Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

HOW TO WALK 143fall of the year, hunters especially, and who maywish to make side trips on their own hook. CaptainWhelen has stated their case convincingly:"There is much to be said in favor of back-packing.It increases many fold that sense of absolutefreedom which is one of the fundamental reasonswhy men try to escape from civilization for a time.There is none of that trouble and worry that we allexperience when we have the responsibility of apack-train. I admit that back-packing, especially ina mountainous country, is downright hard work; butit's work worthy of a man; and once you get intoa game country, you have very much less work thanhas he who must be continually watching and caringfor a band of horses. Moreover, the back-packerusually has better success. He drops into a newcountry quietly and unseen. There is none of thatclatter of hoofs, jingle of horse-bells, and noise ofchopping. Before the game comes to know thatthere is a human being in the CQuntry, he has hadhis pick. . . .The problem of transportation on a western biggamehunt is a constant one. The country is open,and one locality soon becomes hunted out. Thereports of the rifles, the sound of axes, and theshouts as the horses are daily driven to camp, sooncause the game to leave for more healthful country.Hence camp must be moved from ten to twentymiles every three or four days. It has alwaysseemed that one could hunt longer in one locality,and make these short journeys more easily, if heThecould forsake the pack-train for the back -pack.latter method is a necessity when one wants to hunta country inaccessible to horses. On some of mymost successful hunts, from the standpoints both ofrecreation and of heads, I have hired a packer totake me in and bring me out, but in the meantimehave carried my entire hunting where I would."We may add that back-packing is the cheapestpossible way to spend one's vacation in the wilderness.The man who goes out alone for a week or soin the fall of the year, or at an altitude where thenights always are cold, should be fit to carry on hisback from 40 to 50 pounds at the outset—of coursethe pack lightens as he consumes rations. I am not