Packing in water

[TwistedSage]

Looking for thoughts on how yall prefer to pack in water to sustain a 4 or 5 day hunt in an area where water is not guaranteed.

One could pack in water a few weeks before the season then just hike in with camp. A pro is that you can pack a heavy load in for miles and recover fully before you start your hunt plus the light pack for going back in. Con being that anything could happen in that time between and your stash may not be there or once season starts or pressure could change everything up and you may want to change location and have to move all that weight again.

The other option I've thought of is to just eat the first day of the hunt or get there a day early then spend the first day packing in just the water then returning for your camp. Pro being a Much greater chance for your water still being there, gives you a chance to evaluate the pressure and choose a spot more accordingly. Con is you may smoke yourself on that first day. Of course the better shape your in the less you'll feel it.

Or just suck it up and pack everything in real heavy the first day

Any thought or experiences. What are yall using as a container. Msr bags? Anything else?

Thanks

 

[Irrelevant]

Platypus bags and usually hike in early, if not just suffer, maybe try to "swing by" some other water during a day hunt and bring some back from that to supplement.

 

[TwistedSage]

I've heard some good things about the platypus bags however they dont seem to have the capacity I'm looking for.

Senario: the area I want to focus on is a peak and its drainages in a wilderness area away from the trail system and a 7 or so mile hike in from the lot. Wanting to to the hike in stay for 4 or 5 days than hike out. Really want to hunt that area but not wanting to make that hike every morning.

 

[Scott85]

MSR makes some big water bags.

 

[Irrelevant]

I've heard some good things about the platypus bags however they dont seem to have the capacity I'm looking for.

Senario: the area I want to focus on is a peak and its drainages in a wilderness area away from the trail system and a 7 or so mile hike in from the lot. Wanting to to the hike in stay for 4 or 5 days than hike out. Really want to hunt that area but not wanting to make that hike every morning.

A couple of these isn't going to cut it? https://www.platy.com/bottles-storage/platy-water-tank

You could also try a dry bag, just go reverse with it.

 

[LopeHunter]

Pack in the water ahead of time. Paint jugs black (illegal alien method) or camo (way too much time method) to match the vegetation, cover with brush and mark the GPS location. Do not place a few steps off a trail. If you pack in 60 pounds then that is around 55 pints of water and if allow for 8 pints a day (you also get some water from food though if eating jerky on your hunt rather than fruit then you need more water from drinking water). 55 pints lasts around 6 days for one guy. A bit less if warm and using a lot of energy or if get the squirts.

Why disguise your water? Someone may not steal your water if you are not hunting an arid zone but they may cut the bottles to screw you over. People suck at times.

 

[pojoaque40]

Can you give a hint as to where you're headed? I've not been to many spots that didn't have ANY water. I'd rather carry a spade and dig a hole before i carried multiple gallons.

You do have a filter, no?

 

[TwistedSage]

A couple of these isn't going to cut it? https://www.platy.com/bottles-storage/platy-water-tank

You could also try a dry bag, just go reverse with it.

The 6L may he good for a 1.5 days or so but the zip closure makes me a little nervous. Have you strapped one down? The 10L bladders are a little more attractive but only one I find are the MSR. My plan was 2 10L(4days) and a 4 or 6L for the packs in/out and a full nalgene to start with.

 

[TwistedSage]

Can you give a hint as to where you're headed? I've not been to many spots that didn't have ANY water. I'd rather carry a spade and dig a hole before i carried multiple gallons.

You do have a filter, no?

The east/west range that's on fire right now.. Google does not show any streams or or intermittent water. FS wilderness map from 92 shows some springs but I have not verified water, I may get one trip in there before the season(Sept archery)

I have a steripen and katahdin tabs to purify

Good chance I'll get dumped with rain while I'm there from the monsoon but I'd hate to be stick without water here

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've used MSR droms and dromlites for over a decade now. The current generation of dromlites suck; the red ones and associated caps were excellent. I have 3, 6, and 10 liter options and use them all throughout the year depending on the situation. If you know you'll be running ridges for deer or something and the nearest water is 2K or 3K feet down off trail, I'm happy to suck it up and haul a couple days worth. If it's a mile or two and a thousand feet, or just some trail miles to water, that's a whole different story...just run down and fill up.
It's VERY specific to your scenario, there's not really a right or wrong strategy. I personally have never stashed water that I would later need to be relying on for more than a couple days. Makes me nervous. ymmv

 

[TwistedSage]

I've used MSR droms and dromlites for over a decade now. The current generation of dromlites suck; the red ones and associated caps were excellent. I have 3, 6, and 10 liter options and use them all throughout the year depending on the situation. If you know you'll be running ridges for deer or something and the nearest water is 2K or 3K feet down off trail, I'm happy to suck it up and haul a couple days worth. If it's a mile or two and a thousand feet, or just some trail miles to water, that's a whole different story...just run down and fill up.
It's VERY specific to your scenario, there's not really a right or wrong strategy. I personally have never stashed water that I would later need to be relying on for more than a couple days. Makes me nervous. ymmv

Are the regular dromedary still good? I usually err on the side of I'm hard on my gear vs I need lightweight. I get nervous about it too and would carry with my gear at least enough to make it and out in case my stash was not there.

 

[Irrelevant]

The 6L may he good for a 1.5 days or so but the zip closure makes me a little nervous. Have you strapped one down?

I have and they have failed on me once. You're definitely planning on using more than I do. I only use 2 L at most in a day.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Take in water in stages over many weeks,GPS coordinates and Good luck to you!
May want to stash dry foodstuffs along with water... Hide well,critters can find anything.

 

[rideold]

I've not much experience with this but it seems to me that the plastic jug a gallon of water from the store comes in doesn't weigh much and is reasonably durable. The water is packaged to be stored.....in the event you don't want to buy dromedary bags.

 

[ccc23454]

Pretrip is best with just gallon jugs or loose bottles but I will say I have got to my stash only to find a bear got curious....long walk down to replace expected water! When packing in one trip I carry 2-100oz CamelBaks that has a adapter that fits my filter and a gallon soft nalgene canteen bag. Mountain houses can eat up water both in fact u add 2 cups And u need to consume more liquids. Good luck

 

[ashersdad]

There is one area in Wyoming that I like to deer hunt (when I'm lucky enough to have a tag) that has no water within a "reasonable" distance. I usually will just pack in as many 32 oz Gatorade bottles as I can carry on scouting trips and then stash them. When I come in with my camp I'll still bring in some water but as long as my stash is good (always has been, knock on wood) I can last 4-5 days.

 

[coleslaw]

Wherever you stash your water, be mindful to keep it out of the sun. It will degrade the plastic and will also release toxins from the plastics into your water (if anybody cares about that). Also, there's always a chance for algae growth if it's not store bought or already purified.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I use the red MSR bags snowy mentioned 6L if I’m packing in some place without water for a couple of days. I did a trip with a buddy and needed a lot of water so two weeks before the hunt I pack in 4 gallons of water. I just used the plastic milk jug style gallon jugs from the store and hid them under a log.

 

[bullbugle307]

If water is that limiting of a factor in an area, you need to find it, or at least find the greenest vegetation as they can get a lot of their water from whatever food has the highest moisture content. I would think that would be a huge help to patterning and finding whatever is in the area. Otherwise, you're stuck looking for bedded animals. In that case, shaded bedding areas could be a limiting factor to focus on.

 

[MTGomer]

I use an MSR dromedary. How much you use totally depends on you and on the weather.
Memorial Day I packed into a rough spot in Arizona and drank 8 L that day. It was hot, my legs weren’t in shape and I had a couple IPAs the night before.