View Full Version : Hunting and fishing on the AT?
randomroads
05-24-2011, 13:39
I'm not an avid hunter, but I'm aware that hunting is allowed on (or at least near) most of the AT. My boyfriend is an avid hunter, gives rifle/hunting safety courses, and is also an Eagle Scout, so please save your snarky 'don't shoot me' responses.
Does anyone hunt small game or fish to supplement their diet on their hikes, regardless if it's thru or short? I'm talking squirrels, rabbit, that sort of thing. Does anyone have any advice for someone who's considering it?
Walkintom
05-24-2011, 14:10
I grew up hunting and fishing. I have no issue with people who hunt and fish for those reasons. My advice for mixing it in with hiking is: don't.
You have to ask yourself - am I out there to hike or to espouse the life of a hunter gatherer?
If the answer is the former, then leave the fishing rods and guns at home. You will not enjoy carrying them. If it is the latter, then rent a wilderness cabin or go car camping. Hiking camps donotlend themselves to the sort of leaning and cooking you do while hunting and fishing. You may be able to find some way to mix the two but most people just seem to make themselves miserable trying.
WILLIAM HAYES
05-24-2011, 14:43
never met anyone who was a hiker that tried to hunt game while they hiked-did meet a southbounder in the 100 mile wilderness in maine last year with a small fly rod-he was going to ship it home at Monson . It is not practical to hunt along the trail-save that effort for hunting season-most hikers are not into shooting animals although I grew up in a hunting family and have nothing against hunters I personally dont care for blood sports like hunting
hillbilly
many parts of the AT go through various wildlife management areas which are subject to local seasons and regulations. legally you would need to posess a current hunting and fishing license for each state which would cost more than a thru-hike. under the radar, i would suggest a two piece ultra lite spinning rod and reel and a sling shot with appropriate size ball bearings. i like diawa shock rods and abu garcia cardinal reels for trout fishing. good enough to do the job well and cheap enough to not make you cry when you break it falling through a laurel thicket. any wrist rocket will do for a sling shot. you could even consider a tempest or hurricane single shot pellet pistol. break barrel, and bad ass. quiet would be the important thought.
vamelungeon
05-24-2011, 15:18
I'm a hunter and a hiker. You can't move at hiking speed and hunt very well, and you can't sit/still hunt and make distance. Two entirely different activities.
Jim Adams
05-24-2011, 15:38
I'm a hunter and a hiker. You can't move at hiking speed and hunt very well, and you can't sit/still hunt and make distance. Two entirely different activities.
says it all!
geek
I think if you were to hike in Maine during Partridge season (October), that would be kind of fun (subject to state and local regs on the trail). There are some pretty light single shot guns, and Partridge hunting is mostly about just walking anyway. If you were lucky, you could have a gourmet meal each evening.
Hauling a gun, ammo, and large knife on a hike to supliment your diet would not give you enough calories to make hauling them around worth it. Plus, you'd have to spend hours looking for food, which would turn it into more of a hunting trip without beer than a hiking trip. Also, discharging a gun at the wildlife while on the trail would make somebody reviled, and they'd get some pretty colorful remarks in the registry. If somebody did try it, they'd be know as "that weirdo/hillbilly (depending on if they wore camo) who tried to shoot a deer a couple years ago".
Same with fishing: appalachian streams are a pain to fish in, and tackle boxes are heavy.
Hauling a gun, ammo, and large knife on a hike to supliment your diet would not give you enough calories to make hauling them around worth it. Plus, you'd have to spend hours looking for food, which would turn it into more of a hunting trip without beer than a hiking trip. Also, discharging a gun at the wildlife while on the trail would make somebody reviled, and they'd get some pretty colorful remarks in the registry. If somebody did try it, they'd be know as "that weirdo/hillbilly (depending on if they wore camo) who tried to shoot a deer a couple years ago".
Same with fishing: appalachian streams are a pain to fish in, and tackle boxes are heavy.
slingshot dude. and you don't take a tackle box trout fishing. your tackle would fit in a contact case.
Migrating Bird
05-24-2011, 18:56
never met anyone who was a hiker that tried to hunt game while they hiked-did meet a southbounder in the 100 mile wilderness in maine last year with a small fly rod-he was going to ship it home at Monson . It is not practical to hunt along the trail-save that effort for hunting season-most hikers are not into shooting animals although I grew up in a hunting family and have nothing against hunters I personally dont care for blood sports like hunting
hillbilly
I carried a small fly rod last year through the 100 and shipped it home from Andover (not Monson)last year. The fishing was really good, I hiked anywhere from 10-15 miles per day. It is a struggle to fish and hike in ME, I was constantly telling myself to slow down and enjoy the ride. The best day was at Horn Pond, the caretaker, Otis, told be where to fish. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and a little girl and her grandparents were there on a day hike. I asked if she wanted to catch a fish, she caught the first fish of her life! Made my day.
mweinstone
05-24-2011, 19:02
best to eat alot of crayfish and yogi fishermens catches. suplimented with oysters and subway tuna hogies and sushi at ayce's.
thats hunting and fishing the at to me. venison is usually involed at some point in a good hike too. lots of hunters wanna share i find. if you hear a hunter tell of a big score, ask whats in his freezer you might freak out some hikers with. youll be suprised how much surplus meat and fish hunters have earmarked for giveaway. then its just a matter of finding baltimore jack to cook for your group.
brian039
05-24-2011, 20:29
You'll rarely run upon any game besides squirrel. The only places you see deer regularly are areas where you're not allowed to hunt. Not really sure about fishing on the AT, there are some nice trout streams in the Smokies but they're nowhere near the AT.
Jonnycat
05-24-2011, 23:24
I'm a hunter and a hiker. You can't move at hiking speed and hunt very well, and you can't sit/still hunt and make distance. Two entirely different activities.
Pretty much that. I actually hunt a lot less than I used to; backpacking is just a lot more fun and carefree, plus I can stay out there for extended periods of time and see more geography.
The nice thing about coming from a hunting background is the familiarity of not being on a trail; this comes in useful when you need to skillset to do some exploring.
I am also an avid hunter and flyfishing enthusiast. If you recognize that your hiking will be in the form of trudging up and down a stream or through the woods for game, then you'll have a great time. I have taken several backpacking trips, in order to access remote areas for hunting or flyfishing and had a great time.
My flyfishing setup is an old two piece 4wt rod with two boxes of flies and leader materials in a small shoulder satchel. I found a small plastic tube to put the rod in and attach it to my pack. I have carried a 20g shotgun for small game and half a box of shells. A small sharp 3-4" knife is all that is necessary,....you won't be gutting an elephant. As long as you follow the regulations for hunting in the area where you plan to go, you should be "OK."
It is "your" time in the woods.....right?
randomroads
05-25-2011, 10:16
I'm not interested in getting any deer, that's just entirely too much to deal with. Squirrel, birds, rabbit, that's what I was thinking of. A small pellet gun would work just fine.
I hadn't thought about a slingshot, but we've already got one. This trip idea isn't for another year or two (gotta let the puppy mature), so lots of time to get proficient at it!
WingedMonkey
05-25-2011, 14:55
I'm not interested in getting any deer, that's just entirely too much to deal with. Squirrel, birds, rabbit, that's what I was thinking of. A small pellet gun would work just fine.
I hadn't thought about a slingshot, but we've already got one. This trip idea isn't for another year or two (gotta let the puppy mature), so lots of time to get proficient at it!
You're earlier posts where asking about hiking with your two dogs. ( I think you are supposed to be on the trail now). Now you want to carry a pellet gun?
As hard as legally hunting on the trail coriander may be, with state licences and seasons, and open areas, adding a dog to the mix will more than likely land you a meeting with a federal or local game enforcement officer.
You wanna go hiking to Maine or you wanna go huntin'?
hikerboy57
05-25-2011, 15:18
With supply points every 4-5 days, theres no reason to hunt to supplement your food, and I dont know too many places that have a hunting season in the spring/summer, in addition to a gun being extra weight you'll probably regret.. If you're really intent on killing small game, use your hands.Its more sporting.
With supply points every 4-5 days, theres no reason to hunt to supplement your food, and I dont know too many places that have a hunting season in the spring/summer, in addition to a gun being extra weight you'll probably regret.. If you're really intent on killing small game, use your hands.Its more sporting.
There is no reason to walk 2200 miles either...
Jonnycat
05-25-2011, 16:58
Squirrel, birds, rabbit, that's what I was thinking of.
Hey, if it works for you, you'll have a fun time. Personally, when I'm backpacking I don't want to do much more than boil water for my freezer bag dinner come mealtime.
Partridge hunting is mostly about just walking anyway. If you were lucky, you could have a gourmet meal each evening.
True the 1st sentence, but I doubt anyone would be lucky enough to take a partridge every day and few could prepare a gourmet meal under field conditions with only what's carried on one's back. What I'm saying in another way is one still needs to pack food for when the partridges don't cooperate or be prepared to go hungry.
I've found birding without a firearm and ammunition to be every bit as satisfying and it's open season whenever I'm in the woods. Posting Ruffed Grouse to eBird isn't as easy as one might expect and even after a successful hunt, it can still be seen by others where we all like to see it most.
long island bob
05-25-2011, 17:31
I'm a hunter and a hiker. You can't move at hiking speed and hunt very well, and you can't sit/still hunt and make distance. Two entirely different activities.
Yup.
That said.
The Rockville Bridge (just south of duncannon PA) area has some of the best small mouth bass fishing in the entire US. The main season runs June 18 through Oct. 31, size limit is 12 inches, catch limit is 6.
If ya wanted to take a couple of zeros at the halfway point that might be a good way to do it.
randomroads
05-25-2011, 22:30
For many people LIFE is 'too hard'. Carrying a few survival items for self preservation and roughing it 'the old way' (you know, before there was plastic) isn't the end of the world.
Is it practical? That seems to be a hot button topic on this thread. Some people say it's fine, some people say it's not. I do appreciate both sides and it's given me some food for thought. It's only an idea, not a concrete plan. Mail drops are still a great option.
Is it safe? Unless some stranger gets a stick up their butt and creates an elaborate lie about how I'm using my dogs to climb trees and grab squirrels for me, then I suppose there's no harm in it. I'm still a little confused by the authorities comment.
I also fail to see how having a dog around will make life more difficult. If they can't do it, they go home. Me giving up on them because they're an inconvenience is just absurd. They currently do 20-30 miles every other weekend (and that's only because my schedule is restrictive). Sure the terrain in coastal Mississippi is vastly different than even Georgia, but they're not couch potatoes.
Do I really care about reaching Maine? No, not really. I'm not a purist, I'm only along for the ride. I'd be very proud of myself to do it, but I'm not going to go on with only sheer stubbornness getting me there. If I decide to go home, at least I can say I did what I went to do - enjoyed myself.
I got into backpacking, hiking, because of hunting and fishing. Hike 6-10 miles into the back country out west to listen to an elk bugle is exhilerating in itself. Packing a 70-90 lb. load or organic meat, several trips, out is another story. Hunting during a long distance hike is probably not practical, but a few zero days in spring turkey season would be well worth the effort! I will always pack an ultralight spinning rod and reel for early morning trout and smallmouth along the way.
Anyone that is an avid hunter or fisherman knows the regulations in each state wheather washing a worm or calling a turkey. ;)
medic mullins
05-26-2011, 10:33
Dont get blood on your clothing if you do bear bag it
I have a fishing license in pa so i do fish on trail here but wont anymore when i cross into new jersey so if your hunting or fishing try to keep the guts of your clothing bears may like that sent
Pedaling Fool
05-26-2011, 15:40
Dont get blood on your clothing if you do bear bag it
I have a fishing license in pa so i do fish on trail here but wont anymore when i cross into new jersey so if your hunting or fishing try to keep the guts of your clothing bears may like that sent
Actually, just handling fish/game is enough to leave a scent for a bear to detect. Even the food you eat leaves some kind of detectable scent.
bronconite
05-27-2011, 09:53
The Rockville Bridge (just south of duncannon PA) area has some of the best small mouth bass fishing in the entire US.This is true.
The main season runs June 18 through Oct. 31, size limit is 12 inches, catch limit is 6.
The Rockville Bridge area of the Susquehanna is now part of a special regulations area that is catch and release only for Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass year round.
http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/bigbass.html