# Water



## WoodlandScout82 (Jun 25, 2019)

How do you guys pack your water/fluids into the mountains? I found that on all-day hunts, I go through about 2 liters of fluids per day..which can be heavy to haul up those hills, especially as a still-hunter who is on foot a lot. Hydration bladder? Bottles? What works best for you?


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## jbogg (Jun 25, 2019)

Look into the Sawyer squeeze water filter. (Not the Sawyer Mini).  It’s very small and lightweight and not expensive.  I have used it for four or five years. I can “almost” always find a small stream or spring to top off my two Nalgene‘s so I don’t have to carry an entire days worth of water.   I’m a pretty big guy and I sweat a lot during early bow season, so if I was to carry enough water to last me all day I would have to have 8 pounds of water in my pack along with everything else. Side note, the Sawyer Mini works fine.  They are just smaller than the standard size so it takes longer and more effort to squeeze the water through the filter. They were made for the ultralight backpacking crowd, but you can still full a 32oz Nalgene bottle in under a minute.  I think I still have one I no longer use if you want it.  I’m in Cumming.


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## Rabun (Jun 25, 2019)

^^^yup...same thing.  I carry a quart canteen and a lifestraw.  Can pretty much always find water on the mountain.  I'll drink the canteen dry and then fill it up with stream/spring water and drink that using the lifestraw.


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## livinoutdoors (Jun 25, 2019)

Life straw, n a water bottle or two. If you cant find water in the mountains then you might be in idaho.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Jun 25, 2019)

jbogg said:


> Look into the Sawyer squeeze water filter. (Not the Sawyer Mini).  It’s very small and lightweight and not expensive.  I have used it for four or five years. I can “almost” always find a small stream or spring to top off my two Nalgene‘s so I don’t have to carry an entire days worth of water.   I’m a pretty big guy and I sweat a lot during early bow season, so if I was to carry enough water to last me all day I would have to have 8 pounds of water in my pack along with everything else. Side note, the Sawyer Mini works fine.  They are just smaller than the standard size so it takes longer and more effort to squeeze the water through the filter. They were made for the ultralight backpacking crowd, but you can still full a 32oz Nalgene bottle in under a minute.  I think I still have one I no longer use if you want it.  I’m in Cumming.


Thanks for the info! I was thinking of going that route but now that I hear it from more sources, I will definitely go that route. I pack light with only a slingpack so weight is my main concern along with bulk.


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## whitetailfreak (Jun 25, 2019)

I don't tote a lot of gear when I'm huntin'. I can afford to carry several full water bottles in my pack.


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## 1eyefishing (Jun 25, 2019)

I usually put a couple of frozen water bottles in my mountain gear soft cooler along with a couple of water bottles and maybe even my chilled bladder. Then it all goes inside or is strapped to my backpack. I can carry cold lunch meats, yogurt etc whatever I need refrigerated for the day...
I stay away from those crunchy, cringley store-bought water bottles though. I usually swap the water bottles over to stiffer bottles from Bai tea or Gatorade, etc.
I will also carry or substitute my Sawyer for extended trips or where I know there will be stream water... I usually hunt ridgelines so don't come across that much water except at the beginning and end of my day.
But I enjoy the ice cold water, especially in the warmer parts of the season...


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## tree cutter 08 (Jun 25, 2019)

Bottle of Mt dew and a bottle of water and a bag of jerky.weights about 2lb and I can make it all day!


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## zedex (Jun 25, 2019)

Being I've had both hips, the left shoulder and left knee replaced along with multiple spinal operations, I must travel lightly. I carry 2 life straws and a collapsible cup.
While I cannot carry water with me, I take everything in consideration when planning an outing,  where water is being number one.  Of course bears and other critters are not far from replenishment sources either. 
I drive the ATV as far in as possible and foot it in further


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## Tio Hey Seuss (Jun 26, 2019)

I carry 100ml bladder for day trips. Plenty enough to keep you alive from dawn till dark. For lightweight purification the Trailshot or a Steri pen are hard to beat. Zero chance of cross contamination with the steri pen but if you're squeamish about particulates you might like a filter better.


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## tree cutter 08 (Jun 26, 2019)

How y'all like those filter straws? I've always drank out of a spring head. Do you drink out of any creek?


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## strothershwacker (Jun 26, 2019)

tree cutter 08 said:


> How y'all like those filter straws? I've always drank out of a spring head. Do you drink out of any creek?


I got a life straw bottle. I've drank outta some pretty ruff lookin holes with it. I leave the truck with it full of clean h20 as well as 2 20oz h2o bottles. Then i refill all three as needed with whatever water i can find. Works well for me. I drank a lot of water. So yea any creek, puddle, pond i can find. In the mtns. Wouldn't try it round town.


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## jbogg (Jun 26, 2019)

I use the Sawyer Squeeze for any stream in the mountains.  Unless your drinking right from the spring head your probably downstream from some hogs wallowing somewhere upstream.


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## Turpentine (Jun 26, 2019)

X large camel bac. Most modern packs are already compatible. You can drink water while leaving your gear on. Less noise from taking your pack off and all the noise that comes with searching threw andmore time scanning the land. You should have water purification tablets and a water treatment system of some kind in your emergency pouch. (For just in case). Water bottles make to much noise. Upgraded water bottles are a waist (money vs weight vs water able to carry). It sounds nice just to be able to pull a straw out of your pocket and drink fresh water but reality still says you need a reservoir of some kind. Either bottle or camel back. I vote camle back.


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## ripplerider (Jun 26, 2019)

I found that out the hard way JBoggs on Brasstown Bald. I never drink out of a branch anymore unless I see it flowing out of the ground. Even then they sometimes resurface uphill. I know a 3500' mtn. with a permanent 10'x 10' pool of springwater just off the summit. Tiny branch  leaves it runs about 20 yards to a boulder field dives back underground and doesnt resurface for hundreds of yards. If you saw it popping up down there you'd think it was perfectly safe to drink from.


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## gobbleinwoods (Jun 27, 2019)

Used to drink out of springs but not anymore.  Have a straw but never really been that trusting


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## Joe Brandon (Jun 27, 2019)

I take a bladder that fits into my hunting bag. Check out REI they have many. Esp useful for bow season when it hot.


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 27, 2019)

I've been drinking out of little mountain branches and springheads for the last half-century with no ill effects. So has everybody else who has lived here. I don't drink out of big creeks, creeks with beavers, or below campsites, but in general the water in that branch is likely much cleaner and purer than the water you bought in that bottle. And there's a branch in pretty much every holler.


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## Tio Hey Seuss (Jun 27, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> I've been drinking out of little mountain branches and springheads for the last half-century with no ill effects. So has everybody else who has lived here. I don't drink out of big creeks, creeks with beavers, or below campsites, but in general the water in that branch is likely much cleaner and purer than the water you bought in that bottle. And there's a branch in pretty much every holler.



I used to hunt with a dude that grew up in Union county and he followed similar protocol. It blew my mind the first time I saw him drink straight from the creek while we were walking in.


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 27, 2019)

Tio Hey Seuss said:


> I used to hunt with a dude that grew up in Union county and he followed similar protocol. It blew my mind the first time I saw him drink straight from the creek while we were walking in.


Nobody I ever knew in my life carried water into the woods until the last couple decades. I carry a bottle of water sometimes, depending on where I'm at or what I'm doing, but I often to usually don't. And if I do, I often refill it from a branch or spring.

People been drinking out of these branches for well over 10,000 years so far. Bottled water came about long after I was a grown man.

Since there are getting to be more people in the woods, I've threatened to get me a filter straw.


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## twincedargap (Jun 27, 2019)

I bought a steripen from REI this year.


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## ripplerider (Jun 29, 2019)

NCHillbilly, your last sentence is exactly why I dont drink out of branches or creeks anymore. There are a lot more people on this world nowadays than there was when I was a youngun, and quite a few of them like outdoor recreation. Some of them are intelligent, conservation minded folks who would never "do their business" near running water. And some of them are total idiots who would relieve themselves anywhere. Giardia is very widespread and the idiots are bringing it to us. I've had it a couple of times, it's not fun. Got it paddlng whitewater with a cold refreshment in between my legs. Always waited for a calm stretch, didnt realize water was dripping off my paddle in small amounts with every stroke. Right into my drink.


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## livinoutdoors (Jun 30, 2019)

ripplerider said:


> NCHillbilly, your last sentence is exactly why I dont drink out of branches or creeks anymore. There are a lot more people on this world nowadays than there was when I was a youngun, and quite a few of them like outdoor recreation. Some of them are intelligent, conservation minded folks who would never "do their business" near running water. And some of them are total idiots who would relieve themselves anywhere. Giardia is very widespread and the idiots are bringing it to us. I've had it a couple of times, it's not fun. Got it paddlng whitewater with a cold refreshment in between my legs. Always waited for a calm stretch, didnt realize water was dripping off my paddle in small amounts with every stroke. Right into my drink.


This right here, just not worth the risk. Dont know what stupid things people are doin out in the woods around water. You would think you could trust nature lovers to be responsible with ...... nature, but every time i drive by a recently used campsite with trash all over left by the people with eco friendly stickers on their car it makes me wonder.


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## livinoutdoors (Jun 30, 2019)

I guess the leave no trace slogan was just used by the older hippies.


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## twincedargap (Jun 30, 2019)

Yeeup. Was hiking on Chatt yesterday, was thinking about drinking out of a clear running stream up very high. Walked up stream 50 yds and found a toilet paper rose.  Reminded me why we need to be careful about untreated water.


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## tree cutter 08 (Jun 30, 2019)

Reasons y'all mentioned is why I only drink out of spring heads that I know are straight out of the ground. Like hillbilly said they are in almost every hollar. Also a good place to bow hunt if white oaks are close!


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## livinoutdoors (Jun 30, 2019)

Well even if its a little dirty i spose its got to be cleaner than people drinkin city water!


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## ripplerider (Jul 2, 2019)

Except for that little old giardia bug. If you ever get it you'll understand. It's possible to get it from treated water, but that would mean someone screwed up really badly. Losing their job badly.


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## whitetailfreak (Jul 5, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> I've been drinking out of little mountain branches and springheads for the last half-century with no ill effects. So has everybody else who has lived here. I don't drink out of big creeks, creeks with beavers, or below campsites, but in general the water in that branch is likely much cleaner and purer than the water you bought in that bottle. And there's a branch in pretty much every holler.



School House Spring at Proctor and Bone Valley Spring on Hazel Creek have had the same dented up tin cups hanging on a branch beside them for my entire 40 years. We get our fill every time we walk by.


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 6, 2019)

ripplerider said:


> Except for that little old giardia bug. If you ever get it you'll understand. It's possible to get it from treated water, but that would mean someone screwed up really badly. Losing their job badly.


You know, I have never known anybody in my life that got giardia around here. I know a couple people who have picked it up out west, but have never heard of a case around here. It could be, but it apparantly isn't common. 

Most of my life, the water in my house was coming out of a spring up the holler and into the house via gravity until we bored a well a while back. Every older member of my family got their water from a spring their whole lives. Thousands of people lived here for a couple hundred years drinking every drop of water they consumed in their lives from springs and creeks. Ditto the Indians for over ten thousand years. But suddenly, in the last 20-30 years, drinking water from a spring or creek is dangerous now? 

I have never had city water, and wouldn't have it even if it was available here. I hate it.


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## NCMTNHunter (Jul 11, 2019)

twincedargap said:


> I bought a steripen from REI this year.



This.  I get water from a spring head when I can and use a steripen when I can't.


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## OEB0630 (Aug 4, 2019)

Sawyer Squeeze all the way, never leave the truck without it.  I've also just gone with 2 "SmartWater" branded bottles - they are sturdy and the Sawyer screws on perfectly.


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## Ghost G (Aug 28, 2019)

Turpentine said:


> X large camel bac. Most modern packs are already compatible. You can drink water while leaving your gear on. Less noise from taking your pack off and all the noise that comes with searching threw andmore time scanning the land. You should have water purification tablets and a water treatment system of some kind in your emergency pouch. (For just in case). Water bottles make to much noise. Upgraded water bottles are a waist (money vs weight vs water able to carry). It sounds nice just to be able to pull a straw out of your pocket and drink fresh water but reality still says you need a reservoir of some kind. Either bottle or camel back. I vote camle back.



I second this method and thinking.


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## splatek (Aug 28, 2019)

I've had good success with the sawyer products while up there fishing, took a few swigs from some clean clear streams in NC way up high chasing specks and honestly, I was real nervous about it, but I was thirsty. Nothing happened; could've been luck, could've been this old immune system... 

I have a straw, never used it... not sure why I trust the sawyer and not the straw, but that's just sorta how I feel. Might pack it up this year and try it...


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