? about water

[IDbones]

Im doing my first solo hunt. My season is 3 weeks long hells canyon. I pretty much plan on staying till i get it done and i was wondering about how much water will i need for 2 weeks. anyone with similar backcountry experience and info would be be great

 

[tailchasers]

I'd figure at least 1 gallon per day.

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway."

 

[swbuckmaster]

I use about 3 liters a day just for hiking. 16 oz more per mountain house meals.

Can we update this forum so posting with a
phone is easier?

 

[slamdunk]

Get a good water filteration kit, they make some really good ones these days......that way water isn't an issue as long as you have a source better than a cow pond.

 

[HayZeus]

If your gonna be 3 weeks in the backcountry you wont be able to pack enough water! Get a good filter like others have said.

 

[Darkcloud]

+ 1 on the filtration system. I have been living back country all summer with one. It sure helps make the pack alot lighter if you know theres a good water source to pull from in your area.

 

[IDbones]

water is unavailable. it will be 2800 feet below me. in hells canyon. very steep. for the most part once i get there the hiking will be minimal. i also have the option of bringin 2-3 gallons in at a time on my scouting trips or hike to the river and get resupplied by my dads jetboat. would 8 gallons get me 2 weeks?

 

[swbuckmaster]

No 8 gallons wont get you 2 weeks. 20 might

Can we update this forum so posting with a
phone is easier?

 

[horncrzy]

I am 145 pounds and while hiking usually use around 3 liters per day. If I dont hike that much and do more glassing I can get away with 2 liters. Lets say you will use 3 liters per day (If you are bigger than me you will need more).....thats 21 liters per week or 5.5 gallons. May I add dont skimp out on water. If you think you will need more take it....last thing you want to do is get into some nasty country and get dehydrated and not have a source to get water from.

 

[bucklover]

If there are critters to hunt, there's got to be water somewhere. They need it, too.

 

[swbuckmaster]

He knows theirs water its 2000 feet below him. Its called the snake river. Have you ever been in hels canyon?

Can we update this forum so posting with a
phone is easier?

 

[IDbones]

well ill probably just have to bring a buttload of water and leave it in the truck. hike the 2200 feet back up to the truck and get it when i need it in addition to packing in 3-4 gallons of water on 2 different scouting trips. and bring a couple when i pack down there. if i get low i can always hike up to the truck and get more. the creeks in hells canyon are season at best, more like spring blowout conditions they have running water and thats about it

 

[NVBighorn]

If you skimp on water and limit yourself day after day to a couple of quarts a day, by about the fifth day you won't give a sh!t about hunting any more and a couple days after that you won't be able to hike the 2200 feet to your truck. Good luck with that.

FYI, water weighs 8 pounds per gallon so five gallons will weigh 40 pounds. Forty pounds in your pack doesn't sound like much but trust me, water sloshing back and forth in a container is different to pack than 40 pounds of gear.

Please leave some good coordinates of your camp with someone who likes you. It will make the body recovery easier.

 

[llamapacker]

I understand the arid conditions in hells canyon. Yet there are some small springs, etc., that you should be able to find. The animals don't all water at the river. If that were the case, then I would suggest you just hunt by the river and let them come to you. You know that isn't a great plan.
You don't need much of a spring to filter water. You will find the hunting better in areas that have at least an occassional small seep.
Bill

 

[IDbones]

i agree, i will have a filter. i just dont want to count on it. i know the drainage/area im hunting has some seasonal creeks but with how dry its been these past couple months i just dont want to count on there being running water. whatever the case ill make it work. im setting my bottom line at 180''. with the potential of this unit i dont see a point in shooting a small immature buck with potential just for the sake of filling a tag. i wish more people would take this approach so the the deer in this unit could rebound to its former glory. im sure im going to see plenty off nice bulls also i just wish i could have gotten the elk tag also.

 

[NVBighorn]

Sorry for my facetious comments above, but really, you NEED water. Lots of it. That is big country and steep. I hunted there for a few days with my son a couple years ago in the late hunt. Saw some bucks but nothing he wanted to shoot.

Good luck and report back please.

 

[BPKHunter]

The little creeks and springs near where I elk hunt are still producing as well as ever this time of year. I am talking about unit 39, not Hells Canyon, but I wouldn't count on them being dried up yet.

The nice thing about the filters too is you can suck that water up out of the tiniest seep, unlike a trying to jam a bottle or container into a creek.

Don't skimp, nothing like getting a nasty cramp during a big stalk.

 

[littlebighorn]

I am not sure why you don't want to rely on the filter. I have done many extended trips just relying on the filter to get me through. I have never had any problems. You also have the option of boiling your water to make it safe. I usually just boil my Mt. House water a little extra for my meals and don't even have to filter it.

 

[2f350s]

Littlebighorn,
Don't chance it trying to scrimp on water... too many things can happen to you due to dehydration. Muscle cramps or dizzyness could cause a fall or stumble type situation ad possible injury. Internal organ functions causing health issues like gout if kidneys don't filter out uric acid properly are very painful conditions. A gallon a day minimum should be your goal, however you have to get it there (pack it in ahead of time suffer the treck to the river bottom.

 

[2f350s]

Sorry, this post was meant for IDbones.

 

[bowhunt]

You cannot carry enough water to last more than a few days. It just weighs too much.
1 gallon = 8.35 pounds

So, you have to either hike out each day, or filter water. If I were hunting an area 8 days, I would know the water sources before I went in. Especially if it is more than a few miles in or up.

Good luck

 

[IDbones]

i will have a filter and i will be starting with about 10 gallons of water, and probly leave another 10 in my truck. i always have the option of hiking to the river to get water and to the truck. im not a rookie on the back country experience i grew up in alaska and have spent many a day meandering the woods. i was just asking about average days water consumption. i obviously understand i cant bring in enough water for 23 days of hunting in one trip. i will have access to a jet boat on the river and a truck on top. my pack out with the animal will be down to the river. if you arent familiar with hells canyon please dont bother to reply.

 

[bowhunt]

Hey I am familiar with it.
Good luck to ya, sounds like you have it figured out.
I was not trying to critical, or say you did not know what you were doing. so sorry if it came across that way.

Good luck on your hunt! Sheep, Deer, Elk?

 

[nickman]

Wonderful.....another Nimrod placing himself in danger, on purpose, so that that search and rescue people are going to have to risk their lives to go and save.

Our volunteer fire dept averages about 40 rescues per year on MONITORED trails that are heavily traveled. A dozen of those are "recoveries".....dead bodies.

Chit happens. It is one thing to go into an area alone, but to purposely go into an area alone, that does not have the necessary components required to sustain your life........well, that's why there is the "Darwin Award".

And don't tell us how experienced you are......if you were "all that and a bag of chips", you wouldn't need to start this thread.

Yes, there is no doubt, I am an ass for ragging on you......I admit it.
Now you admit that you are out of your depth and need to tweek your program.

"I could eat a bowl of Alphabet Soup and
sh!t a better argument than that!"

 

[Outdoors]

Extreme hot or cold temperature can impact water needs as well.

 

[TOPGUN]

"And don't tell us how experienced you are......if you were "all that and a bag of chips", you wouldn't need to start this thread."

***Sort of what I was thinking too Nick!!!

 

[BuckSnort]

Nickman may have come off like a an assshole with that last post but he is just saying what everyone with experience is thinking...

Don't kid yourself, you cant pack enough water...not even for 5 days..

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