Firstly, I fully agree that the modern pack boards are way, way better than the historic Tapper Nelson's, the undisputed ruler of the roost with so many bushmen who spent much of their lives in the bush. I even stated this fact on a recent thread.
I have never seen hunters carrying a gas stove. I always associated those cute little stoves with granola eating, tree hugging anti hunters ringing little bells for bear protection, hiking on manicured trails and camping where some park warden has indicated they can camp.
I have had some mighty fine bushmen as hunting partners, including one fellow who grew up in the Swiss Alps, starting out herding sheep all by himself in the mountains when he was twelve years old. On clear days he would build little hut/cave type shelters out of flat rocks, that he could get to when a storm hit.
He was my hunting partner for several years, at a time when he was broadly known as an expert on survival and mountain hunting.
For those of you who may keep your old issues of The Outdoor Edge, look up the Nov./Dec 1989 issue, for more details.
We always camped in the last little fringe of bush, with water available, just below timberline. The odd time when we wanted to be well above timberline at daylight, we just Siwashed out, the common phrase for spending a night with close to zero camping equipment.
Someone on these threads was critical of taking nuts as food. Nuts are a tremendous food, loaded with nourishment and protein. One could live a long time and be very healthy, just on nuts.
The porridge someone mentioned is always good. You can even take the little packages of the instant variety, mix it in your cup with cold water and slurp it down for a good l ittle pick-me-up. Oatmel was a staple for the old time bushmen. For a trip of only a few days it was common for them to take no other food than their oatmeal and a pail to cook it in. They also would have another can, or little pail for tea or coffee.
One old timer was once giving me, in a completely strange area to me, directions to a valley where he said were really trophy size caribou. He said, "You could make it there in two days, just take your porridge for food!" With no one to help pack out a caribou trophy, thanks but no thanks!
The most stand by food in the bush of the old time bushmen was bannock, winter or summer. They could live well fed for months, on just bannock and what they shot with their, usually single shot, 22 rifles and shorts.
Bannock is still an excellent food for a back packing hunter. A whale of a lot eating in your bag of mixed up, dry bannock ingredients. OK, don't bother mixing up any, just take ready mixed pancake flour.