11 day backcountry pack weight?

NVDesertHunter

NVDesertHunter

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Hey all,

I have a 11 day backcountry hunt (8 mile basecamp) in October this year.

Right now I am at 66lbs overall pack weight. That includes all my gear including winter clothes, rifle, 2 liters of water and 20lbs of food, etc. I plan to take a lot of pictures so I have my solar panel and chargers as well for my phone and GoPro.

Curious as to what other people's packs weigh for these type of hunt. Theres a chance I can resupply halfway through the trip but would rather not waste a day hiking in and out.

I don't have access to horses or llamas either....all on foot.

thanks!
 
Non-Lead Hunter said:
Hey all,

I have a 11 day backcountry hunt (8 mile basecamp) in October this year.

Right now I am at 66lbs overall pack weight. That includes all my gear including winter clothes, rifle, 2 liters of water and 20lbs of food, etc. I plan to take a lot of pictures so I have my solar panel and chargers as well for my phone and GoPro.

Curious as to what other people's packs weigh for these type of hunt. Theres a chance I can resupply halfway through the trip but would rather not waste a day hiking in and out.

I don't have access to horses or llamas either....all on foot.

thanks!
Click to expand...
Do you use satellite camps? Is the spot close to where you live?
 
So you have, less food a 46 pound pack. How are you getting your game out? Game cart, etc? Depending on where you are hunting it can still get pretty warm in October, so meat needs to be processed quickly. And in our backpacking days, my pack weighed around 45 lbs, my wife's 30.
 
This is one of my all time favorite gear lists...

Backpack Mule Deer Gear List, Sept. 2018

It's been quite a while since I went to the trouble of weighing gear and plugging in alternatives, although I usually weigh my pack the day I leave and day I get back from a backpack trip. This is my favorite backpack hunt every year and it looks like this time the weather is going to be pretty...
www.hunttalk.com www.hunttalk.com
 
wllm1313 said:
This is one of my all time favorite gear lists...

Backpack Mule Deer Gear List, Sept. 2018

It's been quite a while since I went to the trouble of weighing gear and plugging in alternatives, although I usually weigh my pack the day I leave and day I get back from a backpack trip. This is my favorite backpack hunt every year and it looks like this time the weather is going to be pretty...
www.hunttalk.com www.hunttalk.com
Click to expand...
That's a really good list!
 
There is a App Lighterpack to add up your weight. Great tool.
Now go buy a Food Scale at Walmart and a Luggage scale.
this will help you manage your weight.
Like I have said pack what you need not what you might need, leave the items you might need in the truck.
I you have to hike out and repair something, you lost a day but if you have quality gear it should lessen the likelihood you will need it.
Pack pack stoves typically take 7 minutes to boil water now google your stove and know how much fuel you need.
Water buy a Sawyer water filter it is the lightest option but don’t get the mini as it has a higher failure rate.
Your water bottle should be a Smartwarter bottle 1L. This is the lightest option take two one to drink one for meals this water will be boiled so no need to filter
 
Curious, what temp rating is your sleeping bag? I am over 90 pounds but will have some frozen meals and will be quite cold where I am headed so need layers and a warm sleeping bag and good sleeping pad. My tent is under 5 pounds. 90 pounds is everything but the clothes am wearing as strap on the pack, gun, binos, etc.
 
LopeHunter said:
Curious, what temp rating is your sleeping bag? I am over 90 pounds but will have some frozen meals and will be quite cold where I am headed so need layers and a warm sleeping bag and good sleeping pad. My tent is under 5 pounds. 90 pounds is everything but the clothes am wearing as strap on the pack, gun, binos, etc.
Click to expand...
30 degree synthetic...temps will be between 20-55F...I have a 0 degree down bag but its guaranteed to rain. I figure a 30 degree synthetic with synthetic puffy coat and pants will be good enough...I'll be using a Seek outside LBO thats 1.5 lbs so I am saving a lot weight there.
 
LopeHunter said:
Curious, what temp rating is your sleeping bag? I am over 90 pounds but will have some frozen meals and will be quite cold where I am headed so need layers and a warm sleeping bag and good sleeping pad. My tent is under 5 pounds. 90 pounds is everything but the clothes am wearing as strap on the pack, gun, binos, etc.
Click to expand...

You need to get rid of a lot of crap. 90lbs is too much. If you do a Fly in hunt in Alaska you are limited to 50lbs.
You better shoot for this as a Max. IMHO
 
1100RemingtonMan said:
You need to get rid of a lot of crap. 90lbs is too much. If you do a Fly in hunt in Alaska you are limited to 50lbs.
You better shoot for this as a Max. IMHO
Click to expand...

Do I ditch the bear fence (8 pounds) as hike into the Absoroka Beartooth into grizzly habitat? I am on the fence on that but being solo seems would sleep better.

The bear spray?

The layers of clothes when will certainly be near single digits at time?

The tent (5 pounds)?

The sleeping pad, rocket burner (I know one guy that eats 100% cold food to save pack weight), cut down 3000 calories per day for 10 days?

I could make two hikes in to get camp set up but at 11 miles that would be 11 in with 45 pounds then 11 out at 20 (empty pack, bear spriay, rifle, gps, transponder and some water) then 11 in at 45. Two days for that strategy to get set up. When I get a goat, much less a black bear and/or wolf, then could be a lot of 50 pound pack outs from the 11 mile mark. 77 miles would not be unlikely.

I have done 110 pounds (all in weight including gun, water, binos but not clothes am wearing) for 9 miles in 50F to 70F and was not fun but made the hike at about 30 minutes a mile and blew through all my water by the 5 mile mark. Shredded my hamstrings for the rest of that archery elk hunt. Took one spill and gouged into my right shin on a rock along the trail at edge of ridgeline on a switchback.

I sorted gear this June at the vacation home and have not been back and won't until two days before begin driving for the hunts (WY pronghorn then on to MT goat). I have since bought a used down puffy and sleeping back which helped a bit on pack weight. I could skip 10 pounds of frozen, pre-cooked stews and pasta though that means even more Mountain Home salty meals. I could go with one pair of each sock (liner and wool) though as salt crystals build up in socks is like small razor blades and socks would not dry overnight in cold temps. I could ditch the compass and paper map. Toss out the Immodium and other meds in the First Aid Kit. Leave the spotter and tripod though from camp can glass portions of 4 mountain peaks if take the spotter.

I have looked at mountain hunt gear lists and once are at 5 days+ for a hunt in windy 10F - 40F range hunts in bear country then 50 pounds seems suicidal.

If had to cut weight then the bear fence, spotter and scope and some water is how would cut close to 20 pounds. Doable. After that point, not sure what to dump as weather can get below 0F and could dump snow for consecutive days so clothes and food are not easy to cull aggressively.
 
LopeHunter said:
Do I ditch the bear fence (8 pounds) as hike into the Absoroka Beartooth into grizzly habitat? I am on the fence on that but being solo seems would sleep better.
Click to expand...

I took my bear fence into there and still came no where near 90lbs. Here is my lighterpack breakdown with a bear fence. I too go in there solo and sleep a lot better with the fence around me, I have even kicked around the idea of taking it with me when I leave camp for the day and set it up in case I get something down and then setting it up so I can process the animal without having to peak over my shoulder (as much).

 
I just got back from 12 days in the Chugach Mountains here in Alaska... my incoming pack weight was about 60. I definitely over did it a little but had to prepare for snow or hot. Interestingly enough I got neither.
I'd say for 11 days if you are down to 60 you are doing solid. I'd love to see your pack list to compare with my own and see where I'm so dang heavy!
 
Non-Lead Hunter said:
Hey all,

I have a 11 day backcountry hunt (8 mile basecamp) in October this year.

Right now I am at 66lbs overall pack weight. That includes all my gear including winter clothes, rifle, 2 liters of water and 20lbs of food, etc. I plan to take a lot of pictures so I have my solar panel and chargers as well for my phone and GoPro.

Curious as to what other people's packs weigh for these type of hunt. Theres a chance I can resupply halfway through the trip but would rather not waste a day hiking in and out.

I don't have access to horses or llamas either....all on foot.

thanks!
Click to expand...
I can do 12 days with 64lbs, not including water, bow, or Binos. But I have pack goats and a couple convenience items.
Matt
 
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