3 man Shelter for late az elk hunt

[blacktailbuilt]

My 2 buddies and I drew a late elk tag in az unit 23. Planning on backpacking we're hoping for some help on shelter choice. We have many options trying not to go too far over $1000. We all own 1 man personal tents but are liking the idea of a floor less tipi with stove. What would be some things to consider in the high country of Arizona 4500-7000 ft are bugs snakes a problem? How much snow to consider if a storm pushes in November? Maybe someone who has hunted this unit can share some knowledge or guide us in the right direction? Maybe we're overlooking stuff? Thank you guys fir your time. Brad

 

[Howdy]

I don't think you need to pack in.
Lots of big country. Go early and scout and find some bulls.
Get the forest map. I could tell you where we saw bulls on our hunt years ago

 

[jryoung]

I ran a Seek Outside 6 man with stove last year on a late cow hunt and it worked great. We set it up as a "base camp" and I brought half a bale of hay and threw it down on the ground. It was a pretty damn comfy camp.

 

[grandejuan]

If you are going to use a stove, get a good canvas wall tent. Three guys can be real comfortable in a 12×15 wall tent. If you use it as a base camp you can spike out for a day with your small tents. I've found that a two man tent really only works for one person and gear. I use a three man tent from "Campmor" called The Sixty Second Tent. Two guys fit fine, and it does go up in 60 seconds and its spacious for a single. It is cold at night in November, snow if it comes is indeterminate but always comes with wind. The wall tent will keep you warm if a storm comes in. The bugs and snakes will be gone. I don't use a floor but a tarp will work fine. Look up "Canvas Cabins wall tents". They have the slickest pole system that goes up fast. They also have good stoves. Once you have a wall tent it will last for years. GJ

 

[DirtyDan]

If your packing in it's hard to beat a lightweight tipi with a stove. For base camp at truck or using horses you just can't beat a good canvas tent. No condensation and room to spread out. Wall tents are great but heavy and they do take some time too setup. A single pole canvas tipi is fast to setup (10 minutes tops for the first time) and comes in a lot lighter.

 

[Maxxis31]

I just bought a seek outside little bug out shelter BTB. It has the same cottage as a 6 man tipi but is lighter and you can break it down to just a one or two person for summertime trips without the stove. Weighs 3lbs so I'm just under 6lbs with a lite outdoors Ti stove and came in right at 1K factory seam sealed with an added stove jack (2 total). I will be using it next week on a spring bear hunt with my two young boys. Later in the summer I'll use it with just my wife and I on some backpacking trips setup base, base in the high country. I'm using tyvek for a floor. The only downfall vs the tipi is you can't stand up in it but for me that was a non issue, it had pleanty of room to spread out gear and is much better than my older backpacking tents.

I'll still use my two man in snake country but that's a totally different hunt. I agree with others that a wall tent is hard to beat when near the rig, I have an old cheap camp trailer too which is more comfortable and cleaner but it is hard to beat the wood stove, I've considered ripping out my bathroom, stove and fridge in my trailer and putting in a wood stove and a small walk in cooler for extended trips. A wood stove is a must for drying gear, a generator and boot dryer works but is much slower.
I would get a bigger tent than a 12x14 for 3 guys, I've used my 12x14 and with a stove and three cots there isn't much left inside. The 14 x 24 is much nicer and the cost difference is minimal if you buy used. I still love my smaller wall tent for summertime hunts where I can't get the trailer but when you add a good stove it gets small fast, especially if your keeping any wood inside. The wall tents both cost less than UL SO tent and stove FYI.

Little Bug Out in the yard (loosely with no guy outs)




14x24 Wall Tent Hunting the Frank Church in Sept

 

[blacktailbuilt]

thank you guys for all the good insight. we went with a 6 man kifaru tipi with stove we picked up off rokslide. planning on getting as far away from the other folks as we can. so much great info and great people here much appreciated guys!!! Brad

 

[Elkhunter24]

Good luck!

 

[Redman]

Kifaru Tipi with a stove if you want to go light. The price is up there past your budget if you buy the stove at the same time.

 

[Howdy]

I sent you a PM

 

[Deleted member 16014]

You can make it happen in your budget with a SeekOutside tipi, I'd go that route for your needs.