Backpack Hunting – 4 Things I Wish I Would Have Known Starting Out

A tipi tent set up in the backcountry of Colorado on a backpack hunt for elk

Learning how to backpack hunt can seem like a tall order that forces you to drink from a fire hose. It can even feel overwhelming and leaves many folks right at the trailhead or setting up a truck camp instead of heading down the trail. After a decade of backcountry hunting, I’m going to try and help clear the noise for you newer or aspiring backpack hunters. Here are 4 things I wish I would have known when I started.

Don’t Go Broke

There is a lot of gear involved in backpack hunting. So much so that it can get overwhelming. Not just sorting through exactly what you need, but the thought of purchasing all of this. It adds up and these things aren’t cheap. On that note, I want to point out that you shouldn’t feel like you need to go broke in order to go backpack hunting. Utilize resources like forums and classifieds. There is nothing wrong with buying used gear to get you in the field. And that’s the important thing here. Get what is going to get you in the field sooner rather than later. If that means buying a used tent instead of a brand-new one, then buy the used tent.

Josh Kirchner and hunting partners enjoying some camp time on a backpack hunt for black bears in Idaho

All of that said, the two items you really don’t want to skimp on are the backpack and the boots. Yes, you can buy used backpacks, but boots is kind of weird. Hey, do you, though. Your backpack needs to have an adequate suspension system and adjustable torso length. This is what is going to literally carry everything you need and, fingers crossed, your harvest back to the vehicle. And your boots are like your tires. They’re also what protect and support your feet/ankles. Inadequacy on either can leave you hurting and might even end your hunt.

Distance Shmistance – A Few Thoughts on Miles

Josh Kirchner hiking up a ridge with company in tow on a backpack hunt in Idaho for black bears

I learned something long ago. You can get anywhere with breaks. Don’t let big miles scare you if big miles are what you desire. You are far more capable than you think you are. All I will say here is to be realistic in regards to what you’re hunting. For instance, if you’re solo elk hunting, 12 miles is probably irresponsible for most folks. You’re going to have at least 3 trips there in and back. You do the math.

In the same breath, though, don’t feel like you need to go in deep, because you don’t. Heading 12 miles into the backcountry gets romanticized a lot, and it’s great, but you don’t need to go 12 miles in to do a backpack hunt. There is a whole lot of country that gets overlooked in the 1-3 mile range. You’ll have the same experience, maybe even a better one, and you’ll likely be alone.

You NEED a Layering System

Having a layering system wasn’t something that popped onto my radar until I really started looking into backpack hunting. I thought they were a gimmick if I’m being honest. I was wrong. When you’re backpack hunting, the clothing you have is the clothing you have. There is no luxury of bringing a suitcase of extra clothes. This means that you need a clothing system that can handle a wide range of situations. Something that will keep you cool when it’s hot, warm when it’s cold, and dry when it’s wet out.

Josh Kirchner from Dialed in Hunter putting on a mid-layer of clothing on a backpack hunt for elk in Colorado

A basic layering system is going to be base layers, mid-layer, insulation, and rain gear. So, down below I’ll go undies, then pants. If it’s cold then I’ll go undies, merino wool base layer bottom, pants. Up top I go lightweight merino, mid-weight merino or grid fleece, insulation like a puffy jacket, and then rain gear. That system right there will get you through a wide range of scenarios. And from it you can build or takeaway. This is the foundation, though.

Food is Fuel

I’d put money down that if I asked most folks how much food do they need in a day, they’d likely not be able to answer accurately. Knowing how much food you need in a day is needed knowledge when it comes to backpack hunting. We need to look at food as fuel and without enough fuel, we’re not going to perform to the level we’re capable of. And if you just try to stay on the safe side and bring way too much food in the backcountry, for fear of going hungry, then you’re intentionally carrying a lot of unnecessary weight. You need balance.

Josh Kirchner putting his day bag of food away on a backpack hunt for elk in Colorado

Go about figuring out how much food you need however you want, but this is how I did it. I would head out for day long scouting trips intentionally bringing too much food with me. Throughout the day I’d keep a log of what I ate and how I felt. After doing this a half dozen times I figured out a round number in calories that I needed to bring with me.

I want to make a quick note here on things like fasting and your daily eating habits in general between home and backpack hunting. At the end of the day, you know your body best. But, from what I’ve witnessed, the backcountry is no place for things like intermittent fasting. You folks out there that don’t eat much at all throughout the day, but then have a big dinner, I highly suggest you do not do this on a backpack hunt. I’ve seen the aftermath of it. Dizziness, puking, etc. Your body needs fuel. Backpack hunting is extremely strenuous on the body and mind. Far more so than whatever workout you’re doing back home. Eat your food.

Go Forth!

Josh Kirchner and hunting partner packing into the Idaho backcountry on a black bear hunt in Idaho

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready to load up my backpack, grab my bow, and head down the trail! Learning how to backpack hunt is a journey with many twists and turns. Throughout that trek you’re going to pick up on things and learn your own little tricks and tips. What I’ve laid out here are just a few things I’ve learned throughout the years that I really wish I would have known when I started. Now, go forth, live in the dirt, and chase your backcountry hunting dreams. They’re out there waiting for you. You just have to go and get them.