Jerky for Fishing, Hunting and Camping Trips: How Much to Pack and Which Bags Travel
Plan on 2 to 3 ounces of jerky per person per day if it is the main snack, half that if it rides alongside other food. The bag labels list a 1 oz serving and 7 servings in a 7 oz bag, so one Settlers bag is a week of mornings on the boat for one person, or a single long day for a crew of four. None of it needs a cooler until it is opened.
The math
Three people, two days, jerky as the between-meals food: six person-days at 2 to 3 oz is 12 to 18 oz, so two of the 7 or 8 oz bags with a little left over. A full deer camp week for four runs closer to 60 oz, which is where a 6-pack bundle earns its price. The 3 oz Trophy Series exotics are the day-pack size: one bag is a hike, vacuum packed flat, and nobody has to carry an open pouch home.
Which bags travel best
Resealable beef bags for the cooler-free snack: the Cowboy Hickory and Bad Bart are the two we see most on the fishing-show tables, and the Korean BBQ Brisket is the new favorite. For the pack, the vacuum-packed exotics: lean game like elk and venison is what a hunter wants to compare against their own batch, and a bag of gator is the thing that gets passed around the fire. Keep opened bags out of the sun and follow the storage guide once you are home.
Where you will see our table
This is the crowd we spend the winter with. The Fly Fishing Show in Marlborough, Massachusetts and Edison, New Jersey, the Springfield Sportsmen's Show and the Rhode Island Saltwater Fishing Expo are all on the 2027 schedule, and the fishing and sportsman show page has the dates. Can't make a show? Orders ship USPS from Albany, free over $100, and a bundle ordered on Monday is usually on the porch before the weekend trip.
Quick answers
How much jerky should I bring on a fishing trip?
About 2 to 3 oz per person per day if jerky is the main snack. A 7 oz Settlers bag is roughly seven 1 oz servings per the label.
Does jerky need a cooler on a camping trip?
Not while sealed. Once opened, keep it out of the sun and eat it within days on the trail, or refrigerate it at home.
Which jerky is best for hunting camp?
Hunters tend to pick the lean game bags, elk and venison, plus a big resealable beef bag like the Cowboy Hickory for the truck.
The bags in this guide
- Elk Jerky — 3 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)
- Venison (Deer) Jerky — 3 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)
- Cowboy Hickory Smoked Beef Jerky — 8 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)
- Korean BBQ Brisket Beef Jerky — 7 oz bag, $25, heat 1/5 (Mild)