Hunting hike

[Traveler]

I would think hunting and fishing licenses would be difficult to manage across the various States and parklands.

[nsherry61]

Does anyone go on a hike with the intention of hunting along the way? I always thought it would be fun to hike with a bow or shotgun and kill your food daily. Thoughts?

If you're not trying to hike high mileage and you are hunting to supplement your carried food, it can make a great trip. Lot's of people backpack and supplement with fish. Hunting small game can be kinda the same thing. I was on a trip once where we trapped a squire and added it to some top ramen and dried veggies. As a kid and young adult, I did lots of backpacking and fishing. I think supplementing carried food with wild greens, wild roots, wild berries, and wild protein can be fun and add some nice variety, even on a fairly long trip. It definitely works best when you have a couple hours in the evening or morning without the intention of making any miles.

AND, I think you're crazy if you think you are going to successfully "live off the land" while hiking through it. Hunting and gathering is a full time operation even in the few places where resources are abundant enough to enable at all.

Have fun!

[atraildreamer]

Watch "Never Cry Wolf" for cooking tips & live on shelter mice. You will have plenty to eat & be doing a public service.

[Deadeye]

Watch "Never Cry Wolf" for cooking tips & live on shelter mice. You will have plenty to eat & be doing a public service.

I think I watched that years ago - he figured out what the wolves were surviving on and did like the wolves do.
Mouse stew, mouse gumbo, mouse etouffe, mouse fricasse, fried mouse, boiled mouse, stuffed mouse...

[atraildreamer]

Use hot sauce to spice up the menu.

[bigben]

Im a hunter, and a backpacker. All I can speak for is the 500 to 600 miles I've hiked between Amicalola and Atkins, VA, but to do what youre asking, the AT aint the place. There's PLENTY of areas, state and national forests, etc that ARE the place, but the AT? No way. I've seen relatively little edible game when you take into consideration the vastness of the trail. I have more deer, squirrel, rabbit, turkey and geese in my backyard in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio than I see on the AT. Seriously. All the other aforementioned considerations aside, it would be flat out expensive, just in out of state licences alone. And hikers would think you are a freak. I hunt turkey, am going tomorrow actually, and if I saw someone processing a turkey at a shelter or campsite, even I would think theyre a freak! Imagine the flak you'd get from others of a much more, how should I say it, anti hunting persuasion? Hikers LIKE to SEE deer and wildlife while hiking. Not hikers field dressing them. I can say this frankly because there are currently 3 deer's worth of venison in my freezer along with squirrel and rabbit. And come monday, hopefully a nice pair of turkey breasts.

[scope422]

I think this is a very good topic and a great site for information about it. Hunter and hiker here as well. I learned a lot about how to pack in light and be able to live comfortably far off the beaten path from this site. So much great information here that addresses what you want to do. Research what gear the ultralight hikers use and it will help with keeping your packweight down because you'll likely be carrying a heavy humor bow and a heavier pack then they do. It helps to shave ounces in other areas. Some other things to consider. Find large tracts of state forest or wilderness that allow dispersed camping and hunting. Know the laws and rules. You need to know navigation very well. Maps, compass, GPS, spot locator. Have multiple navigation tools. You'll likely be far from trails. Many of my hiking trips in the spring and summer are scouting trips as well, become familiar with the area. Scout it first using Google maps and have an idea of what terrain you are looking for then explore it. Small game and big game hunts can be done this way. It's a great feeling knowing I can stop anywhere and set up camp for the night. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a backcountry hunt out west to experience an epic adventure, it's likely a few hours from your front door. Go for it, it's the call for adventure that is in all of us!