Sell me on taking the wood stove this year - Wall tent heat!

[hunt1up]

So last year I bought my first wall tent, a 16x20 Davis. With it I purchased the larger wood stove that they recommended to me. Last year on an October antelope/deer hunt I took my Mr. Heater Big Buddy and left the wood stove at home. On low, it kept the tent quite comfortable at night, with temps in the 40s or so. I've also spent 4 weeks or so in wall tents in the AZ desert in January. No heat source and it was cold!

This year, my buddy and I will be elk hunting in Southern WY. We'll be hunting from 9/8-9/18 in the Snowy Range. I'm inclined to leave the wood stove at home again, as there will be two of us, and we'd rather spend time hunting than collecting wood.

I've read the cons to propane...condensation, carbon monoxide, even fires. We had no issues with condensation and we left the tent windows partially open for ventilation.

I guess I'm trying to talk myself into using wood. The wood stove is huge and heavy, takes up cargo space, and we'd have to tend to it. Propane is just so easy. BUT, since I have no experience with wood from my 4-5 weeks spent in a wall tent, I don't want to pass judgement without experienced advice. Am I making the wood stove out to be some huge chore that it really isn't?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Am I making the wood stove out to be some huge chore that it really isn't?

Yes.

The first time you get caught in a multi-day snow and rain storm, the work a wood stove entails becomes very insignificant.

 

[Joe Hulburt]

Last Labor Day weekend I ended up in a blizzard. I still hunted all day and was soaked to the bone and was really wishing I had bothered to take the stove for that early of a trip. I hadn't taken it and it took days to dry everything out...I won't make that mistake again.

 

[jryoung]

If you get caught you'll be cursing the convenience of propane. The hot, dry heat and crackle of a fire can work miracles for a cold wet body and soul. I can't imagine being in a wall tent without one save for July or August.

 

[hunt1up]

Alright, alright, I'll take it. :hump:

Another consideration of mine was to pre-collect firewood while we're out there for our scouting trip. We'll be out there for 2.5 days of scouting in late July. My only concern would be someone claiming our camp or snagging our wood. One thought was to put it somewhere less noticeable and throw it in the bed of the truck once we arrive for the hunt. Anyone do that?

 

[JMG]

I have two wall tents and one stove. I hook the tents up end to end. The stove is for the sleeping tent and I run a propane heater in the other tent, if needed. I believe a by product to burning propane is water and water will condensate on the inside of the tent. A wood stove will produce warm/hot dry heat that tends to dry everything out (including people). How much room does your stove actually take up. Doesn't the stove pipe and pretty much everything fit inside the stove, itself? A fellow hunter and friend of mine, has a wood pellet feeder and burner for his wall tent stove. I had someone weld me up the exact same thing and I burn wood pellets. A lot cleaner and I don't have to go looking for wood; I do however, have to take bags of wood pellets with me. So, your looking at a situation where you have "six in one hand and half-a-dozen in the other". I am willing to guess that in Southern Wyoming and being in the mountains, you could very easily get an early snow storm. You probably wish you had the wood stove then. Good luck on your hunt the your decision.

 

[hunt1up]

I have two wall tents and one stove. I hook the tents up end to end. The stove is for the sleeping tent and I run a propane heater in the other tent, if needed. I believe a by product to burning propane is water and water will condensate on the inside of the tent. A wood stove will produce warm/hot dry heat that tends to dry everything out (including people). How much room does your stove actually take up. Doesn't the stove pipe and pretty much everything fit inside the stove, itself? A fellow hunter and friend of mine, has a wood pellet feeder and burner for his wall tent stove. I had someone weld me up the exact same thing and I burn wood pellets. A lot cleaner and I don't have to go looking for wood; I do however, have to take bags of wood pellets with me. So, your looking at a situation where you have "six in one hand and half-a-dozen in the other". I am willing to guess that in Southern Wyoming and being in the mountains, you could very easily get an early snow storm. You probably wish you had the wood stove then. Good luck on your hunt the your decision.

The stove is the Summit Peak model, the bigger one. Space inside the tent is a non-issue, as the tent is large. I'm planning on using my truck and my very small enclosed trailer. I usually bring too much stuff on my hunts, so I'm trying to downsize. But yes, it all fits inside.

I'd be interested in a pellet feeder, but I've yet to research them.