Lets Talk Gear!

For those of you that have hunted up there what are your suggestions for clothes? Do you prefer wool, fleece, Microtex? What kind of boots? Etc....

I am heading up there in September for a drop camp caribou hunt. We will be going in a wheel plane verses a float plane. I have ordered some gear that I didn't already own that was suggested by the transporter we are using. On the subject of wool, I ordered Columbias pants and shirt from Cabelas. I am now sending it back because its seems way to bulky. I think I will go with the microtex instead.

Here are a few things on my list to take:
Alaksan guide backpack and frame, bog buster hip boots, rain gear, Danner boots, Windshear clothes, Big Agnes zero degree sleeping bag, Water purifier, GPS, etc......

Any suggestions, tips?

Rharris

When I was up there, I hunted in a corduroy thong, rubber boots and a cowboy hat.
Eric

I don't have a LOT of experience up there, just one trip in mid-September, 2001. It was in a float plane, so we HAD to have hip boots to get out of the plane. We didn't need them to hunt in. I'd rather have had some of the lightweight Glacier socks with me, or Wiggy's lightweight waders that only weigh half a pound or so that I could slip into my pack in case I had to ford a thigh-high stream to get to that big bull.
I'd be sure to have at least one spotting scope and tripod for each pair of hunters. It will save you a lot of walking to evaluate antlers. A collapsible rubberized nylon bucket is handy for hauling water to camp. Temperatures for us weren't extreme. High 20's to around 60 degrees. Some parachute cord is useful for tying antlers to the pack frame or for tarping your meat cache. A Wyoming saw is easy to take along. A pair of gaiters helps keep your lower legs dry. A bug net for your head. A couple blue tarps always come in handy for a variety of uses. Something to sit on in camp is great, like a small tripod-style stool. The wind will blow. You will have some rain. Sounds like you've made preparations for that. Microtex worked well for me as an intermediate layer. I'd be sure any fleece I brought had windstopper, or windshear or some kind of windblock layer built in. Gore tex hiking boots were fine for us. You'll likely be hauling a lot of weight when you get one down, so make sure they're comfortable.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-20-04 AT 10:27PM (MST)[p]Az Bob is right in the ballpark,
A long raincoat that extends down past the tops of your hip boots is very important!,otherwise the rain runs down into your boots! I use those blister free socks under my wool ones too!
Think Waterproof!
On My Kodiak Bear hunt,everything was drenched! If you can't hose it down with a garden hose don't bring it!
My spring grizzly hunt was more like a winter elk hunt in the Rockies,Wind,Cold,Snow!
On my September Caribou hunt,I had it all,bright sunny days,windy and overcast,and hurricane Andrew!
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

sounds good, if you don't mind who are you flying out with

Were flying out with Lake Clark Air in mid September. Thanks for the input everyone.
All of you mentioned several thing on my list already that I didn't type on my first post. We ( My dad and I) Will both have a set of binoculars ( 10x42 SLC, and 10x42 Nikons) as well as a Leica spotting scope. The wyoming saw is in my pack, I wouldn't leave home without it. Whats your recomendation on game bags? I have been tossing around either investing in some good reusable bags or even buying some cheap sheets and sewing them together.

The firearm of choice for both of us will be our trusty .270's These will be pushing a very reliable 150gr Nosler hand load that has served me well from Coues deer, Mule deer, Oryx, on up to Shiras moose.
I will have the opportunity to purchase a wolf and wolverine tag as well. Hunter Harry, what are the odds of me seeing one of these critters?

As soon as I get a couple of pairs of jongjohns I will start putting my pack together and weighing at the local post office.

We have some info from the Lake Clark Air folks on getting capes and meat back home, but I would like to hear from those of you that have experienced this. What methods did you use, how did it work out?

I am sure I will think of more questions. Thanks for all your input. I am glad they put this forum up, I hope this will be the first of many Alaska adventures for me.

Rharris

RH,
I'm leaving my hides and capes in Anchorage at Alpha Fur Dressers. They will come to the airport and pick them up. They have very reasonable tanning prices, even if you are not a taxidermist. Shipping those tanned hides will be much cheaper.
As far as the antlers and meat, right now Frontier Airlines is telling me that I can bring them on as excess baggage for $50.00 a piece. It sounds a little too good to be true, but we'll see.

Dan

LAST EDITED ON Apr-21-04 AT 05:44PM (MST)[p]I used Lake Clark Air in '98 for my Caribou hunt!
They had a great operation.
Glen Alsworth and Mark Lang were our pilots.
You can see my bulls under "My Alaskan Adventures" Post.
Everything went smoothly on my hunt. The meat hauls were very timley too.
The year after I went a friend of mine went and almost had a chance at some wolves,a plane buzzed them as he was stalking them!
I took my wolves in a different area (Gakona River)After my caribou hunt, I went out with a different outfitter looking for a big Grizzly when we came across a very large pack.
I would definatley bring a tag or two! They are only $35.00 ea.
I took my capes to Knight's Taxidermy in Anchorage and he had them tanned and then sent them to me later.
Good Luck!

I am originally from Southern Colorado, and after a few years up here I have totally adapted my gear. So, as a western hunter who had to learn the difference between dry Colorado and wet Alaska, here are my experiences:

I have found that I really prefer the wool up here. Its lighter and less bulky than fleece, and its also tougher. Woolrich or Cabela's or Coda's washable technowool is great. A lot of the modern wool is not all that itchy.

The Cabela's dry-plus type of rain gear is okay for the most part, but Gortex will not keep you totally dry for days and days of rain if it does not have a chance to dry out. The Helly Hanson stuff or any other PVC rain gear will keep you dry, but you will sweat, so you still end up damp. I think no matter what , if it rains every day, you are gonna get damp, no way around it.

Some things I have found up here. Skimp on taking extra shirts and pants, two pants and two shirts for a 7 day hunt is plenty. Bring extra long johns, all you can carry really. Get the light synthetic kind, they are cheap, weigh nothing, and pack easily. There is no better feeling after a hard day of packing meat than putting on some clean dry long johns before crawling into your bag.

Baby wipes are GREAT!!! You can really clean yourself up pretty good with a few baby wipes. They are light, cheap, and work really well.

Bring a tyvec suit or two in your pack. After you kill an animal, put on your Tyvek before you gut and butcher. Sure,you look stupid as hell, but his way, your clothes don't get bloody, and you don't have to store them outside of your tent because of bears. Tyvek sutis don't weight anything, and are easy to carry.
Also, bring a few pairs of latex surgeon type gloves. Use them to gut and butcher. Its hard to get dried blood off of your hands, and it will dry them out and makes them crack and bleed, and you will almost never get them clean. The latex gloves will keep your hands clean.


Tents - a low profile, aluminum pole tent, with a fly that goes all the way to the ground is essential. Do not get a cheap tent. You will be sorry. Get one with bathtub floors. Any tent you can stand up in completely is probably too high profile for a caribou hunt.

A cot is really nice if you get a compact, lightweight one. Skip the air mattres, and get a cot. Getting off of that cold tundra makes for a better nights sleep and a better hunt.

Meindl boots are the finest leather boot out there , bar none. Show me another boot where you can walk in muskeg for a day, and have dry feet at the end of it. They are expensive. They are worth every penny. Actually, they are a bargain at $185, I would pay more.

Finally, if you are hunting north of Anchorage, bring a small battery operated alarm clock and set it to wake you up around 1 or 2 in the morning when you have a clear night. The Northern Lights will be something you will want to see.

Interesting comment on the subject of wool Ultramag. I guess it almost like a Ford/Chevy thing. My opinion is not based on experience. I have been talking to a guy that is going to take me on a hunt in New Zealand (very wet there) and his opinion is wool takes too long to dry out once wet. His preference is things such as Fleece, Polartec,etc.. The Columbia wool I ordered is very bulky that is why I decided to send it back.

Dan, does that taxidermist wet tan? I have a good friend down here in Virden NM that has been teaching me the fine art of Taxidermy. So far I have mounted my elk, javelina, Coues, and my wifes bear, with several other capes in the freezer waiting on me. Are you planning on having everything turned and fleshed on the capes before you get it that Taxidermist in Anchorage? What other animals are you hunting on your trip?

Hunter Harry, I did alot of research before deciding on LCA. It is always nice to hear from others though that there experience was good. Actually the research part was alot of fun. Any recommendations on a book to get a better idea on field judging a caribou's antlers? Did you go on a wheel plane or float plane? Should I take an light colapsable fihing rod? I just don't want to not miss out on any possibilities.

Have any of you hunted Sitka deer up there. They seem to be an affordable animal to hunt for the average working guy like me.


Later

Rharris

RH, Alpha doesn't wet tan. But people say they do a great job on their dry tanning. I always prefer to tan everything myself, but after 14 days in the field, I doubt I feel like hassling with it. I will have the capes fleshed and turned before I get to Anchorage, but they will also do it for you.
I'll be hunting primarily moose and caribou, but I've been told I'll have a reasonable chance at a black bear. Anyways, I'll have tags for everything. I'm sure a few will go un-used. As long as the moose tag is filled, I'll be a happy-camper.
Taxidermy is a great hobby, so keep at it. That's what's paying for my Alaska trip. I only do about 30 heads a year, but that's plenty for a part-time job. Are you going to be a the show in June?

LAST EDITED ON Apr-22-04 AT 03:57PM (MST)[p]The Columbia stuff IS very bulky, so is the Weatherby stuff. But the technowool stuff is not bulky at all, just like regular shirts and jeans.

You are correct, wool does take longer to dry than fleece. It also does not burn like fleece does if you get to have a fire and it pops while you are standing too close. (Ask me how I know this

Oh, I almost forgot. Frontier or any airline will let you take extra stuff like meat and antlers for $50 --per 50 lbs box. If you have 600 lbs of moose meat, plus cape, plus antlers---wow.

What you should do is go to the cargo place and find out how to become a "known shipper" (this was implemented after 9/11). There is some paperwork, but you can then air cargo everything home for pennies a pound.

Hi guys,
I got caught in a hellish storm on Adak island on a caribou hunt. My friend is a guide up there and gave me good advise. I was wearing sleeping indian wool(don't really think what kind of wool is important) with an outside layer of helly hansen Impertech. It breathes so you don't sweat in it, unlike the old stuff. While packing out a caribou from our hunt we ran out of light, a storm blew in from the bering sea and "boom" we were in it. The only choice we had was to lie down in the tall grass and wait it out. 8 hours later with 50+mph winds and heavy rain, we were okay. Impertech worked for me and with Chitty raingear-hypothermia would have been a real possibility. Beautiful country but it can kill you if you are not prepared.
Just my experience,
Marty

One quick addition on transporting hides and antlers. I was fulltime and now am a part time taxidermist. I caped and froze my hides at Aniak overnite. I had coolers that I used as baggage. Clothes and such up in them. Meat and hides back. I boxed my gear and shipped it back USPS. Or freight if you have a bunch. Nothing at all wrong with tanning in AK though.

On the antlers, unless you are scoring for a book entry(personally I have no use for record books but thats me) then all you have to do to help compact antlers is take a few spread measurements and then saw the skull plate in half. Got 2 sets of bou antlers home a lot easier last fall. FWIW

Anyone want to tell me not to buy a Cabelas AK guide tent before I do? Or suggest better or other??

Jeff