Distance between camp and hunt grounds

[breaks hunter]

How far away do you set up camp from the actual spot you hunt? My buddy and i are going to take a full week this year for our deer hunt and he is talking about setting up camp right smack in the middle of the spot we are hunting. I thought it might be better to set up a half mile or so away. What do you guys prefer?

 

[fowladdict]

I prefer a camp that is central to several areas that I may hike to.

 

[breaks hunter]

Its a fairly large chunk of public land but the piece of it we hunt isn't really all that big, about a square mile.

 

[have gun will travel]

I try to disturb my hunting area as little as possible.

 

[rmyoung1]

Yeah... I think your hunting partner needs to listen to you. If there's a specific area where you think you're going to see the game, then you can't spend too much time there spreading scent, making noise, etc. A half-mile seems like the absolute minimum to keep some significant space between your quarry and your camp. A mile would probably be even better.

 

[huntRme]

Yeah... I think your hunting partner needs to listen to you. If there's a specific area where you think you're going to see the game, then you can't spend too much time there spreading scent, making noise, etc. A half-mile seems like the absolute minimum to keep some significant space between your quarry and your camp. A mile would probably be even better.

Sounds good to me.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Definitely keep your camp away from that square mile you plan to hunt. We usually don't even start hunting until we're 1 to 1 1/2 miles from our camp.

 

[2rocky]

I was amazed at how far noise from our camp travelled last year. Despite that we killed 3 elk within 2 miles of camp in 2 days. I would say historical campsites with summer traffic, you might get away with it on opening day. But there is no point in announcing your presence either.

 

[Sytes]

I prefer a camp that is central to several areas that I may hike to.

Same here. My car camp is typically located a few miles from a group of areas I hunt. I have camped w/in 1-1.5 miles of taking an elk and he was happily grazing away so who knows...

 

[sreekers]

I killed my deer this year 400 yards from camp, my elk was about 700. However, deer camp was 5 miles in and elk was 3. I have several rules for the campsite though:

1. No fires.
2. Never more than 3 guys, and sometimes I will camp away from the other two for noise reduction.
3. Tent must be in the trees and far enough away from establish trails so as not to be noticed by any passersby.
4. Naps must be taken in the afternoon to reduce noise if in camp.

The philosophy is simple, you aren't tired when you don't have to hike in and out every morning and evening. I am glassing before most guys are even in thinking about stopping the morning hike.

 

[Lawnboy]

I killed my deer this year 400 yards from camp, my elk was about 700. However, deer camp was 5 miles in and elk was 3. I have several rules for the campsite though:

1. No fires.
2. Never more than 3 guys, and sometimes I will camp away from the other two for noise reduction.
3. Tent must be in the trees and far enough away from establish trails so as not to be noticed by any passersby.
4. Naps must be taken in the afternoon to reduce noise if in camp.

The philosophy is simple, you aren't tired when you don't have to hike in and out every morning and evening. I am glassing before most guys are even in thinking about stopping the morning hike.

No fires? I'm out I love having a fire and eating something warm (can of soup) I can't tell you how many times we've had a bull rip a bugle as he passed by us in the dark while eating. I'm confident they could see the fire as it was less than 150 yds each time. Just something I enjoy doing and having. I'll build a fire in the middle of the day when things are slow and pull out some little smokies and start cooking them. Might be my downfall as a hunter but I can't change.
I understand the whole concept of what your saying. I'm more of the thought that it doesn't matter what you smell like if the wind isn't in your favor you're screwed. I've hunted with guys that have you're thought process. Even one of them who got pissed that I had to take a leak I realize that human urine is bad news but hey I'm not going to wet myself all in the name of being Rambo.
While my elk camp isn't set on top of a wallow we consitently have rubs on trees right in/near camp between the days we are absent. I'm sure they can smell the presence of us being there and I'm know they can smell where the horses have been tied up. Just giving us a tease I guess.
I respect your philosophy and understand the intent it's just not totally for me. To each there own I guess.
There are a few Hunttalkers that have experienced my eating/ cooking habits. Big Fin and I toasted some bagels and cheese one afternoon while freezing our nuggets off and Crittergitter had some little smokies with me in the snow as well. Memories

 

[Gerald Martin]

Lawnboy, I'll come eat little smokies with you. We might not kill an elk but at least we'll have full stomachs to continue the hunt.
I don't think having a fire makes any diffference whatsoever. How close to have a camp to your hunting area depends totally on how much noise you make in camp, how open the area is, and a lot more. I've been on hunts where we killed elk 300 yards from camp. I prefer to have my camp in areas where it is not easily observed by the animals I'm hunting.

 

[sreekers]

No fires? I'm out I love having a fire and eating something warm (can of soup) I can't tell you how many times we've had a bull rip a bugle as he passed by us in the dark while eating. I'm confident they could see the fire as it was less than 150 yds each time. Just something I enjoy doing and having. I'll build a fire in the middle of the day when things are slow and pull out some little smokies and start cooking them. Might be my downfall as a hunter but I can't change.
I understand the whole concept of what your saying. I'm more of the thought that it doesn't matter what you smell like if the wind isn't in your favor you're screwed. I've hunted with guys that have you're thought process. Even one of them who got pissed that I had to take a leak I realize that human urine is bad news but hey I'm not going to wet myself all in the name of being Rambo.
While my elk camp isn't set on top of a wallow we consitently have rubs on trees right in/near camp between the days we are absent. I'm sure they can smell the presence of us being there and I'm know they can smell where the horses have been tied up. Just giving us a tease I guess.
I respect your philosophy and understand the intent it's just not totally for me. To each there own I guess.
There are a few Hunttalkers that have experienced my eating/ cooking habits. Big Fin and I toasted some bagels and cheese one afternoon while freezing our nuggets off and Crittergitter had some little smokies with me in the snow as well. Memories

When I am camping in the bottoms from the wall tent or camper, I will be comfortable. I have killed elk that way too. My above rules are for when camp is on my back etc.

Tell you what, if I ever hunt a unit in Montana that is not backcountry, I will pm you my coordinates for a banquet of Little Smokies. Shoot, if it's that type of hunt we may as well break out the bacon, and eat a monster breakfast.

 

[breaks hunter]

Thanks for all the info guys I really appreciate it. Once the hunting is done for the day we get to talking and laughing and carrying on so it sounds like it would probably be best if we set up camp well away from the area

 

[Topgun 30-06]

As was mentioned by another member, it's amazing how far sound carries. I've heard guys talking in what they probably thought was a whisper and you could hear them easily at 1/4 mile.

 

[Lawnboy]

When I am camping in the bottoms from the wall tent or camper, I will be comfortable. I have killed elk that way too. My above rules are for when camp is on my back etc.

Tell you what, if I ever hunt a unit in Montana that is not backcountry, I will pm you my coordinates for a banquet of Little Smokies. Shoot, if it's that type of hunt we may as well break out the bacon, and eat a monster breakfast.

This is all done 4-5 miles from the trailhead (backcountry). I don't carry skillets and do bacon. I usually only eat cold stuff in the morning (granola bars, bagels). Like you mentioned at first light you either need to be glassing or moving in on the bull that sounded off all night long while you were sleeping. I realize that a can of soup or a small ziploc bag of little smokies is some extra weight in the pack but to me it's worth it when I get a chance to kill time until the hunting gets better.
You must of missed the part where I mentioned horses. Most of the time I load one with saddle panniers and lead them into camp walking. I'm more of a "conservative horse guy". We don't take a pack string in or bacon, wall tents ect... We go light.
I wasn't ripping on your style only expressing my opinion about doing the camp and critters thing. There are bowhunters doing it the same way you are not too far from where I hunt. I just feel in the end we are both hunting the same elk and having the same success. I just as well be comfortable doing it and for me it's a can of soup or little smokies. Heck on my sheep hunt I hualed in some crazy comfort food. I figure I can always leave it if I need too but man it was nice when I was up high.

If you are hunting elk in an area that a Forest Service trail goes through those elk have heard and seen people. It's been my experience that they are way more adaptable than we give them credit for. They will tolerate and get used to certain activity. I missed a bull this year that Crittergitter called in for me with the truck bumper visible from my shooting spot. That bull heard us pull up, get out and shut the door. It was a high traffic area and he felt secure having had 100's of people do the same thing all summer long.

Like I said I respect and totally understand your philosophy.

 

[sreekers]

I have thought about goats for the sole purpose of a few extra things, especially in the food area. Day 5 of mountain house can get pretty old, and the little smokies would be very welcome. I don't haul a pan in either, way too much weight and space in the pack.

I agree, many elk are closer than we often realize, but one area in particular that just had 4-wheeler access shut down and they have now gotten very used to zero exposure to noise in the area. The area has zero reason for people to be up there unless they are hunting.

So area specific probably has much to do with success as well.

 

[2rocky]

I was amazed at how far noise from our camp travelled last year. Despite that we killed 3 elk within 2 miles of camp in 2 days. I would say historical campsites with summer traffic, you might get away with it on opening day. But there is no point in announcing your presence either.

I will add that in the previous years, we killed elk 4 miles, 6 miles and 8 miles from camp in a different unit. We rode past other camps to get to them. So they were 2-4 miles from those camps.

 

[sagebrush]

If I'm going on foot from camp, I usually set up a mile or so away. If its an area where camping is a regular activity and the animals are accustomed to people yearround, you can get away with being closer as long as there is some topography between you and them. I normally like to camp 4 or more miles away from the hunting area, ride in quietly as possible to a jumpoff point on the Rhino, and start my hike from there. When I'm camping far from the hunt site, I never have to worry about camp noise. On most of my hunts, I camp in a central location and may dirve as much as 35-40 miles before I get on the Rhino. I always seem to hunt big units with small pockets of land I want to hunt that are pretty far apart.

 

[mixedbag]

I'm with Lawnboy,I like having a campfire.Had fires most nights last year and there was a small bull right behind camp that never left.In fact, I think he was actually curious as some nights I swear he bugled within 30 yards of my tent.I want to enjoy the whole trip,and not just worry about every little thing.If the wind blows the wrong way when I'm elk hunting its over,smoke on my clothes or not.Though I don't keep my hunting gear where it can intentionally get smoke on it.There were alot of elk within a 1/2 mile of the main forest road last year in Mt. that didn't seem bothered by all the road camps there.Same thing with my camps in Wy.I do try to keep noise down when I pack in to camp,but I'm still havin a fire.So far, the elk haven't had a problem with it.To each their own though,doesn't hurt to be a cautious as possible.I just wouldn't get so paranoid as to ruin the fun of the hunt/trip