In this day and age that we live in, we have so many resources at our fingertips. Anything that you want to know is likely only a few taps or clicks away. The information is almost endless, and I love it. For us hunters, there is no shortage of captivating content to fuel our passion. Throughout that content a word that you might hear over and over again, is “backcountry.” It has become more and more popular as time has gone on and is now a regular part of many hunters’ vernacular. The world of “backcountry” hunting is a growing one. People want to feel and experience the adventure that it holds. So, what does it mean? What is the “backcountry?”

There isn’t a clear definition of the backcountry, if you ask me. I don’t believe there is a certain number of miles that you have to be away from the truck in order to say that you are in the backcountry. I do believe that the word more describes an experience, rather than a distance. No matter if you are 1 mile from the truck or 10, it’s the same type of situation back there that possess the same motions. You are living off of your back and in the dirt, away from the comforts of your vehicle or a truck camp. Where you sleep is entirely up to you. Things are much more simple in the backcountry. I didn’t entirely realize that until I started backpack hunting. Nowadays, I prefer the simple life.

It is nothing new. The backcountry has always been there with an open invitation for anyone willing to go the extra mile. Generations before you hunted it before there was even a word to describe it. They did it just for the plain fact that there were more and bigger animals back there. It was normal to venture miles into the wilderness for a hunt. As technology grew though, the distance we put between the truck and us shrank. We got bigger and better optics, better and more capable vehicles, as well as more comfortable living conditions in our posh camps. Why would anyone want to leave that if they didn’t have to. Oh, yes. There are way easier ways of hunting, then hunting the backcountry. Again, why?

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 Shelter

“Why” can only be answered by the person themselves. Some of our reasons may align, but for the most part, it’s a personal thing. I know folks that won’t backpack hunt if they don’t have to. They just use it as a tool in order to access certain parts of country. Makes sense. I also know folks that backpack hunt no matter what, because that’s simply what they love to do. It is their “normal.” They have the freedom to move with the animals if need be and are not tied down to a big truck camp. For me, it’s about the whole adventure of it all. It’s the solitude, unwary animals, and overall experience. You work for said experience, and in my opinion, it is worth every bit of sweat even if I don’t fill a tag.

Now, I ask you. Why do YOU hunt or want to hunt the backcountry and what does that word mean to you?

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Joshua Kirchner