Pack in hunting - food and stuff

[lpcjon2]

Ok so we always see tent and sleeping set ups. I would like to know from those who pack in to a camp(for more than 2 day hunts) what foods and methods you use for the grub.

  And what is your method for the "Black Gold" aka coffee brewing. And what amount of food do you estimate for a days use(not calorie per hour type stuff,general meals set up). Thanks Tim

[bowbert]

Mountain house meals can't be beat.  But I also use ziplock freezer bags and make my own with things like couscous, instant mashed potatoes, stuffing.  Just add boiling water and it mix, then I eat it right out of the bag.  With oatmeal, dried fruit, nuts and cliff bars I have enough variety to satisfy me.  

I'm a coffee snob, but I just use instant for hunting. I'm usually so focused on hunting that I just want sustenance.  

Good luck,
Bret

[Iron Man2]

Hello Tim,

I think you have to give more info and details of what kind of "pack-in" to make a more narrow list and on point as to what to include or not. Big difference or limiting factor is how you are getting to your hunting area, are you driving in, pack horse, fly-in? One week versus two weeks? How much can you carry if hiking in? etc.

I'm sure there are many options as to taste and likes from all on the TG, however, when I hunted from my "base" camp being from an SUV to a "drop-in" or "fly-in" distant "base" camp is very different i.e., super market foods to MRE's such as Mountain House products. And as different as from brewed coffee to having tea.    

My 2 centavos,

JL  

[lpcjon2]

I have done 4 day canoe trips with MRE's and brought back my Marine memories. I am looking into a pack in on the back type scenario.

[Biathlonman]

For coffee starbucks via is the answer.  Expensive but out of this world for an instant coffee.  Mountain house or dehydrate your own stuff.  I've got a couple good recipes if you have a dehydrator.  I really like to add dehydrated meats to either instant mashed potatoes or knorr noodle packs.  Cliff bars and oatmeal for breakfast.

[DarkTimber]

I keep mine pretty simple and my menu doesn't vary much on pack in trips.  

Breakfast:
1. Instant Oatmeal (I'll throw in a different flavor for each day)
2.  Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Best Invention Since T.P.)

Lunch:
1.  Single Serve Peanut Butter & Jelly on a Torilla or Hard Salami and Cheese on a Bagel, or Tuna Pouch in a Pita
2.  Peanut Butter and Crackers Packs
3.  Fruit Leather

Snack:
1.  Trail Mix
2.  Jerkey
3.  Granolla Bars

Dinner:
1.  Mountain House


I keep each days breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner in a separate gallon zip lock bag.

[gnihsifnamk]

I'll offer a few things I love to have that don't seem to make the list of usual camp food items:

In case I get a deer or catch a trout(whats the point of camping if you aren't trying for one of those things.):
-little salt shaker with a mix of coarse ground pepper and sea salt
-small quantity of fat. Olive oil, butter, coconut oil all good


-If the first night isn't a super long pack in or there aren't weight restrictions I like to bring in a heavy super tasty meal. For example if I'll be cooking over a campfire I like to make foil packet meals, meat veggies spices and a splash of broth/wine, throw it in the fire as soon as there are some nice coals. Go pitch your tent and pull it out in 30-45 minutes, super tasty.
 
-Chili and tomato sauce dehydrate really well

-Camping food tends to be carb heavy, I really like having jerky on hand and some fresh fruit, cherries and oranges are my favorite.

-I always have dark chocolate

-A flask of good whiskey (I like makers mark)

-I'll eat all my heavy food early on, and save the dehydrated stuff for later

You may be thinking wow this dude brings a lot of heavy stuff, you may be right but wife is always begging me to go camping...

[John Scifres]

Starbucks Via for sure.  Just the regular, the flavored ones are over-the-top flavored.

Oatmeal and granola bars for breakfast.

GORP and peanut butter/bacon tortilla wraps for lunch.

Lipton Rice or Pasta meals (add 2 tbsp of olive oil to each one), jerky or tuna pack (get it in oil if you can find it), and usually more peanut butter and GORP for dinner.

I cook everything in its packaging so I don't pack a pot, just a titanium cup.  Burn the packaging as you go.

Plan on 1.5-2 lbs, 3000 cal, and $6 per day.

[John Scifres]

oh yeah, try everything before your trip.  Eat the exact diet and see if you can handle it.

[fnshtr]

Originally posted by DarkTimber:
I keep mine pretty simple and my menu doesn't vary much on pack in trips.  

Breakfast:
1. Instant Oatmeal (I'll throw in a different flavor for each day)
2.  Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Best Invention Since T.P.)

Lunch:
1.  Single Serve Peanut Butter & Jelly on a Torilla or Hard Salami and Cheese on a Bagel, or Tuna Pouch in a Pita
2.  Peanut Butter and Crackers Packs
3.  Fruit Leather

Snack:
1.  Trail Mix
2.  Jerkey
3.  Granolla Bars

Dinner:
1.  Mountain House


I keep each days breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner in a separate gallon zip lock bag.

X 2

I sometimes add pre-cooked bacon to my Peanut Butter and honey tortilla. Tortillas pack well.

Good luck!

[Greg Skinner]

My menu for a backpack type hunt is real similar to DarkTimber. I just have granola bars and coffee for breakfast, but I use an REI French press cup and grind my own coffee before I leave home.

lunch and snacks are a variety of dried fruit, nuts and deer jerky (I have a great recipe for using ground venison)wheat thin crackers and candy bars.

dinner - Mountain House freeze dried. I carry a single titanium pan for heating water.  And yes, I use the individual zip lock bags also.

[Daz]

Mountain House is great, but crazy high sodium content. Also, the single servings are not enough, so it gets expensive after a while.

Invest in a dehydrator, and experiment. Almost any entree made at home can be dehydrated. Lean ground meat dehydrates/rehydrates well, and the Idahoan potatoes are cheap and easy to throw into anything.

Moose Goo is great on a bagel or tortilla. This is my version of the recipe, but google it for others:
1 portion organic honey
1 portion organic almond butter
Enough protein powder (Vega is my choice) and dried cranberries to create a brick of dense goo. I prefer solid to runny. Wrap in wax paper or put in camper's squeeze tubes. High protein and caloreis, and keeps without refrigeration for a long time (honey is a natural anti-bacterial agent).

I use an alcohol stove (either a white box or a vargo), and a nesting set of snow peak titanium pots with a spork. The sauce packets from taco bell are a great add on.

And yes, the Starbucks Via is the BEST thing to happen in a long time.

[Lost Arra]

+1 what Biathlonman said especially the Via instant. I enjoy coffee (I roast my own at home) but for backpacking, it just isn't worth the extra brewing gear in the pack.

While I dehydrate a lot of my own food for prepared camping meals I use Hawk Vittles or Enertia Trail foods. I think they are much better than MH and don't have the salt block of sodium.

[ron w]

I had good luck with the Folgers coffee bags....just like tea bags but coffee......light, they burn up when your done and just heat up some water in a cup. Is it gourmet....no but it ain't bad!

[Orion]

Others have covered about everything I take in.  Don't believe anyone has mentioned what they do with the food when they're not in camp.  Should be obvious, but be sure to use or bring a pack you can use to hang your food and enough parachute cord to do so.  

Hanging our food in a tree 30 or more yards from camp is the last thing we do at night and before we leave camp in the morning.  The only time the food is down is when we're in camp.  This is in bear country, of course.  Not as important if there are no bear around.  

Be sure to hang it so it's suspended high enough so bear can't reach it, and far enough away from tree trunks so a bear can't climb to get at it. This sometimes means two ropes, one over a tree limb to raise it, and another to pull it away from the tree.

[mtnwalker]

i second those folgers coffee bags, and like to
dehydrate  some meat and veggies.  pack instant brown rice.  but i still carry a couple of mh meals just in case.  Make sure you carry a good bear bad to hang your food at night away from camp.

[So-Mo Archer]

Originally posted by John Scifres:
oh yeah, try everything before your trip.  Eat the exact diet and see if you can handle it.

This is a must, especially if you don't have the luxury of n Uncle Sam-issued iron gut. Home testing your chow helps you to stay in your stand, and not digging cat holes.  

My pack in mess is very much like John's, and does a great job of keeping a "big man" happy on a longer hunt.

[NormanDale33]

X100 on the VIA. Worth the cost for back-packing.

Another option for a quick dinner is couscous seasoned with taco seasoning and grilled summer sausage. Summer sausage and cheddar cheese actually do well for quite a few days on the trail.

I also take instant grits and mix them with cheddar cheese for a morning meal instead of oatmeal to break the routine. Add dried green chiles and sausage if you can carry the weight.

Be aware of your fuel source and what elevations you will be at. I have had issues with the butane burners at high elevation.

Talk with the folks at REI and they have tips on making your own back-packing foods usually.

I agree with taking olive oil as well, repack it in small nalgene's...6 oz or so. If grouse are fair game EVOO and spices are great.

Have fun.

[Dan Adair]

2 things.....

First.  Just take up a backpacking hobby, and then once it comes around to season, take your bow along too.  If you do this, you'll have your gear refined to perfection by the time your trip rolls around.

second...  If you are around water, get a Jetboil for your stove, and get the french press attachment for it.  That is as good as coffee gets in the middle of nowhere.  Jetboils are bulky and heavy, but crazy effecient.  I take mine when I'm backpacking for fishing, or into a basecamp/weeklong trip.  But during hunting season I use lighter, less bulky set-ups and take VIA's from Starbucks.

One final thought....  If you really want to get into this backpack hunting thing hard, you might consider a trip out to Montana for one of Ed Tyanich's classes.

[Burnsie]

Good info guys,  I'm planning a trip as well.