There are a lot of different styles of hunting trip available. What type of trip is best for you depends on your gear, fitness, and anticipated hunting tactics. Most importantly, the types of hunting shelters you choose has the largest determinant on the hunting experience. Wall tents, tipis, traditional tents and bivouac systems all have different pros and cons.
Wall Tents
One of the most traditional hunting shelters is a canvas wall tent. For protection from the elements and for comfort they are unparalleled. Coming in both floored and floorless models, wall tents allow you to have a full sized cot and a wood stove. Wall tents also have plenty of room to stand and store gear. Depending on the size of the tent there can be space to cook in the tent as well. Coming back to a warm tent to enjoy a fire and a hot meal is huge for moral. The full size stoves allow cooking on top of the stove as well as the ability to dry out wet gear.
The big drawback with wall tents is they are not man portable. Due to the bulk and size they necessitate mechanized transportation or packing in with horses. That said, if your hunting area has road access or quad trails the comfort is unmatched.
Tipis
Another option for a heated shelter that can still be carried is a tipi style shelter. Tipis have two main benefits; the weight to space ratio is excellent and many are paired with lightweight titanium stoves. Due to the small fireboxes in these stoves they will not heat the tent all night unless you’re constantly monitoring it. However, they do afford you the ability to warm up after a day in the cold and dry out some wet clothing.
I run an Argali Absaroka which is just over 2 lbs and has twice the square footage of my Teton 3 man tent. Most tipis have the option to run with a ‘nest’ which is a nest insert with a bottom. Typically I’ll only use the insert if the bugs are bad enough that I can’t run floorless. A common concern with tipi style hunting shelters is their ability to withstand wind. However, in my experience with proper pitching they are very sturdy even in exposed locations with high winds. However, due to their single walled design tipis are more susceptible to condensation build up than other shelters.
Traditional Tents
Next, traditional tents are the most common shelter system used by hunters and outdoorsman. For the one shelter hunter it is difficult to find a better do-all system. Quality tents are incredibly sturdy and are the best protection from extreme weather. The downside is that you are often limited on space and keeping gear dry can be difficult with small vestibules. On the other hand they are very forgiving for pitching in small areas and are the warmest stove-less shelters. For the square footage traditional tents are about double the weight as a tipi system. However, many tipis are round while most tents are rectangular, making the difference in useful square footage less stark.
Bivouac Systems
Finally, for the true fast and light hunter a bivouac system is a popular option. Personally, I only use this style of system on early season hunts. There are two common types of bivouac systems which are enclosed bivvy’s and emergency bivvy’s.
Enclosed bivvy’s have a pole system like a tent and hold the bivvy a few inches off of your sleeping bag. These hunting shelters are very prone to condensation and do not have any space for gear storage or even enough space to sit up. However, they do protect you from moisture even when it is very windy and the wind is coming nearly sideways.
The other style of bivvy is an emergency bivvy, which is essentially a goretex sleeping bag that goes over your sleep system. In order to keep rain off a small tarp is pitched above your sleeping spot. This system is incredibly light, especially if you already carry a small siltarp as part of your hunting gear. There is also more space to keep gear dry under this system. However, there is little protection from bugs and wind, and some will struggle to get a good sleep with a shelter with no walls.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, choosing a shelter is a personal choice that depends on your hunt style, anticipated weather, and comfort with exposure to the elements. For many hunters, buying a quality traditional tent will work for all of their hunts. However, for those pushing the limits of weight, cold weather, or high mountain terrain, a specialized shelter can make the experience more enjoyable.