2022 Moose, Renfro Air

[BigTree]

Is Renfro going to outfit you with tents/etc., or is it all your own gear?

Given you have 300 pounds of weight, a few things I would take:

- 2 Tyvek sheets (softened by soaking in the clothes washer for a few hours, and then run through 1 wash and rinse cycle, no detergent). Put one sheet under the tent floor, and one inside the tent over the floor. Really cuts down on cuts and damage to the tent floor by sticks, rocks, etc.

- 2 9'x9' Tyvek sheets instead of blue tarps for putting meat on if you get one. Prepared the same way as the Tyvek sheets for the tent.

- A couple of newspapers. Your boots will be damp at night, put a crumpled sheet of newspaper inside each boot, and they will dry the inside of the boot by morning.

- About 15 Glo Sticks. We break one and hang it above the tent door at night. It's not bright enough to impact sleeping, but it helps you get your bearings quickly if something goes bump in the night.

- GOOD FOOD. We have eaten Mountain House for dinner 10 nights in a row, it gets kind of old after 4 or 5 nights, even with different flavors.

- Cut-resistant gloves. To wear when breaking down your moose, real easy to cut a finger or two after many hours of knife work.

- Luxurylite Lightweight Cot. Your back will thank you instead of trying to find a level spot of ground to sleep on. A good night's sleep in the wild is a great thing.

- 1 Empty 32 Ounce Gatorade Bottle per Hunter. Pissing in the bottle beats going outside in the rain and wind in the middle of the night.

- 80 Pack of Baby Wipes. Being able to use 1-2 wipes in the morning to wash your face, neck, and privates in the morning is a good feeling, especially on a 10-12 day hunt.

- Electric Tape. To put over the end of your gun barrels. LOTS of little leaves and twigs in the Alaskan bush, and they seem to find their way in your barrel if uncovered.

Hope you have a great hunt, I think they have been getting quite a few moose out of Bethel the past few years.

How does softening the Tyvec improve its performance?

 

[Kevin Dill]

I'm almost convinced Tyvek started out as a hunting-camping product, and then got discovered as a house wrap.

 

[USMC2602]

As AKDoc said above, for the very few pounds they take up, the folding toilet seat and small shovel were one of the best items we packed. Sure was nice being able to sit down and be “comfortable”! After that, the piss bottle. Assuming you have good waders (I had the Simms G3 and boots), solid rain gear (I used the Sitka Stormfront), a good shelter (we used my SO 8 man tipi) and a good attitude, the rest is pretty straightforward. Enjoy the planning and preparation, then go have the trip of a lifetime.

 

[AKBorn]

How does softening the Tyvec improve its performance?

If you don't soften it, it will be so loud that any animals within 3/4 mile of your camp could hear it. Softer, more pliable, quieter, and easier to work with after softening, at least for me.

 

[BigTree]

Hip waders or chest waders? What do folks suggest?
My father and I are headed up to Bethel with Renfro late September.

 

[BigTree]

As AKDoc said above, for the very few pounds they take up, the folding toilet seat and small shovel were one of the best items we packed. Sure was nice being able to sit down and be “comfortable”! After that, the piss bottle. Assuming you have good waders (I had the Simms G3 and boots), solid rain gear (I used the Sitka Stormfront), a good shelter (we used my SO 8 man tipi) and a good attitude, the rest is pretty straightforward. Enjoy the planning and preparation, then go have the trip of a lifetime.

Does the 8 man SO tipi, 2 cots and a stove leave room for a kitchen and some gear storage comfortably? I was thinking about bringing an additional light weight tent to store stuff in. We don't have the tipi yet, but looking into buying one.
Did your waders hold up through the whole hunt? I have G3s, but willow and alders are tough!

 

[bmrfish]

Plenty of room in the 8 man for two low cots, gear storage, stove and some wood. Not sure what you are thinking for kitchen but with all of the above ours is full up. Probably don’t want to be inside much during daylight hours though. We use a tarp for outside kitchen when it’s raining. Also we avoid food smells in the tent.


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[USMC2602]

BigTree - please understand that this was my only DIY drop in moose hunt. Lots of folks on here have years and multi trip experience, but I’m happy to share how it worked out for a couple of pilgrims.

The 8 man for the two of us had more than enough room. 2 ultralight cots, 2 chairs, stove, 2 tubs, Coleman 2 burner stove, food, our packs, some wood, etc. We only left one tub with extra stuff and the rafts outside. Now, everything is “strategically” placed and only one guy is up and moving around at a time, but space was never an issue for us. He’s my best friend and we’ve hunted and traveled together for years, so that likely helps as we pretty much know what each other are going to do before we do it.

I was concerned about space and the “what ifs” as well, so took my Anjan 2 ultralight tent. It never left the tub of extra stuff we left outside. If doing it again, I’d leave it at home.

I wore my G3’s every day on our 10 day drop- in caribou hunt in the Brooks Range 4 years ago, and every day on our moose hunt last year. Zero issues, leaks, etc. Have them hanging in my basement and wouldn’t hesitate to take them on another similar trip. They’re a bit blood stained and “greasy” even after a good scrubbing, but that’s okay with me.

Hope that helps.

 

[BigTree]

Plenty of room in the 8 man for two low cots, gear storage, stove and some wood. Not sure what you are thinking for kitchen but with all of the above ours is full up. Probably don’t want to be inside much during daylight hours though. We use a tarp for outside kitchen when it’s raining. Also we avoid food smells in the tent.


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Thanks bmrfish, I like the idea of an outside kitchen and hang out area.

 

[BigTree]

BigTree - please understand that this was my only DIY drop in moose hunt. Lots of folks on here have years and multi trip experience, but I’m happy to share how it worked out for a couple of pilgrims.

The 8 man for the two of us had more than enough room. 2 ultralight cots, 2 chairs, stove, 2 tubs, Coleman 2 burner stove, food, our packs, some wood, etc. We only left one tub with extra stuff and the rafts outside. Now, everything is “strategically” placed and only one guy is up and moving around at a time, but space was never an issue for us. He’s my best friend and we’ve hunted and traveled together for years, so that likely helps as we pretty much know what each other are going to do before we do it.

I was concerned about space and the “what ifs” as well, so took my Anjan 2 ultralight tent. It never left the tub of extra stuff we left outside. If doing it again, I’d leave it at home.

I wore my G3’s every day on our 10 day drop- in caribou hunt in the Brooks Range 4 years ago, and every day on our moose hunt last year. Zero issues, leaks, etc. Have them hanging in my basement and wouldn’t hesitate to take them on another similar trip. They’re a bit blood stained and “greasy” even after a good scrubbing, but that’s okay with me.

Hope that helps.

USMC2602, thanks for the info! My father and I were debating last night whether to take a 2 man or 3-4 man tent in addition to a main tent for storage and incase wind or wildlife shredded the big tent. Sounds like we pilgrims had the same idea.

What boots did you wear with your waders and were you happy with them?

 

[USMC2602]

I have the G3 waders and G3 boots. Very pleased with both, wouldn’t change either.

 

[WMR]

As others have said, LOW cots are the ones to use. Because of the tipi’s sloping walls, typical camping cots will take up too much room. Our SO 8 person has stood up to gales on each of two trips. The guy out lines are the key to roominess and stability. Best is to tie them to willows or put sections of shock cord in line so the lines can “give” in high winds. Also, be sure to take the long tent stakes. Having weathered several storms on drop hunts, I will NEVER be without a backup shelter. Bears haunt our dreams, but in AK, it’s the weather that will kill you.

 

[fatlander]

How’d your hunt go?


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