Cold Camp or "Stoke that Fire"!

[WapitiTalk1]

Do you folks have a fire at your camp (base or backcountry) to dry clothes, gaze into, or tell stories around when you're bowhunting.. Or, do you have a cold camp because you feel smoke on your clothes/person stands against you in battle with the sensitive nose of the wary elk? RJ

[POk3s]

We stoke it!!!!! (at base camp)

[Bullnuts]

Fire it up! One of the best parts about elk camp is having a good fire to sit around, rehash the day with the partners, and warm a chilly night. I don't know if the smoke odor on my clothes affects the elk at all - if they can smell the smoke then they can most definitely smell me too.

[ElkNut1]

Elk Hunting & Campfires are the only way to go, heck it's tradition! There are many pluses to them, we would never not have one!!! We do not worry about the smoke tainting us at all, bottom line, we play the wind & do not concern ourselves with all the advertising scent products around. Stick with what works for you!

ElkNut1

[planebow]

We usually have a fire but last year we fire restrictions so did not have any.

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

If I'm hunting by myself, I just fire up the alcohol stove and warm up a meal and hit the sack. But with friends in camp, there is nothing like a camp fire and tall tales to end the day.

[Swede]

I generally prefer to be as scent free as possible, and I don't like the smell of smoke on me. I have no fires. Sometimes I will rub my clothes with some Pine, Juniper or Sage, but I don't want to smell like a tree either.

[foxvalley]

We cold camp,with the exeption of a couple years back where we had rain for 5 straight days. Everything was wet,including our bags. We had a fire going most of the time to dry clothes and keep warm.We had to stick our stove and lantern in the tents to help dry things out.On the plus side we both killed bulls that year, and eriks was a monster.

[mattstanton]

When in the backcountry it is cold camp because I am pretty close to the elk. When i base camp, I am on a main road away from the areas I hunt so I fire it up if I have the energy after a long day of hunting which is rare.

[easeup]

..."put another log on the fire......"

most of the time - you bet.

[N5J]

Smokeem if you got emmm! With all the fires around you'll fit in.

N5J

James

[CrazyElkHunter]

We usually have a cold camp. The only time we have a fire is to burn our trash, and that's done several yards away from main camp. We all love a nice campfire, just not in elk camp. I do remember the last time we had a fire in camp, and that was 4 yeas ago, and I was introduced to fart football. Don't ask! it's not a game you should play when your over 60.

[ElkManDan]

I rarely have the time or energy to do a fire when I get back to camp. Usually back to camp long after dark and up at 5AM to go at it again. Occasionally on the mountain if I get wet, in the afternoon I have lit a small fire to dry off socks and boots. I'm not worried about elk being scared of the smell of smoke, I figure that is a much more natural smell than the stink I put off!

[elkoholic]

Fire at base camp always!! The only way to do it... Best way to cook a meal is over some hot coals!!

[dotman]

Always have a fire, just something about it.

[cnelk]

We have a fire when we can... with some home-made stuff for it

http://s207.photobucket.com/albums/bb62 ... _grate.flv

[JohnFitzgerald]

Usually a fire in Spike camp in the morning. Small and in a pit.

[elkohalic]

I don't like the smoke smell so I wait till I start smelling myself, and then call it cover smoke scent!! LOL

[eltaco]

Doesn't look like we'll be able to have fires in CO this Fall. Thankfully, we'll have a propane heater in my 19'x19' wall tent, tho

[bullrub]

Where I hunt there is alway a forest service fire restriction the first few weeks of bow seaon. Heck some times its the whole dare season. But when theres not throw another log on the fire.
As far as the smoke smell spoken the elk, I don't buy that. The forest service and BLM are doing slash pile and controlled burns all the time in my area and I have watched elk feed right beside a smoking slash pile many times.
But like Elknut1 said HUNT THE WIND, and take away all dout.

[slim9300]

Cold camp unless we are celebrating a kill by eating backstraps or if the weather gets nasty.

[one_elk]

I imagine the smoke smell is more of a cover than a deterrent after 4 or 5 days in the woods. But I think the most important thing(as others have said above) is to keep the wind in your face cause if they are smelling the smoke they are probably smelling the rest of you as well……I imagine we all know stories of some fellow who is a died in the wool smoker but yet harvest’s elk with a bow on a regular basis…..

[Bullnuts]

I imagine the smoke smell is more of a cover than a deterrent after 4 or 5 days in the woods. But I think the most important thing(as others have said above) is to keep the wind in your face cause if they are smelling the smoke they are probably smelling the rest of you as well……I imagine we all know stories of some fellow who is a died in the wool smoker but yet harvest’s elk with a bow on a regular basis…..

I hate that guy!

[eltaco]

Heck yes!!! The fire ban in my area was lifted this week! You better believe we'll be stoking that fire!

[pointysticks]

when i first started hunting..i bought some warm camo pants. i had no clue what i was doing. these pants are more for a treestand hunter in a blizzard. walking 100 yards in these pants would leave you a dehydrated sweaty mess.

now? i love these pants on cold hunting nights. with a puffy jacket, and a cup of something..a fire. i love it!!

i make a feeble attempt to keep my camo campfire smoke free..but i'm sure to an elk, i am more than a nose-full.

[Lefty]

Cold camp.
I like a fire when camping, but not when I hunt.