitely use more under insulation than you think is needed when sleeping on a metal box in the air.

 

[Dwight2180]

Search PVC truck tent or DIY truck tent on YT for ideas.

 

[cod007]

Wireman....(IBEW?). I see this as a nobrainer. Throw a cheap canopy (hardtop) on your rig. Insulate your bed well with cardboard, foam pads, mattress or anything u can find to keep yourself off that cold metal truck bed. Enough blankets OR a good sleeping bag to keep u warm and comfy regardless of outside temps. A heater, like a buddy heater is nice but not absolutely necessary.
There’s nothing better than coming back to your rig after a hard day out and having a nice warm ready made bed to crawl into. Except maybe some warm dinner made on the tailgate b4 crawling in.

 

[Wireman07]

Wireman....(IBEW?). I see this as a nobrainer. Throw a cheap canopy (hardtop) on your rig. Insulate your bed well with cardboard, foam pads, mattress or anything u can find to keep yourself off that cold metal truck bed. Enough blankets OR a good sleeping bag to keep u warm and comfy regardless of outside temps. A heater, like a buddy heater is nice but not absolutely necessary.
There’s nothing better than coming back to your rig after a hard day out and having a nice warm ready made bed to crawl into. Except maybe some warm dinner made on the tailgate b4 crawling in.

Cod007, no I'm not part of the union. Just a journeyman electrician at a company in town where I live.

 

[Gutshotem]

If you're short enough to sleep in the cab, maybe get one of these?

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[GSPHUNTER]

I can't even begin to count the number of times I have slept in the back of my Yukon XL on a six inch air mattress with my GSP in 10 deg weather. can't remember ever being uncomfortable.. Sometimes I even had to open sleeping bag when I got to warm.

 

[Wireman07]

If you're short enough to sleep in the cab, maybe get one of these?

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That looks slicker thanks shit. I'm short enough, that would be perfect to sprawl out alittle! Thank you!

 

[Southforkguy]

I'm kind of leaning towards sleeping in the cab with a sleeping bag, I can always turn my truck on for a little bit if I get cold. And I'm short enough, so it should be fairly comfortable to me

Good luck with the worst night of sleep you've ever had....

I'd highly recommend a hub style ice fishing shelter and a big buddy heater

 

[Wireman07]

Good luck with the worst night of sleep you've ever had....

I'd highly recommend a hub style ice fishing shelter and a big buddy heater

I've done it before and slept fine, I just have never done it during rifle season when the temps are cold.

 

[RS_Non-Res]

I've been using a topper, futon, and a good sleeping bag for 25 years and multiple trucks. The back seat is not flat enough for me. Under the topper, I have a bunk bed cross-ways for a kid. I find that the fiberglass topper is not as warm as a decent tent but it's more convenient.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I personally don't want to rely on an auxiliary heat source to sleep comfortably. A stove/heater is certainly a welcome addition on a cold weather camping trip, but even if I do bring one along, I don't want to be obligated to keep it fueled all night long in order to sleep comfortably. I'd be taking whatever combination of clothing/sleeping bag/blankets/foam pad/air pad, I felt were necessary to keep me warm through the night and maybe use a stove/heater to be more comfortable while dressing in the morning and/or lounging in camp in the evening.

 

[Broomd]

Yes a topper is on my list, but unfortunately not this year.

If you get to the Northwest this Summer/Fall, I have a fiberglass topper I'll give you. It's off my (stolen) Toyota T100 --6.5' bed. Should fit your Ford straight up or with just a bit of mod. It's decent (screened windows etc.) and would solve your problem.

 

[fsuindustries]

Bed of the truck with a camper shell, throw down a sleeping pad. If its nasty I use a Slumber Jack awning I picked up. Keeps everything dry around the truck. No Frills keeps you mobile.

 

[Bigolwiggler]

Here is one of my past setups. Tarp on top to keep the dew off of us . Pad and nice sleeping bag . Its what I had to do from time to time when going remote. I use a pop up slide in camper now , bought it about a year or so ago . This was the night before opener. I pushed one of 3 bucks out of a bowl and my huntin partner promptly popped him : ) X9A