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Plano, TX
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TXDirt
3/10/2021 7:04pm
3/10/2021 7:04pm
Edited Date/Time
3/31/2021 11:32am
Starting a new adventure with the family. Going to learn to hunt, fish, camp, hike, etc. My boys are turning 12 and 11 and it’s time to start making men out of these boys! I’ve also got two younger girls who love the outdoors and my wife wants to hunt, hike, camp, etc.
We are currently on a 6 night camping trip. Tents only. Sleeping has been hell on my body!! lol I’ll need to make some adjustments for the next trip.
Question: Do you like to pack a mess kit in the bag of each person or do you like to just carry one tote with all the cook/camp stuff?
I’m trying to build some pretty comprehensive bug out bags that has everything each person needs for a 3-7 day camp out.
I brought too much stuff this trip but overall not too bad. But I’ll definitely be trimming things down more. Finding efficiencies in packing, etc.
Am I to old to learn how to hunt? I’ve got this pipe dream about wanting to elk or deer hunt in the snow in Montana some day. A true hike in, stalk, hunt, camp, etc.
Looking to gain experience for some of the rougher conditions we might face in the future.
We are currently on a 6 night camping trip. Tents only. Sleeping has been hell on my body!! lol I’ll need to make some adjustments for the next trip.
Question: Do you like to pack a mess kit in the bag of each person or do you like to just carry one tote with all the cook/camp stuff?
I’m trying to build some pretty comprehensive bug out bags that has everything each person needs for a 3-7 day camp out.
I brought too much stuff this trip but overall not too bad. But I’ll definitely be trimming things down more. Finding efficiencies in packing, etc.
Am I to old to learn how to hunt? I’ve got this pipe dream about wanting to elk or deer hunt in the snow in Montana some day. A true hike in, stalk, hunt, camp, etc.
Looking to gain experience for some of the rougher conditions we might face in the future.
Zip lock bags helped organize stuff like, tooth brush, bar soap, Q tips etc. Aside from the larger items, everything fit in two crates. If I’m backpacking and camping I opt to carry this little butane burner. It works really well for canned foods and, doesn’t take up much room.
The Shop
OP, are you talking about car camping or backpacking? The requirements are going to look very, very different if you plan to cover 10-15 miles on foot, carrying everything you need vs. a short approach from the car
You’re never too old, but you will definitely want to be fit before hitting elevation to hunt. Some guided hunts in the Rockies use horses and that helps. I’d highly suggest starting smaller and either pay for a day hunt for hogs or get on a lease in TX - hunt hogs, whitetail and - depending where in TX- sometimes exotics. I hunt on a lease in East Texas and hunting with my son is the bees knees.
Regarding camping I used to read “Outside” magazine for all the latest camping goodies and ideas. Look into overlanding too. That’s gaining in popularity and a little easier on the knees and back.
We just completed a 6 day camp out with the whole family. Tents only. Six of us. Hiked in about half a mile so not far. We did cook everything by campfire. I didn't bring any stove or propane etc. Even made coffee through an old fashioned percolator right on the fire.
Decent first trip that has given me some ideas for packing, etc.
Even my body feels better now. Those first few days were rough. My hips were killin me. Not gonna lie. By day six I feel more acclimated to it and my body feels mostly fine.
Fun trip and can't wait until the next one!
Zehn is probably on to something with the internal frame backpacks; the important part is that you get a waist cinch design which takes weight off your shoulders. I've carried an aluminum-framed external pack which was practically weightless to me when empty, so I've never worried too much about the weight of the things.
This was six nights of camping and honestly we had too many small bags. I want to get each person setup with just one bag. If I can get it to one bag per person I feel I can camp/hike more often and be a bit more spontaneous with it.
Grab the bags. Grab a tote or two. And roll out.
Its wild to me since I grew up in the country and could kill clean and prepare about everything by 10. Your never to old to learn, I'd be surprised if you cant learn to clean deer, etc on youtube now a days lol. Awesome to get out there and enjoy nature with the family.
My $0.02:
1) Invest in great boots (just like moto). If you get good ones, they can be for both hunting and camping/hiking.
2) Start by getting a reliable shotgun - don't think you have to spend $2K on a shotgun to get a good gun. Remington 870 pump is a great gun. If you want an autoloader, look at Beretta (outlander) or a Stoeger (owned by Beneli and pretty much the exact gun as a Beneli at a fraction of the price. Later on, you can always by your dream shotgun. Once you get a shotgun, get a .30-06 and a .22. You can hunt just about anything in North America with those 3 guns. You don't have to spend a fortune - just get decent quality then spend money on your optics.
3) start with small game - quail, dove, squirrel, rabbit, etc. Yes put in for elk, deer, etc but start with hunting birds and other small game. Lots more action, more shooting, more stalking, more calling, more days to hunt - just a lot more action. This will get you hooked on hunting.
As for camping, it comes down to car versus backpacking. There's so much gear you can buy, its crazy.
I really didn't know where to begin since I was raised by hunters.
Respect your ground, and respect your game.
Learn to be good at what you do.
95or so% of the white tails I have shot have been neck shots. They fall immediately. The rest are heart/lung shots. The one's that you need to watch after shot. Blood trail etc.
If you are comfortable with placing rounds, I like the neck shot.
If you are not sure, shoot the heart lung area.around the shoulder.
Just get good. And shoot the neck.
Probable is 200. Possible 400.
I mean unless the sumbitch just walks out of no where.
Pit Row
I did get a decently priced outside frame camo hunting bag off Amazon. It’s big at 100L. The price was amazing and the bag is good quality.
My hunting bag and my hiking/camping bag I think I’ll use different sizes. I’ll need to save some money for one of those awesome bags at REI.
First off get a notebook to keep in your pack. Have your gear list on it so as you think of something you need you can add it to the list right there. And when you get home go back over the list and see what you packed that you never even needed and take it off the list. It’s easy to prepare for all four seasons and a knife for every scenario, and this or that but at the end of the day that’s all lbs on your feet.
As far as the packs, the wife and I run EXO packs and absolutely love them. The guys there are great as far as helping you fit it and they have a ton of adjustability. As said above the back separates from the frame to carry meat and you can get different sizes. There is a Facebook page called Exo mountain gear and mountain hunting that you can catch some good deals on used packs. Plus I believe they are getting ready to release a woman’s pack.
Boots like Moto you dont wanna skimp on. I’ve tried a few and so far the best fit and most durable I’ve found are the Crispi boots. Plus if you have any issues their customer service is top notch.
If you’re looking for stoves for backpacking check out Jetboil or the Camo Chef Stryker. It’s a pretty condensed kit. I’ve been running the Stryker and got there pot and pan kit. It may take a few minutes longer but I still can grill up a mean chunk of back strap on that little stove. Also go check out some of the meal kits like Mountain house. There’s a lot of brands out there. Mountain house is what’s most available for me at the store. Tons of meal options and only takes a few minutes to boil some water and have a pretty good meal after a long day.
Along with packs depending on your terrain you may want to check out a set of trekking poles. You can get some cheap aluminum ones from Walmart for like $25 to try them out. I’ll use them on flat ground, uphill, but most importantly down hill! My knees are pretty banged up and they help a ton to cushion the blow on the hike back down.
The hands down most important piece of gear I own is a SPOTX messenger. I spend 90% of my hunting season solo and in most cases out of cell service. It’s nice to be able to tell the wife how the day went or say goodnight to the kids but most importantly if shit hits the fan I will always be able to communicate. You can also check out the Garmin InReach.
As far as the hunting side, 95% of hunters I would say are always willing to help others get into hunting. Sadly there is that 5% that think you want their secret spot and are dicks. Maybe try and see if there are some Facebook groups in you area and just ask if you can tag along. I see it all the time here on the nevada pages, people of all ages asking for help getting into hunting and asking to tag along and a lot of people are willing to help. Over the counter tags are the way to go but states are starting to limit non residence tags. Idaho did it this year for elk and deer and I see Wyoming is trying to follow!
I love talking outdoors and hunting, but I suck at the pms here so if you ever wanna chat or have questions shoot me an email Daniel.pearce816@gmail.com.
They only come out when it’s dark they said.
Your timing is off by a couple years because there is very little ammo to be had out there and what you can find is very expensive. .22 is the cheapest way to learn and practice. I suggest you look for an Appleseed course for a very good basic training program. Some ranges may have rifles for you to borrow or rent.
Be advised, hunting and or shooting can be a rabbit hole that leads into collecting guns and knives, reloading, minor gunsmithing, concealed carry and on and on.
When we go to the gun range we purchase a few boxes to shoot there so we don’t burn our own supply.
And yup my wife and I both completed our license to conceal carry permit!!
This is an expensive hobby to get started in lol
But lots of fun! We had a blast on our first six night tent trip. I’ve got some more trips already on the calendar.
Thanks for all your tips!! I’ll definitely be looking into them.
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