Tenting on unit?

[NyRick]

I was wondering what you guys think about tenting on the unit you intend to hunt? what kind of a tent do you really need? Expensive wall tent, walmart special or something in between?

 

[shootbrownelk]

It depends on the weather you may encounter. Blazing hot sun or belly deep snow. What time of year? What State?

 

[NyRick]

lol, i guess that info would help! I was thinking Wyoming, the first week of antelope. Should be october 1st.

 

[Matthoek21]

Also whether your packing in on your back or car camping. I wouldn't trust a Wal-Mart tent in the back country. If I could get in the truck if it got bad, maybe.

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[NyRick]

I was thinking about just pulling off on some BLM and throwing up a tent. I know the weather seems unpredictable in october, but at least I'll have the truck close by. Don't want to sleep in the truck though, I'll have my 13 year daughter with me...she might get irritable lol.

 

[wy-tex]

The wind would annihilate a WalMart tent . Be smart and be prepared. Decent tent with a rain fly and sleeping bags rated to at least 0 degrees. It could very easily get down into the 30's or below by Oct. 1.

 

[nv-hunter]

Look for one of the old canvas cabin tents on clist can just about over heat them with one propane lantern that time of year.

 

[shootbrownelk]

The wind would annihilate a WalMart tent . Be smart and be prepared. Decent tent with a rain fly and sleeping bags rated to at least 0 degrees. It could very easily get down into the 30's or below by Oct. 1.

We had over a foot of snow on October 10th one year, and hot and dry with mid 70's temps on another. You never know. As you said Wy-Tex, a decent tent is in order...check Cabelas.

 

[wy-tex]

You can rent wall tents, Davis Tent in Denver does. I'm betting some other tent manufacturers will also. Check with some that are along the way to pick up.
Last thing you want is your daughter to have a miserable experience you need a warm dry spot to recover and sleep.
Your truck can be used as a good windbreak for a tent if it really blows. We've had to do it in 60 + mph winds.
Thunderstorms out in the field can also be pretty scary if you can't get out of it, lightning kills.

You don't need to buy an expensive tent but try to get access to a decent one for the trip. Some outdoor shops in your area may rent them also. Even an enclosed trailer would work pretty well. A truck topper also works but is tight for 2 people to sleep in the bed. Some places in FT Collins Colorado rent pickup toppers.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I don't tent anymore. I have a self contained utility trailer that I converted for hunting. I carry everything in it. Unload it, setup tables, eazyup, stoves and utv. lay the bunks down and we are ready.



I almost always camp on BLM in the unit I'm hunting.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Here is camp setup last year antelope hunting here in Colorado.

 

[JFox]

Question building on this thread.. Where can one find the BLMs definition of a road? I found their 3 definitions of "road, primitive road, trails," but that doesnt really offer specific guidelines as to what a "road" is. Does it have to have a white arrow, like Wyomings Designated Roads? Or does a commonly traveled dirt path with 2 visible tire treads count? Forgive my ignorance, I am trying to find the answers to as many of my questions as possible before coming to the forum!

Thanks yall!

 

[JimP]

A BLM road will have a designation route number on a BLM map. Also quite often if it hasn't been stolen or ran over there will be signage in the field on the road itself.

 

[NyRick]

That's a great setup Colorado Cowboy! That gives me a few ideas.

 

[Slugz]

That's a great setup Colorado Cowboy! That gives me a few ideas.

The ability to stay incredibly mobile with this set up makes it an ideal antelope camp. I've been leaning more and more towards this way since all my pack mules (kids) are gone in school now. I could use it for our 4th season hunts on the years the crazy winter storms are not blowing through also.

 

[JimP]

You can also use a stripped out travel trailer. The nice thing about using a travel trailer is that the walls are already insulated.

 

[Hunterjames1221]

I am wondering If you are antelope hunting if you set up camp on blm and leave it set up for the duration of the hunt or tear it down every night? I got a nice cabelas alaskian guide tent that I would like to set up and leave set up cause it is a little cumbersome to set up and take down. thanks.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Usually Forest Service and BLM rules allow for 14 day stay at any one location before you have to move.

My utility trailer is insulated, but not as good as a travel trailer. It allows me to store all my camping stuff in it, so everything is in one place. I just add food, fuel & water jugs and load up my utv and I'm basically ready to go. Sold all of my quads and noe have a side x side utv, which I really like.

 

[JimP]

On the 14 day camping limit, I have seen very little enforcement of this. I know of areas in Utah where campers homestead a place starting as soon as they can drag their trailer up onto the mountain in late spring and they don't bring them down until after the deer hunt in October. I even reported a camp where the campers had built a cinder block fire ring complete with a bbq pit on some BLM ground. All the BLM said was "are you sure that it wasn't private property?" They never went and checked it out.

But if you are in a improved campground or a very popular area I am sure that they will limit you to the 14 days

 

[wy-tex]

JimP is right, BLM rarely enforces dispersed camping, the Forest Service will however enforce their limits in popular areas. As he said campgrounds and improved camping spots will be enforced. No camping on state lands.