Cache some stash

[cnelk]

Here is the deal:
I have a spot that's a real beeatch to get in and out of.
I can be 2+ miles hike out with no trails - lots of elk
Im thinking about hiking in and stashing some stuff there in case I get an elk down late in an evening and need to spend the night.
Or just plan on going in and spending a afternoon/night for a morning hunt.

What would be some items to cache?

[Heartwood]

I've thaught about doing this in the past also. I would consider caching mostly consumables like food and water maybe in an ammo can. Stuff that will extend your stay and that is heavy to pack, and that you wont have to pack back out except for garbage.

[cnelk]

Not sure about food, maybe an MRE if anything.
Prob carry food/water in backpack for the hunt.

Ammo can would be a must for bears.

How about a tarp? Small tent?
Candle?
Sterno can?
Extra game bags/Pillow cases?

[WapitiTalk1]

A stashed tarp for shelter (this could be something as minimal as very light mil plastic), some chow (MRE is a good idea), water if you're away from a water source, a cheapo fleece sleeping bag liner to curl up in, and perhaps some basic fire starting gear. Deployment of the necessary gear could be placed well in advance of the hunt, or, during an early hunt during the actual season. Good thread sir and something to consider for certain.

[Indian Summer]

Will you leave it year round or just for the season?

I use a large ammo box.. very large actually it's a hand held rocket box. And will leave a cache permanently if I know it's a spot I'll be hunting for a few years. In it is a small cook stove and a bottle or two of propane, a small lantern, tarp and cord for shelter, sleeping bag and cheapo pad, and a Mountain House or three. I can hole up for a night or two pretty comfortably. A great plan for dealing with downed elk while avoiding another trip in and out.

[>>>---WW---->]

Lots of elk huh! Tell me where it is and I'll haul your gear in for ya!

I just bought a silnylon tarp on the classifieds here. It is 8x10 and weighs 13 ounces. Packs to about the size of a Nalgene bottle. Been wanting one for years for emergencies like you are talking about. I think there is a guy in Ft. Collins that makes tarps. I'll see if I can find a link for you.

[>>>---WW---->]

http://www.bearpawwd.com/tents_tarps/tarps.html

Here is the link for you Brad.

[BrentLaBere]

So you get out to this point and you are simply staying for the reason it is late and not an emergency? Or should you be planning for this as well?
Biggest concern for me in both situations would be comfort. Being comfortable is being dry and I think that may even start with simply some extra clothes. If you get caught in any type of storm over night it would be a rough one for sure. Trap or small tent like others have mentioned. I think a tarp would do just fine. Safety blankets along with a rolled sleeping pad wouldn't be a bad idea. I guess comfort to put the mind at ease is the biggest for me in a situation like this. Food and water aren't as big of a concern because you would more than likely have these things with you and if just for the night water would be the only concern, not food (JMO). Fire starters for an extra luxury would be next on my list. But that just depends on the area if you are aloud to have them or not........and if you want smoke blowing through your elky area.

[slim9300]

I heard that could be a good idea but then someone told me it was technically illegal and that you can be fined. If it was my cache and I knew it was a great area, I would have all sorts of stuff in the ground. I have heard that 3 mil garbage bags and 2 gallon ziplocks work really well.

[Herb]

The cache laws will vary by forest and wilderness areas, many areas it's legal with some time restraints.

I'm almost always hunting by myself, plenty far in, about everything your considering is in my pack everyday.

[cnelk]

Im thinking this would be a cache to be left there.
And it would be hidden quit well

here is a 2 person tent - $25 that would work


Also thinking para cord, a fleece blanket, lighter, fire starter [wet conditions] candle and an empty can [to transmit heat]

Think of it like this:
You happen to find a cache that someone left. What would you want to be in it?

[pointysticks]

There is so much stuff hidden in the sierras. My buds slept in a stinky wall tent they pulled out of a hole. Frying pans everywhere. It is illegal here.

[Swede]

Since you are only going to be there one extra day at the most, I would think in terms of the minimum. Consider food that keeps, i.e. energy bars, nuts and dried fruits. This will minimize the garbage you have to bring out. No stove is needed. You can have all of the fresh fruit you need in your day pack. In addition I would consider a tarp and sleeping bag appropriate for the conditions you anticipate. I would keep it lite and simple, so when it is time to haul it out, it is no big deal. I do not mind hauling stuff in. There is always some anticipation that goes with that, but I do no care for going back for another pack load, when every thing else is done. That is always a hard hike when you are by yourself after everyone is gone, and you are tired from a long hunt.
I get this experience from gathering up all of my tree stands, if I have not planned carefully.

[Lefty]

My father in law had a number of caches scattered along the divide between Idaho and Montana
Plastic 5 gallon buckets; Army surplus sleeping bag, candles, fire starters, tarps, mylar bagged drinks and Mars bars, 8- gallon degris bag and flares
I put a bucket cache where I hunted in Utah. I could see the location from my house. by a tree 2. miles on a map and 4000 elevation gain from my house. I also let a neighbor, our police chief know that was “my tree” and where I would be if in trouble.
When I left Utah I let a few neighbors in on the location and the cache

[Indian Summer]

To answer Brent's question I guess the items you'd consider caching would certainly depend on your use of them... whether emergency only or just to save a walk out & back in.

If it was emergency only it would obviously be bare bones and the fact is you could be a little uncomfortable but warm and dry. If I was going to use it as a regular spike I'd surely add a small lightweight cot to keep me up under the tarp high & dry and off of the lumpy ground.. same if I had a tent like that.

The other obvious main factor is if I know I'll be hunting there in the future or if I'm a on a 7 or 10 day hunt not knowing what next year has in store. In that case I wouldn't bother and just hike back to camp every night wherever that was. Equal effort really. You should have proper emergency items in your day pack for real emergencies. I gotta start doing that one of these days...

I will say that I don't need a vary good reason to spend a few bucks to include a cot. Priceless for comfort and dryness right?

As far as the laws.. the laws on federal land are uniform in every state. No chaches on National Forest ever. What varies widely is enforcement of that law. Heck yeah there are a million caches out there. Some new, some long abandoned. But everyone is allowed to camp for 14 days there. So if it's a seasonal cache I say the fact is it's just a camp that hasn't been set up which is the truth.

Whatever you do do NOT leave any trace of your presence and that includes leaving the potential for animals to get to stuff and make the mess for you.

[Bartfrncs]

I hunt in a remote area and think a hammock and sleeping system of some sort would be great. Canned food is heavy going in and lite coming out and lasts a long time. Water purification tabs or filter would also be on my list. An ESBIT stove and fuel no heavy bottles.

[Herb]

A cache gone bad is nothing but more garbage in the backcountry, so plan well.

Cache restrictions in just a few areas in Colorado, check the regulations for where you go:

Eagles Nest & Holy Cross 72 hours
Maroon-Bells 7 days
Flat Tops 10 days

The land managers can set the guidelines as they see fit. I don't think anything permanent would be allowed.

[Indian Summer]

What are the actual camping regs there? I guarantee you can camp for 14 days. Cannot imagine how they could enforce me leaving my gear in a pile for only 72 hours, or even 10 days, when it's legal to have it set up for 2 weeks? I'd be confident in court on that one. Perhaps that is to mean you can cache gear for X amount of time before they begin counting days toward the 14 day limit. ???

Plus the saying that applies here is if a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it......

In Montana, or technically anywhere, they cannot assume when you arrived. If I report a camp that has been set up for over a month, they (Forest Service) will go in and green tag it. The 14 day limit begins at the time of tagging which is the earliest documented date of occupancy. If my stuff is on the ground under tarp the same rules apply. When on national forest the term for having the same regs in all states is called Uniform Policy. Anyone who tells you different is likely managing their neck of the woods based on their opinion and preferences period, which is VERY common. I make it a point to know the laws, and my rights, and can easily... and politely explain them to anyone who appears not to understand. Usually as soon as I utter the words I'm a licensed outfitter they realize I know the real laws and sing a different tune after that. Funny how that works isn't it.

No doubt there are different degrees of tree hugging going on in each ranger district and they all do things a bit differently. Some unfortunately would rather see us enjoy the forest without killing anything.

One time I reported a summer camp that had been there forever. Not a hunting camp. The anti outfitter girl who simply worked the front desk said and I quote "I had a beer with those folks at the Rocky Knob the other night and they were real nice. Besides they aren't killing anything so what does it matter to you?" If they were hunting it would be 14 days til eviction. Pure double standards! I hate the thought of politics in the back country!!!!!!!! I have one simple cardinal rule: Leave no trace. As long as I'm not disturbing anyone else that pretty much covers it.

[Herb]

I'm sure you could camp for 14 days, guess I was just specifically addressing the cache or storage of gear as being discussed in this tread, a item specifically noted in the regulations for the specific areas mentioned. Even the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana addresses it in 36 CFR 261.58, in A. of the order, they address "camping in one site for 14 accumulated days within a 30 day period," in C. of the order they address "using or leaving camping gear in one site for 14 accumulated days in a 30 day period." By including "using or leaving" they appear to make it the same act as "camping."

If you care about the law, the best advice is still to contact the local Forest Service District and get the regulations for that specific area you intend to use, because "Uniform Policy" does not always apply. If you know the law, ignore it because it's unenforceable, then's who's really "managing their neck of the woods based on their opinion or preferences?"

[Indian Summer]

I like that saying it's often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I'm pretty sure I'd be the first person ever to walk in the ranger station and ask how long can I hide my stuff? lol

I live like it's the late 1800s. If you decided to camp you camped. If you decided to move on you did. Like I said... if I'm not bothering anyone or impacting the land in a negative way I don't think about the ways & limitations of modern man too much.

On my score card are extra bonus camping days earned by packing out other people's garbage. Seems fair enough doesn't it?

[Herb]

Common sense takes care of most things in the back country, I have little concern that the people here are a problem to anyone while out doing what we do. The elk may have a different opinion.

[Swede]

Where I hunt you can legally camp in one spot for three weeks. Well the hunting season lasts for thirty days and normally I arrive five days early. One time I went into the ranger station to ask for a permit to stay longer, and the Ranger basically said 'Just go camp". That person knew where I camped and knew what it looks like when I leave. I believe the regulation is designed to keep people from squatting on Federal Land. If you want to move camp, you are not required to go far. Just find a new site. I have not seen a court case on this matter, so what I share here is just my opinion.

[sreekers]

I have stashed, usually water. The rest isn't terrible to get in. I am more likely to do it deer hunting, more glassing from one camp.