BC Early September Goat Hunt Gear List Questions

[carsonkeys]

I’d add a pair of KUIU zip-off long johns. Creek crossings can be done with your Chugach rain gear taped firmly or laces wrapped around your boots. Snow seal (whatever treatment you prefer) the heck out of your boots. Decent durable gloves as you will frequently touch the rocks with your hands on a goat hunt....KUIU guide gloves are good.

I like a 15* F treated down bag from now through mid-Oct. I just add layers as required of my usual hunting clothes. I love the KUIU zip off puffy pants around camp, in the bag if it is super cold etc. also glassing. Take a 3 or 4 section piece of a Thermarest Z-lite pad for a glassing pad and to kneel on around camp. Good luck!

Rokslide strikes again and I currently have the kuiu zip-offs on their way, as well as a full set of the chugach, AND the kifaru 20 slick bag. Glad you mentioned the gloves though, I was wondering if those were necessary.

 

[Vagrouser]

I did a goat hunt same time frame and general area in 2017 and going back in 2 weeks.
Was HOT during the day and wished I’d packed a lightweight pair of running shorts to climb in. I also got good use out of a pair of OR Gore-Tex gaiters, plenty of DEET and small uv sun stick. Might look at Mechanix gloves or golf or batting gloves.
I took a GoPro, 10x42 binoculars, small Kowa spotter and CF tripod and range finder. This year leaving all that home except the spotter and tripod. Guide told me to bring a book last time in case weather kept us in our tent. I didn’t want the weight and instead took melatonin and Benadryl figuring I’d knock myself out and sleep if it came to that. Rained solid first 36 hours but then cleared. May bring a book this time or at least old iPod shuffle with audiobook.
Guide had a Heliox lightweight chair to glass from. I had a small foam pad. Chair is a pound and seems like extravagant weight but I was envious and will probably take a Heliox this time.
I based packing decisions on weight sacrificing everything to save ounces. Reality is those few pounds saved going in became background noise when I was loaded up with 4 quarters on way down...

Have a blast-one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. As I told my wife, this hunt requires the simultaneous intersection of money, time and health. Some never have it, others only briefly. Go when you can. I’m 44 this year wish I had started sooner

 

[carsonkeys]

I did a goat hunt same time frame and general area in 2017 and going back in 2 weeks.
Was HOT during the day and wished I’d packed a lightweight pair of running shorts to climb in. I also got good use out of a pair of OR Gore-Tex gaiters, plenty of DEET and small uv sun stick. Might look at Mechanix gloves or golf or batting gloves.
I took a GoPro, 10x42 binoculars, small Kowa spotter and CF tripod and range finder. This year leaving all that home except the spotter and tripod. Guide told me to bring a book last time in case weather kept us in our tent. I didn’t want the weight and instead took melatonin and Benadryl figuring I’d knock myself out and sleep if it came to that. Rained solid first 36 hours but then cleared. May bring a book this time or at least old iPod shuffle with audiobook.
Guide had a Heliox lightweight chair to glass from. I had a small foam pad. Chair is a pound and seems like extravagant weight but I was envious and will probably take a Heliox this time.
I based packing decisions on weight sacrificing everything to save ounces. Reality is those few pounds saved going in became background noise when I was loaded up with 4 quarters on way down...

Have a blast-one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. As I told my wife, this hunt requires the simultaneous intersection of money, time and health. Some never have it, others only briefly. Go when you can. I’m 44 this year wish I had started sooner

That last paragraph brought me chills!

 

[CHAD PEZZLE]

Just got back from a goat hunt on coastal BC. It was hotter than balls the first 5 days and made finding goats tough, and in the end I couldn't close the deal. But it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Our guide graciously extended me an invent to come back this season if I can swing it, hopefully I'll be back chasing goats again next month.

I brought my helinox chair and it was great around camp, adding a pound to my gear was completely unnoticeable, but it really made a difference sitting and glassing and around camp.

Lot's of mosquitoes and horse flies, bring deet/off it helps with the mosquitoes who were basically biting dawn to dusk. Bring a mosquito head net or a hat with it built in. They're super cheap on amazon and weigh nothing. Definitely great to have when sitting around camp or glassing. We only had rain one day, but I wore my kuiu rain coat a lot, it was the only thing the horse flies couldn't bite through.

I know it's on your list already, but the most used piece of gear for me was trekking poles. You can safely traverse a lot steeper terrain with them, leaving them at home would have made hiking much more difficult. I wasn't ever on the fence with them, just hadn't been in terrain where I saw the benefit as much as this hunt. Make sure they have the spiked carbide tips and not plastic, The plastic slips on the rock like it's ice.

 

[Vagrouser]

Chad, what’s up man! It’s Bill I followed you guys. Weather sucked other end of the spectrum—rained constantly and barely got out of the tent. Had weather window to fly out and salvaging trip with some salmon fishing today in Kitimat before I fly home Saturday.
I agree with the advice you’ve given. Trekking poles indispensable and would have ice axe and crampons for later season

 

[White Mamba]

Chad, what’s up man! It’s Bill I followed you guys. Weather sucked other end of the spectrum—rained constantly and barely got out of the tent. Had weather window to fly out and salvaging trip with some salmon fishing today in Kitimat before I fly home Saturday.
I agree with the advice you’ve given. Trekking poles indispensable and would have ice axe and crampons for later season

Bill, Sorry to hear about your weather, were you able to spot anything ? Looks like Chad and I are heading back up end of Sept

Jayson

 

[Vagrouser]

Bill, Sorry to hear about your weather, were you able to spot anything ? Looks like Chad and I are heading back up end of Sept

Jayson

Hey Jayson-glad you guys are getting back up. Spotted a solid billy guessing 9-10 inches near bowl where you got your goat before. Weather kept us from even attempting stalk and couldn’t get close enough to be super confident but big bodied and looked solid. Saw no goats on south mountain except couple of nannies and kids.
Bummed for sure about weather-didn’t think it possible to gain weight on goat hunt but we sat around eating skittles and reading all day. Still great to get back up here and hang with these jokers.
Be in touch!
Bill

 

[carsonkeys]

Just got back from a goat hunt on coastal BC. It was hotter than balls the first 5 days and made finding goats tough, and in the end I couldn't close the deal. But it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Our guide graciously extended me an invent to come back this season if I can swing it, hopefully I'll be back chasing goats again next month.

I brought my helinox chair and it was great around camp, adding a pound to my gear was completely unnoticeable, but it really made a difference sitting and glassing and around camp.

Lot's of mosquitoes and horse flies, bring deet/off it helps with the mosquitoes who were basically biting dawn to dusk. Bring a mosquito head net or a hat with it built in. They're super cheap on amazon and weigh nothing. Definitely great to have when sitting around camp or glassing. We only had rain one day, but I wore my kuiu rain coat a lot, it was the only thing the horse flies couldn't bite through.

I know it's on your list already, but the most used piece of gear for me was trekking poles. You can safely traverse a lot steeper terrain with them, leaving them at home would have made hiking much more difficult. I wasn't ever on the fence with them, just hadn't been in terrain where I saw the benefit as much as this hunt. Make sure they have the spiked carbide tips and not plastic, The plastic slips on the rock like it's ice.

Thanks for the advice. The outfitter and I actually decided to move the hunt to mid-September for better odds at the moose tag I'm adding on. Seeing as how you're going back in roughly the same time frame, how will your gear list differ?

 

[CHAD PEZZLE]

Thanks for the advice. The outfitter and I actually decided to move the hunt to mid-September for better odds at the moose tag I'm adding on. Seeing as how you're going back in roughly the same time frame, how will your gear list differ?

I'm not sure I'd really change much. I brought a few extra layers of clothes that were left at camp where we flew in, but didn't use since it was so hot. I felt like I had things dialed in pretty well.

My buddy Jayson (White Mamba) above ran the Grayl water bottle filter. I had a Nalgene and a Katadyn filter. His was much faster and convenient, I'm picking one up for the next trip, I'll leave the Katadyn home and bring the Grayl and an extra Nalgene.

Light weight gloves were nice to help save our hands from the rocks and the mosquitoes.

Having two shirts was nice, we'd often get back to camp late. It was nice to have a dry shirt to put on before turning in, I'd hang the wet/sweaty one out to dry.

I'll probably also bring gaiters, we hiked through a bit of greenery and if it was wet it would have soaked my pants. We had pretty dry/warm weather. You could always run your rain pants instead, but I think having gaiters and a lighter weight paint is nice. Rain pants might be too hot, it really depends on the weather.

All of the stuff I've acquired over the last 5-7 years, I didn't go out and really buy anything prior to this trip except the helinox chair. Unless money grows on trees for you it looks like you have similar stuff already, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Top Layers
-Kuiu Merino Long Sleeve
-Sitka synthetic long sleeve
-Sitka fleece
-Kuiu Super Down
-Kuiu Chugach Rain Jacket

Bottom Layers
-2 pairs merino underwear
-2 pairs synthetic underwear
-1 pair merino long underwear
-Sitka ascent pant
-Sitka Kelvin Lite pant (never used, stayed at camp)
-Kuiu Chugach rain pant (never used, but always carried)
-REI cheap gaiters
-3 pairs merino socks

-Kuiu merino beanie
-Kuiu merino neck gaiter
-Sitka jet stream beanie
-Masquito net/hat

-Kuiu light weight glove (not sure on the model)
-Sitka Jet Stream Glove (never used)

Sleep System
-MSR Hubba Hubba 2 person tent
-North Face 15* down bag
-Therma Rest Neo Air mattress
-Sea to Summit inflatable pillow
-REI gortex bivi (never used, left at camp)
-Helinox Chair Zero

 

[CHAD PEZZLE]

Chad, what’s up man! It’s Bill I followed you guys. Weather sucked other end of the spectrum—rained constantly and barely got out of the tent. Had weather window to fly out and salvaging trip with some salmon fishing today in Kitimat before I fly home Saturday.
I agree with the advice you’ve given. Trekking poles indispensable and would have ice axe and crampons for later season

Dang Bill, sorry to hear the weather didn't work out for you guys. Talk about one in extreme to another. Great meeting you up there. Maybe we'll cross paths again soon.