How to Hunt Alone - Solo Backcountry Mule Deer and Elk Hunting Tips

Solo backcountry hunting is the ultimate test of grit. No buddies, no backup—just you, the mountain, and your will. It strips away comfort, exposes your weaknesses, and if you lean into it, it builds the kind of mental toughness nothing else can. If you're ready to go deeper—mentally, physically, and geographically—here are the strategies that will help you survive, thrive, and come home with more than just meat.

When you hunt alone, there's no safety net. You are the entire operation: the spotter, the shooter, the navigator, the medic, the camp cook, the meat hauler, the decision-maker. You're not just the hunter—you are the team. This is where most people fail. It's not always due to lack of fitness or knowledge. It's the silence, the responsibility, and the solitude that break people. Before your boots hit the dirt, you need to decide that quitting is not an option. That decision has to be made before you even leave the truck. When it gets hard, that’s what will keep you in the game.

I’ve been deep in the dark, alone, many miles from the truck. I’ve been soaked to the bone in a cold September rain with limited opportunities. That’s when doubt creeps in. You hear the voice that says, “Just go home. Pick an easier hunt. Come back on a better day.” You’ve got to ignore it and keep hunting.

Let’s talk physical prep. This isn’t about strength alone—it’s about durability. You’re not training for a 5K. You’re training for steep climbs, heavy packs, long descents, sidehilling, and zero recovery days. You need to train your body to suffer well. My go-to training staples include weighted pack hikes. Start with 25 lbs and work up to 75. There’s no need to go excessive. Hike stairs at a stadium or elevation in the hills weekly. Work on unilateral strength—lunges, Bulgarian split squats, step-ups. Build real-world functional strength. Add in loaded carries with sandbags or buckets. It builds grit and mental toughness. Include interval conditioning: short and long sprints on a stepmill or uphill repeats. Train to output under fatigue. Solo hunting means no help. You’re the engine. Train like it.

When I hunt solo, I spend double the time e-scouting. I want to be overly prepared. That means offline maps from OnX, pre-marked pins, camp spots, glassing knobs, water sources, and north-facing timber. Know your exit routes, and have multiple pack-in and pack-out options. I avoid dead-end drainages or terrain that looks too gnarly. I check prevailing winds with the Windy app and use TerrainX in OnX to check slope and thermal data. I don’t guess. I know where I’m headed because when you’re alone and make the wrong move, nobody’s there to help.

Let’s talk safety. There’s nothing tough about dying dumb. Hunting solo without a safety plan isn’t hardcore—it’s careless. Here are a few of my non-negotiables: Tell someone your exact plan. Drop pins, share routes, and return windows. Carry a satellite communicator. I use a Garmin InReach Mini 2 and text daily check-ins. Make sure someone knows where you’re supposed to be. Have a basic medical kit. I’ll cover my full kit in a future episode, but the basics include clotting gauze, superglue, duct tape, Gorilla tape, and electrical tape. Train for emergencies. Take a Stop the Bleed course. Watch survival content and practice what you learn. Don’t bring sutures to the backcountry unless you’ve practiced with them.

You need mental fail-safes too. Know when to pull out. Have bailout points pre-set in your mind. Decide in advance—if it gets this bad, I’m calling for help. I’m heading out. These decisions could mean the difference between rescue and tragedy.

Solo camping hits different. The first night is always the toughest. You set up camp, eat your freeze-dried meal, then the quiet sets in. It’s primal. Your mind starts running—What was that sound? Is my tent secure? Am I in a good spot? Should I have brought a second flashlight? This is where people crack. But over time, you lean into it. You learn to trust the process. The silence isn’t dangerous—it’s revealing. It brings your stress, worry, and insecurity to the surface. But it also opens the door to growth.

Here are a few tips for solo camping: Have a routine. Do the same things in the same order every night. That kind of simplicity calms the brain. Bring comfort—maybe a soft hoodie, a favorite drink mix, a journal, or a small book. Mindset matters. Remember why you're out there. Let solitude sharpen you, not worry you. You didn’t come to be coddled. You came to become something more and do what most won’t.

Solo hunting requires tactical changes. You have to move, stalk, and call differently than when you have a partner. I rely heavily on still hunting—move a few steps, glass, listen, breathe, repeat. There’s no rush. Glassing takes longer because you don’t have a second set of eyes. Every sound matters—zippers, Velcro, steps, calls. Sound discipline is critical.

Solo calling is different too. If you’re making noise, that elk is coming directly to you. You don’t have a caller behind you drawing the bull past your position. So be ready to shoot. One tactic I use: I’ll call, then move forward 20–30 yards as quietly as possible toward where I last heard the bull. Then I go dead silent. If that bull comes to the original sound and I’ve moved up, I might turn a 70-yard standoff into a 40-yard shot with better shooting lanes.

Always remember: wind is king. Elk will circle downwind, so set up accordingly. You don’t get second chances. Understand thermals. I have a full video on wind and thermals—check it out if you haven’t already.

When you're solo hunting, every decision is yours. Every mistake is on you. But when you tag out solo, there is no better feeling. You did it on your own terms.

Let’s talk pack outs. The second that animal hits the ground, the real test begins. Can you get it out in time? Can you manage the heat? Can your body handle it? My system: work clean and fast. Use the gutless method. Keep meat off the ground. Use quality, breathable meat bags. Hang meat in the shade as soon as possible. Shade is everything. Mark your meat location well with flagging tape and GPS. Pace yourself. Four clean loads are better than two injury-prone, overloaded ones. Hydrate, fuel, and rest between trips. Don’t let ego sabotage your exit. Earn it.

Hunting solo isn’t a trend—it’s a calling. It’s hard. It’s humbling. But it’s honest. If you're drawn to the silence, the struggle, and the unfiltered truth of chasing smart, tough animals alone in the wild—you already have what it takes. Out there, there are no shortcuts. Just you, the mountain, and the fire in your gut to plan better and push further.

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Hunt hard. Enjoy the solo hunt. Never settle.