Caribou Hunt Gear and Food

[MuleyFever]

I know these lists pop up but with another season over and new ideas and experiences had, I am wondering if you would share what you brought with on your Caribou drop, what worked, and what didn't or what you would have changed. I think I am having the most trouble coming up with food for 10 days and what oddball things I should take, like a roll up table, what kind of stove, and the like. If you made a list you could share please PM me and I can give you my email.

 

[HuntHarder]

What kind of hunt are you doing? Is weight a factor?

 

[S-3 ranch]

What kind of plane does the charter use ? Weight was our first concern in a Cessna 206
But two of us managed to pack in
4 man dome tent ( bigger is better) + ground tarp
Colman stove + 14 days of fuel
Sleeping bag and pads
Cooking pot and pan , utensils
2 man 14 days of freeze dried food
+ some fresh food like onions and garlic, potatoes , meat , oil , spices
Water was a problem so we had a dedicated 5 gallon container
Personal gear , rain gear, colder weather gear ( we actually didn’t need it)
Hiking boots and muck boots
2 freight packs
3 guns and ammo, 2 rifle 1 shotgun

 

[MuleyFever]

What kind of hunt are you doing? Is weight a factor?

Doing a fly in drop hunt. I am just looking for ideas, ill worry about the weight when I start deciding what to actually take but weight may not be a factor.

 

[MuleyFever]

What kind of plane does the charter use ? Weight was our first concern in a Cessna 206
But two of us managed to pack in
4 man dome tent ( bigger is better) + ground tarp
Colman stove + 14 days of fuel
Sleeping bag and pads
Cooking pot and pan , utensils
2 man 14 days of freeze dried food
+ some fresh food like onions and garlic, potatoes , meat , oil , spices
Water was a problem so we had a dedicated 5 gallon container
Personal gear , rain gear, colder weather gear ( we actually didn’t need it)
Hiking boots and muck boots
2 freight packs
3 guns and ammo, 2 rifle 1 shotgun

Did you take a 2 burner Coleman? How much fuel did you use?

 

[HuntHarder]

I have done 2 VASTLY different hunts in AK. 1 weight mattered and 1 weight did not. If weight doesn't matter, then live like a king. I had a 5 gallon propane tank, 2 burner stove, soft ice chest with frozen food in it. Making a food list or gear list without knowing if weight matters is futile in my opinion.

 

[TaperPin]

If there’s no room for 5 gal propane tank and cooler, if you’ve never used one, a MSR Whisperlite is a great stove. It’s fallen out of favor backpacking because of the weight, but these are bullet proof expedition stoves and have good btu output on white gas. Two would add some redundancy since it’s not possible to hike back to the truck for a backup.

For long trips nothing can take the place of variety and testing the menu prior to the trip. Prior to the hunt, eating all three meals off your camp menu will change what you bring. It’s easy to have too much salt, or overestimate how fun it will be to do dishes. I only eat things that need boiling water or can be warmed up in the can - if my buddy (who doesn’t understand camp cooking) wants to fry steaks and eggs on a stainless pan they can do their own dishes.

For variety, I think of it like an MRE - every meal has a main, a few sides, drink of some kind, and a little candy bar or gum. Every meal has a stick of jerky. Every dinner has a cup o noodles and that’s also perfect for coffee, tea, cider, or hot chocolate. Every lunch could have a small summer sausage and collection of easy to eat bars - crunch and munch makes my mouth water any time. At night I really like popcorn, chips, peaches, apple sauce as a snack. Breakfast has to have good coffee with creamer, some kind of sweet bread, banana bread, pop tart, fruit pie, cake, or doughnut. Canned chili or pork and beans is really good for breakfast - a heat diffuser plate and second stove makes warming up cans easier. lol

Too many guys want to convince you to eat crappy cheap food they’ve never actually eaten for days on end - I don’t ever let others pick my menu.

 

[MuleyFever]

I have done 2 VASTLY different hunts in AK. 1 weight mattered and 1 weight did not. If weight doesn't matter, then live like a king. I had a 5 gallon propane tank, 2 burner stove, soft ice chest with frozen food in it. Making a food list or gear list without knowing if weight matters is futile in my opinion.

I agree. That why I am not making a list just yet, I am just asking what others used.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Whisper light, peak refuel, bratwurst and tortillas.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I always crave salt when I'm up there. On about day 6, I'd fight a porcupine for a box of Cheeze Its.

I mixed up Peak, MH, and even just Top Ramen for dinners. Breakfasts were usually a bagel with peanut butter and honey. Some Pre-Cooked Bacon, summer sausage, and a block of cheese were a good addition too.

I used a MSR Windburner and had the skillet to go with it and was very happy with that choice.

Bring a couple of tarps. I had one for a ground cloth in my tipi, one over the meat cache, and one in the pack for glassing under. TAG bags are good to go for big critters, as are the Black Ovis bags.

Bring a saw for bones if you are in a bone in unit, and for making firewood (or building a fort when you go a few days without seeing anything).

If you use a Helinox chair, get the tundra feet or ground sheet.

Barricade firearm wipes or some gun oil and a rag for when your rifle gets wet.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Did you take a 2 burner Coleman? How much fuel did you use?

Yes , a two burner, we used about a can of white gas , we got raped on in Alaska because we had to buy up there
Take some boxes of rock salt for your hides also
We also packed In some whiskey and beer ( if that’s your thing) for some relaxing time in camp, depending on where you’re going a hand saw for firewood is nice , small shovel for latrien and fire
We had a bear in camp also so a bear fence ( which we didn’t have) if bears bother you

^^^^ as mentioned lots of snacks, cheese itz, M&M’s , peanut butter & honey
Jerky, dried fruit, dry sausage,oatmeal , spams , canned stew , ect coffee & tea
eating freeze dried food gets old fast ( but take 14day supply for a 10day hunt because fickle weather) mountain house?

 

[LongWayAround]

Take a book or download some kindle or audio books for when you get weathered in your tent.

 

[diamond10x]

Drop camps are the happy medium between truck camping and backpacking.

 

[FranklinBluth]

One thing we always seem to get a ton of use out of is a glassing tarp. Light weight and saves the day when you get a wet/windy glassing session.

Chairs are nice, but more of an addition I'd make once I had all my other essentials. I usually just put a foam pad on the ground against the base of a tall tussock when we're glassing and that gets me 90% of the comfort of one of those ultralight chairs. The chair seems to get a lot more run on a moose hunts.

Are you hunting tundra or will you be in an area with some wood? If you'll have access to wood, a silky saw has been handy for processing wood for fires. There's something about a ripping fire at the end of a long day that seems to really lift the spirit.

As for food, I pack each day ration in a gallon ziploc. Two peak meals go in there with assorted snacks - candy bars, trail mix, stinger waffles, etc. Makes it easy to just grab a bag each day when you head out. Other (heavier) options depend on your weight limit...

 

[Zackw]

I would recommend bringing 2 tarps. Use one for keeping meat dry, and set the other one up next to the tent and keep most of your gear out there. It keeps a lot of clutter out of the tent and gives you more room. You could even consider bringing a third one to set up if you’re glassing in crappy weather.

 

[rayporter]

i like square tarps. they pitch easier, especially if you want a diamond pitch. bungee cords tied to a couple corners can save time pitching.

 

[MuleyFever]

I would recommend bringing 2 tarps. Use one for keeping meat dry, and set the other one up next to the tent and keep most of your gear out there. It keeps a lot of clutter out of the tent and gives you more room. You could even consider bringing a third one to set up if you’re glassing in crappy weather.

I am thinking about a Borah Solo and 7x9. Use the Solo for a wind rain break while out hunting and the larger one at camp to cover meat and gear.

 

[Zackw]

If weight isn’t an issue, I’d bring a bigger (like 10x12 or 12x16) tarp for camp. Like a cheap one from Tractor Supply. You’re never going to complain about too much dry space. And then a lightweight one for the pack.

 

[MIbowhunter4954]

• Camping chairs of some sort
• Top Ramen with soy sauce (i wouldn't eat this normally but it hits the spot after a rainy day in AK
• 2 or more USB power banks
• Set of USB computer fans to stick in the top of your boots at night
• Gatorade or propel single serve packets
• Leather (ideally waterproof) work gloves
• A couple small chubs of summer sausage and chorizo for frying up