The Comprehensive Guide to Backcountry Hunting Survival Skills

Heading out into the remote wilderness requires more than just the right gear. The farther you venture from civilization, the more crucial survival skills become. Knowing the terrain, having the right gear and equipment, being physically and mentally prepared, and being able to handle emergencies ensures you have a successful hunt and can navigate the terrain and remain safe.

This guide covers what you need to know about survival skills for backcountry hunting. We’ll cover essential survival skills, how to prepare, the right gear (and where to get it), safety tips to avoid, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned backcountry hunter or just about to set out on your first hunt, this information will help you have a successful and safe hunt. 

Essential Survival Skills for Backcountry Hunters

Survival skills help you handle any unexpected challenges you encounter in the terrain. These essential survival skills will make sure you remain safe in remote areas. 

Navigation & Orienteering

Before you head out on a remote hunt, you need to know how to navigate the terrain. While most people defer to GPS and other satellite technologies to help them navigate unfamiliar terrain, these devices can fail or not work as well in remote conditions. Knowing how to read a map and correctly use a compass can help you navigate when you can’t use GPS technology. Trail marking, whether with natural markers, biodegradable tape, or GPS markers, can help you not get lost.

Shelter Building

A good shelter protects you from the elements and other wildlife. Choose a dry site and away from water to avoid flooding and wildlife. Create a shelter that’s either a lean-to shelter or an A-frame shelter. Lean-to shelters are the simplest shelters to create. A-frame shelters better protect you against the elements. To make a solid shelter, use tarps, branches, moss, leaves, logs, or other natural items. A bivy sack or space blanket can provide more insulation.  

Fire-Starting Techniques

Fire-starting in wet or windy conditions is a crucial survival skill. Preparing your area can make or break your success. If it’s windy, create a wind-break with rocks, logs, branches, or a tarp. Position your fire area so the wind helps push the flames into the tinder. You might find it helpful to use your hands, body, or jacket to shield your initial spark from the wind when you’re starting your fire. 

If it’s wet, create a dry base to start your fire. Use dry rocks, sticks, or bark. If you can’t find dry wood or logs, split damp logs and use the inner dry wood for your fire. You can also set any wet logs you’d like to use as kindling next to your fire. The fire will dry out the logs, making them suitable kindling. 

Make sure you bring waterproof matches and a lighter. Fire-starting items like cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, commercial fire sticks, or firestarter blocks can be helpful in any conditions. Before you hit the wild terrain, practice your fire-starting techniques in similar conditions.

Water Sourcing & Purification

You need water to survive. In the wilderness, you might find several water sources, but not all are safe to drink. The safest areas to drink from are streams and rivers, snow and ice, or collected rainwater. Avoid drinking from puddles, ponds, lakes, or any other stagnant water source with heavy animal activity. 

Once you’ve found a safe water source, you must purify it before you drink. Boiling is the safest way to purify water. Before you boil, use a cloth or bandana to filter out rocks, sticks, bugs, or other large items. Bring your water to a rolling boil for 1 minute and let it cool before drinking.

A portable water filter filters out bacteria, sediment, and protozoa. Water purification tablets can also purify water. If you have clear water, you can use 2 drops of liquid bleach per liter. Do not drink the water for at least 30 minutes after adding bleach. 

Emergency Signaling 

If you need help in the wilderness, emergency signaling can help. Mirrors, whistles, and flares are helpful tools, suited to various conditions. Sunny conditions are ideal for using a signaling mirror, sending flashes of light over long distances. To use one effectively, stand in an open area with visibility to the sky. Face the direction of your rescuers or civilization. Catch sunlight on your mirror and tilt it toward your rescuers. If your mirror has a sighting hole, use this to ensure your light is heading toward your target. Flashing light gets attention, so send signals in short bursts.

Flares are suitable for signaling for help in rainy or foggy conditions or at night. Use flares when rescuers may be near or you hear a plane or boat nearby. When using a flare, keep it away from your face, clothing, or other flammable materials. 

Three short blasts on an emergency whistle is a widely recognized distress signal. Blow three short blasts on your whistle until help arrives. Attach the whistle to your clothing to ensure easy access. 

As with shelter building, practice using your emergency signaling items before heading to the backcountry to ensure you’re comfortable with them.

Must-Have Backcountry Hunting Gear & Tools

The right gear helps keep you safe and makes your hunt a success. Here’s what you need to have for your backcountry hunt.

• Navigation Gear: GPS devices provide precise navigation but can fail. Maps and compasses can help orient you if your devices fail. Bring biodegradable tape to mark trails and your hunting spot. 
• Emergency Survival Kit: Accidents and unexpected things can happen. An emergency survival kit can keep you safe. Ensure your kit has a first-aid kit, a fire-starting kit, emergency signaling devices, water purifying items, a survival blanket, a headlamp, extra batteries, and bear spray if you’re going to bear country.
• Hunting Gear Essentials: Choose the hunting gear best suited to the terrain and your target. Regardless of the type of hunting gear you choose, having optics can help you spot the game from a distance. If appropriate, calls and lures can attract your targets.
• Food & Water Supplies: Food and water give you the stamina to complete your hunt. A small pot for boiling, tablets, and a filter that allows you to purify your water. High-calorie, lightweight food like trail mix, jerky or meat sticks, protein bars or freeze-dried foods give you the energy you need.
• Clothing & Weather Protection: Wear a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulation layer made from synthetic or lightweight down, and a waterproof outer layer. If necessary, a hat and gloves can keep you warm, and sturdy boots can keep your feet dry as you navigate rugged terrain. You may also consider camouflage items if you need to conceal yourself from your game.   

Best Backcountry Hunting Gear Available at RK Guns

Showcase specific products that can be purchased at RK Guns, focusing on gear essential for backcountry hunting.

• Browning Hidden Hollow Folder: This sturdy, lightweight hunting knife features finger deployment. It’s great for everyday carry and is suitable for left or right-handed users. 
• Browning Outdoorsman Survival Kit: This survival kit includes a blade-assisted opening 8Cr13MoV stainless steel drop point blade with a stonewashed finish and anti-skid grooves on blade spine with a black G-10 handle; pocket clip; two-finger stainless wire saw, flashlight with spot-to-flood beam and push button switch that produces 50 lumens on high and 10 lumens on low, a polymer handled combination fire starting flint/compass/survival whistle and a compact waterproof polymer case with O-ring seal.
• Nanuk 920 First Aid Case: Durable and waterproof, this first aid case is the perfect container to store your first aid supplies. It keeps your first aid kid safe and dry and will surpass the needs of the most demanding users. 
• G-Shock Tactical MudMaster with Digital Compass: This watch is designed for use in extreme environments. It has a compass, altimeter/barometer, temperature reader, and pedometer. In addition to being able to easily correct the time using the dedicated CASIO WATCHES app, there are lots of other useful features including the Mission Log feature, which automatically records in the app altitude data obtained from the watch and route data obtained by your smartphone.

How to Prepare for a Backcountry Hunting Trip

Preparation before beginning your hunt helps keep you safe and contributes to a successful hunt. Before you set out, make sure you’re ready with these tips.

• Route Planning & Research: It’s essential to understand your terrain, its hunting laws or guidelines, roads, towns, and access to emergency services. Before you go, plan your route, scout the area, and get any hunting licenses.
• Gear Checks & Packing: Make sure you have all the necessary hunting gear. Check your guns, knives, bow, ammunition, scope, optics or binoculars, rangefinders, and calls and lures. Organize your packs so you can easily access your most used items. Also, ensure you have camping gear: tent or shelter constructing supplies, fire starting supplies, emergency signaling items, layers of clothing, water purifying items, and first aid kits.
• Emergency Plans & Contacts: Your friends or family should know where you’re going, how long you’ll be there, and your expected routes. 
• Physical Preparation & Training: Hiking through the wilderness with heavy packs requires physical conditioning. Train for your outing by biking, hiking, doing cardio, running, or weight lifting. When strength training, focus on the areas that will be lifting and sustaining long routes with heavy packs and games. Work your core, legs, and back. You can also practice carrying heavy packs or game in simulated environments.
• Weather Monitoring: Check the weather forecasts leading up to your trip and be prepared for sudden weather changes. Be ready for changes in temperature, rain, snow, or wind. Make sure you pack waterproof and insulating layers.

Backcountry Safety Tips for Hunters

Backcountry hunting is exciting but comes with risks. Follow these tips to stay safe. 

• Wildlife Awareness: Understand the local wildlife. Are bears plentiful? What about snakes? Keep an eye out for animal tracks or droppings to stay aware of what’s around or avoid unexpected encounters. Keep your weapons (or bear spray) within reach. To protect yourself, use bear-proof containers to store any game, or hang it high in trees and keep it at least 200 feet from your camp. 
• Weather Preparedness: Bring waterproof and insulating layers of clothing. A bivy sack or space blanket can help keep you warm during expected or unexpected changes in temperature. 
• Avoiding Injury: Learn how to tend to basic first aid needs like wound cleaning and covering, sprains, blisters, and burns. Learn the signs of hypothermia and how to combat it.  
• Hunting Weapon Safety: Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded and point the muzzle away from yourself and others. Unload your firearm if you’re traveling over rough terrain. Carry crossbows uncocked and knives sheathed. 
• Emergency Evacuation Plans: If you get lost, stay put. Keep calm and use your navigation tools to assess your position. If you need help, use your emergency signaling tools. If you’re waiting to be rescued, conserve your energy and try to keep warm. 

Top Mistakes to Avoid in Backcountry Hunting

Common pitfalls hunters face in the backcountry and how to avoid them.

• Overpacking or Underpacking: Carrying too much weight in your pack can slow you down or cause injury if you’re not physically prepared. Not having everything you need to be safe and prepared – like insufficient layers, gear or food can also be a pitfall.
• Neglecting Weather Changes: Make sure you have waterproof and insulating layers as well as tarps or fire-building tools that help you navigate sudden shifts in weather safely. 
• Navigation Errors: Technology can fail. Make sure you don’t rely solely on technology when navigating terrain. Keep maps and compasses handy.
• Ignoring Physical Conditioning: Backcountry hunting requires a lot of physical stamina. Neglecting physical conditioning can wear you out prematurely or cause injury.
• Overconfidence & Poor Planning: Always research and plan your route, terrain, and trip before you go, and make sure to leave your route of travel and timeframe with trusted contacts.

Building Confidence as a Backcountry Hunter

Physical and mental preparation along with practice can help you build confidence as a backcountry hunter.

• Practicing Survival Skills at Home: Practice fire-starting, navigation, and first aid skills at home or in similar conditions as the terrain where you’ll be camping.
• Learning from Experienced Hunters: If you can, look for and join hunting trips with experienced guides or mentors. Social media and local groups can also be useful resources.
• Taking Survival Courses: Attend a survival course and first aid course if you don’t know the basics.
• Small-Scale Practice Hunts: Test your skills on smaller hunting trips before venturing into the backcountry.

Master Backcountry Hunting Survival with Skills & Preparation

By mastering survival skills, practicing hunts and skills, and working on your physical and mental conditioning, you’ll have what it takes to master backcountry hunting safely. Get the gear you need to be preparedd!