Close Look at my '17 Caribou Fly-In Gear List/Meal Plan

[acmckeage03]

Has anyone actually flown in with Meekins with this tag within the past couple of years?

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Not personally, but i hear from guys who were happy and successful with Meekins.

lb

 

[mcseal2]

Is the only pair of gloves you plan to take the fingerless ones? I always like to have a way to keep wind off my bare skin.

I have not caribou hunted or yet hunted Alaska so I don't have much advice to share, just curious. I always take warmer gloves to keep my hands warm while glassing. I wear lightweight liner type gloves if the temp or wind calls for them while hiking and then have Aleyeskan rag wool gloves or Kuiu down glassing mittens in the pack for stationary glassing morning and night. I can run my spotter or binos off the tripod much better with warm steady hands.

 

[acmckeage03]

Is the only pair of gloves you plan to take the fingerless ones? I always like to have a way to keep wind off my bare skin.

I have not caribou hunted or yet hunted Alaska so I don't have much advice to share, just curious. I always take warmer gloves to keep my hands warm while glassing. I wear lightweight liner type gloves if the temp or wind calls for them while hiking and then have Aleyeskan rag wool gloves or Kuiu down glassing mittens in the pack for stationary glassing morning and night. I can run my spotter or binos off the tripod much better with warm steady hands.

Well I'm kind of up on the fence with my glove situation. I have the fingerless ragwool mittens as well and love them here in Utah. I'm afraid of brining them to Alaska and carrying around heavy sponges with all the rain Alaska gets. Maybe bringing a synthetic waterproof glove would work? I know that its nearly impossible to keep your hands dry, that's why I just decided to take the talus and accept hands being wet but having the wool to keep them somewhat warm?

 

[VernAK]

I'm digging through this discussion and I don't find the dates of your hunt.....maybe I'm missing it.
There's a hell of a difference from August 10th to September 10th.

 

[acmckeage03]

I'm digging through this discussion and I don't find the dates of your hunt.....maybe I'm missing it.
There's a hell of a difference from August 10th to September 10th.

In field 24Aug-1Sep

 

[KJH]

I'm digging through this discussion and I don't find the dates of your hunt.....maybe I'm missing it.
There's a hell of a difference from August 10th to September 10th.

Bingo Vern. Being too cold isn't my biggest concern during this period of time. Keeping dry is the top of my priority list.

Caribou hunting in late August isn't a high country sheep hunt or a late September moose hunt... Use whatever you have and don't over think it. If you can keep dry clothes on, you'll be in business. I've sweat my butt off during this period and been snowed on, but really being dangerously cold hasn't happened to me.

 

[VernAK]

Expect frost at night. Variable precipitation.
September 11th of 1992 I was on the north side of the Alaska Range hunting moose.
A Bering Sea storm came in from the West....60 MPH winds.....20 below and 2 feet of snow.
It can happen.

 

[mcseal2]

Well I'm kind of up on the fence with my glove situation. I have the fingerless ragwool mittens as well and love them here in Utah. I'm afraid of brining them to Alaska and carrying around heavy sponges with all the rain Alaska gets. Maybe bringing a synthetic waterproof glove would work? I know that its nearly impossible to keep your hands dry, that's why I just decided to take the talus and accept hands being wet but having the wool to keep them somewhat warm?

Best outer layer glove I've tried for wet is the Kuiu Yukon glove. I have a pair set back for my moose hunt. I can put them over a merino liner glove so they hopefully keep the wool dry, but it's still wool underneath if they get wet, and the Kuiu stops wind pretty well.

 

[acmckeage03]

Best outer layer glove I've tried for wet is the Kuiu Yukon glove. I have a pair set back for my moose hunt. I can put them over a merino liner glove so they hopefully keep the wool dry, but it's still wool underneath if they get wet, and the Kuiu stops wind pretty well.

I was looking at the Yukon, but it just seemed like a heavier glove than what would be needed for this time of year?

 

[mcseal2]

It's thin but not real breathable. It over a liner is pretty warm. If it's rainy and windy though warm is good.

 

[b.purcell]

im curious what guys do with their food in the back country at elevations above timber line up there? Ive hunted in griz country here in MT but not sure what guys do up there, or if it isnt as big of a concern being the bears have a more abundant food source.

 

[Ray]

im curious what guys do with their food in the back country at elevations above timber line up there? Ive hunted in griz country here in MT but not sure what guys do up there, or if it isnt as big of a concern being the bears have a more abundant food source.

When I'm in this kind of terrain, the food with me doesn't smell much, so I cache it under some rocks...where the pika's, weasels, and marmots tear the hell out of it. When operating out of a tent daily I leave the food secured in a light dry bag in side. So far weasels are the only thing that has ever caused an issue. Not really worried about grizzly bears.

 

[Molon Labe]

Clothing-
5- Mid Weight Merino Socks
2-Base Layer Shirt, Core 4 Merino 190 Long Sleeve
2-Boxer Brief, Black Ovis Merino
2-Thermal Pant, Ice Breaker 190 Merino
2-Med weight shirt, Kuiu Peloton 200, First Lite Halstead Fleece
Kuiu Kenai Zip-off Insulated Pant
Sitka Timberline Pant
Vest, First Lite Uncomphagre
Puffy, Kuiu Super Down
First Lite Seak Jacket, Stormtight Pant
Zamberlan 960 Guide GTX Boot
Kuiu Yukon Gaiters
First Lite Fingerless Talus Wool Gloves
Ball Cap
Kuiu Merino Neck Gaiter
Cabelas Beanie
Polarized Glasses

Clothing:
-I am assuming the clothing list includes what you are wearing in the plane...
Personally I would drop: 2 pair of socks, 1 base layer shirt, 1 thermal pant, 1 med weight shirt
-maybe swap the fingerless gloves for something a bit more robust/wind/water proof (glassing on a hill in wind may get cold)
-maybe swap the cabelas beanie with something a little more windproof
Daily pack:
I would drop the flashlight and bring an extra headlamp split amongst the group,
Camp:
Drop the hatchet...you have a saw, make sure to dehydrate your wipes,

additional:
-I don't see unit topo maps or GPS/phone
-tarp or bivy (for long ways from camp and spend the night?)
-head net for bugs
-dry bags for clothing at a minimum...could double as game bags and you could drop that game bag weight?
-glassing pad
-instead of renting the tent maybe look into buying a lightweight bigger shelter and then selling on rokslide?
that seems pretty small for 3 stinky possibly snoring dudes...and if you are rained on for a day it is going to be very cramped.
not sure what it costs to rent a tent but you could buy something bigger new or on rokslide that will weigh the same and maybe take a $150 loss on it. well worth it!

 

[acmckeage03]

Clothing:
-I am assuming the clothing list includes what you are wearing in the plane...
Personally I would drop: 2 pair of socks, 1 base layer shirt, 1 thermal pant, 1 med weight shirt
-maybe swap the fingerless gloves for something a bit more robust/wind/water proof (glassing on a hill in wind may get cold)
-maybe swap the cabelas beanie with something a little more windproof
Daily pack:
I would drop the flashlight and bring an extra headlamp split amongst the group,
Camp:
Drop the hatchet...you have a saw, make sure to dehydrate your wipes,

additional:
-I don't see unit topo maps or GPS/phone
-tarp or bivy (for long ways from camp and spend the night?)
-head net for bugs
-dry bags for clothing at a minimum...could double as game bags and you could drop that game bag weight?
-glassing pad
-instead of renting the tent maybe look into buying a lightweight bigger shelter and then selling on rokslide?
that seems pretty small for 3 stinky possibly snoring dudes...and if you are rained on for a day it is going to be very cramped.
not sure what it costs to rent a tent but you could buy something bigger new or on rokslide that will weigh the same and maybe take a $150 loss on it. well worth it!

Thanks Molon,
I have adjusted a few items on the list as suggested by other's. I'll post up after the trip what we actually ended up taking and what we thought about each item. I've looked a lot into the floorless shelter systems, just nervous about them holding up in the wind. Is there one that you'd suggest?

 

[Molon Labe]

I am not the one to ask about floorless shelters.
I've spent a lot of time in homemade teepees...but there are way better options available now.

Kifaru and seek outside are great options and you will be able to sell them right after season pretty easily on the classifieds.

Just poke around the shelter forum and you should have all the ammo you need to make a decision.

Good luck on your hunt...I'm flying with Mike into my sheep unit a few weeks ahead of you.
If I didn't have another hunt that conflicts with yours I would have just left my seek outside BCS there for you to use and ship back to me.
You may be able to hook up with a rokslider in Wasilla or Palmer that may borrow or rent you a shelter they are not using...worth an ask maybe.

I seriously think you need a bigger shelter though.

 

[acmckeage03]

I am not the one to ask about floorless shelters.
I've spent a lot of time in homemade teepees...but there are way better options available now.

Kifaru and seek outside are great options and you will be able to sell them right after season pretty easily on the classifieds.

Just poke around the shelter forum and you should have all the ammo you need to make a decision.

Good luck on your hunt...I'm flying with Mike into my sheep unit a few weeks ahead of you.
If I didn't have another hunt that conflicts with yours I would have just left my seek outside BCS there for you to use and ship back to me.
You may be able to hook up with a rokslider in Wasilla or Palmer that may borrow or rent you a shelter they are not using...worth an ask maybe.

I seriously think you need a bigger shelter though.

I Appreciate that! I'll look into it a little more. Good luck with your sheep hunt!

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I seriously think you need a bigger shelter though.

I agree.

Our group of 6 is bringing three shelters, a 6 man tipi with stove, an 8 man with stove, and a two person backpacking tent.

The plan is to have three groups of 2 hunters, each group being self sufficient, but able to assist others if needed. I am almost positive we will end up sleeping and hanging out in the tipis and storing gear in the backpacking tent. We have a 100lb limit per guy, so the extra peace of mind of a backup is worth the weight to us.

I opted for the Seek Outside tipis for the sod skirt and extra guy-out points, but the Kifaru shelters are badass as well. It is kind of a Chevy vs Ford (or maybe Cadillac vs Lincoln at these price points ) kind of discussion.

There is a bit of a learning curve with floorless shelters, and I would recommend that if you go that route, you do it ASAP and spend a few nights in it, seam seal it, burn in your stove, practice setting it up, etc. before you fly to AK.

We are going in the 6th of September for 10 days, and are planning for cold wet conditions. If it is nice out, that will be a bonus, but we fully expect to lose a couple of days due to weather. Bring a deck of cards, a game of Farkle, Pass the Pigs, Yahtzee, etc.

 

[acmckeage03]

I agree.

Our group of 6 is bringing three shelters, a 6 man tipi with stove, an 8 man with stove, and a two person backpacking tent.

The plan is to have three groups of 2 hunters, each group being self sufficient, but able to assist others if needed. I am almost positive we will end up sleeping and hanging out in the tipis and storing gear in the backpacking tent. We have a 100lb limit per guy, so the extra peace of mind of a backup is worth the weight to us.

I opted for the Seek Outside tipis for the sod skirt and extra guy-out points, but the Kifaru shelters are badass as well. It is kind of a Chevy vs Ford (or maybe Cadillac vs Lincoln at these price points ) kind of discussion.

There is a bit of a learning curve with floorless shelters, and I would recommend that if you go that route, you do it ASAP and spend a few nights in it, seam seal it, burn in your stove, practice setting it up, etc. before you fly to AK.

We are going in the 6th of September for 10 days, and are planning for cold wet conditions. If it is nice out, that will be a bonus, but we fully expect to lose a couple of days due to weather. Bring a deck of cards, a game of Farkle, Pass the Pigs, Yahtzee, etc.

Would love to have that weight limit. We only get 50lbs. We are pretty tight on weight that's the biggest problem... We are considering bringing a second two person tent just for gear.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Yeah, 100 lbs each is nice, and leaves room for real food and maybe even a couple of beers to batter up some grayling in or celebrate a good day in the field. The 8 man shelter and stove is about 15 lbs.