sagebrush
Active member
Another tip, avoid the alcohol and caffeine. That stuff tears up your body and will dehydrate you.
10 day meal plan for elk bowhunting camp
- Thread starter houndy65
- Start date
Well this is "base camp" we are talking about..... For Me, I am in base camp only before or after the hunt. When the hunt is on I am all about light weight backpacking and Mt. House meals do the trick... MRE's cannot compare... been there ate them. Instant breakfast in the morning, cliff bars for lunch and Mt. House for dinner a little hot cocoa afterwards and I am in the sleeping bag till a little before dawn and then it starts all over again. I pack enough food for 7-9 days afield and leave an extra 4-5 back at where I left the wheeler. When I use to hunt out of base camp they called me a vampire because the only time they saw me was when it was dark out. As I have aged I found hiking in a day or 2 early and setting up a backpacking camp means you don't have to get up early and hike in to your hunting area, you can start your hunt right from your backpack camp as soon as it is light enough to see.
Khunter
Well-known member
All that talk about making everyone's breakfast and dinNer and packing sack lunches for the guys had me wnted to invite you to run 'my' camp.....til
The above abomination about caffeine and I presume even the occasional beerverage.
Kidding.
I had never tried the Mountain House meals before. So I bought one and today (an hour ago) I had spaghetti for lunch. I was very impressed. Maybe I had low expectations, but it was really good. No way could I tell the meat wasnt fresh. The noodles had the typical noodle texture. If I had one criticism, it was the sauce was kind of bland...but that is probably a good thing and a dash of pepper solved that quickly. I wouldnt hesitate to eat that on a hunt at all. In fact, it just made its way onto my menu this fall.
I also bought a Beef Stoganoff. We will see how good that is one of these days too.
I also bought a Beef Stoganoff. We will see how good that is one of these days too.
houndy65
Member
I think we're taking some mountain house meals with us just in case we get back late into camp. They will be simple to make and fast. We were planning a good meal every other night and mountain house meals on the the other nights.
Jon Boy
Member
Ive had quite a few mnt houses and think they are good, I even put one in my day pack along with my pocket rocket and fuel. Weighs hardly anything and keeps you in the field longer when you know you have a hot lunch ready.
However, what are your guys' take on other dehydrated food brands? Are any of them good? Ive never had anything other than mnt house.
However, what are your guys' take on other dehydrated food brands? Are any of them good? Ive never had anything other than mnt house.
StHubert
Member
You are welcome, easy way for a guy to cook.
putm2sleep
New member
Jon Boy - he said 'we', not I, and for 10 days. A few mt houses will suffice, but not do the trick I'm afraid.
This question is a bit like, 'what do you put in your hunt pack?' Everyone has something a little different. Like my hunting pack for the field, I find I am always tweaking, and making things better around camp and the kitchen too. Lots of good feedback. Some guys get pretty extravagant.
I feed 5-7 guys in my elk camp pretty well for 5 days for about $300.
Breakfast - usually 2 days of a 'speed' breakfast : bagels, cream cheese, coffee, granola bar, piece of fruit. 2 days of hearty breakfasts after opening day success - Bacon, Eggs, tortilllas, salsa
Lunch : pre - packed and in the pack. Every guys gets 2 sammys, shelled pistacios, gorp and halloween snicker bars!
Dinner : some are pre-cooked (jumbolia / chilli) We will make a sphaghetti dinner. I bring some Velveeta and Cheese for easy makin' when no one feels like cookin.
We usually have a back strap & liver dinner with fried taters and fresh New Belgium brew to go with.
I can PM you my grocery list. It has been the same for more than 10 years.
This question is a bit like, 'what do you put in your hunt pack?' Everyone has something a little different. Like my hunting pack for the field, I find I am always tweaking, and making things better around camp and the kitchen too. Lots of good feedback. Some guys get pretty extravagant.
I feed 5-7 guys in my elk camp pretty well for 5 days for about $300.
Breakfast - usually 2 days of a 'speed' breakfast : bagels, cream cheese, coffee, granola bar, piece of fruit. 2 days of hearty breakfasts after opening day success - Bacon, Eggs, tortilllas, salsa
Lunch : pre - packed and in the pack. Every guys gets 2 sammys, shelled pistacios, gorp and halloween snicker bars!
Dinner : some are pre-cooked (jumbolia / chilli) We will make a sphaghetti dinner. I bring some Velveeta and Cheese for easy makin' when no one feels like cookin.
We usually have a back strap & liver dinner with fried taters and fresh New Belgium brew to go with.
I can PM you my grocery list. It has been the same for more than 10 years.
LNGBOWFLYER
New member
Typically for me and my brother we are backpacking. So breakfast consists of an instant coffee packet and some instant oatmeal. Lunch is some fruit leather, mixed nuts and an energy bar. Dinner is a mountain house meal and a packet of hot cocoa. Oh and I drink one Emergen-C during the day. Since I only have a spork and a camp mug clean up is super easy.
This year we will be hunting with my Dad in a camp near the truck. So this thread is good because its givi me ideas on how to prep for our 10 day hunt. I think it'll be alot more complicated than the wilderness thing.
This year we will be hunting with my Dad in a camp near the truck. So this thread is good because its givi me ideas on how to prep for our 10 day hunt. I think it'll be alot more complicated than the wilderness thing.
Between hunting and summer backpacking I have eaten a lot of different brands and I always come back to Mountain House. Due to some creative offerings, every three or so years I will decide to give some of the other brands a shot and without fail I am disappointed. Just my own opinion.
A good tip is to add about 1.5-2oz less of the recommended water or you will almost without fail end up with dinner or lunch that is too 'soupy'.
LNGBOWFLYER
New member
Oh I forgot to add, I carry a bottle of Franks hot sauce. To me this is a must. There is somethings that are well worth the extra weight.
JoseCuervo
New member
I noticed that Costco is carrying a big box of Mt. House. I think about 10-12 meals, and it seemed like they were way cheap. I forgot the numbers, but, when I did the math in my head, it seemed like a bargain compared to sporting goods stores.
That's a really good way to go if you like the meals in the box. Last time I looked, about 1/3 of those included aren't something I'd want to gut down and if you've met me you'll know there's not much I won't gut down. That didn't make it a very good deal for me, but IIRC it's a savings of about $1 to $1.50 per meal.
Topgun 30-06
Active member
On that 11 week trip I took to 4 states last fall I bought some individual pouches, but also 3 large cans of different Mountain House when they were on sale. I took them out of the cans and vaccuum packed them into individual meals at a considerable cost savings. The Costco my wife shops at doesn't carry those boxes of MH or I would have probably got some since I will eat almost anything, especially after a long day in the field.
rk_az
Member
Throughout the year, I freeze leftovers (usually deer/elk chile, swiss steak, stew, etc.) in individual size Glad containers, and then pop them out and vacuum pack them with the Food Saver. When a trip comes up, I toss them into the Yeti with dry ice. We keep a big pot of water on a propane cooker. At dinner time, just fire it up and drop in a meal per person. Fast, hot, home-cooked food in minutes, with no dishes to wash.
For breakfast, boil some water to use for instant cocoa or Folgers coffee bags (like tea bags, but with real ground coffee, not the nasty instant stuff). After the water is boiled, we toast bagel halves directly over the burners of the Coleman stove, and then spread with plain or flavored cream cheese or peanut butter.
I am usually away from camp all day, so for "lunch", I keep a variety of snacks around to throw into my pack, like deer/elk jerky, trail mix, energy bars, crackers, apples, oranges, little tuna cans, nuts, etc.
Here is our last elk camp:
For breakfast, boil some water to use for instant cocoa or Folgers coffee bags (like tea bags, but with real ground coffee, not the nasty instant stuff). After the water is boiled, we toast bagel halves directly over the burners of the Coleman stove, and then spread with plain or flavored cream cheese or peanut butter.
I am usually away from camp all day, so for "lunch", I keep a variety of snacks around to throw into my pack, like deer/elk jerky, trail mix, energy bars, crackers, apples, oranges, little tuna cans, nuts, etc.
Here is our last elk camp:
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Jon Boy
Member
I was just asking if there were other brands of dehydrated food that compared to mnt houses
