Trad Gang

Ok so we always see tent and sleeping set ups. I would like to know from those who pack in to a camp(for more than 2 day hunts) what foods and methods you use for the grub.

 And what is your method for the "Black Gold" aka coffee brewing. And what amount of food do you estimate for a days use(not calorie per hour type stuff,general meals set up). Thanks Tim

Mountain house meals can't be beat.  But I also use ziplock freezer bags and make my own with things like couscous, instant mashed potatoes, stuffing.  Just add boiling water and it mix, then I eat it right out of the bag.  With oatmeal, dried fruit, nuts and cliff bars I have enough variety to satisfy me.  

I'm a coffee snob, but I just use instant for hunting. I'm usually so focused on hunting that I just want sustenance.  

Good luck,
Bret

Hello Tim,

I think you have to give more info and details of what kind of "pack-in" to make a more narrow list and on point as to what to include or not. Big difference or limiting factor is how you are getting to your hunting area, are you driving in, pack horse, fly-in? One week versus two weeks? How much can you carry if hiking in? etc.

I'm sure there are many options as to taste and likes from all on the TG, however, when I hunted from my "base" camp being from an SUV to a "drop-in" or "fly-in" distant "base" camp is very different i.e., super market foods to MRE's such as Mountain House products. And as different as from brewed coffee to having tea.   :goldtooth:  

My 2 centavos,

JL   :archer2:

I have done 4 day canoe trips with MRE's and brought back my Marine memories. I am looking into a pack in on the back type scenario.

For coffee starbucks via is the answer.  Expensive but out of this world for an instant coffee.  Mountain house or dehydrate your own stuff.  I've got a couple good recipes if you have a dehydrator.  I really like to add dehydrated meats to either instant mashed potatoes or knorr noodle packs.  Cliff bars and oatmeal for breakfast.

I keep mine pretty simple and my menu doesn't vary much on pack in trips.  

Breakfast:
1. Instant Oatmeal (I'll throw in a different flavor for each day)
2.  Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Best Invention Since T.P.)

Lunch:
1.  Single Serve Peanut Butter & Jelly on a Torilla or Hard Salami and Cheese on a Bagel, or Tuna Pouch in a Pita
2.  Peanut Butter and Crackers Packs
3.  Fruit Leather

Snack:
1.  Trail Mix
2.  Jerkey
3.  Granolla Bars

Dinner:
1.  Mountain House


I keep each days breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner in a separate gallon zip lock bag.

I'll offer a few things I love to have that don't seem to make the list of usual camp food items:

In case I get a deer or catch a trout(whats the point of camping if you aren't trying for one of those things.):
-little salt shaker with a mix of coarse ground pepper and sea salt
-small quantity of fat. Olive oil, butter, coconut oil all good


-If the first night isn't a super long pack in or there aren't weight restrictions I like to bring in a heavy super tasty meal. For example if I'll be cooking over a campfire I like to make foil packet meals, meat veggies spices and a splash of broth/wine, throw it in the fire as soon as there are some nice coals. Go pitch your tent and pull it out in 30-45 minutes, super tasty.

-Chili and tomato sauce dehydrate really well

-Camping food tends to be carb heavy, I really like having jerky on hand and some fresh fruit, cherries and oranges are my favorite.

-I always have dark chocolate

-A flask of good whiskey (I like makers mark)

-I'll eat all my heavy food early on, and save the dehydrated stuff for later

You may be thinking wow this dude brings a lot of heavy stuff, you may be right but wife is always begging me to go camping...

Starbucks Via for sure.  Just the regular, the flavored ones are over-the-top flavored.

Oatmeal and granola bars for breakfast.

GORP and peanut butter/bacon tortilla wraps for lunch.

Lipton Rice or Pasta meals (add 2 tbsp of olive oil to each one), jerky or tuna pack (get it in oil if you can find it), and usually more peanut butter and GORP for dinner.

I cook everything in its packaging so I don't pack a pot, just a titanium cup.  Burn the packaging as you go.

Plan on 1.5-2 lbs, 3000 cal, and $6 per day.

oh yeah, try everything before your trip.  Eat the exact diet and see if you can handle it.

QuoteOriginally posted by DarkTimber:
I keep mine pretty simple and my menu doesn't vary much on pack in trips.  

Breakfast:
1. Instant Oatmeal (I'll throw in a different flavor for each day)
2.  Starbucks Via Instant Coffee (Best Invention Since T.P.)

Lunch:
1.  Single Serve Peanut Butter & Jelly on a Torilla or Hard Salami and Cheese on a Bagel, or Tuna Pouch in a Pita
2.  Peanut Butter and Crackers Packs
3.  Fruit Leather

Snack:
1.  Trail Mix
2.  Jerkey
3.  Granolla Bars

Dinner:
1.  Mountain House


I keep each days breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner in a separate gallon zip lock bag.

X 2

I sometimes add pre-cooked bacon to my Peanut Butter and honey tortilla. Tortillas pack well.

Good luck!

My menu for a backpack type hunt is real similar to DarkTimber. I just have granola bars and coffee for breakfast, but I use an REI French press cup and grind my own coffee before I leave home.

lunch and snacks are a variety of dried fruit, nuts and deer jerky (I have a great recipe for using ground venison)wheat thin crackers and candy bars.

dinner - Mountain House freeze dried. I carry a single titanium pan for heating water.  And yes, I use the individual zip lock bags also.

Mountain House is great, but crazy high sodium content. Also, the single servings are not enough, so it gets expensive after a while.

Invest in a dehydrator, and experiment. Almost any entree made at home can be dehydrated. Lean ground meat dehydrates/rehydrates well, and the Idahoan potatoes are cheap and easy to throw into anything.

Moose Goo is great on a bagel or tortilla. This is my version of the recipe, but google it for others:
1 portion organic honey
1 portion organic almond butter
Enough protein powder (Vega is my choice) and dried cranberries to create a brick of dense goo. I prefer solid to runny. Wrap in wax paper or put in camper's squeeze tubes. High protein and caloreis, and keeps without refrigeration for a long time (honey is a natural anti-bacterial agent).

I use an alcohol stove (either a white box or a vargo), and a nesting set of snow peak titanium pots with a spork. The sauce packets from taco bell are a great add on.

And yes, the Starbucks Via is the BEST thing to happen in a long time.

+1 what Biathlonman said especially the Via instant. I enjoy coffee (I roast my own at home) but for backpacking, it just isn't worth the extra brewing gear in the pack.

While I dehydrate a lot of my own food for prepared camping meals I use Hawk Vittles or Enertia Trail foods. I think they are much better than MH and don't have the salt block of sodium.

I had good luck with the Folgers coffee bags....just like tea bags but coffee......light, they burn up when your done and just heat up some water in a cup. Is it gourmet....no but it ain't bad!

Others have covered about everything I take in.  Don't believe anyone has mentioned what they do with the food when they're not in camp.  Should be obvious, but be sure to use or bring a pack you can use to hang your food and enough parachute cord to do so.  

Hanging our food in a tree 30 or more yards from camp is the last thing we do at night and before we leave camp in the morning.  The only time the food is down is when we're in camp.  This is in bear country, of course.  Not as important if there are no bear around.  

Be sure to hang it so it's suspended high enough so bear can't reach it, and far enough away from tree trunks so a bear can't climb to get at it. This sometimes means two ropes, one over a tree limb to raise it, and another to pull it away from the tree.

i second those folgers coffee bags, and like to
dehydrate  some meat and veggies.  pack instant brown rice.  but i still carry a couple of mh meals just in case.  Make sure you carry a good bear bad to hang your food at night away from camp.

QuoteOriginally posted by John Scifres:
oh yeah, try everything before your trip.  Eat the exact diet and see if you can handle it.

This is a must, especially if you don't have the luxury of n Uncle Sam-issued iron gut. Home testing your chow helps you to stay in your stand, and not digging cat holes.  :)

My pack in mess is very much like John's, and does a great job of keeping a "big man" happy on a longer hunt.

X100 on the VIA. Worth the cost for back-packing.

Another option for a quick dinner is couscous seasoned with taco seasoning and grilled summer sausage. Summer sausage and cheddar cheese actually do well for quite a few days on the trail.

I also take instant grits and mix them with cheddar cheese for a morning meal instead of oatmeal to break the routine. Add dried green chiles and sausage if you can carry the weight.

Be aware of your fuel source and what elevations you will be at. I have had issues with the butane burners at high elevation.

Talk with the folks at REI and they have tips on making your own back-packing foods usually.

I agree with taking olive oil as well, repack it in small nalgene's...6 oz or so. If grouse are fair game EVOO and spices are great.

Have fun.

2 things.....

First.  Just take up a backpacking hobby, and then once it comes around to season, take your bow along too.  If you do this, you'll have your gear refined to perfection by the time your trip rolls around.

second...  If you are around water, get a Jetboil for your stove, and get the french press attachment for it.  That is as good as coffee gets in the middle of nowhere.  Jetboils are bulky and heavy, but crazy effecient.  I take mine when I'm backpacking for fishing, or into a basecamp/weeklong trip.  But during hunting season I use lighter, less bulky set-ups and take VIA's from Starbucks.

One final thought....  If you really want to get into this backpack hunting thing hard, you might consider a trip out to Montana for one of Ed Tyanich's classes.

Good info guys,  I'm planning a trip as well.

I will throw in you might want to check out the book  "NOLS cookery". I'm not a backpacking guru or anything but when I did one of their backpacking courses the food tasted almost gourmet to me while being versatile. Good recipes if nothing else.

Thanks for all the advice , I like the idea of try it out first, never thought of that.

With all the dehydrated foods whats your water source from.

Jetboil and the Starbuck's Via is a little slice of heaven in the back country. Carry a water purifier so you can use creek or lake water, but still boil it just to be safe.

I gave up on pumping water and just use iodine along with neutralizer tabs.

I use an MSR Pocket Rocket stove.

Hey Tim! How bout c-rations for this old Marine. Never did think they were packable for squat.    :)    :)   Semper Fi, Ralph

Rufus, the Cs I ate under protest were old in the 60s; I can only imagine how funky they would be now.   :eek:

Don't forget the Peanut M&Ms, great on the trail   :thumbsup:

Well MRE's and LERP's are pretty good. Just crazy how much they want for them in stores compared to the way we sold them in the field.

Peanut butter bacon and honey an wheat toast. Vacuum seal. Just try one next time you do bacon. Make up one for each lunch. Take some trail mix to snack on during the day. As was said the honey soaks in the bread and prevents spoilage.

At the risk of re-stating what has already been said, most of what I bring has been posted.  What I will do is offer some "goodies":

1.  Fruit leather
2.  Freeze-dried fruit (them big stores carry it)
3.  A small taste of whiskey / scotch / your choice.

The basic meals are already discussed.  Until you've been there, you really can't understand how GOOD a small taste of whiskey in a tin cup with just a touch of creek water is after 4 days of draggin' your butt up and down the mountains eating dehydrated food.  

Same with just a touch of fruit leather or freeze-dried fruit.  Those few things, even if you only bring a couple of servings, is worth the extra weight and are a real treat.

Hope this helps.
homebru

Just a few things I would add.

Some bagels or hard rolls for your sandwiches with the cheese and summer sausage, they don't get as mashed or broken like bread or crackers.

Sometimes bring some Stove Top stuffing and a small can of chicken or beef.  Cook the stove top and dump the meat in.

Quinoa is great taste wise, nutritionally, and very light.  Cooked by itself it tastes a little nutty and maybe a mild popcorn flavor. But I add meat to it. Great protein to carb ratio.

Powdered Gatorade and Emergen-C, especially if you sweat a lot.

I guess I should get some of that Via stuff, although it sounds spendy. Lately I've been taking Medaglia D'oro instant espresso and add more water than it calls for. Pretty stout taste that's not for everybody.  You can get it in grocery stores.   I used to bring ground beans, and a small Melita coffee filter. It's a plastic funnel you set over your cup or pot, put a paper filter in, and pour boiling water into.  They come in diff sizes and weigh next to nothing.

And last and I almost hate to admit it but sometimes I bring some Pop Tarts !    

I also recommend ed tyanich's backcountry skills class.  I think he darn near invented backcountry living!

Depends on means of travel.

when traveling rivers I like pre cooked, I cook meals and put in 1 bag servings, then freeze it  Nothing worse then hunting all day until dark and then having to figure out what to cook and how, Warming food much easier on fuel then cooking food.

on back pack hunts, always carried a few snares for small game Tons of rice is good and pre-soak rice cooks faster

sheep hunting we always carried slab bacon only meat we took, lots of energy,  and replaced any salt loss from hiking, and did not mater what small game we ate, bacon could make it taste better

for water treatment, found using a uv flash light very good

I do a fair bit of this though it used to be with a un but I am getting better every day with my recurve. There a few thing to consider. First is weight. Almost anything you can do to reduce weight is essential. If you have never done this before consider weighing every item you will take. Then what kind of pack in hunt are you going to do? Are you going to pack in somewhere and set up a "base camp" where you will return each night? Or are you going to sleep in different spots ech night? If it will be on place you can take more. For coffee consider a jet boil system, freeze dried coffee, or substitute it with tea. I do not use a tent I use a hammock as it is lighter and more versatile it's a bed, a camp chair, a rain shelter ect. Also much lighter. I carry a mess kit and really like the limpton rice packets for dinners with squirrel thrown in. For water I use a "Life Straw" and a surplus canteen. If you cannot afford a down ultralight sleeping bag consider a wool blanket. It will be heavier but less bulky than a big sleeping bag. High energy trail mix is good as is jerky.

I've got a great bar recipe I can email you.  It's heavy on nuts, granola, honey, choc chips,craisins, and my wife bakes them hard.  They hold together quite well in a pack and are loaded w/calories, protein and fats.  If it's cold you want the fats in your diet.

Be aware that while the Mt House taste great they only have about 700 calories which is not much.

I like the regular beans and rice combos from the grocery store. Not as light in wt. as MH but a lot cheaper. And they taste better.

A few things I like that have not been mentioned.

I plan on camping near a water source by checking USGS topos.  I use a pack frame and carry in a 5 gallon bucket with my food, stove, water filter, etc.  The bucket is mouse & squirrel proof and is convenient to hang in a tree to avoid bear trouble.  It can be used as a seat or table, can be used to carry water or wash your clothes in.

I use an MSR ceramic water filter. It is easy to clean, dry and store.  I also carry an Aquamira filter bottle.  Works great and inexpensive to replace the filter.

I like to include salmon and chicken foil packs for additional protein, plus can eat them without heat or water.

Some practice runs sure help iron out the details.

Good Luck

Wife and I did some back packing when we were younger and still self contain bicycle.  We carried the Lipton bag foods, Pita bread (its flat with a pocket), foil packs of tuna. While you are getting ready for your trip you can (I call it Yogi) small packs of jellies, peanut butter,salt, pepper, sugar and packets of condiments(mustard, mayonaise etc) from a resturant that you eat at(ask the waitress, she will let you take some with you). They are self contained packages and really add to your lunches and supper.  We carry them in a zip lock in case they open up during your travels.

Great thread with some great ideas.

I'll add my two cents for Folgers coffee bags.  They're great in the mornings while you're planning your elk strategies for the day.

Mountain House for the main meals can't be beat.

Jon Stewart - good to hear that there are other self-contained bicycle riders out there!  Bring on the warm weather!

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

Great post, I'm soaking it up like a sponge as I am planning an elk hunt also, please keep it coming.

Coffee
Plastic insulated cup w/snap on lid.  Pour boiling water over the loose grounds, stir and snap on the lid.  After 3-4 minutes, open and stir, let sit 3-4 more minutes and open.

Spoon off the floating grounds and drink. Spit as needed and be careful at the bottom.

Makes for a very strong coffee if you grind fine and helps with fiber in your diet.

Get the book "Supermarket Backpacker" you can find it on Amazon. There is a used one listed on Amazon for $3.

Its an older book, printed in the 70's, but it will give you some ideas for different meals that you can prepare for a backpacking trip.

Yeah Centaur, they pretty much sucked. Put the peanut butter on the hardtack and sprinkle the little packet of sugar on that. Trade everything else off or bury it. Cigs would nearly get you gold sometimes.

Great thread.... I have a small alcohol stove and cook kit I'm going to be bringing stumping. Hoping to fire it up to make a quick hot lunch while out and about.

Tortillas are not light weight but they survive in a backpack well, much better than bread or crackers. The pita suggestion is a good one.

QuoteOriginally posted by PeteA:
Great thread.... I have a small alcohol stove and cook kit I'm going to be bringing stumping. Hoping to fire it up to make a quick hot lunch while out and about.

I use a alcohol stove all the time even on a day trip hunting. A hot cup of tea or coffee or instant soup can put the spring back in these old legs when you are 3 miles off the road. I also use the bagel idea because they pack well. The tuna in the envelope is good also for a light lunch.

Here is my set up, very similar to others..

Breakfast:  2 packets of oatmeal (variety of flavors).  Starbucks via for coffee.

Lunch/snacks:  crackers with peanut butter or cheese, gorp and dried fruit.

Supper:  Lipton rice (variety of flavors) with turkey, tuna or salmon (comes in small packs).

I like alternating gatoraide and water during the day.  This doesn't sound like much but I never really feel hungry. Be sure to try out what you plan on bringing so you know it won't upset your stomach.  Altitude, exertion and new foods can do funny things to a body.

Jay

bobert,  some good advice has been offered for the coffee snob in you....I'm the same way.  Have you seen the coffee press that fits onto the jetboil mug??  As long as I'm heating water for the freeze dry I just heat a bit more than I need and use their coffee press system.  Just like getting it from the java hut.  No need to go without.

Oh and one other thing.  If you are doing the freeze dry thing, do yourself a favor and eat a couple of meals BEFORE you go on your hunt.  Freeze dry may be light but it doesn't agree with everybody and hunting camp isn't someplace you want to be,,let's say a little loose>

Better loose than "passing a brick" I sometimes say.
homebru

(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/2010%20POW%20Bears/P8070771.jpg)

Here is food for 2 full weeks in Alaska.

On the right of the JetBoil (which I use exclusively for meals when backpackin) is a BUNCH of Starbuck Via's.  Costco has 30 packs very reasonable and if you watch close, there are $3 off coupons for them there as well.

I always have a 2 person Mountain House, Backpackers Pantry or more recently Hawk Vittles (those actually DO feed 2 people, so only use half), or home made freeze dried meal for dinner.  I use more water than called for always.  Soupy is better and more water in my system in the mountains is always good.

Lunches are typically a foil pack of tuna, salmon, or chicken with some type of noodle mix or instant potato.  Hot lunch is good!

(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/2012%20Utah%20Scouting/00dce4102e5180cb3e81f7dae9b6ef90_zps4c525255.jpg)

Breakfast is a couple packs of oatmeal with some of my trail mix or some cereal with Carnation instant milk premade along with some of my trail mix as well.  On long trips I will throw in a few MH egg type breakfast meals.

I will pack 2 energy bars per day and always have a bag of trail mix made of Dark M&Ms, almonds, walnuts, dried cherries and other dried fruits.  That is over on the left with a couple of MH ice cream sandwiches      :D

The Jet Boil is real nice.  Nice to be able to make a cup of coffee and a freezer bag of oatmeal in under 5 minutes.
 (http://lcparks.com/gallery3/var/resizes/Utah/IMG_1680.JPG?m=1359690640)

Great thread guys.
I definitely agree about trying everything you plan on eating BEFORE your trip!!!

Also have to agree with this piece of wisdom from Homebru:
 

QuoteBetter loose than "passing a brick" I sometimes say.

:mad:

An interesting post by SteveO.  Two things I'll comment.

1.  I believe SteveO knows what he's talking about.
2.  Most of us eat WAY TOO MUCH food.

Just two thoughts,
homebru

I do alot of backpacking and one of my favorite meals the wife and I make is super simple
INGREDIENTS:
1 PACKAGE STOVE TOP STUFFING
1 PACKAGE PRE COOKED CHICKEN BREAST
1 CUP OF DRIED CRANBERRIES

simply cook the stove top, throw in the chicken and dried cranberries and enjoy!

Since I am a tea drinker the Via doesn't do much for me.  As far as boiling water goes a Kelly kettle can't be beat.  No fuel to pack, repeat no fuel to pack.  And will boil water as fast as anything I've used.  my diet is instant oatmeal mixed in my tea, my home made trail mix[I have lived on it alone for three days] Mountain House 2 man for dinner.  I carry a filter and a 6 liter water bag.  I pump water at mid day, my pack carries 3 liters, the rest is dinner and breakfast.  Lately I have added dry electrolite mixes to my menu.
MAP

We do week long bivy trips in Idaho, and I take instant coffee from Trader Joes (has cream and sugar in it, which i like!).  I think they are cheaper than Starbucks too.  And I like them more.

If you are a true coffee snob, JetBoil has a lightweight attachment to convert the pot into a french press.  So if you hate instant coffee, it's a lightweight alternative.  Its less than an ounce, I think.

Regarding the Jetboil being heavy, it really isn't.  I have the titanium, and when you factor in the extra efficiency of the Jetboil (ie, less fuel to carry), the Jetboil is about as good an option as anything.  However, with all canister stoves, they can be a problem if you are in really really cold weather--but probably not the kind of cold you'll experience on a bivy hunt.  And, if it did drop low unexpectedly, you can warm the canister in your bag.


Mountain house meals are hard to beat, but you can make your own too.  I like to dehydrate venison and add instant potatoes, gravy powder, boulon, salt, pepper, and top with french fried onions (like you would put on top of green bean casserole). Keep the onions seperate while the rest rehydrates---delicious!  Plus, those onions are like 200 cal/ounce!

I go heavy on nuts, especially macadamia nuts, because they are the heaviest per ounce.  Sunflower seeds too (shelled).

Do they still make the military heat tabs? I think they are trioxaline or something like that.Small and just hit it with a match and it will boil a canteen cup of water.

lpcjon, C4 works pretty well, too, but probably isn't too available as a civilian.

QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
lpcjon, C4 works pretty well, too, but probably isn't too available as a civilian.

I'm from Jersey "I know a guy"...LOL

I like itchy ban soup or " itchy bum soup" as we call it, quite high in fat and carbs, throw in a small can of chicken etc. and it's a cheap meal.  My buddy uses Kraft dinner, adds an onion and a can os salmon....yummy.  Pita bread can be dried nicely to reduce weight as can bagels if you cut them in thin slices.  My lunch is usually gorp and a slug of water.  One thing I notice is I tend to eat too many carbs and not enough protein and fat when I'm out.  It seems to be easier to find carbs that pack well than protein.

I usually do a combination of store bought and freeze dried meals.
Breakfast is usually 2 instant oatmeals or home packaged granola and dried milk or Pop tarts and Starbucks Via coffee.
Lunch consists of WW Bagel Thins or Sandwich Thins (hold up well in a pack)with PB&J, or Spam foil pack, or tuna foil packs. Sometimes it might be jerky,or trail mix,or package of PB crackers, or Power bar, dried fruit, etc.
Dinners are usually Mountain House Pro Pack freeze dried dinners or foil pack of chicken,tuna or salmon with a Idahoan mashed potatoes or a Knorr pasta or rice side dish, or Ramin noodles.
Hint after boiling water place the pasta, rice or potatoes into a freezer bag to rehydrate and cook.
No need to mesh up a pot. Also bring some snacks such as trailmix, Clif bars, and granola bars. (look for 100 cals+ per ounce) Usually I package a days worth of food (20-26 ounces) into a gallon storage bag which then becomes a trash bag. I will experiment with different food combos during summer time weekend backpack fishing trips.

Excellent point about the freezer bags.  I take no extra pots and pans, only the JetBoil.  I never cook anything in the JB either...it just boils my water, only water.  I eat out of the MH bag or quart size freezer bags.  NO clean up, just incinerate or put all the used bags in one clean one.

This works better to rehydrate meals tha your hat too.

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Didn't read everybodys replys, in case it hasen't been mentioned sting cheese lasts a few days also, the low moisture mozzarella kind

I meant string cheese  :o

Ipcjon, they still do make them. They are call Ebits Fuel Tabs. They can be purchased at most outdoor stores, REI, EMC, Campmor. They come with a small stove stand for about $10. Perfect for canteen cup cooking.

GREAT thread as i am going on an elk hunt this year!