# Hunt Camp Food



## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Not really a recipe so I'll post and ask it here.

What are some of your favorite meals to eat in camp while out on the mountain?

Pretty sure it's been discussed before, but I'm looking for some new ideas.

One thing I'll mention that we always do is a hors d'oeuvres night. Usually on the first night. Pepperoni, fresh raw garlic, pickles, crackers, blue cheese, chips and dips, etc.

The animals can probably smell us from four canyons away, but we sure love to eat good.

:EAT:


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Big can of hominy with quarter lb butter, and a little siracha sauce.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

When camping I opt for things that dont take long periods of time to get ready. I am tired when I get back and want to eat asap and relax.

Eggs, Bacon and hashbrowns for breakfast. Cereal is also quick and good.

I like thick and hearty soups for lunches or dinners if I get back late and tired. Otherwise hamburger sliders on toasted buns. Chili is good, as is lunchmeats on bread. Mac and Cheese is quick to make. 

This year I'm going to pack my old coleman pumpup stove with my atv gear, fix up some warm food for lunch while away from the camp.


-DallanC


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

We're usually not too creative. Hamburgers, chicken patty sandwiches, hot dogs and stew are common dinner foods; sandwiches for lunch; and cereal, yogurt, granola bars or pastries for breakfast. Pancakes are also a quick and easy breakfast. I typically favor convenience over flavor when I'm hunting. I'd rather spend more time in the woods and less time in camp.

One thing that turned out pretty well in turkey camp this year was dutch oven shepherd's pie. We made the mashed potatoes before we left, and the rest was easy to cook there. Dutch oven lasagna is good, too.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Clarq said:


> We're usually not too creative. Hamburgers, chicken patty sandwiches, hot dogs and stew are common dinner foods; sandwiches for lunch; and cereal, yogurt, granola bars or pastries for breakfast. Pancakes are also a quick and easy breakfast. *I typically favor convenience over flavor when I'm hunting.* I'd rather spend more time in the woods and less time in camp.
> 
> One thing that turned out pretty well in turkey camp this year was dutch oven shepherd's pie. We made the mashed potatoes before we left, and the rest was easy to cook there. Dutch oven lasagna is good, too.


Same here. I like to eat good food as much as the next guy, but when I'm hunting I would rather spend more time getting after critters than cooking and cleaning in camp. Not too mention how smelly you can make yourself by cooking delicious food in camp. It kind of causes a rift between me and my hunting partner (my wife) because she likes to eat good no matter what the situation. For the life of me I can't figure why the woman can't just be happy to just eat pringles and little weenies out of a can.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Pringles and Vienna sausage are also super lightweight to pack in your backpack for lunch! That is one of my favorite lunch items next to smoked oysters, kipper snacks and saltine crackers.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

colorcountrygunner said:


> ... and little weenies out of a can.


Sooooo many possible jokes... must resist.... arrrrgggg.

-DallanC


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

One of our favorite meals at nite when we have 3 or 4 guys:

Mix together a large can of chili, a large can of of spaghetti and warm it up. 
Put a bed of Frito chips on a plate, and put the warmed up combo on it. 
Then top with some grated cheese. I like the taco or Mexico blend. 

It is quick, easy, and filling, all in one pan. 
And, surprisingly good. 

Brunch is usually elk or deer steaks, or deer or elk sausage, with hash browns and eggs. 
Only eat 2 meals a day. 
Then the kipper snacks, Vienna sausages salted nut roll, etc. Go into the backpacks.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Little weenies in a can and smoked oysters are part of snack night for sure.

Chili is always good.

Ground deer sausage and eggs is part of the breakfast menu again.

Chorizo burritos were good last year.

I'd try some of that gabagool if somebody would lend me some. :O•-:


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Like those here who have said they are not big on hunting camp cooking, I too just eat out of a can for most meals while hunting or scouting.

I get up long before dawn and have some canned fruit and graham crackers with coffee for breakfast. The only thing I heat is the coffee.

Then I'll hunt for about 6 hours and come back for lunch, which is cold canned chicken, tuna, and such, with a can of vegies of some kind. Then I will take a nap.

By late afternoon I am back out in the field and hunting for another 4 hours until dark after another pot of freshly brewed coffee. My old fashioned coffee percolator makes about 2 large cups.

By night when I get back to camp I am too tired to cook or eat, other than another can of something, usually fruit again.

If I take a day off from hunting, I will often drive into the nearest town and get a big cheeseburger or patty melt with fries and a coke. Then back to camp for an evening hunt and then hit the sack for the next early morning get-up.

It always takes a few days to find a buck, and then afterwards there are tons of meat to pack out in halves or quarters. When that work is done and everything is iced back at camp, I will sometimes fry up some fresh venison liver or heart in olive oil, before I break down my camp stove and table, which I primarily use for hot coffee in the morning and afternoon. So I do bring a frying pan and bottle of oil with me, although sometimes I don't use it and just bring it back home with me.

So fresh coffee is about the only thing I cook on a hunting trip. My Coleman folding table is my kitchen table, my Coleman ice chest is my chair, and my Coleman 2 burner white gas stove is my cooking unit.

And my recipe for fresh coffee is with an old fashioned percolating coffee pot, freshly ground Hawaiian coffee, sugar, and Coffee-Mate!

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/...liateid=5193&gclid=CIKp4-LV4M8CFQ6BaQodUtQJtw

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cole...gclid=CKSd4fHV4M8CFQIxaQodFdAFcg&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.walmart.com/ip/44503982...75035&wl11=online&wl12=44503982&wl13=&veh=sem

http://www.gsioutdoors.com/coffee-pot-3-cup-blue.html


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

I like Karl's strategy of only cooking coffee. I hate getting back from a hard day of hunting and then cooking dinner. 9 out of 10 times if I have a plan for dinner after a hunt I will abort the plan for something out of a can so I have more time for sitting by the fire and a couple beers. For the night before the opener I love a nice steak and potatoes. Something about those little canned spuds really hit the spot up hunting. Fry em up! **** thier good.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

The night before opening day, I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't think of anything besides where do I think the bachelor herd that I scouted pre-season might be?

Often times, on Friday before opening day, I will be backpacking up to the ridge crest, and spend the night up there, in which case jerky and trail mix is my dinner.

That works really well normally because all the commotion of Friday when 99% of everybody pulls in, this tends to wake up and drive the bucks further uphill. Then sometimes since they can't see me inside my backpack tent used as a blind, they will bed down not far away. Then on opening day morning when the army of hunters takes to the bush, this will drive the deer up out of their beds and into the crosshairs of my scope.

Thursday is usually my travel day two days before opening day, and there are a fair amount of other hunters who also do the same and are already out there. But even then there is no time for cooking. But on the way on Thursday I will stop for a cheeseburger or patty melt with fries and a coke.

Cooking in camp may be fun and taste good, but it can also be the demise of a successful hunt too.

But the eat's on a backpack hunt of only water, trail mix, and jerky are miserable. No coffee either.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool (Sep 15, 2007)

We always eat pretty good, thanks to mine and my buddies wife. We usually have hash browns, eggs, and bacon/sausage for breakfast. Sandwich and chips on the mountain (if I'm hungry after breakfast and snacking on trailmix, oysters/kippers and crackers, mini candy bars, protein bars-these I'm finding are best when I'm doing a lot of hiking-, etc. Dinner we do steak and potatoes, dutch oven roast, dutch oven chicken, or something of the like, usually something my wife has prepared and frozen long before we left for camp. My wife does freezer meals each month so dinners are always prepped and frozen so all you have to do is get back to camp oil the dutch oven, drop it in and put it on the camp chef.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

All it takes to eat well on the mountain is preparation beforehand. I like to have 3-4 marinades with steak strips ready to go when I hit the field, so every night over the coals we can skewer some steaks on the roasting sticks. I like to have latex gloves in camp too, just makes for easier cleaning with food prep. I'll sometimes do a veggie bag too and that can be really tasty, do some kebabs even. 
Another easy one to prep up is a bread pudding. Just tear up the bread into an old metal pan, have a ziplock of the batter in the cooler pour over the bread, cover in foil and toss on the coals. 30-45 minutes later you have a great dessert and leftovers in the morning for breakfast. 

Most things you can cook before hand, put in ziplocks or vacuum seal bags and reheat quickly in boiling water. I really enjoy mountain gourmet and believe hunting camp can and should have good eats. It just makes things more fun. Plus, when you pull out the ice cream on day 4 that nobody knew you had kept in the cooler with dry ice to go with the cobbler you prepped up at home and did on the coals makes the bullchit around the fire that much better. And again, I'll take leftover cobbler for breakfast over most things any day


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I pretty much live off poptarts, peanut butter sandwiches, trail mix, and bananas while I'm hunting. If I'm feeling really crazy and ambitious, I might warm up a can of soup at night when I get back to camp. With my big Book Cliffs hunt this year, I decided to go all out and buy some Mountain Home freeze dried meals. I ate one over the course of a week. :-?


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## uteballplayer (Sep 19, 2016)

Chili Mac, Biscuits and gravy, beef stroganoff mountain house meals are great while on the mountain, and they're delicious!


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## OldRookie (Jun 30, 2016)

Chile Verde for dinner, heat the leftovers up for breakfast with eggs and potatoes....nom, nom, nom!!


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Breakfast and lunch on hunt days is different than non hunt days, pop tarts, granola bars, energy bars etc. for breakfast, deli meat sandwiches and trail mix for lunch; I hate going back to camp for lunch, I'd rather stay in the field glassing or getting to different spot. If we're not hunting we eat better for breakfast and lunch. 

Dinner is almost always something good. Dutch oven pizza, steaks, sausage, stew... We also always have no cook backups for the days we get in camp late and have no desire to cook. Best dinner of the hunt though is cutting off trimmings from the fresh kill, salting them liberally and roasting over an open fire. A close second is heart and onions in butter.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

WTH, only me and TeufelHunden mentioned bacon? 

Pfffffttt and here I thought I would welcome most of you guys into my camp. 

Ya all can go munch granola, I'm going to swing by costco for the biggest bag of bacon they sell for the upcoming deer hunt. Get a few summer sausage beef logs too. Man food.

:mrgreen:


-DallanC


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## macanudo (Feb 20, 2015)

We tried Randy Newbergs idea of vacuum sealing lasagna (or whatever you like) before the hunt, freezing it and then tossing the bag into boiling water for 15 min., then slice open and eat. It was delicious.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

It's hard to beat a hearty meal of dutch oven Jambalaya after a hunt and it's pretty danged easy to cook too especially if you do the prep work ahead of time and have everything cut up so you just throw it in the pot then let er cook.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Dang it's 1 minute to lunch and obviously the wrong time to read this thread. Now I want ten different things for lunch!

I often am to excited to worry about much more than a pop tart as well first thing in the morning. Outside of that my great wife provides me with some awesome meals around camp.

Hominy with green chili's, and cubed up pork chops
Dutch oven rolls and home made jam
French dip sandwiches
Dutch oven enchiladas

When I'm eating out of a pack I make my sandwiches on bagels. They can withstand the day in the pack and still resemble a sandwich when it's time to eat them.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

I read numerous people say that cooking a meal after getting back from hunting in the evening doesn't always turn out as planned -- because you're hungry, it's late, etc. This is especially true for the early season (archery) hunts where you don't get back to camp until after 9:00pm and the sun comes up at 6:20am!

We changed tactics to accommodate this: we make a big meal mid-day.
After a morning hunt, we all typically end up back at camp anyway. So we'll do a big meal, fill our bellies, then head back out to burn off those calories. When we return at dark, it's left overs or snacks, then off to bed.

some of our favorites meals:
potatoes (of course! What's a camp without dutch oven potatoes?)
pork loin (potatoes and mushrooms with jalapenos) (in the dutch oven)
pork roast (Mtn Dew / Onions) (in dutch oven)
BBQ chicken (thighs) (in dutch oven)
chicken and rice with a mushroom gravy sauce (in a dutch oven)
Spaghetti with spicy italian sausage(in a dutch oven)
hamburgers / steaks on a grill (or dutch oven lid)
Fresh fish (who camps / hunts where there are no fish??)
frozen burritos are a staple food.

cuties (oranges) -- GREAT for the pack. They don't bruise like other fruit. They are also great for covering up smells!
Dried pineapple. Because we all have a sweet tooth and get tired of gnawing on old jerky.

( I smell a striper and walleye fish fry coming on soon!!!)


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

Some people are lucky enough to have found the perfect wives.

For all the rest of us there is MasterCard.


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## Idratherbehunting (Jul 17, 2013)

We normally do something quick like oatmeal or breakfast bars for breakfast, then a sandwich and chips for lunch. I enjoy cooking, so if I have the time, I'll cook up a bigger meal, like steaks, but typically I'd rather be hunting, and I hate to try to hike around with a big meal in my stomach.

Fresh pancakes and bacon and eggs are always a hit on the days we come back from the morning hunt a little discouraged. Something about that breakfast always brighten my day back up. 

Growing up, we always had a snickers bar in our bag for a mid-day snack as well. Its tradition.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

DallanC said:


> WTH, only me and TeufelHunden mentioned bacon?
> 
> Pfffffttt and here I thought I would welcome most of you guys into my camp.
> 
> ...


My apologies for assuming the bacon was implied!!! You want the BEST pack snack ever? Get good, thick cut bacon and cook in the oven at 400F. When it is almost done (10-15 minutes depending on your oven/pan/bacon) sprinkle brown sugar or drizzle real maple syrup over the slices and return to the oven for the last few minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Voila, bacon candy! Crispy, crunchy, salty and sweet. It provides immediate sugar energy plus extra energy from the fat/protein. Not to mention it is better than crack cocaine for getting you hooked. I'll often make up a couple pounds of this to snack on while out and about.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Johnnycake, I bet my 16 year old son could eat two pounds of that stuff in 20 minutes. Maybe that would be a good idea to give him just after I shoot my buck. I bet he would be a packing monster if I could catch him long enough to get a pack on his back. :smile:


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Good stuff guys. Off to the grocery store tomorrow!

Costco.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

We are creatures of habit...we have had the same menu for several years now, and do not deviate. We are also probably some of the few hunters that actually GAIN weight during the hunt.

We pack everything in by truck and/or ATV and all is cooked on a fire in cast iron except for the morning coffee. What day we eat what is irrelevant except for the night prior to the opener..that is non-negotiable.

Our menu includes such table fare as:

Ribeye Steaks w/ corn on the cob, 
Polish Sausages with Chili, Cheese and Sour Cream.
A whole bag of potatoes (used in various ways at many meals)
Bacon and Eggs
Bratwursts
Elk or Deer Stew w/ warmed rolls (night before opener tradition)
Lunch meats and bread for sandwiches mid-day (if we are at camp)
Piles of trail mix, candy and "on the trail" snacks.

And if we're lucky enough to be successful, we always cook the inner tenderloins with bacon and potatoes dinner for that night!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

OhhhhhhKaaayyyyyyy.... Kinekilla is invited to my camp, I'll get the fire going.


-DallanC


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Truelife said:


> Johnnycake, I bet my 16 year old son could eat two pounds of that stuff in 20 minutes. Maybe that would be a good idea to give him just after I shoot my buck. I bet he would be a packing monster if I could catch him long enough to get a pack on his back. :smile:


I'll be honest, I bring two plus pounds even if it is just me out on the mountain/ice/etc.


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

I put together a snack bag at home for each day I'll be on the mountain. It usually consists of a couple protein bars some jerky, trail mix a few sweets like gummy worms and some Fritos or cheeze it's. Most the time that's my breakfast and I'll eat it while glassing but if we have a little drive I'll eat a pop tart on occasion and I always try and chug a bottle of water before we leave the truck. Lunch is usually sandwiches and dinner is usually some type of game meat.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

KineKilla said:


> We are creatures of habit...we have had the same menu for several years now, and do not deviate. We are also probably some of the few hunters that actually GAIN weight during the hunt.
> 
> We pack everything in by truck and/or ATV and all is cooked on a fire in cast iron except for the morning coffee. What day we eat what is irrelevant except for the night prior to the opener..that is non-negotiable.
> 
> ...


This is what I'm talking about! Eat good and hunt hard to burn it off.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

TeufelHunden said:


> *We always eat pretty good, thanks to mine and my buddies wife.* We usually have hash browns, eggs, and bacon/sausage for breakfast. Sandwich and chips on the mountain (if I'm hungry after breakfast and snacking on trailmix, oysters/kippers and crackers, mini candy bars, protein bars-these I'm finding are best when I'm doing a lot of hiking-, etc. Dinner we do steak and potatoes, dutch oven roast, dutch oven chicken, or something of the like, usually something my wife has prepared and frozen long before we left for camp. My wife does freezer meals each month so dinners are always prepped and frozen so all you have to do is get back to camp oil the dutch oven, drop it in and put it on the camp chef.


Whose bed does you and your buddies wife sleep in? Do you alternate nights or what? This isn't a typical arrangement you guys have going, but I'm not judging.


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## Karl (Aug 14, 2016)

If I want good food I will go to an Italian restaurant.

If I want venison I will hunt for it.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

DallanC said:


> Ya all can go munch granola, I'm going to swing by costco for the biggest bag of bacon they sell for the upcoming deer hunt. Get a few summer sausage beef logs too. Man food.
> 
> :mrgreen:
> 
> -DallanC


We put bacon on our hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, if that's worth anything...

And while we're on the subject of summer sausage and the junk I eat on hunting trips, here's one of my favorite midday snacks:

1. Ritz cracker
2. Easy cheese (cheddar and bacon, of course)
3. Slice of summer sausage
4. More easy cheese
5. Another Ritz cracker

As you all can see, I'm a big proponent of minimally processed, low-sodium, all-natural, wholesome foods. :mrgreen:

The good news is that I usually hike enough on my hunting trips that it probably won't catch up to me for at least another few years.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Whose bed does you and your buddies wife sleep in? Do you alternate nights or what? This isn't a typical arrangement you guys have going, but I'm not judging.


It is 2016 after all


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I just vacuum seal leftovers all year. Then freeze them. 
So hunting season just load the cooler and warm them up with boiling water


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Clarq said:


> We put bacon on our hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, if that's worth anything...


Ok, you are back on the "in" list.

-DallanC


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

I tend to get sick if I exercise after eating a big meal. With that in mind, this is what I usually do.


Breakfast. 

Usually cold cereal and milk. Sometimes, if my buddy(s) is cooking a hot breakfast, one or two strips of bacon or sausage. Small amounts though.

Lunch.

I will typically snack through the day on nuts, apples, candy on other items through the day, but not eat a large amount at any time.

Dinner.

This will be the big meal. 

1. Steak, pork chops, sausage, game, or another meat. I will sometimes keep a couple of fresh fish for a meal as well. 

2. The above will be served with potatoes or rice, and often rolls/bread. 

3. If possible, pizza and spaghetti make the menu. 

4. I also like Mexican food but the pork tamales smothered in chili proved "problematic" to my hunting buddy this year.  (they sure tasted good though)

5. One cannot go wrong with a good stew or chowder too. 

Eat, go to bed, repeat.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Dinners can be tough on multi-day hunts. I like to pre-cook pulled pork with some BBQ sauce and also meatballs in marinara sauce. Put them in a ziplock and freeze them. Heat and eat when ready. 

A nice warm pulled pork or meatball sandwich is good for the soul while hunting.

Bagels and pop tarts for breakfast. Don't usually take more time for anything else. 

Cup O Noodles are good for lunches/snacks, especially when it's cold. Jerky, peanut butter on the go, granola bars. And my all-time favorite lunch/snack to throw in my pack for the day is grape uncrustable sandwiches.


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## TommyGun (Aug 16, 2016)

Dominos. 

They'll deliver anywhere. Give 'em you GPS location, and they'll deliver hot & ready.

Anything I can eat out of a can.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Jerky and a bag of Halloween candy and I'm good for the weekend.
I hunt 5 minutes from my house so I usually come home to a good hot meal.


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## T-dubs-42 (Sep 8, 2015)

For breakfast I chug down some oatmeal.

For lunch I make wraps with meat, cheese, mayo, and dijon.

Snacks are hard candy, fruit snacks, granola bars, deer jerky, and cheese.

My favorite dinner is a package of instant potatoes (butter and herb), stovetop stuffing and gravy mix. Just add boiling water, wait a bit and you've got the most filling, easy thing there is in the woods.


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

LostLouisianian said:


> It's hard to beat a hearty meal of dutch oven Jambalaya after a hunt and it's pretty danged easy to cook too especially if you do the prep work ahead of time and have everything cut up so you just throw it in the pot then let er cook.


They sound awesome! Recipe please?

Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

Depending on the hunt, my hunting meals consist of:

Oatmeal
Mountain Man Breakfast 
Various Fruit
Deli Sandwiches 
Dutch Oven Nachos
Steaks
Dutch Oven Potatoes 
Dutch Oven Enchiladas 
Fajitas 
Spaghetti with spicy sausage
Steak & Everything Sandwiches 
Various Cobblers
Dutch Oven Biscuits
Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls
Turkey Tettrazini 


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