RidgeRoamingRichard
Well-known member
I carry 10. Enough to fire off a few three-shot successions even if I've already shot an animal
Backcountry hunting and extra ammo?
- Thread starter Deckerp
- Start date
RidgeRoamingRichard
Well-known member
Oh I forgot about the 3 in my chest pouch. So 13.
Ditch the ammo pouch and put the extra rounds in your extra socks or a ziploc in an easy to access pocket. Keep 2-3 extra rounds in your bino harness/on your body. If it's a magazine-fed rifle you should be carrying a spare full magazine. You need to focus less on counting ounces like that and more on the big picture, which is your lightweight pack will stay lightweight on the way out to the truck if you don't have the right stuff to get the job done after something goes wrong. If it's your first elk hunt, don't try to bivy hunt/hunt with all your gear on your back every day. Have a 'stripped down' day mode that you actually go hunt with that has the essentials to hunt & survive 24 hrs. You're going to be losing more than 8 oz/day in body weight anyways if you're doing it right, so bring what you need to be an effective hunter. You should have some more ammo back at the truck too.
Schaaf
Well-known member
10.
3 in the magazine, 5 in a belt pouch, 2 in my bino harness.
3 in the magazine, 5 in a belt pouch, 2 in my bino harness.
Rocklin Hunter
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2014
- Messages
- 19
10 - 3+1 in the gun and 6 in the belt pouch + an extra box back at the truck. If I go thru the 10 without hitting anything, I deserve to walk all the way back to the truck to resupply if I want to keep hunting.
VikingsGuy
Well-known member
For day hikes I have 3 in the rifle and another 3 in my pack.
Deckerp
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2020
- Messages
- 158
Alright - that’s a solid consensus - I will add another 6 or so rounds. Checking/re-zeroing a scope seems to me a reasonably likely what if too.
TexAg09
Active member
8-10 with a full box at the truck.
Welcome, I am new to posting myself after following for years. I am curious about your experience with Western Hunting? Is this a first elk hunt or first hunt out west with big open country? Unless you are hunting dark timber with close shoots I would not cut ounces by leaving a rangefinder behind either . Give me your pack list and I am sure I can shave a few pounds off if you are worried about ounces. I personally carry 5 in the rifle, and have 7 in my bino harness with easy access. I keep a full box in the truck. I cut the plastic cartridge holder the ammo comes in to fit the pocket on the front of my harness. I often have a few singles in my pockets as long as they are not making noise. These are not my main rounds as the bullets get a little beat up and I wonder if that will affect their flight at longer ranges. Magazines fall out, bullets get dropped in the snow, rounds get forgotten in the truck, etc. Being able to shoot 3 times for the universal SOS signal is not a bad idea either. Misses and bad hits happen as well. We all want 1 shot kills but need to be prepared for follow-ups.
Circling around to the reason for my first questions: I moved to Western Colorado 20 years ago from the Midwest where a long shot was one over 100 yards. The first few years I hunted without a rangefinder. It turns out I have horrible depth perception and can't judge distance very well. My first year I killed an elk but between cleanly missing several elk and the 2 rounds it took to kill my first, lets just say 4 rounds would have left me going home with a light pack. After moving to Wyoming and hunting Pronghorn in the open the rangefinder really came in handy. Even with a good hit extra rounds sure make me feel more confident. I shot one elk in Wyoming at 60 yards broadside. I thought I hit it high and worried I didn't catch the lungs. As it turned and made a 100 yard dash back to the aspen stand I put two more rounds into it. Following up with only 1 round left would not have been very comforting. Turns out the first shot did catch the top of the lungs and extra lead was overkill. The extra 2 rounds hit lung as well. I walked into aspens painted red but very easily could have had a tracking job with only 1 round in my rifle had my shots not hit vitals. I have come a long way since those early years. Last year I filled 4 tags with 5 shots but my pockets had extras if they had been needed quick. Good luck and have fun!
Circling around to the reason for my first questions: I moved to Western Colorado 20 years ago from the Midwest where a long shot was one over 100 yards. The first few years I hunted without a rangefinder. It turns out I have horrible depth perception and can't judge distance very well. My first year I killed an elk but between cleanly missing several elk and the 2 rounds it took to kill my first, lets just say 4 rounds would have left me going home with a light pack. After moving to Wyoming and hunting Pronghorn in the open the rangefinder really came in handy. Even with a good hit extra rounds sure make me feel more confident. I shot one elk in Wyoming at 60 yards broadside. I thought I hit it high and worried I didn't catch the lungs. As it turned and made a 100 yard dash back to the aspen stand I put two more rounds into it. Following up with only 1 round left would not have been very comforting. Turns out the first shot did catch the top of the lungs and extra lead was overkill. The extra 2 rounds hit lung as well. I walked into aspens painted red but very easily could have had a tracking job with only 1 round in my rifle had my shots not hit vitals. I have come a long way since those early years. Last year I filled 4 tags with 5 shots but my pockets had extras if they had been needed quick. Good luck and have fun!
D
Deleted member 16014
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Usually 13 total.
GlockZ
Well-known member
13
MITCHMO
Well-known member
Must not be very many superstitious people on here. So many 13 rounders. 
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
Full rifle, same number in my pocket, what’s left of the box in my pack. Usually only need one or two to do the job, but crazy things (lost magazines, falling, getting hurt/lost, really bad day shooting) happen.
1100RemingtonMan
Well-known member
I carry 4 in the rifle one in my front right pocket to get to quick and 8 in my ammo carrier on my pack.
beardwg
New member
- Joined
- May 13, 2017
- Messages
- 6
Magazine full which is (3)one in each front pocket so no matter what pocket I reach into it’s the right answer(2). plus a couple in each side of my pouch on my waist from my pack (6-8). Total 11-13. That’s 300 win ammo. Carrying a smaller caliber I tend to bring a few more cuz it’s easier on the weight.
I have seen and heard 4 shots in one encounter from very good riflemen. Sometimes wind drift is an issue and you can't tell until you full send. I carry around 10 - 15 rounds for my rifle at all times not that I would ever use that many but I don't want less than 1/2 a pound to be a difference for me. If I am that worried I will take an exlax and have the weight come out...
vikingload
Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2020
- Messages
- 31
Depends if you have a side arm, I usually go back to my survival school days and carry extra just in case I need to signal distress. For rifle I usually bring a box of ammo so 20 rounds. If I have a side arm then I only bring two clips of ammo so pending rifle 6-8 rounds.
Hummer
Well-known member
Interesting, the fair consistency of responses here. I typically carry 11-13 rounds total while day hunting from base camp.
