Backpacking Bowhunting Trip
Wisconsin
It's probably a pipe dream but next September for the first 4 days of the season I'm thinking of backpacking while hunting.
Has anyone done something similar to this?
Give me the good, the bad and the ugly.
I backpack about 100 miles every year at 9-14k feet. Where will you be doing this? Rule of thumb, your complete pack less water/bow should not exceed 20% of your body weight. I am 205x.2=42 lb pack plus 3 liter waterbladder, bow. Pack=6 lbs, bag, 4 lbs. that leaves 32 lbs for water purifier, stove, food, bear can, clothes, ect. Rei is your best source for equipment. Lighter stuff=mo $$$$.
If I did do it would be northern Wisconsin so elevation wouldn't be an issue. Do you pack the bow or carry it?
Carry it. 6 days of mt house food, firstaid, skeeter dope, 32 oz of 190 proof aiming fluid, coffee sticks, koolaid sticks, tent.
32 oz of 190 proof aiming fluid" Booze?
That was a joke. It can be done with comfort but it takes planning the pack and weighing it. The bear can with food=10 lbs. tent=3 lbs.
Not that many places you can hike in a couple of miles without coming out the other side. You don't need to worry too much about restricting weight. You could make do with a shelter and sleep system that wouldn't be ideal for backpacking and a backpack that isn't top of the line. I think you'd have fun and it'll be a good shake-out trip to evaluate what kind of hunting trips you want to do in the future and what gear you want to replace. Four days isn't that long. Food won't be very heavy.
What you'll want to keep in mind is packing or dragging any deer out in potentially warm weather. Have a plan.
I'll be glad to share any info that I can to help.
When I'm covering ground, I use a KUIU bow holder on my pack. It keeps my hands free and I can still grab my bow without taking off my pack.
Bibon Swamp would allow you to get lost for a few days. Like stated there are not many places in our home state that we can walk and not cut a road of some kind.
I'm thinking north eastern WI with the combination of Fed, State and County lands there should be plenty there for me to tramp around in. If I come across a road that's fine. Its more for the exploring and checking things out.
I'll check out that bow holder. Has anyone done this without a rack? I was thinking just using my normal backpack loaded with food and utensils and then tie my sleeping bag to it wrapped in a tarp. I would only be hiking the first day. Find some good signs then set camp in a good direction from the sign and probably 15-20 minute walk back to the sign to sit.
I would suggest doing some sort of camping/scouting trip first if you've never been in the area you're targeting.
When asking about a rack, do you mean without an external frame backpack or without bedding?
Even though you won't be going very far, you'll want to figure out your situation as far as a water source. You won't want to carry four days' worth of water. A Sawyer gravity filter would work for you or a pump style with a dromedary bag.
I would recommend a tent with no-see-um netting windows over a tarp for that kind of area at that time of year. Even a heavy two man tent isn't that heavy.
You don't need a top of the line pack, but I'd suggest at least borrowing a decent pack. It just makes life easier to pack everything contained inside.
If you're going with freeze-dried food, you won't need much in the way of utensils or pots. If you don't have a camp stove, you could always just make a hobo stove. A dry bag and some cordage work fine to hang your food. Always a good idea because of bear possibilities, but a more common problem that I've come across are mice. I f@*king hate mice chewing through packs.
A tarp is nice if the weather doesn't want to cooperate. It gives you some extra semi-sheltered area for a small amount of weight.
Leave a large cooler filled with ice blocks or frozen jugs of water in your truck to cool your potential deer. And you might as well have a favorite beverage keep your ice company.
I think you'll enjoy yourself and find that you'll end up doing more spike camp hunting in the future.
Not trying to be difficult, but a lifestraw is not the most efficient method to get water into a pot to make some Mountain House or Alpine Aire.
If you are entering big woods,...finding your way,...old way was with a map & compass. New way is electronic and with GPS. I am uncertain as to what type of unit you might need, or even what they are called, but I would think a reliable GPS unit, hand held, with operator specified "way points" and "destinations" would be helpful. Perhaps even lifesaving, given certain situations. I believe fellows on this website could help with advice on this. Something to research. Woodsdweller seems to possess a wealth of knowledge on this backpacking experience, the voice of experience it seems.
Oh.... Completely forgot about the meth heads and pot growers.
My stove=jet boil, water=hakyne pump or straw stuck in a smart water bottle(twice the thickness), matress pad? Yes and again lighter=$$$. Pillow? Rei pack size a walnut $45 or a 1/2 inflated 1 gallon ziplock. Check on bear cannister laws. Remember the golden triangle at camp. Food prep/eating 50 yards from tent and food storage obtuse 50 yards from tent. Dont sleep with a snickerbar or honey coughdrops. Backpack weight is all about your distance/conditions and comfort level. I see guys in the Sierra every year doing 50 miles with a 70 lb pack and guys doing the Pct(2,100 miles) with a 22 lb pack( no tent, stove, ect)...
Food? Mt house dinners are awesome with instant mashed. Mt house breakfast are turrble. I do coffee stick, oatmeal, protien bar lunch, jerky or pbj/tortilla.
I'll have a compass and map but plan on using my phone for GPS and property lines.
The hiking and camping I've done in the past I've never used a stove. Just a mess kit and stackable cooking containers. Seasonings, various beans/legumes and rice plus plenty of snacks and some fruits.
How far would be a reasonable distance should my hunting area be from camp site?
I do not know if this is true or not, but I have heard that the GPS functions on most phones is relatively inaccurate. This might be something to check.
I don't know if other counties have this but here in Lincoln there are lots of open areas that are maintained for wildlife. You can see these from the photo provided. You can camp in one of the openings as a base and go out from there. The openings should get a breeze and help at least a little with bugs. I will say that if the two track leading into them is worn skip that spot as there is likely a bear bait there somewhere.
"How far would be a reasonable distance should my hunting area be from camp site?" it depends. If you have a soft pack, camelback bladder you can go 10 miles rt easy. We set base camp and do this. Mophie for cell charge and we have delorme in reach units( text worlwide anywhere, panic button which sends er, insurance which covers rescue.
The inreach also pings the sattelite every 10 minutes for your exact location. I can sit in cal and watch a buddies exact route/location in africa, thailand, montana, ect. I watched my son on my laptop this year leave camp in the sierra, his ping was 1 hour intervals. Took him 1 hour to climb 580 yards, the next ping was 58 yards. I knew he just killed a mulie, 58 yard shot as the next 3 hour pings were the same spot quartering him out.
Heres a link for bp setup. Needs tweeking for the midwest. http://fordsbasement.com/2014/05/23/complete-john-muir-trail-gear-list/
Fixed it for you November
Thx dt, i ride the techie short bus.
When you post a link just copy it and paste it in the URL/Link area above the choose file for photos.
Good thread, I am gleaning some tips from here to use when my son has enough bear points. We are going to do a similar trip but use the brule River if possible for our transport into the wild.
Woodsdweller and nov, thank you for taking the time to share your valuable insight.
I hope you do this trip Casey. I'm looking forward to a full write up of your adventure by no later than sep 30 of 2017:-)
Another point, have a external frame pack back at the truck .if you down a deer, break camp to truck, go back in with empty frame water, haul out.
Tweed, check out the Marinette County forest west of Amberg Wis. Benson lake road runs west for miles and goes into Forest County. All good hunting. 1000's of acres. Start out at Benson lake road and Old county A and head in any direction. Check the topo and areal maps. Good luck
Ha! That is exactly where I had in mind.
Do you know of any parking issues? Can I just pull off and leave the truck there for a few days? Maybe give the sheriff a heads up?
Looks interesting. Thanks
I live close to this area and hunt it often, only problem I have in this area is lots of bear if staying more than a few days in the early season. What do you use to detour bears from visiting camp site.
"What do you use to detour bears from visiting camp site.". Read the thread. 1) bear can 2) golden triangle...tent 50 yards to cook/eat.....obtuse 50 yards to food can cache. 3) just be faster than your buddy
What's that .22 for?
Bears
.22 isn't big enough for bears.
Big enough to shoot you so I'm faster.
I don't plan on using a bear box but I do like the advice of cooking and camping in separate areas. I plan on hanging my food from a tree.
That will work tweed. Where i bp, cans are mandatory or a $500 fine.
I am getting older, I need some slow hunting partners I can out run. Any takers.
If you want to see what not to do in bear country while backpacking watch the movie backcountry on netflix.
Bear just love to play with tents/blinds even with nothing in them. Especially if you have cooked in or near your tent before. No toothpaste in the tent either.
Spot on Drop Tine. I had a bear trash 3 pop-up blinds on my land this year. I figured out it was after the pee jug in each one. I use laundry detergent bottles and the smell had to be too much for the bear to resist (they were empty). After replacing the blinds, I did not put a pee jug in them and he left them all alone.
"Carry your camp with you. Bears wont trash your camp if its on your back." not practical when you actually are hunting. Besides completely setting camp up after hunting in the dark/tearing it down in the morning dark doesnt work well. Cache or bear can all food/scented items and you will be fine. Take a sweaty tshirt and tie it to your tent. Guys wear gloves while baiting for a reason.
I also think it would be impractical to bivy hunt as an initial foray into backpack hunting. And unnecessary with the distances you'll be dealing with in WI. If that's what you want to do, you're going to want to look hard at each piece of gear and you'll end up spending more money all at once.
Hey Tweed, I'd let someone know what yer up to. Maybe go over to Goodman park and let the DNR or park service know you'll be parking out there. Good luck
Backpacked & hunted NV UT CA WY CO & ID . I have complete list and wts of pack for each trip . 38 lbs to 90 lbs . Its a great challenge and you come home lean & mean .
I use to also do the trips out west like that, last one was 2009,,,,,, now not much, but like Ruger have a great list,,,,, ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain,,,,, but here in the great lakes area, not as demanding......
last year I wanted to cover a big area in the western UP,,,,, I decided after checking the weather, I was just going to roam and hunt, and not come out, for about 3 days. I had a friend drop me off, and dropped my truck off, a few miles away, and if I do not end up by the truck I could call him,,,,,,
I just had my bow, some water, jet boil, light tarp, (2) etc,, not a whole lot,,,,,,, I made 2 lean toos , and slept there, one tarp on ground and one for cover,,,,, lots of fun, they were easy to make and quick to use,,,, I left them both up,,,,, I saw a few deer, did not find much, that I liked, but had a lot of fun,,,,,,,
I make my own meals at the cabin, put them in the zip lock, and go for awhile,,,,, nice waking up in the woods in the am, crisp fall day, small fire, make some coffee, and than just take off,,,,,,,,
too much of a kid in me still,,,,,, ha ha
^^^^^ that's what I'm talking about!
We use to do this every year during the spring turkey hunt. Live out in the woods for a few days. Wash up at night in a creek. We ate like kings a couple miles back. Granted not many places in Wisconsin you can truely get far back in. I think you'd have a blast if you did it. Some of my best memories and a complete soul cleanser to say the least. If you do go this route tweed. Take a lot of pics and post up here on bowsite. These days we are cadered to so much. I was brought up in a tent. Now we are in cabins. Miss those days...
My patch of dirt is just that...I've only known "primitive" camping and didn't go to my first campground till I was a teen.
Very soul cleansing. I sleep much better (almost too good) and don't chew nails, very relaxed.
Then on the way home when I get to about Sheboygan everything starts tightening back up.
