What should a hunter do with leftover food and garbage in the wild?

The best practice for handling leftover food and garbage in the wild is to pack it out to keep the environment clean. This approach helps to ensure that natural areas remain undisturbed and avoids attracting wildlife to human food sources.

Leaving food and garbage behind can lead to wildlife becoming habituated to human presence and food, which can pose risks both to the animals and to humans. Additionally, discarded food can decompose slowly and create pollution or attract pests.

Some may think burning trash is an effective solution; however, it can generate harmful smoke and leave residue. Burying trash might seem like a way to hide it, but it can still contaminate the soil and water over time. Therefore, packing out all waste is the most responsible and environmentally sustainable option.