Last year, I was approached by a fellow I’d attended high school with; he’d drawn a good mule deer permit here in Utah and was asking for advice on getting started into solo backpack hunting. I am by no means an expert, but over the past 12 years I have been backpack hunting, mostly solo. I’ve grown to love it, even crave it, and have been fairly successful. Here are a few ideas for anyone wanting to get started.

Prepare for Complete Solitude

First things first, you have to get over the fear of hunting solo and the idea of spending nights out completely alone. I remember the first night I did on my own. I spent most of it tossing and turning, listening for every small creak or twig snapping. I was completely spent the next day and didn’t feel like putting any more time into my scouting efforts, but I stayed. Then I stayed another night, and the next weekend I spent three more. By the end of that trip, I found that I was feeling more confident, sleeping fine, was seeing more animals and loving it. It’s like anything: preparation and executing a plan over and over again allows you to stretch your comfort zone. Preparation is key!

Gear Yourself up

The most critical component of backpack hunting is having the necessary equipment to do so. Get the best, lightest equipment you can afford. I tell my wife all the time, “My life literally may depend on my gear, so if you would like to keep me around, I need good gear.” Good equipment can be pricey, but in my opinion, if you are serious about increasing your chances at hunting and regularly harvesting, it’s a must.

I can break my gear down into four key categories: pack, sleep system, food/water, and equipment.

1. Pack

To me, the three most important things about selecting a pack are size, frame/durability and comfort. The majority of the backpack hunting I’m doing is 3-5 day trips, and I bet the majority of you reading this likely would fit into the same category. It’s generally weekend hunting with perhaps a few days tacked on. I’ve done 10 days, but those types of trips are the exception rather than the norm. A pack that is 4500-6000 cubic inches is about the sweet spot for me. It allows me to pack everything I need and nothing I don’t. A pack frame has to be durable enough to regularly handle 30-50 lbs, and occasionally a lot more. I’ve had pack frames break and fall apart during a hunt -- and it’s not fun. I won’t use a pack unless the frame is sturdy, and if it’s lightweight, that’s a huge bonus.

The last thing for me is comfort. I like a pack that has some versatility and allows me to adjust it to fit me (i.e., torso length). There are a lot of brands on the market, and everyone is different, but for me I’ve narrowed it down to a few: KUIU, Mystery Ranch, Exo Mountain, Stone Glacier and Kifaru. All of these three have both pros and cons (e.g., weight, comfort, price). A few other options might include Gregory and Osprey packs. These two brands, although geared more for recreational backpacking, build comfortable, well-built packs capable of handling 30-50 lbs. They may not handle the extreme weight as the other brands listed, but might be a good option if you have a backup meat hauler pack.

2. Sleep System

A sleeping setup is comprised of some sort of shelter, sleeping bag and a sleeping pad. Ninety percent of the scouting and hunting I do are solo, early-to-mid season, and for me, the easiest and most effective system is a bivy sack, an inflatable sleeping pad and a good bag. The thing I like about a bivy is that it’s quick, and you can sleep on any flat spot big enough. An old deer or elk bed on a steep slope is nearly the perfect size.

I have used an Outdoor Research Alpine Bivy for several years and had great luck with it. It’s just over two pounds, is made of GoreTex, and it has a single pole to keep it off of your face during inclement weather. During good weather, I sleep with my head out and the lid completely open. I often get asked why I don’t prefer a one-man tent and what I do with my pack and boots at night. For me, I don’t like that hassle of dealing with tent poles or trying to find a spot big enough for a tent. I regularly hike at night and I don’t want to take a lot of time to get into bed. With a bivy I find a suitable spot, and I’m in bed within minutes.

I always carry a rain cover for my backpack; it’s like a huge shower cap for your bag. At night I put my clothes in my pack, lay my boots sideways on top and cover the whole lot with my pack cover. If I’m in bear country, I hang it.

If a tent would allow you to feel more comfortable and get you out there when otherwise you may not, there are a lot of good options for tents. I’d recommend the Big Agnes Flycreek 1,2,3, Seedhouse or Slater, MSR Hubba and KUIU's Mountain Star or Ultra Star. A good single or even a two-man shelter should be around 2-4 lbs.

Sleeping pads have gotten significantly more comfortable and lighter in the past several years. I prefer an inflatable pad. It may take me five minutes and my own breath to inflate, but they are very comfortable, super lightweight and packable. I’ve been using a Thermarest Neoair Xlite for the past two years. The long pad weighs 1 lb and is 2.5 inches thick when inflated. The horizontal baffles keep me up off the ground and very comfortable. There are lots of options at a variety of price points for these types of pads from companies like Big Agnes, Nemo, Pacific Outdoors and Thermarest.

Also, I do not carry a pillow; however, I always pack a high quality, packable down jacket for the chilly early morning and late night glassing sessions, and I then I stuff that into my sleeping bag stuff sack for a pillow at night.

One of the most expensive pieces of gear is a sleeping bag. If you are trying to get set up and want to pinch a penny, in my opinion a sleeping bag is not the place to do it. A good sleeping bag will allow you to sleep comfortably and may also save your life. I like a down sleeping bag, but it must be coupled with a waterproof bivy or tent. They are generally warmer and lighter than any synthetic material. The higher the fill, the more efficient and warm it will be. Look for a bag with 850-900 fill range.

Having multiple bags for a variety of weather conditions would be ideal, but given the associated cost, I needed one bag that can do almost everything. For me, I chose a bag in the 15-degree range. It’s warm enough for late season use and fine for early season, unzipped or open. There are some great options for sleeping bags. KUIU has recently released their own bags with a water-resistant treated down, and I’ve heard great things about them. I have been using a Marmot Helium 15 for several years and have loved it. In recent years Marmot released the Plasma, which is slightly lighter and has a higher fill. Western Mountaineering and Montbell also make great bags that would be worth looking at. My ultimate setup for a sleeping bag is: down, 850-900 fill, 15-20 degree temp rating, around 2 lbs total weight. When setting up camp, I simply throw my bivy out, inflate my sleeping pad, slide it inside and throw my sleeping bag in.

3. Food/water

I’m not going to touch much on food, other than that my personal preference is one Mountain House freeze-dried meal for every day I’m out. I eat those for dinner. For breakfast, I’ll pop some energy bars, and for lunch, I carry pre-made bacon, peanut butter bagels, jerky and trail mix. To boil water, I use a Jetboil Flash Stove.Generally, I do not pack a filter or water purifier. Instead, I use iodine tablets and a small drink mix packet to dilute the taste. In very arid locations, where good running water sources are not available, I have used an MSR Sweetwater Filter with iodine tablets. Another note concerning water is that I do not use a Camelback or Platypus-type bladder. Although I know lots of people who use them, I have had too many problems personally with leaking bladders, hoses and mouth pieces. More than once I have felt water leaking down my back from a bladder that has failed. I carry individual plastic water bottles and just drink and fill them as I go. This may cost me some weight, but it has served me well.

4. Equipment

We’ve all heard someone say, “You can’t kill what you can’t see,” and that’s usually followed by “buy the best optics you can afford.” Both are true, and having good optics will certainly serve you well, but adding a tripod and binocular adapter for it will make a tremendous difference. Seven years ago, my brother bought me a Leica tripod adapter for my binoculars, and I could not believe the difference it made. I was able to glass more comfortably, longer, and saw significantly more wildlife. It’s been huge for me. Sometimes I will sit in the same spot and glass for an entire day (or even days) if I know there is an animal I want to take in that area, and a good, sturdy tripod is a must.

For several years, I packed around a heavy Bogen all-metal tripod. It worked great, but I dreaded putting it in my pack. A few years ago, I started looking for a new, lighter tripod. I looked at a lot of different models, most of which were really good options. In the end, however, I was turned on to a company called Feisol. They make high-quality carbon fiber tripod legs and heads. The leg diameters were larger than most, and they weighed less than comparable models. I selected the CF 3301 model with the added center post, and this model goes as high as I need it. Bogen Manfrotto and Outdoorsmans Tripods are a few other options that are comparable. Also, I would note that I use a Leica 10x42 Ultravid binoculars and a Vortex Razor 20-60x65 spotting scope. Obviously, there are other items that you will need, but the items I’ve listed above are what I would consider the core. Below is the entire list of my typical items.