A basic guide for your first backcountry hunt
Eric Hanson 07.20.21
Preparing for your first backcountry hunt is an intimidating proposition, whether you’re an experienced backpacker who is new to hunting, or someone who is an experienced hunter who hasn’t spent time camping in the backcountry. Either way, you need to tune your equipment to ensure a comfortable hunt.
People who have experience backpacking but aren’t skilled hunters likely have a leg up on hunters who haven’t backpacked before, as backpacking skills can be harder to learn compared to hunting skills. It is advisable for any first time backpacker to go on a few backpacking trips to understand and assess his gear before taking it hunting. Nonetheless, here are the basics for preparing for your first backcountry hunt.
The Basics
Where you plan to hunt, the altitude you’ll be spending time in, how long you plan to be out, and the time of the year all influence what you will bring with you on a hunt, but there are some basics that all backcountry hunters need to have available. The core gear includes a backpack with a frame, a sleeping system, a layering system, and a kill kit. You’ll want to manage the weight you are carrying, while making sure you have everything you need to survive in the backcountry.
If you are already a backpacker, you have all the gear you need to get started—there is no need for a fancy hunting backpack or hardcore camo clothing, other than making sure your kill kit is ready.
If you aren’t a backpacker, here are some thoughts on how to get started without breaking the bank.
First, you need a pack. Beginning backpack hunters can seek out any internal frame pack that a normal backpacker would use. Aiming for something in the 50-80 liter range makes sense. The larger the pack, the more gear and weight that can be carried, as well as meat. It’s worth going to a store with expertise in backpacking to get fitted for a pack, as a person’s body can have a major influence on what pack fits them.
Second, you need a sleep system, which normally includes a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. Minimizing weight here is important as these are some of the heaviest components of your backcountry system, but you need to balance price with weight. Ultralight gear often carries a heavy premium over gear that is light enough to get you by. It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole of gear and weight, but most hunters who are hunting solo or with a partner can find a 2-person tent weighing 3-5 pounds, a sleeping bag appropriate for their environment (usually a 15-30 degree bag) in the 1.5-3lb weight, and a blow up sleeping pad in the 1-1.5lb range (some people prefer a foam pad that can’t be punctured, though blow up pads are less bulky, often more comfortable, and usually warmer).
Other basics include a headlamp with spare batteries, a first aid kit sufficient to handle problems that might arise, your rifle and ammunition, sunscreen and sunglasses, hygiene equipment (hand sanitizer, a toothbrush, etc.), and a kit for water and food that includes a water filter, water storage (bladder and/or bottle), portable stove (with two methods for lighting it), and food (including freeze-dried meals, bars, snacks, and things like hard cheese and jerky or salami). Also, be prepared for using the bathroom in the backcountry—bring a shovel for burying waste and toilet paper as needed. Maps of the area for navigation and a personal locator beacon are also critical components for a backcountry hunt. Trekking poles can also be a huge benefit when lugging heavy loads.
Finally, you obviously need a reliable rifle and five to eight rounds for it (or a bow, if you are archery hunting). Choosing a hunting weapon is an extremely personal choice. On the firearm side, you want to make sure you have a gun that is light enough to pack on a hunt (aim for 7-9 pounds with scope) and that you shoot well (most people shoot much better with cartridges that produce less recoil). You should also be proficient in shooting your rifle from a variety of positions, including off of a pack or a shooting stick. It’s important to practice shooting from different positions, as you never know when a shot will present itself.
Clothing
Cotton kills. No matter if you’re bow hunting the heat of the summer or working the edge seasons in spring or fall, wool or synthetics are the best clothes to wear when backpacking. Wool can be more expensive and less durable, but is breathable, retains warmth when wet, and doesn’t stink the way synthetics do. Either material can be useful for the backpack hunter. Often, synthetic pants are the most durable and comfortable for a hunter, while wool tops work well as layering components.
A backpack hunter needs to cut weight but efficiently layer to prepare for whatever potential situations she might encounter. Bring at least two pairs of socks and underwear so you can change them if they get wet or otherwise icky. Beyond that, think about base layers, additional layers for warmth, and rain gear as necessary. Adjust up or down based on projected weather, but always be prepared for a cold snap or wet weather. When you know it might be cold, a down puffy jacket, thick wool socks and warm gloves are critical. A baseball-style cap is great for hiking in the sun, but at night you’ll want a wool watch cap for sleeping.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure you have a pair of sturdy boots that you have already broken in. When you are side-hilling to get to a glassing spot or packing out 90-plus pounds of game and gear, a solid pair of boots is your best friend.
Glassing
Any big game backpack hunter will be spending time behind optics to find game. At minimum, a hunter needs an excellent pair of 8x or 10x binoculars. When moving, the binoculars should be worn on a chest harness for easy access. Once you’ve chosen a spot to glass, it’s best to mount the binos on a monopod or tripod that will allow the hunter to comfortably observe a wide swath of land that may hold game. For specialized hunts or hunts that have wide-open terrain, a spotting scope can also be useful. However, spotting scopes can add a lot of weight to a pack and may not be worth it for many types of hunts.
Another consideration when glassing is comfort. The longer you can spend looking, the better chance you have of connecting with game. A small section of a foam pad that you sit on can mean the difference between a comfortable session and the need to get up and go.
The Kill Kit
The kill kit is what separates a normal backpacker from a hunter. It should be a small, secure pouch that is easily accessible in your pack.
First things first, the kit should have your hunting license, tag, and a means of affixing the tag, like a zip cord or rubber band. The first thing you should do after finding your animal and confirming it has expired is affix the tag to it.
While it’s important to save weight, carrying two knives on a hunt is almost always a good idea. Many hunters carry a Havalon-style replaceable razor blade knife for skinning and detail work, along with a stronger fixed blade knife that can handle more intense tasks like popping joints and dealing with bones.
A healthy length of paracord is also a key component of your kill kit. It can help you hang game from a convenient tree for processing, hold game on a slope, affix your tag if you forgot another method, and it has a ton of emergency uses as well.
Flagging tape can be helpful for marking blood trails, and some people bring a ground cloth for processing game. But these are not crucial elements for processing game. You can mark spots with hats and clothing if you need to follow a blood trail to find your game, and you can cut the hide and fold it back to lay meat on, if necessary.
Though it may not technically be inside your kill kit, game bags are another critical component to bring with you, as they hold the meat while allowing it to breathe. Synthetic bags, while costly, are often the best choice as they balance weight with durability, though cotton bags work well too. The size and number of bags depends on the game being hunted. For a normal sized deer, a hunter may need three to five bags. To honor your quarry (and comply with the law), hunters should strive to collect at least the bone in quarters, backstrap and tenderloins, boned-out rib meat, and offal like the heart and liver (bring a couple gallon zip bags for the wobbly bits).
Packing Out
Given the gravity of what a hunter accomplishes when harvesting an animal in the backcountry, it’s critical that he pack out as much meat as possible. Most hunters choose to pack out bone-in quarters, even when multiple trips are necessary. If the load is too much, it may even make sense to pack out as much meat as possible on the first trip and then return for the hunter’s tent and other material.
Being prepared from the outset means that the only true discomfort you should face on a backcountry hunt is the weight of your harvest as you carry it out.
