THE REAL REASONS BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS QUIT

THE REAL REASONS BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS QUIT

The Real Reasons Hunters Quit in the Backcountry

Don't be a quitter. Usually that advice applies to life, but if you've spent time hunting in the backcountry, you know it applies there too. I'm Matt Hartsky with Backbone Unlimited, and even though I’ve taken hundreds of big game animals across the West, I’ve failed more times than I can count—and I’ve learned a lot in the process.

Today I want to talk about the real reasons most hunters quit in the backcountry. Not the excuses we tell ourselves. The truth.

Why Hunters Really Go Home Early

When people bail out early, they usually say things like:

  • "Gotta get back to work."

  • "My family needs me."

  • "Weather’s turning bad."

  • "We gave it a good run, but the animals just aren’t here."

But let’s be honest. Most of the time, it’s not the schedule, the weather, or even the animals. It’s that the mountain hit back—and they weren’t ready for it. I know, because it’s happened to me.

Hitting the Discomfort Wall

A lot of people from flatter regions underestimate the terrain, elevation, and physicality of the hunt. They hit what experienced hunters call the “discomfort wall.” That wall includes fatigue, hunger, loneliness, and cold. It’s real, and it’s rough. And if you’re not physically and mentally ready, that wall will knock you out.

Your Body Quits First

Your legs get sore. Your feet blister. Your back aches. Your pack feels heavier by the hour. But more than that, your mind starts to go. The physical drain pulls down your willpower, and if you haven’t trained to handle it, it’s game over.

This is why training for the backcountry is about more than strength—it’s about stamina, mobility, and rugged durability. Most hunters just aren’t prepared for 8–15 mile days at elevation carrying 40–60 pounds over brutal terrain.

Under-Fueling and Over-Burning

Most backcountry hunters are burning 4,000–5,000 calories a day. But too many only pack 2,500. If you try to live on granola bars and jerky, you crash. And when your calories tank, your mental sharpness and drive tank too. That’s when the spiral hits: apathy, fatigue, and “I just don’t have it today.”

You don’t quit because you don’t care. You quit because you didn’t fuel.

Fueling on Purpose

The fix? Fuel on purpose. Ditch the idea of breakfast/lunch/dinner. Eat every 1–2 hours—at least a few hundred calories at a time. Load up on fats and salts. Bring food you know you’ll eat. And test it before you hit the mountain, especially if you’re not used to high altitudes where your appetite vanishes.

Hydration and Electrolytes Matter

Even with years of experience as a strength and nutrition coach, I’ve had hydration failures. You can drink all the water you want—but without enough electrolytes, especially salt—you’ll cramp, weaken, and eventually crash.

That’s why I recommend salt tabs. They’re lightweight, easy to use, and they’ve saved my hunts more than once. Take one every hour with water and stay ahead of the pain.

Hormonal Crash = Mental Crash

Low calories = hormonal chaos. Hunger spikes ghrelin. Ghrelin drops testosterone. Cortisol (stress hormone) rises. Now you’re stressed, tired, mentally foggy, and your metabolism tanks.

Even if you try to recover with food and hydration later, it may be too late. That’s why daily fueling and hydration are essential from day one.

Grit Isn’t Given—It’s Built

The biggest difference between the 90% who go home and the 10% who succeed? Grit.

Not money. Not gear. Not some secret honey hole. It’s mental resilience.

Grit comes from doing what you don’t want to do:

  • Ruck when you're tired.

  • Train in bad weather.

  • Shoot in wind, cold, and heat.

  • Do cardio when you’re fasted.

  • Hike when your legs are sore.

You don’t magically become tough on the mountain. You build that toughness in the offseason.

Reframing Discomfort

Most people equate discomfort with failure. But discomfort isn’t pain—it’s progress. You’ve got to reframe what it means to be uncomfortable. That’s how you build confidence and grit.

Seek out the suck. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. That’s how you push through.

The Quiet That Breaks You

One last reason hunters quit: loneliness. Especially if someone’s waiting for you at home.

Solo hunting sounds cool, but silence and isolation can wreck you if you’re not mentally ready. That’s why it’s crucial to set intentions and have conversations with your family before you go. Get aligned. Take that excuse off the table.

Final Thoughts

So here’s the truth:

  • The weather isn’t why you quit.

  • Your job isn’t why you quit.

  • Your family isn’t why you quit.

You quit because you weren’t prepared—for the physical strain, the nutritional load, the mental battle, or the silence.

But you can be ready. Train hard. Fuel smart. Embrace discomfort. And build the grit that will carry you farther than any gear ever could.

The elk aren’t quitting. Are you?

Subscribe for more backcountry hunting content and check out BackboneUnlimited.com for the gear, training, and mindset tools to help you live tough and hunt hard.

 

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