Reading Terry and Kevin's recounting of Their moose hunting in the Yukon moose thread got the stirred my anticipation for this falls moose hunt started early. Usually I don't start getting anxious until the first part if September.
Taking Kevin Dill and Mike Mitten's lead regarding equipment, I convinced my wife I really needed this for a Christmas present.
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Set it up for the first time yesterday, got the seams sealed and put the liner in it. Going to break in the new stove this weekend at the Traditional Bowhunters of Montana's yearly shoot.
Merry Christmas (in July) Walt.... :laugh:
Really hard to beat a Sawtooth or similar sized tipi for one man on an extended hunt. Mine saw some really wild weather high in the Fortymile hills several years back, and it refused to die. I recommend the spiral stakes (MSR Cyclone) for much better holding power in those poor soils. What stove did you decide to use?
(https://i.imgur.com/973cs5wl.jpg)
I'm all over the place with some of my gear. Sold my Sawtooth a few years ago. Bought an 8-Man Seek Outside tipi. Didn't think I'd be needing it after a couple years....sold it. Bought a Seek Outside Redcliff this spring, along with their new stove. I haven't even managed to get it set up once yet. I need to seal it and do all the little things to get it ready. The stove needs burned, etc....
I came up with an idea for what call a 'wader-gaiter'. Basically, I designed a slip-over gaiter which extends from ankle to thigh and is waterproof. It doesn't cover the boot like a true wader, but secures at the ankle (and thigh) to keep water out when crossing streams. The whole idea was to create a fast easy-on option for staying dry while crossing streams and small rivers. I still need to seam-seal them and test them, but I'm pretty sure they'll do the job.
I can hardly believe it's just 53 days to departure...I need to get busy. I've been hitting the road every morning at 4:00 am to put in some miles and improve my endurance. The legs and lungs will appreciate it.
(https://i.imgur.com/40rSIaml.jpg)
Here he comes.....
(https://i.imgur.com/0jTWj19l.jpg)
Love it guys! Best of luck and have an awesome trip :notworthy:
Kevin,
Wish I had your photography skills, my pictures are mediocre at best.
Figured in this thread I would discuss how I get prepared for an Alaskan hunt. Go through most of the things those of us who have been to Alaska do without thinking about it. Living in Montana and hunting in wilderness areas makes it is easier for me then it is for most people. Starting with shelters, my plan is to run through my checklist categories and explain what I use and why. I'm pressed for time this morning, hopefully can get back to discussing shelters this evening.
So everybody knows, a lot of my Alaska equipment choices were a direct result of or heavily influenced in posts, writings, or discussions by or with Kevin Dill, Bryan Burkhart, Mike Mitten, Terry Recurver, Mark Baker, Doug Campbell, and numerous others met through my membership in the PBS.
Dang it Walt, and you too Kevin! I have too many other hunts on the list already and you gotta just tack this one on! Now I have to go double check my priority ranking of said hunts.
I'm envious Walt. Been a long time since I hunted moose. Good choice of tents as well. I used a 6-person Kifaru Tepee for a number of years, but have recently downsized to a Sawtooth. Not much of a downsize really. Just as much usable space, I think.
Good luck on your hunt.
Tents:
Rather than cover trying to cover everything, ask questions I will do my best to answer them. Most of you are familiar with the different types of tents available so here a quick overview. Most of my experience using these tents is in the one and two man models, I will limit my discussion to these.
Wall/Vehicle Tents – My favorite option unless I have to carry them far or pay additional transportation fees. I have used a 10 x 10 Montana Canvas Spike tent for almost 30 years without any issues. I take care of it and it takes care of me. It is the easiest and fastest to set up and has the most room/usable space for the footprint. Now the bad part. Even the light ones are 7X's the weight of the other options. Bulk is also a big issue. My 10 x 10 barely fits into an army duffel bag. Though I have packed it into remote places on my back, you really need horses to haul it any distance. On our moose hunt in 1999 (a float hunt) the pilot said it did not matter how much gear we brought, the Beaver could carry the four of us and all the gear we brought. He ended up using a second plane to accommodate us and all the gear we brought. Brother Bob and I brought the 10 x 10, Mark Baker and his partner Dale brought a Cabela domed outfitter tent. I will just say the Cabela's tent only got set up a couple of times. On my Brown bear hunt opted for this tent.
Backpacking Tents– Can be light weight and compact or heavy and bulky. The Quality varies considerably, you usually get what you pay for. Extremely small living spaces for the footprint. You cannot stand up in them and most do not have the option or space for a stove. The good ones are expensive, weigh close to the next options below, and are the best for withstanding severe weather conditions.
Light Weight Floorless – Kifaru & First Lite are the two major makers, both are American made. Quality and craftsmanship are there. Lightweight but the extras can bring the total weight up. Durable regarding withstanding wind rain and snow. Best of all you can stand up in them and have a stove to warm up and dry things out. Downside is the are Expensive, as are there accessories, and they are susceptible to damage from sparks & flames.
When hunting the Alaskan bush most people I know opt for the Lightweight Floorless models . Having researched them extensively I cannot say one make is better than the other. Both are well made products with good customer service. Most of my experience has been with the Kifaru brand but my First Lite Tarp that gets used extensively. Historically the tipi style tents are miss-named. That is my way of telling you they intentionally lie about how many people can use the tent. A six man model is good for one person comfortably with all his gear. Two people can make it work but plan on using a tarp or second tent to hold the gear that will not fit. Before our 2012 hunt Kevin Dill and Bryan Burkhart both told us, it would work for two people but will be cramped. They were right. Luckily, I took there advise and brought a light weight one man tent to store gear in. We used an eight man model on my 2016 & 2018 moose hunts, it is the appropriate size for two people and their gear.
These tents are expensive! In 2012 we used Dave's Kifaru 6 man and wished we had an 8 man the entire time. In 2016 I was ready to buy an 8 man when a friend and business associate offered to let me use his Kifaru 8 man. We paid him a decent rental for using it the two weeks even though it was not requested. Going solo this year I was wavering between a First Light & Kifaru 8 man tents when the Kifaru put the Sawtooth on sale last November. Kevin Dill and Mike Mitten have both used the Sawtooth with good results on their solo hunts. To my way of thinking, you cannot get much better recommendations than that. Drawback on the Sawtooth, at 5'9" I only have room enough to stand if within a 1-2 feet of the taller tent pole.
Next, we will discuss the use of light stove with Floorless tents.
Best of luck Walt!! :thumbsup:
I'll live vicariously through you guys. I'll be lucky to get to hunt at all this year. Government land is my only option and they are not open yet. Closest pig hunting for me is 2 1/2 hour drive, and hard to get to with a work schedule.
:coffee: :campfire: :thumbsup:
Good stuff Walt - keep it coming and spare no detail...
Definitely jealous here. I think here in a couple of years my brother and I are going to go try that as well! I guess I will just have to live with elk this year LOL (no worries, elk hunting is my life)
I think when you land in AK, you have to quarentine for 14 days. Thats why I cancelled my caribou hunt. Keep that in mind.
Keith, I understand and know the current restrictions. Personally I believe it is all a crock of s!#+. However, I'm going to do my best to keep it from stoping my Alaska moose hunt. Both Bryan Burkhart and Kevin Bahr got tested and went fishing in Alaska last month by meeting this requirement from the AK government website:
"I was tested within 72 hours prior to departure and it was negative. Proof of the result is provided.
I consent to take another test between 7-14 days after arrival in Alaska. I agree to minimize my interaction with others until my second test is back, 14 day's has passed, or I leave the state, whichever is earlier."
If I test positive, my fall back plan with two weeks off is to go elk hunting during the rut.
I dunno, Walt. Are you protesting the safety procedures or the idea that Covid 19 is real? Montana is a big state with a sparse, spread out population so it hasn't been hit very hard yet, but I think folks in Billings and Bozeman are starting to get religion about now. Stay healthy.
How are u gonna get tested 7 to 14 days after u arrive? Wont u be in the bush? Well, good luck on ur hunt. Hard to believe I would have been hunting a month from now. Weather is about 30 degrees cooler up there.
John Havard communicated with the people coordinating the Covid-19 mandate and travel. He explained the deal about being in the bush past the 14 day test cutoff. The person responding advised him he would not be in violation or subject to any enforcement as long as he was minimizing social contact and activities during that period. Upon completing the hunt he would only need to be tested if he had symptoms. Obviously the state realizes that not all travelers will be able to do the second test....it's a moving target sort of thing. I did also read that a person could show up with NO test results....and list his outfitter or transporter location as place of quarantine....then head to the bush. Everything I've read indicates the state has no interest in pursuing anything other than blatant disregard of health mandates which could put others at significant risk. That's all I'm going to write on the Covid topic, as I'm sure Walt wants this thread to be about all the good things associated with his upcoming trip.
My bro was on a walk last weekend getting ready for one of his hunts next month and had this bull walk up to him about 200 yds from his house in North Pole. Hopefully u get a big one a lot closer. Good Luck!
I got into some poison ivy this past week while rebuilding some fence on my farm, and I am literally "feeling the itch"; arms and legs covered in rash😳
Still gonna take my loaded pack for a walk before dawn tomorrow, in hopes that I get to use it in AK this fall - hope you discuss packs in this thread as well.
Good stuff Walt and glad to see you're planning on it happening in spite of the obstacles this year. I'm counting down the days myself until I can contort myself into the back of a super cub. 49 to go!
Countdown to Touchdown....
(https://i.imgur.com/UXNgSPFl.jpg)
Walt, I will be watching this thread closely. While, I have done 9 drop hunts in Alaska, I'm still ignorant of the modern tents, packs, boots, and clothing. I will be upgrading much of my gear for next fall. I hope all recognize the value of what Walt, Kevin, Mike and others are providing. It can literally be life saving....
I'm really interested in your choice of rain gear.
I'm on the shelf this year with back issues, so I'll live through you guys. Sure going to miss Alaska.
Mike
The sawtooth is nice and allows you to stand to put on pants , but that's about it. It is very light. I never ran a stove in mine, but I have not hunted as far north as Kevin and Walt. I try to get flown in with my gear in one trip. Saves expense and logistics in bad weather. Each plane trip can come with unexpected delays. Mike
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Everybody,
Sorry for the delay, I devoted myself to building a takedown selfbow with recurved tips over the weekend, it took all my time.
Hi Terry,
My plan is to work on camp gear, followed by clothing, equipment, personal gear, then miscellaneous stuff.
Stoves
First my disclaimer, I have limited experience with light weight collapsible stoves. In the past I have used the following stoves with my thoughts on them:
1. Titanium Kifaru (no longer made). The Good, it was light and kept a six man Kifaru tent warm, great customer service. The Bad. I understand why they no longer make them it was small and not airtight. You could see air gaps in all the corners. Burned fuel extremely quick.
2. Steel XL Kifaru, The Good, it kept an eight man Kifaru tent warm, great customer service. The Bad. was heavy for its size compared to most of the other stoves you could see air gaps in all the corners. Burned fuel quick but not nearly as fast as their Titanium model.
3. A steel stove that did not collapse, of unknown make. somewhere out of Washington or Canada, I think. Same size and weight as the Kifaru XL. It is by far most airtight, most sturdy built, and longest burning of all the stoves. The bad. I did not colipase and weighed the same as the XL Kifaru.
4. Titanium First Light, Large model. The Good. Light Weight, fairly airtight, great customer service, easily kept an eight man Kifaru tent warm. The bad. Other then the price there is not much I did not like about this stove.
5. TiGoat WiFi (now Rruta Rocura) Large. The Good. Light Weight, fairly airtight, price is about 20% less than the equivalent First Light model and will easily keep an eight man Kifaru tent warm, there is not much I do not like about this stove. The bad. Finding the models that are made and ordering. TiGoat does not exist any longer, the guy making the stoves now builds them on a one on one order. There is no web site or pictures for the stove, just one with various mountaineering equipment they carry, but it provides an email address if you want one of the stoves. Finding only one picture of the stove on the internet, but having seen one twice before and being impressed with it, I sent the guy an email with a picture of the stove asking for pricing in the large model. I got the price, it was a hundred bucks cheaper than the First Lite, received the stove in four weeks instead of six weeks as promised. Only problem was it was completely different then the stove in the picture, it came with what I would call a Mickey Mouse door. Called the maker (got his number with the paperwork), found out he only makes the one the picture in an XL model, so I up graded to that model and sent the first one back. The guy is really great to work with, you need to accept it is a one man operation and it can be slow. The stove has performed great the couple of times it has been used.
A few thing to consider are:
1. The length of the stove. It is less time consuming to break branches into 14-16" (a good axe is convenient) lengths then into 8- 12" lengths
2. Size of the door. Some of stoves you can barely fit a two inch Thick stick into
3. Stove pipe. If use a lightweight tent, get a good screen for the stove pipe. Embers from the fire can land on the tent and burn pin sized holes in it. The TiGoat came with the best screen of all the tents.
4. Stability. All the stoves above except #3 are held up by ¼" bolts, they need to sit on something solid, so they do not sink into the tundra
5. Do not expect any of the collapsible stoves to hold heat or stay lit for awfully long.
6. They will roast out the top of the tent and barely be warm at ground level. They work better in a tent with a liner.
7. Do not expect them to dry out your soaking clothes unless you plan on spending most the night or day tending the fire. This is where fleece is nice, but we will leave that topic for later.
8. You can cook on them, but it is much faster to use a pocket rocket or jet boil. For me, the steel stoves work better than the titanium ones for cooking.
Hi Mike,
You are correct, making the weight and limiting the number of trips is paramount to to keeping the costs down. My pilot limits us to 65#'s of gear. Always tell him that I should be able to carry another 30-40#'s because Kevin Dill is at least that much bigger then me and he get's 65#'s.
Walt, I've never used a stove on my hunts. Can you tell us the benefits of a stove? Warmth and the ability to dry a few things seem to pop to the top of the list. I've preferred to use the weight for a large square Quallofil bag and have dried my clothes (wool/fleece/polypropylene) by putting them between my sleeping bag and sleeping pad.
Great Post!
After meeting Mr. Mitten at the Springfield Gathering I too was inspired to try a solo Alaskan Moose hunt. September of 21 is my departure. Please keep this thread full, I am soaking it up!
Matthew
Disclosure, I have never killed a moose with a bow, so I don't want to come across as a "expert" moose archery hunter. That stated I was there in the interior for 2 years straight, almost died a few times, and still have a hunting camp there a hundred miles out of Fairbanks. Mostly I bow hunted small game when I was there and large game with firearms, as a brute force survival exercise.
This is not going to be book here, so lots of short notes, leaving out lots of details.
Tents,,,,, Never ever never leave camp or get out of an airplane without a simple blue tarp and a fire stick, "One Is Zero" when it comes to making fires, I can get into that on another thread. Even if its just a 8 x 10 blue tarp, its the single most important thing your gonna have for both short term and long term health and welfare, even if you have a tent.
What is the use of a tent? Why? Once its cold, my opinion, you do not need one, when i say cold I mean 20 degrees day time high temperature end of fall till spring, no wet. In that weather, a wind break and fire is better, if you have real snow, a snow shovel is more valuable than a tent.
The reason for light weight high tech tents is to stay dry, synthetic material sleeping bags will still keep you warm when they are wet. Down is better in winter, useless when wet. High tech tents are great when moving fast short term. The big deal is always until freeze is getting wet and drying off. A high tech tent is pretty much useless once you and everything you own is wet, reason being, you need real fire to heat and dry under a shelter, aka blue tarp. Also every high tech tent when wet will pond inside, what keeps water out will also keep water in.
Base camps in Alaska should always be canvas no floor with a wood stove. if you fly in, you set up a canvas tent and a stove, keep a blue tarp on your frame pack. Again, never leave camp without blue tarp and redundant fire, "one is zero" when it comes to arrows and fire starter.
The other issue besides moisture is mosquitos, I never encountered biting flies in Alaska like i did in Maine. Most likely a Moose hunter is not going to encounter full on summer biting insects in Alaska, but you can get some biting insects in September. Your biggest fight against that is going to be netting, canvas, clothing, leather, but even better in a camp will be smudge. Fire with green spruce on it is going to be your best friend,,,,, chemicals are good too but you have to fly them in and they will run out.
Any questions? Blue Tarp, Fire, Bunny Boots, Signaling Aircraft, Starting a log jam fire at minus 40 degrees? What happens when a sled dog puppy knocks over a fuel lamp and burns your cabin down at minus 40?
Outside of staying alive, if you do make a large kill such as a moose, how are you going to butcher and preserve it, lots of considerations, using a phone to call in help and transport, thats a good first plan but you need a multiple variant contengent positive outcome to win, Alaska has no respect for humans or our plans,,,,,,, b.
Quote from: Walt Francis on July 20, 2020, 11:04:43 PM
My pilot limits us to 65#'s of gear. Always tell him that I should be able to carry another 30-40#'s because Kevin Dill is at least that much bigger then me and he get's 65#'s.
Lol...My secret is that I lose 5 pounds of body weight every year and add 5# to my gear. It's great motivation. On the serious side of things....a number of years ago I developed some concerning health issues and ultimately lost 60 pounds of body weight. That was an interesting time.
Tipis and ultralight stoves....what a great topic. As Walt says, there are many and none are perfect. Like a bow, they all work but some will work better for you. No way could I go into all the variations and preferences on tipis, so I'll say this: I want mine to be strong and able to withstand heavy weather. I don't have enough money to buy a cheap shelter...meaning it will ultimately cost me less in the long run to buy a better shelter today. Think about that. Oh, and I always take a tipi's man-rating (8-man, 4-man etc) and divide it by 4 to get the REAL rating for a comfortable basecamp with room for gear. A Sawtooth will accept 4 sleepers, but it's commonly thought of as a 2-man unit. Having spent a lot of time in one, I will assure you a Sawtooth with woodstove, 2 bedrolls, 2 hunters, and your extra gear is a crowded hotel room. I see it as a 1-man basecamp for 14 days.
8-Man Seek Outside I used 3 years:
(https://i.imgur.com/PPPf9XTl.jpg)
I've done a number of different stoves. All have had various disappointments and several models aren't being made any more. What I've come to think is important to me:
Ease of assembly
Don't oversize for shelter
Titanium over stainless
Draft (intake) control AND a flue damper
Flat top over a cylinder
Bigger door
Fewer parts = more simplicity
I'd like to think I've found the near-perfect stove. I own a Seek Outside U-Turn Titanium which has every characteristic I listed above. Very important to me is that it has the ability to completely shut down air to the fire and slow the burn or put it out.
I wouldn't prefer to go moose hunting without a stove. Incredibly useful for maintaining dry clothes, boots, rain gear, pack and inside the tipi. I can cook on if needed. And it goes without saying all that heat is wonderful on a cold rainy evening.
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And don't forget the tools you need to feed that stove. I'm not into wood-scrounging (as in just roughing up whatever I can find) so I bring a saw and hand axe. I find dead standing wood and bring it to camp. There I cut it to lengths and split the rounds into stove wood. There is nothing better than seeing this inside my tipi....
(https://i.imgur.com/3q4TyKTl.jpg)
Its all good as long as things go according to plan, but what happens if they don't? I was up at what is not Joint Base Lewis McChord in early 90s, used to hang around an outfitter called Base Camp. I got my first Goretex Jacket there, 1992? Their primary business was training and outfitting climbers for Mt Rainier. Now days you can just go online and get a good idea, a place to start, for about any adventure. Back then, you had to go there and learn, if you were lucky you might have a book to read.
Getting straight to the point, many people from Colorado were coming up to climb Mt Rainier, many based on knowledge, what they knew from climbing in Colorado, (not at all comparable) resulting in many accidents and some deaths. The reason being, a lack of local knowledge. When in Alaska, Do It The Alaska Way!"
Get back to the basics, read old Alaska books, study the sled dog racers from the Yukon Quest, what they consider as equipment needs.
Some random thoughts,,,,, Zippers are junk,,,, try to deal with a broken zipper at minus 20. A good pull over canvas Parky aka Anorak with no zippers is about ten times better than a new modern high tech jacket. If it does rip or something, it can be fixed.
As soon as you get out of the plane, unload, and that plane leaves, there is no guarantee of anything. Obviously you cannot fly a years worth of supplies in for a one week float trip or even a base camp hunt. However you can still learn the old Alaska ways of doing things, read lots of real Alaska stories, have a years worth of knowledge before your boots on the ground.
Sometimes the smartest people die from not knowing and understanding the simplest things. Christopher Mccandles was possibly the greatest outdoorsman of our time, an expert on foraging with an iron will. Many have written him off as a silly hippy that died in a bus, I do not. He made plenty of simple mistakes but the two biggest were made because of one thing, most importantly the two mistakes that killed him.
Criss lacked a local knowledge, he broke my biggest rule, always learn from the locals, dress the way they dress, eat what they eat, you don't have to eat everything they eat, I have passed on some pretty nasty stuff in Asia. If locals do not eat it, do not eat it, you are probably not smarter than them since they actually live there. Criss relied on a book for what he could eat and not eat, the book was wrong. If he had gone up and lived with a trapper for the summer, or some old sour dough, he would have known.
He also relied on a conversation had in the Dakotas about preserving meat. He made a kill and then lost it because he tried to smoke it with no experience smoking meats. If he had simply carried out some salt and sugar, a blue tarp, he could have made a simple cover shelter, brine, stripped the meat, fish, and dried it out the same way every Alaskan I know does it, no big deal, none of us would have ever heard of him. He could have waited till the river froze and just walked out the same way a thousand or more gold prospectors had done.
As far as the 14 day quarantine, Im on the phone to the interior at least once a week. The quarantine is not enforceable, nothing to worry about if you are set up with a hunting guide.
A guy from the interior drove up through Canada on the Alcan in June, was told to not stop for anything but gas, so in that way even Canada was open. If your flying up, most likely you will get off one plane in Fairbanks or whatever, then get on another and fly out of the civilized world.
There are some Native Corps that are closed, for the most part none of them are involved in guiding hunts.
Anyone that has a trip planned, keep getting ready and plan on going. Just keep up with your hunting guide, local on the ground conditions, what they have to say.
Thanks Bryan for chiming in. Local knowledge is invaluable. Keep it coming. Fun stuff.
I'm like a sponge....
This is great info. I almost feel like I'm cheating though because my partner has been doing this a long time and has things dialed in. I'm just along for the ride. Rumor is that his camp is like staying at a Hilton. I think I'm in for a treat!
Yes, yes you are cheating... jealous! :campfire:
Quote from: Whip on July 22, 2020, 10:07:50 PM
I'm like a sponge....
This is great info. I almost feel like I'm cheating though because my partner has been doing this a long time and has things dialed in. I'm just along for the ride. Rumor is that his camp is like staying at a Hilton. I think I'm in for a treat!
Got any interest in trading camps? I could throw in a three legged blind sled dog leader and multiple red light champ named Lucky????? My only interest in the thread is to see t gangers have a good hunting experience, once I was a young cat with 13 lives, that was yesterday.
One thing that can't be ignored for most of us traveling in by Super Cub is that we have to do a basecamp-type hunt lasting 10-14 days while limiting ourselves to very light gear loads. And of course it's not just about the gear needed to have a camp. There's the matter of weaponry, clothing, plenty of nutrition, and lots more. Handling a dead moose requires certain additional gear which uses up precious pounds of your allotted weight. None of this is an issue for guys jet-boating a river or using ATVs to access their areas. Light aircraft get us to very remote areas at the expense of bringing only the essential gear....often with some hard choices to leave out things we'd love to bring.
One example of how things can go askew in an instant:
Last year I picked up a satellite phone in Fairbanks from the same rental person I've used for years. He was out on a hunt but had dropped the phone and accessories at the hotel where I picked them up. Easy. I arrived in camp first and began setting things up, knowing my partner would arrive in an hour or two. Unknown to me, his arrival was delayed a bit due to our pilot changing his flight schedule. I got the tipi up and camp in basic order, then took a quick break for lunch. The sat phone was handy and I decided to send a quick text to my wife that all was good on my end. The phone screen showed a message...."NO SIM CARD"...and that means no phone use. I verified there was no SIM card in the phone or case. I couldn't communicate. I had to think quickly.
When the Cub landed with my partner I met the plane and explained the situation to our pilot. I gave him contact info for the rental guy, and he was airborne 10 minutes later. Two days later my pilot over-flew our camp and air-dropped a plastic tube with the missing SIM card. This turned out to be only a minor inconvenience BECAUSE my pilot came in with my partner after I discovered the problem. Had I been dropped on a solo hunt and found the problem after the plane flew away, I would've had no way to communicate with anyone....pilot...wife...etc. In Alaska the lesson always comes after the test.
One story anyone heading to the bush should know is that of Carl McCunn. He had the unfortunate experience of failing to properly signal an aircraft that could have rescued him after forgetting to set up a airplane to retrieve him in fall from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Warning, it was a bad outcome.
Not sure what kind of links I can ad so just do a search on Carl McCunn Alaska and you will find plenty written about it.
Kevin, good story and glad you got it corrected. It seems crazy now but my only communication up there was an old car radio at my camp, so I had a one way communication, I could listen to weather reports and you could mail or send a letter in to the station and they would read it over the radio to communicate to other people in remote locations.
I use this saying a lot when it comes to mission critical gear,,,,,,, ONE IS ZERO,,,, Redundancy and repair parts for weapons, fire, light, first aid, and communications will save your bacon
One thing to remember when in the field in Alaska. Take your communication device (sat phone, in reach etc.) with you when you leave camp. You are much more likely to have an accident that requires evacuation when out and about then sitting in camp. John and I woke up to this a few years ago and started carrying one of our in reach units with us. It's also cool to text someone that you just killed a big bull.
Mike
Sat phones are a nice safety measure, but I've only had one in camp on one of my trips. Solo hunting, I would see it as a requirement. Hence, why Tina and I didn't even know about 9/11 until Friday and it occurred on a Tues. :)
The outfitter flying me in next year requires a lithium powered device (sat phone) for my solo trip. They advertise one move to a new site if necessary. Gotta be able to contact them for that and an early departure if needed. It's kinda nice that I can send a text to the wife as well, she is not as excited about my adventure as I am.
Matthew
Managed to get couple of billets down to the final ring, prepared them for takedown sleeves, mixed up some MT-13, got them glued up, and am waiting until tomorrow for the epoxy to fully set before continuing. With a free evening, I will try to get back and add to this thread. Let us look at where you will spend most of your time while in camp, your sleeping bag. What follows, like all these discussions, is what I have found that works for me, others might have different or better ways. A lot of what I use came directly from others who shared their insight, testing, and experiences, additional insight experiences are not only welcome but encouraged.
Sleeping gear
1. Sleeping Bags
a. Down is warmer ounce for ounce & pound for pound. It compacts into a small package for its weight. Good down (850 ) is usually more expensive too. Drawback is down losing its loft, and therefore its warmth, when it gets wet. There can be a lot of rain in Alaska in September and you had better be prepared for it. A lot of the new down is water resistant (not waterproof) and holds up much better to moisture. I have used the new down with good results in Montana. Hunter used a Kuiu down bag on our AK moose hunt in 2016 and it did a good job of keeping him warm. On that 12 day hunt it rained all day, every day but two days. Those two days it rained in the morning and the afternoon of the other day. With the right precautions and care, I have never had an issue using down.
b. Synthetic bags are bulky, they do not compress much. They weigh around 4-6 times as much as a down bag for the warmth a down bag provides. The good, they will keep you warm even when they are wet. You might be miserable being wet, but you are still alive. They also provide lot better insulation on the bottom side than down.
c. Style-Mummy or rectangular- This is a matter of personal preference. Mummy are generally thought to a little warmer but impede movement. The rectangular bags allow easy movement but are not considered as warm. The only complaint Hunter had regarding the Kuiu bag mentioned before was how tight it was which made it difficult to move around in it.
My preference for Alaska hunts is a Cabela's Alaskan Guide sleeping bag. Not sure if they still make this model, I got mine in 2000. I believe Bryan Burkhart uses the same model. The bag is 2/3 synthetic materials, 1/3 down (Not water resistant), with a rectangular shape, and weighs 7-8 pounds. This bag has kept me warm down to -30 (f), has plenty of room to allow lots of movement, and keeps you warm when wet.
2. Sleeping Pads
a. Foam. Most likely everybody has used the ½ -1" foam that rolls up. It is really bulky, kind-of works if you have a flat place and the ground does not get very cold. They are better then nothing, but not much better. You feel every stick and stone on the ground if there are any. You get the idea; these have no place in my camp. However, I have cut one up to make sitting pads to use when glassing and bottoms for some of my quivers.
b. Air pads are more comfortable than the foam pads but have no insulation value. They are great in warm climates and conditions, but a waste in Alaska unless you can bring in enough insulation to go on top of them.
c. Air Pad's with Foam. The are comfortable and provide insulation. Depending on the thickness (and weight), they can have an R-value from 3-11. Mine is from REI, 3" thick, and I'm not sure what the r-factor is. With my Cabela's bag it has been plenty. I know several people who prefer to use a 4" insulated pad with their down bags. Air pads can leak, bring a repair kit.
3. Sleeping Cot. First, Thank You Kevin Dill! I always thought of a cot like the ones used in my Spike tent when horse or truck camping, would be the ticket for a good night's sleep in the Alaskan bush. Unfortunately, all the cots I had ever seen were like mine, bulky and heavy; the aluminum one's weigh close to ten pounds. Several years back in one of Kevin's moose threads he reviewed a lightweight cot that keeps you 4" off the ground. After reading his assessment of it, then asking him a few questions, I bought one. I will just say on my last moose hunt the cot accounted for the best eleven night's sleep I have had in all of my Alaskan hunts.
4. How to stay warmer in you sleeping bag
a. Wear a beanie or other type of warm cap. If you have a healthy head of hair this may not pertain, as much, to you. However, if you are follicle challenged as I am, this can add 10-20 degrees to your sleeping bag.
b. Wear socks, but only if your feet do not start sweating.
c. A down cover/liner for your bag. Military poncho liner work really well. Costco sells a lightweight down throw blanket that weighs a couple of ounces, they sell them every year for around 15-20 bucks. They pack into its own attached 3 x 4" round bag. I use one with my lightweight bag when hunting backcountry elk. (Also carry one with a poncho in my pack when in AK)
d. Keep your nose and mouth out of the sleeping bag. Breath in fresh air and exhale outside of the sleeping bag. The moisture in your breath condensates, cools, and can cause problems.
Walt, are you making the bow that is going to AK with you?
Jeff,
Taking Pigger like always, probably her last major trip. Might take a new one as a backup, but that is highly unlikely. I broke my left shoulder in April, then broke three ribs on July 4th, and have been unable to fish (I'm left handed but shoot bows mostly right handed). I have been building bows on the evenings & weekends instead of fishing.
Wow, you are tough on your body! Guess you just wanted to make this solo hunt a little more challenging?
Good to hear that Pigger gets to go to AK one more time, that bow deserves it.
Love the images. What poundage are ya'll pulling for the moose
I remember a year not so long ago in a restaurant far, far away....
It was the Chena Pump House in Fairbanks and the place was crowded. Bryan and I met Walt and his hunting pard there and had a decent dinner. We talked about everything for ten minutes and then nothing but moose hunting for about 2 hours. That was the year Pigger drew blood and what a year it was. Great stories...greater memories.
Regarding sleeping gear, I gained some insight from others who had been doing the floorless tipi act before I started. I believe it was John Havard who gave me a not-so-subtle clue about the LuxuryLite Cot and Exped DownMat Pad I ended up with. Then I swapped out my good sleeping bags for Western Mountaineering bags and that pretty much ended my search for the best. As Walt indicates, the cot is the foundation of a great bed over rough ground. It elevates and suspends...reduces pressure points...and can be leveled to perfection if you wish. I've always said that my bed is critical gear, because I'll spend 1/3 of any hunt in it and how well I rest has a large say in how hard I'll hunt.
I need a snorkel in my sleeping bag. On really cold nights I just can't keep myself from diving completely inside including my head and face. I wear a beanie but my head still gets cold. And of course i introduce moisture vapor by doing that, so I try to air out my bag regularly. I always wear thin base layers and socks when sleeping. Sometimes I wear liner gloves if it's going to be cold.
An interesting note: Apparently isobutane canisters are getting hard to find. I've seen some price gouging for them online (as in $29.99 for a single 8 oz canister which typically runs $6.00) and the FAA is getting more restrictive about flying with them.
This weekend I burned-in my new U-Turn stove. The Redcliff is set up and ready to seam-seal. I'm up to about 50 miles of legwork as I hit the road every morning at 4:00 am. Walking under pre-dawn stars is as good as it gets.
Fantastic information! Walt, I didn't know you were a rodeo bull rider? What the heck.... I sure hope all heals quick.
For us guys with less hair on top a beanie is invaluable.
Won't be long now for you guys. I'm jealous!
Kevin: I agree about the Western Mountaineering down bags. Have had one for a few years and have never had trouble keeping it, or my previous down bags, dry even on a 14 day Alaskan moose hunt during which it rained 13 days. Mine is a Sequoia model, which is a little larger than its mummy bags, but not quite as wide as a rectangular bag.
Regarding the rising isobutane fuel costs, you might want to consider a gasifier wood stove, at least as a back up. I just purchased a Starfire Scout. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but several excellent reviews on U-tube. Very compact and light. Yeah, it's usually raining in Alaska in September, but can usually find small dry sticks under the canopy close to the trunks of the scrub spruce, etc.
Orion...
The Western Mountaineering Sequoia (GWS) is the bag I bought when I decided to make the 'final' upgrade. I've had it many years and it has seen me through lots of trips and countless cold nights. When I wake up at 4:30 and the tipi is completely crystallized with inside frost....I'm glad to have all that goose down.
As for fuel issues and cooking, my final backup plan is always to use my main woodstove for heating water.
One tidbit for isobutane stove users: A few years ago my stove malfunctioned right at the end of my trip. I cleaned it when I got home and thought it was good to go. The next year it failed me at the outset of my hunt, BUT I had decided to bring a backup stove...a very tiny Snow Peak Titanium gas unit. I ended up using the backup stove for the entire trip. I later figured out my primary stove had some type of tiny debris inside the orifice. I had to use the exact right (size) wire to clean and service it. Bingo....perfect operation the last 2 years.
My flights to and from Alaska have been cancelled twice. I'm trying to reschedule again.
My new tipi pole arrived with missing parts. Got that resolved.
Still working around the stove canister issues.
Fairbanks hotel I used last year is $55 LESS per night this year.
There are rumors of a virus affecting travel.
Someone said I need to take a Covid-19 test before hunting, but I can't seem to find the study guide.
;)
Camping
Let's round out the camping equipment. Most things listed here have good and bad points, everybody has their preferences and I have mine. Often, multiple items in the same category are taken on the hunt. The categories are taken directly from my check list and I probably have multiple versions of most of them. When getting ready for any extended hunt I go through my checklist, laying everything in groups then making choices on what is going with me. I will be going back and forth between items until the final decision is made. My comments here are limited to my choices and sometimes why.
1. Hatchet/ Axe – 18-24"
a. Gransfors Burks - Simply because they work really well, probably the best production axe made
b. Council Axe - because they work, and are the best production axe made in the USA
2. Saw
a. Folding - Silky
b. Bow Saw - Collapsible - I'm old school so I bring a lightweight version
3. Knifes
a. Traditional
i. Folding –
1. Belt - For sentimental reasons, I always have either the Buck 110 inherited from my brother Gary or the Schrade my Dad gave me as I walked out the door headed to the Frank Church on my first deer hunt.
2. Pocket – Always carry a folder Doug Campbell left on my kitchen counter while I was hunting in Alaska one year.
ii. Fixed Blade – Rarely bring one, would rather use the axe for big jobs and a folder for the smaller ones.
iii. Replaceable Blade – Always – Havalon with 12 blades
iv. Leatherman/Multi tools - Usually
v. Wet Stone - Always
4. Light
a. In Camp – I use a headlamp
b. In Field – Always have two with me
5. Communications
a. Radios
b. Sat Phone – Have had one of these on my last five trips.
c. In-Reach – Thinking of taking one this year instead of the satellite phone because of weight. Comments on experience with these are encouraged.
6. Batteries – A back up set for both headlamps
7. File – Sharpie – Some evenings I like to touch up my broadheads.
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8. Charger – Optional,
a. My experience is solar chargers do not work very well in the bush because of the clouds and rain.
b. Flash Drive type is much better
9. 550 Cord – Rope – Everybody has a preference, it's 550 cord for me because I have a 2,500 foot roll of it.
10. Sunglasses (2) – In case it is sunny, and if I only take one pair, I always step on them and break them. If I take two pairs nothing ever happens to either pair.
11. Reading Glasses (3) Minimum, I usually take four pairs of cheaters
12. Water Filter – Your preference. Some places the tannin's in the water will constantly clog your filters
a. Pump
b. Squeeze Bottle – My Favorite. Bought a PUR water filter at Costco in 1998 and it worked great until 2018 when the plastic lid started cracking and leaking everywhere. We had three other filters with us in 2018, the tannin's clogged them so bad the first use they were worthless
c. Drip System
d. Purification Tablets
13. Gun – Personal reference, I take a .44 mag with 12-18 rounds.
a. Pistol
b. Shotgun
c. Rifle
d. Bear Spray
14. Electric Fence – I have left this at home every year because of the weight. I believe Kevin Dill used carbon arrows for the posts, I'm going to look into that in the next couple of weeks. Kevin, how well did the arrows work? Any suggestions?
Walt I saw a neat pre filter setup for water to prevent the clog issue. They just ran the water through a coffee filter first and then the filter. Worked like a charm.
Mike
For anyone who is driving up to Alaska from the lower 48, they just announced on the news this morning that you can cross at one of 5 border crossings in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and you'll have to display a tag in your windshield that shows the date that you have to be out of Canada by.
They want you to get through as quickly as possible.
Have a great hunt guys! Us guys in our group are still waiting to see if we get a bull tag for our hunt in northwest Ontario.
Dave.
I did build my own bear fence years ago, and used carbon arrow shafts for the poles. Will they work?...yes....basically. I found them to be too flexible and not long enough to drive deeper in Alaska soil which tends to not be tight. I'm not satisfied with them. I've moved on to using the fiberglass snow marker poles available at Lowes or Home Depot. Very strong and more rigid. And by the way, I did have a big blonde grizzly test my fence a few years ago. I was sitting in the tent waiting on the rain to stop. The bear approached unseen and I had no clue until I heard some subtle noises outside. After contacting the wire, the bear hustled off away from my camp. Good thing too, because the next deterrent was about to be a chunk of hot lead.
One of the gear pieces I needed to upgrade for this trip was my sleeping bag. I've been using a quilt the past few years but knew that wasn't going to cut it. I really wanted a Western Mountaineering Sequoia but couldn't pull the trigger to spend nearly the nearly $900 it would take. I threw a wanted ad on Rokslide and it took awhile, but found exactly what I wanted. 8 year old Sequoia long in perfect condition for less than half the price of new.
That bag paired with an Exped downmat on top of a Helinox cot - I should sleep good.
Quote from: wood carver 2 on July 31, 2020, 12:21:47 PM
For anyone who is driving up to Alaska from the lower 48, they just announced on the news this morning that you can cross at one of 5 border crossings in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and you'll have to display a tag in your windshield that shows the date that you have to be out of Canada by.
They want you to get through as quickly as possible.
Have a great hunt guys! Us guys in our group are still waiting to see if we get a bull tag for our hunt in northwest Ontario.
Dave.
I know a guy that drove up from Texas to Fairbanks in June, made it. But he had Alaska Drivers License. Cant say what what happen with lower 48 license, as it seems all tourism is off. That said, fly into Fairbanks, get on a Cesna and fly out to a camp, doesn't seem to be an issue.
For those lucky Bowhunters who, unlike me and Kevin, made it to Alaska this fall and chased the mighty moose, how about some feedback on your gear? What worked and what didn't? What methods worked and what didn't? What would you do differently, if you could have a redo on your 2020 moose hunt?