Backcountry hunting isn’t something you start preparing for when you pull into the trailhead.

By then, most of the important decisions have already been made.

Where you’re going.
How far you’re walking.
What the terrain looks like.
Where you’ll sleep.
Where you’ll get water.
What you’ll do if the weather turns.
How you’ll communicate.
And how you’re getting back out.

The more remote the hunt, the less room there is for winging it.

That doesn’t mean you need to plan every step of every day. It means you need to think through the important stuff before you’re several miles from the truck with no cell service.

Here’s how to prepare for a backcountry hunt from start to finish.

Start With the Hunt

Before you start buying gear or stuffing your pack, figure out what you’re actually getting into.

Ask yourself:

• What am I hunting?
• Where am I hunting?
• How many days will I be out?
• How far will I be from the truck?
• Am I hunting alone or with a group?
• Will I have a base camp or move every day?
• What’s the elevation?
• What’s the terrain like?
• What will the weather likely be?
• Will I have reliable access to water?
• What are my options if something goes wrong?

A five-day elk hunt in steep mountain country requires a different level of preparation than a one-night hunt on relatively flat terrain.

Prepare for the hunt you’re actually going on.

Study the Area Before You Go

Spend time learning the country before you set foot in it.

Look at maps and satellite imagery.

Identify:

• Trailheads
• Roads
• Ridges
• Drainages
• Steep terrain
• Water sources
• Campsites
• Glassing locations
• Potential hunting areas
• Property boundaries
• Alternate access points
• Possible exit routes

You’re not trying to memorize the entire mountain.

You’re trying to build a mental picture of where you’ll be.

If you get turned around later, that familiarity can make a big difference.

For more on this, read:

How Hunters Should Use GPS, Maps and a Compass

Understand the Access

A spot on a map doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to get to.

Before the hunt, determine:

• Where you’ll park
• Where the trail starts
• Whether you need a permit or reservation
• Whether the road is accessible
• Whether there are seasonal closures
• Whether you’re crossing private property
• Whether the route is suitable for your vehicle
• How far you’ll need to hike
• Where your backup access points are

If you’re hunting public land, verify the current regulations and access information before you leave.

And if you’re hunting private land or with an outfitter, make sure you understand exactly where you’re supposed to be and how you’ll get there.

Build a Hunt Plan

This is where all that preparation gets put into one place.

A Hunt Plan doesn’t need to be complicated.

At a minimum, someone back home should know:

• Where you’re hunting
• When you’re leaving
• When you expect to return
• Where you’re parking
• Who you’re hunting with
• Where you’ll be camping
• How you’ll communicate
• What to do if you don’t check in

For a multi-day backcountry hunt, include more detail:

• GPS coordinates
• Planned route
• Alternate route
• Camp locations
• Water sources
• Emergency exits
• Vehicle information
• Communication schedule
• Known hazards
• Emergency contact information

The point is simple:

If something goes wrong, someone who isn’t on the mountain should have enough information to understand where you are and what your plan was.

Credit: Trophy Whitetail Hunt in Paris, TX

Check the Weather

Don’t just look at the weather the night before.

Start checking it well before the hunt.

Pay attention to:

• Temperature
• Rain
• Snow
• Wind
• Storms
• Overnight lows
• High temperatures
• Forecast changes

Mountain weather can change quickly, and conditions at the trailhead may look nothing like conditions several thousand feet higher.

Build your clothing, shelter, water, and travel plans around the conditions you could realistically encounter—not just the best-case forecast.

And remember:

A forecast is information, not a guarantee.

Get in Shape Before the Hunt

You don’t need to become an ultramarathoner.

But if you’re going to spend several days climbing steep country with a loaded pack, you should prepare your body for the work.

Focus on:

Walking With Weight

Start carrying a pack well before the hunt.

Gradually increase the weight and distance.

Climbing

If you live somewhere flat, find stairs, hills, stadium steps, or a treadmill with an incline.

Your legs need to get used to climbing.

Strength

Focus on movements that build strength and stability in your:

• Legs
• Glutes
• Core
• Back

Recovery

Don’t make your biggest training week the week before your hunt.

Give yourself time to recover.

The goal is to arrive at the trailhead ready to hunt – not already beat up.

Break In Your Boots

This deserves its own section because bad feet can ruin a backcountry hunt.

Never make the first day of a multi-day backcountry hunt the first time you’ve worn your boots for several miles.

Wear them.

Walk in them.

Climb in them.

Wear them with the socks you’ll actually hunt in.

Find out where they rub.

Fix the problem before you’re carrying a full pack into the mountains.

And bring foot-care supplies with you.

Blisters are small problems until you’re eight miles from the truck.

Test Your Gear

Don’t open a brand-new piece of equipment at the trailhead.

Set up your shelter at home.

Sleep in your sleeping bag.

Use your stove.

Try your water filter.

Test your GPS.

Download your maps.

Turn on your satellite communicator.

Practice using your compass.

Pack your backpack.

Then walk around with it.

You’ll find problems at home that are much easier to solve than problems in the backcountry.

Pack Your Gear Around the Hunt

Your pack should be built around what you need – not everything you own.

Start with the essentials:

Hunting

• Weapon
• Ammunition/arrows
• Optics
• Rangefinder
• Knife
• License/tags
• Game bags

Navigation

• GPS
• Offline maps
• Compass
• Paper map
• Power bank
• Spare batteries

Communication

• Cell phone
• Satellite communicator, when appropriate
• Charging equipment

Clothing

• Base layers
• Insulation
• Rain gear
• Gloves
• Hat
• Extra socks
• Appropriate boots

Camp

• Shelter
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Stove
• Fuel

Food & Water

• Water
• Water filter
• Backup purification method
• Meals
• Snacks
• Electrolytes

Emergency

• First-aid kit
• Emergency shelter
• Fire starter
• Whistle
• Repair supplies

For the complete list:

The Essential Backcountry Hunting Gear Checklist

Have a Water Plan

Water is heavy, and that makes it one of the biggest logistical considerations on a backcountry hunt.

Before you leave, identify potential water sources.

Then determine:

• How much water you’ll carry
• Where you’ll refill
• How you’ll treat it
• Whether your filter is working properly
• What your backup purification method is

Don’t assume every stream or spring will be flowing.

Don’t assume a water source shown on a map will be where you expect it.

And don’t assume clear water is automatically safe to drink.

Know where your next water comes from before you run out of the water you’re carrying.

Plan Your Food

Backcountry food doesn’t need to be complicated.

It needs to provide enough energy without taking up half your pack.

Choose foods that are:

• Calorie-dense
• Easy to prepare
• Durable
• Familiar
• Easy to eat when you’re tired

Think through each day.

How many meals?

How many snacks?

How many calories?

What happens if the hunt lasts an extra day?

It’s worth carrying a reasonable emergency food reserve rather than assuming everything will go exactly according to schedule.

Plan for the Kill

This is one of the biggest differences between a regular backpacking trip and a backcountry hunt.

You aren’t just carrying your gear into the mountains.

You may eventually be carrying an animal back out.

Think through that before the hunt.

Ask:

• How will I field dress the animal?
• Do I have enough game bags?
• Do I have a sharp knife?
• Can my pack handle meat?
• How many trips might the pack-out require?
• Where will I hang or store meat, if necessary?
• How long will the pack-out take?
• What happens if I make a kill several miles from camp?

Don’t wait until you’ve got an animal on the ground to figure out how you’re getting it out.

The pack-out is part of the hunt.

Know Your Communication Plan

Before leaving, decide how you’ll communicate with someone back home.

If you have cell service, a phone may be enough for routine check-ins.

If you’re heading somewhere without reliable service, consider a satellite communicator, satellite phone, or another appropriate communication system.

Whatever you use:

Test it before you leave.

Make sure it’s charged.

Know where you’ll be able to communicate.

And make sure the person receiving your check-ins knows what to expect.

A plan that says “I’ll check in every night” isn’t very useful if nobody knows what happens when you don’t.

Have a Missed Check-In Plan

This is one of the most important – and most overlooked – parts of backcountry preparation.

Tell your emergency contact:

When should they expect to hear from you?

And:

What should they do if they don’t?

Your answer will depend on the hunt.

A missed check-in during a short delay close to a road isn’t necessarily the same situation as missing a check-in during a multi-day hunt deep in the backcountry.

Your plan should account for:

• Your location
• Weather
• Communication reliability
• Expected travel times
• Your route
• The remoteness of the area

The important thing is that the person holding your Hunt Plan shouldn’t have to guess what you wanted them to do.

Prepare for Things Going Wrong

Good backcountry preparation isn’t about assuming everything will go perfectly.

It’s about asking:

What happens if it doesn’t?

What if:

• You get hurt?
• You get lost?
• Your GPS dies?
• Your phone battery goes dead?
• Your vehicle won’t start?
• A storm blocks your route?
• You can’t find water?
• You run out of food?
• You have to stay an extra night?
• Someone in your group gets separated?
• You kill an animal farther from camp than expected?

You don’t need a 20-page contingency plan.

You just need to think through the major problems before they happen.

Tell Someone Where You’re Going

This is the part that takes five minutes and could matter more than anything else you pack.

Give someone back home your Hunt Plan.

Don’t just tell them:

“I’m going elk hunting in Colorado.”

Give them the useful information.

Tell them:

• Where you’re going
• Where you’re parking
• Your route
• Where you’re camping
• Who you’re with
• When you’re leaving
• When you’re coming back
• How you’ll communicate
• What to do if you don’t check in

Then actually send them the plan.

Don’t leave it sitting in the Notes app on your phone.

Do a Final Gear Check

The night before your hunt, go through everything.

Don’t rely on memory.

Use a checklist.

Hunting

Weapon

Ammunition/arrows

Optics

Rangefinder

Knife

License/tags

Game bags

Navigation

GPS

Offline maps

Compass

Paper map

Power bank

Spare batteries

Communication

Phone

Satellite communicator

Charging cables

Emergency contact has Hunt Plan

Clothing

Base layers

Insulation

Rain gear

Extra socks

Gloves

Hat

Boots

Camp

Shelter

Sleeping bag

Sleeping pad

Stove

Fuel

Water filter

Food & Water

Water

Food

Snacks

Electrolytes

Emergency food

Emergency

First-aid kit

Emergency shelter

Fire starter

Whistle

Repair kit

Personal medications

Then weigh the pack.

If it’s significantly heavier than you expected, start looking for things you don’t actually need.

The Night Before Isn’t the Time to Experiment

This is worth remembering.

Don’t:

• Wear brand-new boots
• Try a new stove
• Sight in your rifle for the first time
• Learn your GPS
• Download maps at the trailhead
• Test your satellite communicator
• Pack unfamiliar food
• Change your entire layering system

Your preparation should make the hunt boringly predictable.

The backcountry itself will provide enough surprises.

Have a Backup Plan

You don’t need to plan for every possible disaster.

But you should know what you’ll do if the original plan doesn’t work.

Have:

• An alternate access route
• An alternate exit route
• Backup navigation
• Backup communication
• Backup water treatment
• Emergency shelter
• Extra food
• A plan for an extra night

Think of it as building a little margin into the hunt.

That margin is what gives you options when conditions change.

When You Finally Reach the Trailhead

Now the work starts.

Before you walk away from the truck:

Check the weather.

Check your navigation.

Check your communication device.

Check your water.

Check your pack.

Make sure your emergency contact has the Hunt Plan.

Then start walking.

You’ve done the preparation.

Now go hunt.

The Bottom Line

A successful backcountry hunt starts long before opening morning.

Study the country.

Understand the access.

Get your body ready.

Break in your boots.

Test your equipment.

Plan your food and water.

Prepare for changing weather.

Know how you’re navigating.

Know how you’re communicating.

And have a plan for getting yourself—or your hunting partner—out when something doesn’t go according to plan.

You don’t need to eliminate every risk.

You need to prepare well enough to handle the problems you can reasonably anticipate.

That’s what backcountry preparation is about.

Do the work before the hunt so you can focus on the hunt when you get there.

Build Your Hunt Plan

Before you head into the backcountry, put your hunting area, route, camp, communication plan, emergency contacts, and expected return time in one place.

Then share it with someone back home.

Make the plan. Share the plan. Go hunt.

Related Reading

• How to Make a Hunting Plan: The Complete Guide for Every Hunt
• How Hunters Should Use GPS, Maps and a Compass
• The Essential Backcountry Hunting Gear Checklist
• Best Communication Options for Backcountry Hunters
• What to Do If You Get Lost While Hunting
• What to Do If You Get Hurt on a Hunt
• How to Prepare for Hunting in Bad Weather