Water - How Much?

[silasd]

I'm thinking of trying backpack hunting next year to increase range, and I'd be curious to know what folks do for water?
Carry In?
Find on the go?
Some combination?

And what are folks' average daily needs? I'm thinking a liter/quart per day is probably a good place to start.

Thanks for all your input in advance.

 

[rwc101]

Hard to answer your question without knowing what water availability, temps, miles hiked per day will be like where you are hunting. I would die on one quart per day though.

 

[silasd]

Hard to answer your question without knowing what water availability, temps, miles hiked per day will be like where you are hunting. I would die on one quart per day though.

Yeah, I'm not sure yet what or where or when I'll be hunting. A lot depends on what I draw. Good to know a liter is too little. Thanks.

 

[belshawelk]

Terrain, Temp, altitude, physical shape

In Colorado you need more as it replaces less oxygen available

you hunt on my property and in the first 20 minutes you’ll be sucking wind. Actually you’ll be sitting down under a tree sucking your thumb asking me to take you back. Unless your in shape. Then it’s just a little “steep” as we say.

I use a bladder big bladder mixed with 50/50 Gatorade. Then bring about 4-5 more bottles of water. But we will it on about 10-12 miles ever day in nasty up and down canyons.

 

[silasd]

Terrain, Temp, altitude, physical shape

In Colorado you need more as it replaces less oxygen available

you hunt on my property and in the first 20 minutes you’ll be sucking wind. Actually you’ll be sitting down under a tree sucking your thumb asking me to take you back. Unless your in shape. Then it’s just a little “steep” as we say.

I use a bladder big bladder mixed with 50/50 Gatorade. Then bring about 4-5 more bottles of water. But we will it on about 10-12 miles ever day in nasty up and down canyons.

Thanks. Good to know.

 

[ccc23454]

Dont forget to think of food and extra water to make mountain houses etc. Thats 2 cups per meal plus you need to drink more with that in your gut. Basically you need a lot so find a source or hide some on scounting trips, but water can often be biggest issue/limiting factor

 

[Pucky Freak]

And what are folks' average daily needs? I'm thinking a liter/quart per day is probably a good place to start.

Dangerously small amount there! If it’s hot, you’re sweating, carrying a pack or hailing meat, doing lots of miles, etc I’m at about 7L + 1.5L to rehydrate food. At the lower end if you’re not sweating much a hair under 4L + 1.5L for food. I like a 2L hydration pack + 2 quart bottles I will also fill if water is scarce. If water is abundant I have 1L minimum on hand.

 

[MTLabrador]

Dangerously small amount there! If it’s hot, you’re sweating, carrying a pack or hailing meat, doing lots of miles, etc I’m at about 7L + 1.5L to rehydrate food. At the lower end if you’re not sweating much a hair under 4L + 1.5L for food. I like a 2L hydration pack + 2 quart bottles I will also fill if water is scarce. If water is abundant I have 1L minimum on hand.

Running out of water before I spent the night on a hot September backpack hunt might be the most miserable I’ve ever felt in the mountains. The next morning was nothing but splitting headaches and horrible leg cramps before I stumbled a mile to find a creek.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Realistically you will need to find a water source, packing enough for multiple days just really isn't doable without a big commitment to pre-cache it. There are a lot of good options for filters and other ways of purifying, have a backup. I like the old Katadyn pumps because I've never had a problem, but inline types you can scoop to fill are nice too because they are quick to fill and light.

 

[THINKIN6X6]

Filter water with hand pump during the day while hunting and some type of gravity fed filter at spike camp. Works well for backpack or overnight hunts.

 

[rustednuts]

Here in AZ I bring 4 liters minimum. Water sources are super sketchy.

 

[silasd]

Dont forget to think of food and extra water to make mountain houses etc. Thats 2 cups per meal plus you need to drink more with that in your gut. Basically you need a lot so find a source or hide some on scounting trips, but water can often be biggest issue/limiting factor

That's a great point. I like the idea of stashing some on scouting trips. Also plan to buy a filtration system to bring with just in case.

 

[silasd]

Here in AZ I bring 4 liters minimum. Water sources are super sketchy.

How many days will that last you? I'm guessing one in that AZ heat.

 

[silasd]

Filter water with hand pump during the day while hunting and some type of gravity fed filter at spike camp. Works well for backpack or overnight hunts.

Any brand you might recommend for the camp filtration bag?

 

[silasd]

Dangerously small amount there! If it’s hot, you’re sweating, carrying a pack or hailing meat, doing lots of miles, etc I’m at about 7L + 1.5L to rehydrate food. At the lower end if you’re not sweating much a hair under 4L + 1.5L for food. I like a 2L hydration pack + 2 quart bottles I will also fill if water is scarce. If water is abundant I have 1L minimum on hand.

Thanks. Good advice.

 

[silasd]

Running out of water before I spent the night on a hot September backpack hunt might be the most miserable I’ve ever felt in the mountains. The next morning was nothing but splitting headaches and horrible leg cramps before I stumbled a mile to find a creek.

Thanks - that's exactly what I don't want to have happen. I figure I can probably fine tune it on scouting trips. That's assuming the water's still running when the hunt opens, of course.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

That's assuming the water's still running when the hunt opens, of course.

That’s often a big assumption.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I treat with bleach. There are specific guidelines on mixing ratios, 60 mins must pass before consuming, and the bleach must be fresh. I also have a mini sawyer as a backup + I can also boil a small quantity if needed.

In 2019 I got food poisoning and had acute diarrhea and vomiting. Within 10 mins I went from hydrated to dangerously low on water in my body. I now carry a couple of electrolyte packets in my hydration sleeve at all times.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

And what are folks' average daily needs? I'm thinking a liter/quart per day is probably a good place to start.

I carry a 3L bladder in my pack and it's completely empty by the end of the day, I've run out of water a number of times during pack outs which sucks.

I try to figure out where my water sources are before I hunt somewhere, and will pack in a second 3L or a 9L bladder if necessary. Often the water sources is at the bottom of a mountain or something so you hike in 4 miles, then fill up your water and then climb an additional 1 or 2 and 4,000ft.

Filters are great for multiple people in the summer, they start to suck around mid Sept. for most western hunts. I switch to katadyn chlorine dioxide tablets for the fall and winter.

Just a note as people seem to screw this up, all water tablets drops etc. take 4 hours to kill everything, they will kill most stuff in 30min. The tablets or water drops that say 30min are giving you the directions just for Giardia, 4hrs is for Cryptosporidium.

 

[Redman]

I always keep 2 gallon jugs at the truck because usually there is no water close and when moving locations or packing out meat I am usually empty by the time I get there. I keep a 2L Platypus blader in my pack that has a wide zip to fill with a Nalgene bottle that I purify with a steripen. I also have a 1L Platypus water bottle/bladder. Also have a water pump filter if it doesn't get below freezing. Always have purification pills for back up. I force myself to constantly drink. Keep salt tabs and electrolyte powder on hand. You wake up in the middle of the night with a Charley horse cramp and you will learn quickly that you are not drinking enough and need electrolytes!