AK Moose/Caribou Planning and Gear Lessons Learned

[Slugz]

Wader boot plan.
Here is another topic that can be tailored to each hunt. We chose to cover all bases for any hunt.

Crispi Highland Pros - crazy waterproof and great support. My go to boot for any activity when I know the water level, snow or mud we stay bow them. Love the BOA system on them.

Simms G3 paired with the older G4 pro boot- we went round and round with this one due to the price. Ended up going this route after getting hands on other brands and our activities here in Colorado will get used. G4 Pro is discontinued I believe so killer price on those now. Solid suppport boot.

 

[mitschkeb]

Okay, so I have a question for you more experienced guys. Western Alaska 9/12-9/23, ridge to hunt. Tent, cot, Z pad and zero degree western mountaineering bag. What R rating for pad? I can bring either exped ultra 5R or exped ultra 3R. Weight is tight and I don't have experience sleeping on a cot.

I would save the weight on the cot and bring the better pad. The vegetation on those mountains are like a foam mattress

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[ammonnhonduras]

Do you guys prefer a lower profile cot or a taller profile cot?

 

[Slugz]

Do you guys prefer a lower profile cot or a taller profile cot?

Low and light

 

[akcabin]

OK I'll add a few comments. I've done a little bit of this.
First I will say I have no idea what most of the stuff you are talking about is. What a boa system is or what most dried foods weigh. I'm just a guy that has a family with other needs I guess. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy myself.
First time I saw a bed roll I laughed my arse off. I'll own it.
Here's my thoughts. Your trying to loose a couple pounds or ounces. So you can travel in further and harvest game that weights a lot of money. Kinda like making sure that you trim the all the unusable fat on the hide off. Eh just saying.
I'm kinda ol school and have equipment that I have used, adjusted n fits me. I know how it feels when packing. I know where everything is located.
My backpack is the same. Probably 20 years old and seen a lot of mud n brush, but it's my pack n almost feels like a part of me. And has what I need to get by tried n true. But it's just stuff I've collected and if it works for me I can continue to make it even better. Couldn't sell it for and the stuff in it for 20 bucks. But I know it and I've tested it. Kinda like my ancient 22 high standard breakdown. Bought it on the side of the road near 40 years ago with no rear sight, 80 bucks. Made a sight from a 10/22. Probably couldn't get 20 bucks for it either.
Hey we aged in together. I mention this for a couple reasons. First I don't want folks to feel that they need to most newest bestest gear to hunt and enjoy the experience.
More importantly to me. I don't want to die. I know the balance of my gear. I know how it feels I my hands automatically.
Things like a little loop on the shoulder strap. I have a free carabiner on it so I can hook my rifle sling to it and now I have 2 free hands and my slung rifle is perfectly on my shoulder n never moves. Lots of little pockets inside that zip.
I have a use a coleman blow up mattress. Worth the weight to sleep nice whenever you end up.
Muck por boots for hiking. Water proof tenny around camp or if you use good gators you can wear them in patchy snow or tundra walking. Waders, chest the new baggy ones. Hip I have a pair of redwings for years. Lots of salmon slime on them.
Hey not meaning to jerk anybodys chain here. Just saying that sometimes what you have it just right, get out.
But safety in knowing my gear inside n out tested. And molded to my needs.
BTW if you are in caribou country. Have a white flag. White hanky sized n wave it on a flag. I've found caribou to be very curious Intrested. Similar to the rear end of a caribou. Hang it on a brush and let the wind work it. Caribou call.
Also for a caribou. If you see several and have a choice. The ones with their tail riding higher on the back have more fat on them n better table fare. But all caribou is tasty tasty. Tender to.
I've got lots of little things that I've learned and blessed to be able to get out. And enjoy listening to our elders and how they did things. Probably pretty darn good advice

 

[Larry Bartlett]

cots are great, just don't forget they allow air flow underneath your body, so it's important to have at least 2" air pad and a warm bag. I'd usually take either my 5F Western Mountaineering down with a cotton flat sheet or my Kryptek 0F with a flat sheet plus a 2.5" Big Agnes insulated air pad. Western AK gets some high winds on those ridgetop hunts, and september can get cold.

 

[VernAK]

Gotta agree with Larry.

I usually prefer to sleep on a large Big Agnes insulated pad without a cot. Several years ago, i bought a Cabelas Trans Alaska Sleeping bag supposedly designed for the Iditarod Race. The top insulation is down and the bottom insulation is a synthetic that doesn't compress as much. It has become my favorite fart sack.

 

[Southeast]

On my last AK hunt (3rd DIY moose trip) I took a 4' section of Thermarest Z pad in addition to my inflatable sleeping pad. That extra item is now going to be standard.

It can be used as a ground cloth next to the cot at night, or put under my standard pad on really cold nights. During the day I use it all the time. It seems like I'm always kneeling down working on this or that on a float hunt, and the pad is awesome for keeping the knees off the rocks. It also fit inside my Big Agnes chair, making it much more cozy during long sits under a tarp on the glassing knob.

 

[wyosam]

On my last AK hunt (3rd DIY moose trip) I took a 4' section of Thermarest Z pad in addition to my inflatable sleeping pad. That extra item is now going to be standard.

It can be used as a ground cloth next to the cot at night, or put under my standard pad on really cold nights. During the day I use it all the time. It seems like I'm always kneeling down working on this or that on a float hunt, and the pad is awesome for keeping the knees off the rocks. It also fit inside my Big Agnes chair, making it much more cozy during long sits under a tarp on the glassing knob.

I’ve got pieces of Z pad in ever vehicle I own, never going on any sort of hike, hunt, fish or much anything else without one. Having a soft, dry, warm place to sit or kneel is well worth the little space they take up. Weight penalty is roughly nothing.


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[birwin]

Some MVP gear from our Alaska moose and caribou expeditions to stay comfortable and hunt hard under challenging conditions.
Silnylon tarp to glass from under in the rain.
Fold up backpacking chairs - moose hunting is a game of patience and we spend hours per day sitting. The chairs get us up above the weeds and keep it comfortable.
Fold up light weight backpacking cot. Sleep in comfort above the boggy ground.
Fold up toilet seat with legs. Simple pleasures, back saver.
Bow saw - cut meat poles & firewood.
Inreach with gps - stay in touch with transporter, schedules are at the mercy of conditions and always changing.


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What type of tent did you take? Did it require an in-tent stove? Thanks.

 

[bmrfish]

What type of tent did you take? Did it require an in-tent stove? Thanks.

We are using seek outside tipis.
Doesn’t require stove but it has been really nice to have.


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[AKplumber]

Bring a pair of crocs, extra socks, a backup for water filtration and some real rain gear. Oh and if you have the money to go hunting you have the money for an in-reach it just might save your life

 

[Slugz]

Lightweight Stoves.

I put my hands on em all and the Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium beats them all IMO.

1) no parts to lose
2) easy easy set up
3) quick set up ( beat the others by far)

Thats it next to the cots as a reference for size.

 

[croben]

Lightweight Stoves.

I put my hands on em all and the Winnerwell Fastfold Titanium beats them all IMO.

1) no parts to lose
2) easy easy set up
3) quick set up ( beat the others by far)
View attachment 546990
Thats it next to the cots as a reference for size.

What was it about the Winnerwell that set it apart from the others? I’m in the market for a stove right now.

 

[Slugz]

What was it about the Winnerwell that set it apart from the others? I’m in the market for a stove right now.

For the reasons above.

Ease of set up. Simple.design.
No small.parts or pieces to lose.
Box and legs all one piece and connected.

Couple different videos on you tube thats puts a visual to the points above also.

 

[ammonnhonduras]

Do yall take a towell? I cant imagine not trying to bathe for the course of my hunt.

 

[Slugz]

Do yall take a towell? I cant imagine not trying to bathe for the course of my hunt.

Yep. Small handcloth also

 

[Buckshotaz]

Depending on where you hunt, and the quality of water close by, you may want to look at getting a PURIBAG, if you have a bunch of stuff in the water that will clog water filters.
First year we hunted this area with swamp type water, we went through a bunch of filters. Last year we brought two PURTBAGS and pre cleaned the water before filtering. Worked very well. Some good videos on youtube for PURIBAGS.

 

[FlyAK]

Bring something for small game. Rabbits, grouse, ptarmigan are everywhere. Whether it’s a .22 or even a slingshot. I’ve killed countless birds with a slingshot.

Good gaiters and rain gear are mandatory.

If you’ve never walked through muskeg, it can be a real suck-fest.

+1 on everyone’s advice on bringing a section of closed cell foam mat. There’s a possibility you won’t see dry ground your entire trip.

Good idea to bring a paper map of the unit you’re hunting with boundaries marked on it.

Wolves are everywhere and they’re smart. They will follow herds of bou to pick off the young and weak. I’ve had them come in close on me minutes after I shot a caribou expecting to find the gut pile/carcass. I have a friend who was run off his kill by an aggressive pack after he killed 2 wolves because he didn’t have a sidearm.

 

[Slugz]

Food in Camp.

Learn from others. There is a ton of info out there on dehydration techniques to freeze drying.
As hunters we can learn alot from the backpacking trail crowd. Many other lightweight options other than the 12.00$ dinner in a bag add water. All the info is on YouTube but one of my favorites is the The Hungry Hiker. Check her out.