The Minimalist Backpack Hunter

BACKPACK hunting for Sambar Deer in Southern Australia is now a well-established, extensively discussed method of hunting that is exciting, challenging and provides rich rewards in prime venison and maybe even a set of antlers for the wall. Maybe you’ve been backpack hunting for a while now and your range is extending, so you’re looking into even more remote country and you’re looking to stay in the field longer. Your current load out is working well and has been refined over time, but the prospect of carrying out a heavy head and some prime cuts is going to tip you well and truly into the red zone. There’s also no point arriving 10km’s into the back country with blown out knees and back spasms that take half a day to recover form, so starting weight is a massive consideration.

Carefully going through your gear list, there’s a lot that you “cannot live without”, but is this really the case? The idea of a minimalist backpack hunt allows you to keep your camp on your back for longer, increasing hunting range and doing away with a “base camp” scenario. Too often I see