Car camping for small game?

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huntingfish

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Hi fellow hunters,
It's official! The little one will be taking his hunting courses in a few months and with that, I had the idea of going small game hunting with him for a week-end or two after moose season ends. Last year, we did this as a day trip (we needed to get outdoors BAD with COVID). It took 5 hours drive time to get there, 4 hours of hunting and 5 hours back. Kids got to play on their phones and eat plenty of junk food in the car, but obviously it's not the best! This year, I'd like to stay a day or two each trip.

We hunt on public land and we setup a wall tent with stove and everything for moose season. But once the hunt is over, we (4 adults) pack everything up. It's a hell of a job, which requires the ATV. My son and I couldn't re-use that setup. We couldn't set it up nor could we take it down if we left the tent up after moose season ended.

I wanted to come up with a lightweight camp setup that could be easily done by an adult and a 12 yr old fairly rapidly. We'd setup right at our parking spot, so weight isn't a problem. It would need to be waterproof obviously. On top of a hill that was clear-cut a few years ago (6-7 yrs ago). Its starting to grow back a lot (12 - 15 ft high, but no mature trees yet obviously), but still a bit windy.

Borrowed a Eureka kitchen tent a few years back from a friend. Setup took 5-8 minutes. We ate there, chilled in the evening and then converted it to a sleeping tent basically for the night. Worked well. Because of back problems I use a camping cot, so wall heights are a consideration and ideally, whatever we use wouldn't have a floor since I'm afraid our camping cots would damage it.

Our vehicule is a Santa Fe, it could be done to sleep inside, but it wouldn't be ideal.

Do you guys have any good suggestions for such a setup?

David
 
Might wanna check out some or the ice fishing shelters from otter, clam, Eskimo. Could do the hex models or wall tent styles(8x14) and they are insulated and fold up and able to set up by one person. The ones with removable windows might be able to add a stove kit to them.
 
Throw down some cheap blue foamies and put your cot over top if your worried about damage to the floor, I’d get a big enough tent with a fly and likely a pop up awning with a removable wall panel or two. You can keep sleeping and rec areas separate, the beauty of car camping is no real weight considerations. Bring all the creature comforts you can load into the vehicle.
 
How tall are you? If you’re 6’ or less, for simplicity sake I think I’d look at finding an air mattress that fits in your Santa Fe and sleep in there. No set up or tear down, completely water and wind proof, could even turn on the heat if you get some chilly post-moose season weather. https://youtu.be/vXiO1Xixb-4
 
I've not done this, but if you watch Chuck Porter Outdoors on youtube, you'll see him using ice fishing shelters for hot tenting.

Canadian army tents can be had cheap, if you don't mind patching them up a bit, and are made to hot tent.

You can even buy small Coleman wall tents that will sleep 5-6 men with little difficulty. We used one on duck hunting last fall with 5 of us. COuld easily be modified for a stove. But I think the ice fishing shelter would be easiest.
 
There is a guy that I run into at handgun competitions he has a suv or mini van of some sort and has a tent like attachment that fits on around the hatchback.if I recall it extend about six feet past the opened hatch it looks like it maybe a factory accessory he sleeps in the vehicle and uses the tent screened attachment for cooking/eating , Guess I should pay more attention or ask more questions.
 
Runningfool said:
How tall are you? If you’re 6’ or less, for simplicity sake I think I’d look at finding an air mattress that fits in your Santa Fe and sleep in there. No set up or tear down, completely water and wind proof, could even turn on the heat if you get some chilly post-moose season weather. https://youtu.be/vXiO1Xixb-4
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I'm not that tall (180cm), but I dont think I'd be that comfortable in the truck. And even though it could be done (for a single night, I don't need that much comfort), I'd still need a place to chill after supper and a place to change in case of bad weather and all.
 
huntingfish said:
I'm not that tall (180cm), but I dont think I'd be that comfortable in the truck. And even though it could be done (for a single night, I don't need that much comfort), I'd still need a place to chill after supper and a place to change in case of bad weather and all.
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SUV's (except Suburban or Explorer) is nowhere near large enough for car camping for any more than one person. Forty years ago,I was in exactly the same position as you with my boy. I solved the problem with a full size pick up with a hard cap rigged to sleep two comfortably. Building bunks to fit the box with stowage ability underneath is a bit time consuming and if you're half way good with tools,easy peasy with a little imagination. The upside is roominess,cargo capacity with some safety from animals and bad weather. For added convenience,I used a 10X12 tent with the front flap attached to tail gate for cooking,lounging using a portable picnic table,lawn chairs and Coleman gear. We hunted and fished like that for many years (still do on occassion) through some of the worst weather imaginable. The biggest advantage is that we can go absolutely anywhere anytime for as long as time permits.
 
I car camp in my Sportage all the time and its much smaller then your Santa Fe. I put the rear seats down and lay down a couple foam yoga mats and its quite comfortable with a sleeping bag. Did a road trip with my spouse and there was ample space for the two of us. After trying it out once, I wouldn't go back to setting up a tent for a quick night sleep.
 
If you want the wall tent experience but in a setup that can be done by one person look into Esker Tents. They are canvas centre pole wall tents , I have the 12x12 , sleeps my family of 4 all on cots plus it fits a nice size Knico Alaska wood stove. They do make them in smaller sizes too. I can put up our 12x12 on my own in 20 minutes. All it takes is one centre pole, corner pegs and guy lines. Easy up easy down. They’re not cheap but they’re quality product made in Canada. Go to Canadian Outdoors Equipment website to check them out.
 
I put a 2'x6' piece of plywood over top of my Rubbermaid totes in the bed of my truck and then my backpacking thermarest and sleeping bag on there. Growing up, we slept many a night in the back of an '89 Suburban. I would not do it in a Santa Fe...

A regular 6-man tent is perfect for two people to camp out with plenty of space. That's what we did on our boat hunting trips in a 16' outboard. Home away from home when you don't have tons of space to carry stuff :).
 
I can set up my 12x14 wall tent myself in about 30 min using an internal frame. A smaller tent, 8x10 would be quicker to set up. Then you have a wood stove for heat.
 
Have you considered a large tent from Canadian Tire etc?

I have one that was like $160 regular price, it's an 8 or 10 man i want to say? I bought it when our 6 man was getting too small for my family. With 5 people there is still tonnes of space, it's at least 6' tall in the middle, and it's got a large vestibule in the front.

For two people you could easily fit two cots and a pair of chairs in it, and cook in the vestibule. Only downside is it wouldn't provide much in the way of insulation, so bring good sleeping bags.

time4t said:
I did it for many years with my young son in a jeep cherokee wagon. Set up an 8x8x6 foot tent, tarped it over to the jeep for added cover. Added in chairs/ table and stove etc. Did the awake time in the tent, - used nice memory foam and sleeping bags- for sleeping in the back of the jeep as we were always in bear country. We camped that way many times and right down to around minus 15. Even had a lab along a few times when I was dogsitting for a buddy.
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Yeah that's similar to what it's like these days for me. I've got a Ford Explorer and it's great for me and one of the kids. Got a tarp with bungee cords and rope already attached to tie it up over the back gate, provides space to sit or cook. I've been thinking about getting a full size pickup recently though.
 
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