The food you bring on a multi-day backpack hunt is critical; not only for your survival, of course, but also in determining how effectively you can hunt day after day with sustained energy, as well as greatly influencing how much your pack weighs and how much space you have as you pack your bag for a hunt.
Food is heavy and bulky. It is the only thing (or at least the primary thing) that should change if you are doing a 2-3 day backpack hunt or a 7+ day backpack hunt.
Some hunters try to save weight by packing as little food as possible, or by optimizing the calorie-to-ounce ratio of the food they bring. However optimizing for weight savings is often a mistake, as it often results in a lack of sustained energy and the ability to keep hunting hard in the backcountry throughout a multi-day effort in difficult terrain.
First and foremost, remember this...
"The food you eat is more important than the food you pack."
You have to find out what works for you. And what works for you on day 5 of a tough week in the mountains may not be the most weight-optimized food that has the perfect macros on a spreadsheet. You may find that you don't have the appetite to stomach another ________ (bar/stick/snack) that is in your food bag.
WHAT WE EAT (AND HOW WE PACK IT)
In the video below, Mark from Exo Mtn Gear shares an example day of food from a spring bear hunt. He covers what he eats, as well as how he packs it...
This is just an example, and things do change based on preference, the season/conditions, and the anticipated activity level of a hunt.
On the hunts that you glass more than you hike, you could bring fewer calories, and/or have a higher percentage of calories from fat. But on a more intense hunt with a lot of miles covered and vertical gain and loss, you need to fuel the effort with more calories, and in general, a good number of carbohydrates.
Other factors of seasonality and weather may come into play, such as wanting more warm food and drink on colder hunts, while also balancing the amount of fuel required as you include more foods that need reheating or cooking.
LEARN & PLAN
If you want to learn more about nutrition in general, as well as specific and personal nutrition strategies for hunting, our friend Kyle Kamp at Valley-to-Peak Nutrition is a great resource.
Kyle joined us to discuss why backcountry nutrition matters, and also shares a free Backcountry Nutrition Calculator that will help you plan for your next trip...
Backcountry Nutrition Calculator
RECIPES & RESOURCES
Here are links to items that Mark mentioned in the video above...
- Recipe for DIY Backcountry Bars / Muffins
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Half-Gallon Storage Bags
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Long-Handle Titanium Spork
- Nature Valley Nut Butter Biscuits
- Sweet & Spicy Trail Mix
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Golden Grahams + Cinnamon Cashews + Dehydrated Bananas
- Single-Serving Bone Broth
- Wilderness Athlete Hydrate & Recover + Energy & Focus
- Boring Backpacking Food
- 5 Low-Cost, High-Energy Foods for Backpacking and Hunting