One of the things we have learned to do on hunts is to take notes while things are “top of mind” on the hunt itself, or in the days following. These notes could be gear you had but didn’t need, gear you didn’t have but wish you did, consumable items that need to be replaced, lessons you learned from the hunt, etc.
Recently, Mark from Exo was on a fall bear hunt with a couple of buddies, Shane (@lonegoatmedia) and Clint (@clint_easley). In this article and the podcast below, Mark shares his post-hunt notes…
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HUNT NOTES & LESSONS
Unsuccessful & Grateful
Did I kill a bear on this trip? No.
But did I get to see and experience some amazing places, with great guys, and have both the opportunity and ability to do it? Absolutely.
Whether you kill an animal or not, I don’t know how you can hike miles into the remote backcountry, sleep in an epic setting, chase wild animals, share the highs and lows with like-minded friends, and end the trip with anything other than gratitude.
Always Adapt (Where & How You Hunt)
Backcountry hunting is always about adapting. We all make plans and have high hopes, but hunts rarely go as planned. When things don’t go, don’t look, or don’t seem like you had hoped, how will you adapt?
Specifically on this trip, we had to adapt where we wanted to hunt.
We had planned on spending 5 days in a spot that was only reachable by hiking in 6+ miles, all of which was off-trail. None of us had been to this specific spot, but it is one that Shane has been wanting to hunt for many years. And in the past, he had glassed into this country from afar and saw bears.
However, after spending 2+ days in this area — while only seeing one bear, not seeing much fresh bear sign, and not finding as many berries as we had hoped — we decided to pull the plug and move elsewhere.
Looking back at things objectively, we should have also adapted how we hunted. In the days after the move from our original location, we realized that the best berries were lower in elevation and mostly in the timber. While we wanted to sit and glass for bears feeding in alpine berry fields, the best berries and the most bear sign were down in the timber. After trying several hunt spots and realizing this at the end of the trip, the most likely method to successfully kill a bear at that specific time and place would likely have been still-hunting near those food sources.
I am confident that if we had more time, a bear would have been taken as we adapted our strategy.
Everything Is Better With Mountain Goats
While we may not have seen many bears, we did get to spend time looking at mountain goats on several occasions. And that makes every hunt better.
Off-Trail Wayfinding
In that first area where we spent a few days, we had some sparse intel about route-finding for the off-trail hike in. A few days later, when we decided to leave this spot, we chose an entirely different route. Once again, it was all off-trail.
Choose the devil you know (the hard hike in) or the devil you don’t (a new off-trail route)?
Deciding to take a completely off-trail route in new country always has some risks. Will that knife ridge be traversible? Will that stretch of timber be relatively easy walking, or full of underbrush? Will that creek crossing be a quick splash on the boots, or a waist-high ripper?
With a combination of studying maps (especially contour lines), satellite imagery, and assessing conditions (especially for water crossings), the hike out went mostly fine. It worked out, but choosing a new off-trail route is something that should be done carefully and intentionally.
Practice On The Hunt
Always look for times and opportunities to get realistic shooting practice in the mountains. We shot my rifle in realistic scenarios and on multiple occasions during this hunt. With a suppressed rifle in big mountain country, you don’t have to worry about “blowing up” a spot when you are shooting a good distance from your core hunt area. So whether you shoot in the way in to, or out of, your core hunt area, look for ways to get more practice in.
NEW GEAR TESTED THIS TRIP
Zero Gravity Suppressor from Airlock Industries
I have only had this suppressor for about a month, but my initial impression after shooting it multiple times at the range and in the mountains is nothing short of phenomenal.
Like the Thunderbeast Ultra 5, which has been my dedicated hunting suppressor for several years, the Zero Gravity is 5” in length. But the Airlock is 2oz lighter, noticeably quieter, more affordable, and more readily available than the Ultra 5.
Mark's 6mm Creedmoor, which he built at home.
If you are looking for a lightweight, compact, dedicated suppressor for backpack hunting, I would highly recommend looking at the Zero Gravity from Airlock Industries.
Unless an issue arises in the next 4 months, plan on seeing this suppressor as one of my picks for the “Gear of the Year” recaps that we do each year.
Backcountry Bistro Meals
A listener of our podcast, Don, started Backcountry Bistro Meals and sent me some samples. The options I have tried so far have been great. The Beef Spaghetti alla Vidalia in particular was a perfect, protein-packed end to a hard day on the mountain. There are a LOT of great freeze-dried and dehydrated meal options for the backcountry these days, and Backcountry Bistro has made some that have the taste and quality with the best of them.
Nitecore Pocket 10k Power Bank
I purchased the Nitecore Pocket 10k from S&S Archery, and it has been performing great. I love the built-in USB-C cable to charge all of the essential electronic devices that I carry on backpack hunts — my phone, my Fenix Headlamp, and my InReach Mini 2. In addition to the built-in cable, the Pocket 10k has a super compact form-factor and weighs just 5.6oz. The combination of those things has made this my favorite power bank to date. (Note: Long-term performance and durability TBD.)
OTHER GEAR NOTES
Extra CR2 Battery
I always carry an extra CR2 battery for my rangefinder. I learned this lesson after having a “good” battery go bad on a trip years ago. After carrying this extra battery for years, but not needing it, it did come in handy this trip when one of the other guys’ rangefinder died. For the extra .4oz of weight I have to carry, I will be replenishing this extra CR2 battery in my kit, to ensure that my (or a fellow hunter’s) rangefinder won’t go dead on any hunt.
Broken Stove
I have primarily been using the Jetboil Stash stove for the past few years. And before then, I have used other types of Jetboil stoves for over a decade. I have never experienced an issue with any of them.
But on this trip, the first time I went to light my stove it stuttered and fluttered. It lit, but not well, and not for long. And then it wouldn’t light at all. Gas was not reaching the burner. I tried cleaning the jet (as best as I could in the field) and also tried another fuel canister, but neither worked.
I was without a stove on this trip. And we purposely only brought two stoves for three guys. But now, we were down to one stove. Several items can be shared on hunts with others, but be cautious about only bringing a single stove.
Glassing for bears in the early morning light. Mark is wearing the pants and mid-layer from the Mountain Pursuit line (links below).
Crazy Creek Chair
I rarely pack a chair, except on bear hunts where you spend a lot of time sitting and glassing. I brought one on this trip, but didn’t use it as much as I expected. Getting the chair off the pack, setting up in a comfortable spot, and positioning yourself to sit and glass is easy enough, but it IS more hassle than just sitting on the ground or grabbing a foam sit pad to glass from if you will be glassing and moving. I will still consider packing a chair on hunts where there is a LOT of time spent glassing, but for hunts that are more “glass and move”, the chair will stay at home.
Outdoor Vitals Mountain Pursuit Clothing
I have been involved with the design, development, and testing of this apparel line and have worn numerous prototypes on many hunts for the past 3 years. But now that these pieces have officially launched and I have been able to hunt in the final production samples, it has made me even more excited for these pieces to become available.
If you are interested, you can hear more of the backstory on our podcast, or browse the Mountain Pursuit Line at OutdoorVitals.com.
Aziak Backcountry Lite + Wiser Precision Ridgewarden
I feel like I have taken a different tripod and/or tripod head on every hunt for the past couple of years. There are just so many options out there, and many ways to optimize your tripod setup for your needs or preferences…
Are you doing a backpack hunt where saving weight is a priority, or can you carry a bit more weight for tripod stability? Is glassing or shooting a bigger priority for your tripod setup? For glassing, what size spotting scope are you using, or will you only/primarily use binos? For the terrain that you’re hunting in, is extended tripod height important?
The Backcountry Lite is a very proven (to me) lightweight and compact tripod for backpack hunts. Previously, I have used it most with the Wiser Precision Nighthawk. That combination is my favorite glassing setup for using binos and spotting scopes on backpack hunts. But the pan head creates some issues when shooting — especially when it comes to leveling the rifle.
The new Ridgewarden from Wiser Precision is an innovative design that gives you full pan and tilt functionality, but also allows you to quickly level a rifle for any shot. Going back to all of those example questions to consider (and there are others), the Backcountry Lite + Ridgewarden is proving to be a solid option for a lightweight glassing AND shooting setup.
FINAL THOUGHT
KIDS CAN BE VERY CAPABLE
Shane brought his 10-year-old son on this trip. This little guy has had the opportunity to grow up chasing his dad around the mountains. And he is very capable. Were there times he was tired? Yes. Bored? Sure. But was he did he hold us back any more than MOST grown men would have? Nope.
Kids are adaptable. If you give them opportunity with consistency, it is amazing what they can become capable of.
