Where Do You Camp?

[Swede]

Where do you camp? Is it by a babbling brook, a ridge near where you hunt, or maybe in a meadow near your favorite elk haunts?

I generally prefer amongst the trees where there is some shade in the heat of the day and well above any cold depression or draw. I have a camp trailer, so having water real close is not important, but being accessible to a decent road is. If I spike camp, I still like to be in the trees well above a draw bottom. Since I have to hike to wash, resupply my canteen or anything else, water is a consideration.

[saddlesore]

Here in Co,and it might be rue in any NF or Wilderness area,but one cannot camp within 100 feet of any stream, lake, or water way. In my younger days, when we packed into wilderness areas, we usually camped in the trees, but checked the area for any widow makers first. I too like the shade, even in the later rifle seasons.
Now I camp at trail heads in my camper and ride in every day 4-6 miles. That means about 3 hours a day in the saddle, of which 1/2 of that is in the dark but I have comfortable bed, heater, refrigerator. I miss those wall tent days, but my old bones don't.

[six]

We hike into a wilderness a few miles and set up camp. My main requirement is a level spot for my tent. Second would be water. Last year we were camped 10 minutes away from the creek. So far we have been fortunate and we have always had huntable elk in any direction you wanted to head in the morning.

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

Over on the other side of the ridge from where the elk are.

[stringunner]

With Swede.

[WapitiTalk1]

For truck/base camping, one place I never camp is in a campground (too much going on at campgrounds); I'll try to find just somewhere off an old beater road where we can fit/park trailers, set up tents/cook shack, etc. For bike in or pack in spots, someplace relatively flat within a few hundreds yards of a water filtration source. For early SEP bow season (where it may both rain and have temps soar into the 80s), I try to find a spot that gets afternoon sun to help dry things out (this is a must in the WA archery season if in the back country).

[Indian Summer]

I've camped and still camp in a wide variety of places. My main concern is water. It's a necessity for horses and even if I don't have stock I am NOT working to get my water.

I like trees at a trailhead if they are available but if not I'll camp in the open. I'm hardly ever in camp so it doesn't matter but obviously shade is great for the coolers.

I definitely like privacy so I actually try not to camp at designated trailheads. But if that's where the elk are I'll pitch the tent. Hell.... I'd camp at Wal Mart if that's where the elk were!

As far as back country camps I'm not a fan of camping in the bottom. I look for water up high to camp by. I like a view of possible.

I know one thing there is no way I can sleep if I'm not laying level. For that reason a like a Roll-A-Cot because it has 4 legs and it's super easy to dig them into the ground. So even if my site isn't level I am. Also no rocks or roots in my back to think about the next day.

I'm really excited about my campS this year. Base camp down low at the trailhead and a wall tent camp up on the ridge that separates the men from the boys. I cannot wait!!!

[snowbank]

When I used to camp I tried to select an area that was centrally located to at least 5 hunts. I get bored seeing the same dirt over and over. My choice of site was at a spring halfway to the ridge and at least 1-2 miles from where the elk are. I prefered to have departure point below the main snow line so the truck didn't get snowed in. Usually that was 2-4 miles from the camp. I prefered the camp to be located in heavy canopy since it is warmer. I liked to be in the cedars or firs. Lodgepoles tend to tip over on the tent. Especially now that they are nearly all dead.

After camping for nearly six months of every year for over 37 years, I now sleep in my own bed and drive to my elk spot every day. That way I hunt at least 40 hunts and can move dependant on weather and elk movements. The drawback is that I have to cut and maintain many trails to get and maintain access. At the end of the season I have very thankful horses that are pounds lighter.