Chest waders on Unit 23 or 26a AK Caribou Hunt?

[Verne’s Ventures]

I own some good quality Simms chest waders and boots. Total weight (when dry) for the boots and waders is a little over 5 pounds. Weight won’t be a huge deal as we are taking a Beaver in to the field. For those of you that have been Caribou hunting off the west side of the Brooks Range, unit 26a and or 23, are the waders needed or a nice bonus? Or would they sit in the tent taking up space..?

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Depends on your drop location. Some of those spots are alongside rivers and occasionally you'll want to cross a stream channel that requires waders.

If you're on the tundra somewhere you can usually get by without chest waders.

 

[Verne’s Ventures]

Thanks for the input Larry. It sounds like we’ll be dropped on a lake pretty near a good size river. I don’t have a raft of any sort so I’m kind of hoping the waders will open up country on the other side of the river, assuming it’s safely wadable. I’m leaning towards bring them.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Yes sir, they will help if you're going to the Howard Pass region fo sho.

 

[Verne’s Ventures]

Awesome good to know! We will be right around there.

 

[benconfused]

Depends on your drop location. Some of those spots are alongside rivers and occasionally you'll want to cross a stream channel that requires waders.

If you're on the tundra somewhere you can usually get by without chest waders.

Curious on this - are you referring to chest or waist high waders here? We are going to U23 this Aug.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Most scenarios I've explored would be ideal for waist-highs, but knowing most guys buy one set of waders its more common (for me) to recommend "chest waders" and roll them to your waist 99% of the time. Its' that one or two percent of times when you need to cross a larger water body and it is just deep enough that waist-highs wont cut it...suddenly bartlett's an a-hole for not suggesting chest-highs 100% of the time.

GMU 23 has a lot of lake drop scenarios, which many guys don't even take waders just Xtra tuffs or the like. But if the bou are staying on one side of a waist deep trib I'm either swimming or wading to get meat down. Take 'em where you find 'em so be prepared for what you might face for obstacles.

 

[arctichunting]

Curious on this - are you referring to chest or waist high waders here? We are going to U23 this Aug.

With RAM or Arctic?
Been wondering what Arctics plan is this year if they’re gonna pillage FAI again or back to OTZ. [mention]Larry Bartlett [/mention] have you heard anything on that


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[fuzzymarindave]

Last year we used stocking foot hip waders with lace up boot/shoes and they were fine. Unit 26a near Umiat. A few shallow tributary crossings and getting in and out of boats was all the water we encountered.

 

[benconfused]

With RAM or Arctic?
Been wondering what Arctics plan is this year if they’re gonna pillage FAI again or back to OTZ. [mention]Larry Bartlett [/mention] have you heard anything on that


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Sorry for the delay in responding. We are using Arctic Air for this trip. They are flying out of both towns, but we specified OTZ. My buddy and I also drew the unit 23 tag (FWIW).

 

[benconfused]

Last year we used stocking foot hip waders with lace up boot/shoes and they were fine. Unit 26a near Umiat. A few shallow tributary crossings and getting in and out of boats was all the water we encountered.

Thanks. I don't own any waders at all, so I'm probably gonna bite the bullet for some chest waders for future excursions.