Advice - 1 month in the mountains.
02-10-2011 | 03:45 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Spike
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Advice - 1 month in the mountains.
Hi - Been reading here for a week or so, lots of good information.
So I'm planning a trip to the Uintah mountains in Utah in August. The idea is 1 month away from civilization with my Dad, after quitting my job as an engineer and before I leave the country for more school. The plan is to get deep into the mountains so we only have to see people a few times in the month, if at all.
We'll be carrying 65-lb packs with about 25 lbs of food each, but at a calculated need of between 1.2 and 1.5 lb of food per day, the reality is that we won't be able to pack in enough food to last a month. 25 lbs will account for approximately half of our caloric need for the month. The plan is to supplement with small game hunting, fishing, and edible wild plants. We'll carry 2 fishing rods, a .22LR Savage Mark II with about 1000 rounds, in addition to all the other stuff needed for long-endurance backpacking.
My father and I are experienced backpackers, familiar with the Uintahs. I am somewhat experienced with guns, as I go shooting fairly regularly and own the aforementioned Savage. My Dad has certainly shot a lot of guns before, but is not as experienced as me. Neither of us have done any real hunting. So my questions for you:
1. How realistic is it that two novice hunters are going to be able to successfully pull in a squirrel or rabbit every day?
2. Is 1000 rounds enough? I figure 33 rounds per day should be plenty to pull in a couple squirrels.
3. How much meat does a squirrel provide? I can't imagine it's much more than a half pound.
I'd appreciate your constructive input or attempts to shift my paradigm (for example, should I consider a shotgun instead of a 22LR? or maybe trapping...) We've got 6 months to prepare, so I feel we have enough time to acquire the skills we lack.
So I'm planning a trip to the Uintah mountains in Utah in August. The idea is 1 month away from civilization with my Dad, after quitting my job as an engineer and before I leave the country for more school. The plan is to get deep into the mountains so we only have to see people a few times in the month, if at all.
We'll be carrying 65-lb packs with about 25 lbs of food each, but at a calculated need of between 1.2 and 1.5 lb of food per day, the reality is that we won't be able to pack in enough food to last a month. 25 lbs will account for approximately half of our caloric need for the month. The plan is to supplement with small game hunting, fishing, and edible wild plants. We'll carry 2 fishing rods, a .22LR Savage Mark II with about 1000 rounds, in addition to all the other stuff needed for long-endurance backpacking.
My father and I are experienced backpackers, familiar with the Uintahs. I am somewhat experienced with guns, as I go shooting fairly regularly and own the aforementioned Savage. My Dad has certainly shot a lot of guns before, but is not as experienced as me. Neither of us have done any real hunting. So my questions for you:
1. How realistic is it that two novice hunters are going to be able to successfully pull in a squirrel or rabbit every day?
2. Is 1000 rounds enough? I figure 33 rounds per day should be plenty to pull in a couple squirrels.
3. How much meat does a squirrel provide? I can't imagine it's much more than a half pound.
I'd appreciate your constructive input or attempts to shift my paradigm (for example, should I consider a shotgun instead of a 22LR? or maybe trapping...) We've got 6 months to prepare, so I feel we have enough time to acquire the skills we lack.
02-10-2011 | 07:59 PM
#2
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,051
Likes: 23
From: Trumbull County, Ohio
First be sure that your scheduled month coincides with the seasons for the things you want to hunt and fish. I know it may sound dumb to a backpacker, but you can't just shoot and eat whatever typically. It'll need to be in season and you'll need proper license.
Two squirrels or two rabbits will feed you both for a meal. You said you're experienced backpackers, so I assume you know about all the dried foods that you can just add water too? If not, look into those. That is how I keep down on weight.
1000 rounds will be plenty. But practice before, get so you can confidently hit what you're aiming at.
If done right, this should be a fantastic trip. I'm jealous! Good luck!
-Jake
Two squirrels or two rabbits will feed you both for a meal. You said you're experienced backpackers, so I assume you know about all the dried foods that you can just add water too? If not, look into those. That is how I keep down on weight.
1000 rounds will be plenty. But practice before, get so you can confidently hit what you're aiming at.
If done right, this should be a fantastic trip. I'm jealous! Good luck!
-Jake
02-11-2011 | 02:35 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 2
From: Kansas
Iodine tablets or water purification system is a NECESSITY.
Also, be VERY certain you CLOSELY inspect and fully cook any wild game that you kill to eat. Small game are like swingers, they carry a ton of diseases, viruses, and parasites, and you can't always tell on first glance that they're affected.
You probably aren't too far off on your estimate of 1.2-1.5lbs of food every day, but you have to remember, that doesn't include roughage weight. Eating 1.2-1.5lbs of protein only (rabbits, fish, etc etc) for too long will kill you. You'll need to pack a good source of carbs, and I'd recommend taking a dietary fiber supplement to keep u regular while you're on a relatively high protein diet. Depending on the time of year you decide to go, the wild flora may not be suitable to eat (and either way will likely leave you scouring badly).
I used to go on similar 1-2wk horseback trips in high school and college. A month is too long. If you can survive 2wks, then you can survive 2months, and frankly, after the first week, it gets old in a hurry.
Personally, I'd take enough food for 2wks, stay for 2wks, and go back to normal life.
Also, be VERY certain you CLOSELY inspect and fully cook any wild game that you kill to eat. Small game are like swingers, they carry a ton of diseases, viruses, and parasites, and you can't always tell on first glance that they're affected.
You probably aren't too far off on your estimate of 1.2-1.5lbs of food every day, but you have to remember, that doesn't include roughage weight. Eating 1.2-1.5lbs of protein only (rabbits, fish, etc etc) for too long will kill you. You'll need to pack a good source of carbs, and I'd recommend taking a dietary fiber supplement to keep u regular while you're on a relatively high protein diet. Depending on the time of year you decide to go, the wild flora may not be suitable to eat (and either way will likely leave you scouring badly).
I used to go on similar 1-2wk horseback trips in high school and college. A month is too long. If you can survive 2wks, then you can survive 2months, and frankly, after the first week, it gets old in a hurry.
Personally, I'd take enough food for 2wks, stay for 2wks, and go back to normal life.
02-11-2011 | 06:03 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,320
Likes: 0
Just a couple of thoughts.
First of all run down to the local Walmart and lift up 1000 rds. of any kind of ammo. Its heavy, the bigger the ammo the more it weighs. 1000 rds. of any shotgun ammo is way out of the question.
Given my choices and assuming I knew the area I believe I would do far better supplementing my diet fishing than small game hunting. With fly fishing gear you could get away with less than 3 lbs and have enough to work with for months.
This area you are going to, is it known for having an abundance of small game and great fishing ? You can't eat what ya can't find.
This is not "man woman wild" you can't just wonder around killing and eating whatever you find. Thats not how our game laws work.....regardless of how its displayed on TV.
First of all run down to the local Walmart and lift up 1000 rds. of any kind of ammo. Its heavy, the bigger the ammo the more it weighs. 1000 rds. of any shotgun ammo is way out of the question.
Given my choices and assuming I knew the area I believe I would do far better supplementing my diet fishing than small game hunting. With fly fishing gear you could get away with less than 3 lbs and have enough to work with for months.
This area you are going to, is it known for having an abundance of small game and great fishing ? You can't eat what ya can't find.
This is not "man woman wild" you can't just wonder around killing and eating whatever you find. Thats not how our game laws work.....regardless of how its displayed on TV.
