Fly View Productions/Getty

Avoid stomach growling in the stand with these hunting snack favorites!

There is no worse combination in the treestand than cold and hangry. Long sits will become brutal on an empty stomach, so be prepared with plenty of snacks on your next hunting trip.

The criteria for a perfect treestand snack is something easily packable, minimally messy, low-scent/low-noise, and shelf (or hunting pack) stable. The PB&J breaks some of these rules, but it’s an American tradition so it stays.

What else makes for a good hunting trip snack? We’re glad you asked…

Jerky & Meat Sticks

venison jerky

Is there anything better to eat when hunting for meat than more meat? Load up on beef jerky and beef sticks or better yet, go with meat snacks of the venison variety for plenty of protein when your body needs it most. Venison jerky and the like will also keep you chewing longer to warm you up and kill some time as you wait on that monster buck to pass by.

Trail Mix

After processed meat, I can’t think of any snack more synonymous with hunting than GORP (gold ol’ raisins and peanuts). Trail mix isn’t just limited to this basic combo anymore you can find artisanal blends featuring cashews, white chocolate chips, and a variety of dried fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth and gut-wrenching treestand hunger.

Pop-Tarts

It's the first day of fall which means it's time to live laugh love some Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

Posted by Pop-Tarts on Wednesday, September 22, 2021

One time on a gear-testing hunt, we dubbed a convenient rectangular pocket on a new jacket the “Pop-Tart pocket” because it was perfectly sized for this early morning deer-hunter favorite. The only thing up for debate here is eat the frosting-less edges or toss that crumbly flavorlessness?

Bars

Granola bars, protein bars, energy bars. They’re all perfectly compact and calorie-dense for any hunting trip and intended to be eaten on the go. If you haven’t tried the Chocolate Sea Salt RX Bar, move it to the top of your list and thank me later.

Gummy Everything

Gummy Bears

Posted by Just A Taste Confections Carol Stream on Friday, August 26, 2016

Gummy worms, gummy bears, gummy sharks and don’t forget their sour counterparts. I’d like to consider myself a gummy connoisseur and buy just about every variety of gummies in bulk on a regular basis during hunting season. I have yet to regret it. Carb up!

PB&J

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are one of those things most of us still love but rarely find occasion to eat unless we’re 20 feet up. Want to kick it up a notch? Swap out the peanut butter for other nut butters like almond or cashew and upgrade your grape Welch’s to a fresh jam.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower SeedsSunflower seeds are a great source of protein and can be had as a quick snack. Regular consumption of sunflower seeds, either with food or as a snack, can help a great deal with muscle growth.

Posted by FBC (Fana Broadcasting Corporate S.C.) on Saturday, December 28, 2013

Obligatory sunflower seeds inclusion because so many hunters love them, but I don’t really get it.

Halloween Candy

Hopefully you’ve still got plenty of Snickers bars left from trick or treat come the rut when you’ll be pulling all-day sits. For some reason, even the candy bars you don’t really care for seem extra delicious in the deer stand.

Be sure to remove any of the above from noisy wrappers and stick them in a Ziploc baggie for minimal sound and easy opening in the field. Happy snacking!

Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our writers and editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

NEXT: OUR FAVORITE WILD TURKEY MEAT RECIPES TO TRY

The post 8 Best Snacks for a Long Hunting Trip appeared first on Wide Open Spaces.

Full Story

print