The Best Food to Bring on a Long Hunting Trip

Fuel for the Long Haul: What to Pack on a Hunting Trip

Listen, when you're heading out into the back country for a week or longer, you can't just rely on jerky and coffee to get you through. A hunting trip demands real food that sticks with you, doesn't spoil in the bed of your truck, and won't slow you down when it matters. The difference between a successful hunt and a miserable one often comes down to what's in your pack.

Good nutrition keeps your mind sharp and your body moving. You can't afford to get weak or distracted when you're miles from civilization.

I've spent enough time on ranches and in the field to know that good nutrition keeps your mind sharp and your body moving. You can't afford to get weak or distracted when you're miles from civilization. The food you bring has to earn its place alongside your rifle and your best pair of hunting boots.

The Protein Foundation

Start with meat. Real meat. Canned tuna, chicken, and salmon are your foundation. They're shelf-stable, packed with protein, and won't turn on you in the heat. A couple cans of quality beef or venison stew aren't a bad idea either. When you can get fresh game on the hunt, that's ideal, but you still need something in reserve. The last thing you want is to be hungry and hunting poorly because your stomach's eating itself.

Peanut butter is another cornerstone. A jar goes a long way, travels well, and gives you dense calories when you need them. Mix it with whatever bread holds up in your pack, and you've got a meal that'll keep you going through a long morning glassing for elk or waiting in a stand.

Pro Tip: Pack your peanut butter with sturdy, thick bread or hardtack biscuits. They won't crumble in your pack and will hold up through miles of hiking.

Carbs That Don't Quit

Rice cakes, hardtack biscuits, and good quality bread travel better than you'd think if you pack them right. Potatoes in any form work too. Instant mashed potatoes might not win any cooking competitions, but they're filling, they pack down small, and they absorb whatever protein you're putting on them. Out on a ranch or in camp after a long day, a bowl of potatoes with canned meat and salt is exactly what your body needs.

Oats are overlooked by most hunters, but they shouldn't be. Mix them with some dried fruit and you've got breakfast that'll sustain you until noon.

Oats are overlooked by most hunters, but they shouldn't be. Mix them with some dried fruit and you've got breakfast that'll sustain you until noon. No fussing around, just practical fuel that takes five minutes to prepare over a camp stove.

Don't Forget the Vegetables

Dried vegetables and canned goods keep you from getting scurvy and help your digestion along. Canned beans are dense, satisfying, and give you fiber when everything else in your pack is protein and carbs. Dried vegetables rehydrate quickly and take up minimal space. A hunter's body does better with some greens in the mix, even if they came from a can or a dehydrator.

Fats and Calories

Nuts, seeds, and oils aren't luxuries on a long hunt. They're fuel. A handful of almonds or sunflower seeds between meals keeps your energy steady. Olive oil or coconut oil in your pack lets you add calories to whatever you're cooking. When you're burning that many calories, you need the density of fat to keep moving without exhaustion slowing you down in the field.