Clothing for end of September moose hunt out of Bethel

[geriggs]

none of us had Helly Hansen PVC raingear. I know some guys live in it but we never needed it. Good gore-tex or First lite or Kuiu rain gear works just fine.

 

[Nick Muche]

Just jumping in here, I will be heading up the week before mcseal2 with Renfro's, we have traded some gear lists. He has the FL Seak jacket as do I and I am wondering if this is the route to go for upper body rain/wind protection. Should I also bring a HH Impertech jacket or similar...? I have been happy with the Seak jacket but have not had more than short duration/low intensity rain to put it to a real test.

I'll be using only the SEAK rain jacket on my moose hunt this year, it'll work just fine.

 

[standswittaknife]

We lived in our chest waders the entire time. So much nicer to not worry about sitting on wet ground. Cabela's gold metal or any simms guide worked great. I'll be in touch once tax season is over too...

 

[mcseal2]

I talked to Simms and I think chest waders will be the route I go too. I was looking at the G3 pants but I think they convinced me to go with the taller waders. That and talking to some of the guys who have dealt with moose in the water.

 

[AK_hunter]

I talked to Simms and I think chest waders will be the route I go too. I was looking at the G3 pants but I think they convinced me to go with the taller waders. That and talking to some of the guys who have dealt with moose in the water.

I personally go with my Simms G3 wading pants and HH Impertech coat. The problem with goretex and anything else is that you might never get a chance to dry it out. Impertech will never soak through. I think chest waders are overkill.

Also not sure where you’ll be hunting out of Bethel, but in all my time there I never saw a tree that you could hang a tarp on.


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[mcseal2]

I think it very much depends on where you get dropped. I've seen video of 2 hunts with Papa Bear and the terrain is very different in both. One has some big pine trees scattered throughout one guy climbed to get an elevated look at the area. The other was just willows. It's tougher to plan for this way but that's part of the challenge.

I agree chest waders may be overkill, but I tried the pants and the fit isn't perfect for me. I have short legs, a long torso, and am pretty stout. I have to go with a longer wader to fit well on both my calves and waist. With the chest wader I can get a shorter inseam and less material bagged up around my legs. They have more sizing options in the wader than pant.

 

[AKDoc]

The area out of Bethel does vary somewhat, but you should definitely count on wet and marshy tundra as a constant in the terrain...and some of the areas are really wet and marshy. The chest waders will be a must (not an over-kill), and if you don't have to live in them each day because you have dry ground to hunt, then that's just a bonus.

One other thing...not sure if it has been mentioned thus far...take hiking sticks with you. Humping moose quarters on your back while hiking marshy tundra is a special treat, and without having those hiking sticks it is pretty darn hard to keep your balance with all that weight on your back in that terrain.

...I've hunted Unit 18 out of Bethel for the past four years and will be going again this fall.

 

[Droptine]

I agree with the poles, made packing so much easier. I hunted out of Bethel last year and wore my waders in on the plane and never wore again rest of the hunt. Guys back at the hanger said they wore them every day. I'd take hip boots if I was to go again.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Most critical element is knowing the type of terrain the transporter is putting you in. An up-ground type location without sloughs, muskeg and (beaver) ponds doesn't require chest waders. Of course you'd want them every day in marshy, sloppy country. I have yet to hunt moose where I needed more than hip waders, and those only when crossing a stream. I encourage any new hunter to ask their pilot for information r/t terrain, water prevalence and footwear in the location they'll be dropped.

I do consider waterproof boots a must and mine will always be at least 18" tall. I also require warmth as I typically expect some mornings down to the teens and I've seen it push 5 degrees in late September with 4" of snow in the higher backcountry.

I don't over-kill it in terms of rain gear. Yes it always rains...but I don't hunt in the middle of a heavy or steady rain, mainly because I'm bowhunting and will potentially depend on a blood trail to locate a dead moose. I bring KUIU Chugach NX pants and jacket. They've been plenty durable and pack small enough to suit me. DON'T bring cheap, thin or ultralight rain gear. I only had to make that mistake once. It's not good to duct tape your rain gear.

 

[AKDoc]

Given the high number of hunters transporting in and out of the field, I strongly suspect that "the location they'll be dropped" is a bit of a moving target for the transporter and not specifically known far enough in advance to help make packing decisions at home. The transporter wants to put you on bulls...and that's the location you'll be dropped. You've got to be ready for what that turns out to be.

You've also got to be ready for where that bull drops. I am careful, careful, careful and call that bull in as close as I can, make sure he is on dry ground, and then put him down right there. Despite our best laid plans, it may not work out that way. If that bull runs off after being hit and drops in a marsh, you'll be glad you brought your chest waders.

 

[Kevin Dill]

And a phone call to your transporter to discuss locational decisions ahead of time is both cheap and easy. Make your decision according to what you are told. You can even make last minute gear decisions at the hangar or departure point. The 3 pilots I've worked with over the years have all known ahead of time where each of their hunters were going in terms of particular air strips and hunting spots. I'm 100% for whatever gear is reasonably needed. Because 1) I have a strict weight limit on gear and 2) my hunting area has less water...I haven't brought or needed chest waders on any of my moose adventures. All I had to do was ask my pilot, as they typically have the best understanding of what's waiting for you.

 

[mcseal2]

Thanks everyone for the replys.

I have not been able to get specifics on what type of terrain to expect from the outfitter yet which I understand. They will do a ton of flying between now and when I head up there and my drop location will depend on what they see, weather, everything that happens between now and then. I will talk to the outfitter several times between now and when I leave and get all the details I can. I plan to try to talk to him a week or so before moose season and try to line it up to call him or have him call me within a few days of when I fly out with any last minute details he can give. I have talked with the outfitter's past hunters who wore leather hunting boots the whole trip, but more hunters who wore hip boots or chest waters the whole trip. Maybe the drier camps usually go to the hunters who are regular, repeat customers I'm not sure. Most of the people who have gone up there once that I talked to have been in a wetter hunting area. Since this is my first trip that's what I think I should plan on at this stage.

My plan is to wear my Kennetrek boots with clothing suitable to a higher, drier location on the trip to Bethel. I won't plan to take them on the float plane to my hunting area with me, but they will at least be in Alaska if they are needed. My "camp shoes" will be rubber boots that I can walk pretty well in especially if I steal the Lathrop and Sons insoles out of my Kennetreks and put in them. I'll plan on the Simms waders and boots for the whole trip but will have the other options in Alaska at least if they are needed last minute.

I changed my list around a little after more experimenting with different layers. For one thing I got the Simms mid pants that were discussed here and they are going. I also decided to take my Kuiu Yukon pants instead of the Sitka Ascent pants. I figure if I do wear my rubber boots instead of waders I'll want the waterproof pants along. The Sitka Ascent pants dry fast but are not waterproof. Chances are I'll only wear the pants around camp and will have my waders on the whole hunt anyway. I also decided to take the warmer and more water resistant Kifaru Lost Park Puffy instead of my Kuiu Kenai. I found a "used" Sitka Cloudburst jacket in my size that still had the tags on it at a price I couldn't pass also and picked it up. It is more breathable and lighter than my SEAK so I think I'll take it to replace the softshell jacket I had listed. I'll wear it and have the SEAK in the dry bag in my pack unless we get days of rain. If we get days of rain I can let one dry some in the tent while I wear the other and rotate them every other day.

I plan to be as careful as possible on where I shoot my bull, and try to drop him in a decent spot. I know that the moose has a lot of say in how that goes too. I have a 300 win mag I plan to take that I have always shot Nosler Accubond handloads through. I picked up a box of the Nosler 180gr E tips when I saw them on sale and tried them last week. I shot a 3 shot group under 1" and they hit the same place at 100yds as my handloaded Accubonds. I want to shoot them over the chronograph and at longer range, but I might step up to the tougher bullet for this hunt if it performs well. I even thought about loading an Accubond for my first shot and having the deeper penetrating E tips for follow up shots that might not be at as good an angle. I need to shoot more of them and see if they still group together out at 300yds before I worry about that.

 

[AKDoc]

I think you have made some wise decisions sir...nicely done.

Practice your moose calling...hopefully your hunt will be well timed with the rut this year...and practice your shooting. The last 5 moose that I have taken out of Unit 18 were called to a pretty close distance for a comfortable head shot with a 375H&H, 270TSX's (like you I handload as well).

Best of luck to you sir!

 

[Droptine]

With my hunt the pilot had 2-3 lakes he was gonna put us on just depending on wind direction. So it was a toss up on how swampy it was gonna be. I had my kuiu Yukon set on the entire trip and just changed under layers. Crispi boots and gaiters were the ticket for me and never had wet feet, hunting partner battled wet feet the entire hunt. I went cheap on one item and that was sleeping pad and I fought that thing every night..... lol
I would take a couple books. I took one book and was thru it in four days.

 

[mcseal2]

Thanks again everyone.

I practice my shooting a lot. I'm blessed to live on a family ranch and I have a bench and 100yd range in my yard plus spinner targets for field practice. I can shoot steel to 600yds with a half mile drive. I figure it's a work related skill I need to keep current on, we are calving now and I got 3 coyotes in the last 2 days, 22 total since Jan 1. I need to keep practicing I should have had 3 today instead of 2. Good thing moose are bigger than coyotes! I have always loved rifles since my Crossman 760 air rifle and later my 22. I used to get a $10 per week allowance for the chores and work I did on the ranch, and it always went to ammunition. When I graduated from the air rifle to the 22 I had to learn to conserve, a 500 round brick didn't last all week if I shot at every leaf, dirt clod, and other target I would have with the air rifle. I was always down to my last box and only hunting live game by the last couple days of the week.

I upgraded sleeping pads for this trip. I have toughed it out with a Thermarest Z rest folding pad on past trips but bought a Thermarest NeoAir X therm for this hunt. I don't plan to buy a new bag since I have limited funds and already have a lot invested in the Kifaru 20 degree bag, but I figured I needed to upgrade pads anyway. I am hoping that the bag I have with the better insulated pad plus my clothing will be enough. I sleep pretty warm, I used that 20 degree bag with the Z lite pad and a Thermarest mesh cot in Wyoming last year when it got to an honest zero and slept fine. I will have an outfitter provided cot on this trip.

I have bought about every book and video on moose calling and AK hunting I have been able to find, even got a lifetime subscription to the Hunt Alaska Magazine. I have been practicing my calling quite a bit, my 2.5yr old daughter is even getting decent at it. She thinks my Bull Magnet megaphone is her toy at this point. I booked this hunt in 2015 and have been excited ever since, but now with it being the year for the trip the excitement is amplified for sure.

I'm primarily working on consistency on my calls now. I don't know how much it matters but now that I can sound like a moose I figure I need to be able to sound like the same moose every call in a series of calls. I started out by emulating the calls on the TV shows or videos that I watched and learned to do a decent job of mimicking them. I now want to be able to repeat my sounds to be the same bull or same cow over and over again. I probably overthink it (hunt booked in 2015, and a lot of time working alone on a horse or in a tractor) but I figure that a bull might not want to come in to fight 3 different sounding bulls as much as a single bull. I know when calling pressured coyotes a sour note can screw a hunt up quick.

Anyway thanks everyone for the advice and if you have more keep it coming. I hope to do this hunt multiple times but I know life happens and if I only get to do it once I want to come home knowing I did everything I could have done to prepare for success.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I spent 10 days in my Simms G3 boots over water pants last fall and was very grateful for them! I spoiled myself with a pair of Exped camp slippers, and at about 6 ounces, I would recommend them to anyone! There is nothing like taking off sweaty socks with cold feet, and having these to put on at camp. Also great for late night outhouse trips.

I brought Kuiu Yukon pants and never needed them. If it was wet, I wore the waders. I used the Yukon jacket for rain, and as a soft shell. No regrets there at all. A ball cap, or brimmed cap, or boonie cap would be a good addition to keep sun or rain out of your face.

 

[mcseal2]

I have a couple Sitka ball caps, a softshell material one that dries fast, and a duck hunting Gore Tex one I plan to take. The waterproof one doesn't breath as well as the softshell, but the bill doesn't soak through and wick into the rest of the hat either. For 4oz I figure both can go, I don't think they will weigh the one I'm wearing anyway.

I tried a Kuiu Guide jacket and the fit wasn't great for me compared to the FL Seak or the Sitka jackets. I have a long torso, barrel chest, and shorter arms. The Guide jacket that fit my torso length and chest/shoulders was really long in the sleeve. I have Kuiu Kenai jacket that fits fine, but it seems cut different than the Guide. I was worried that the Yukon jacket would fit like the Guide so I never tried one. I really wish someone in my area stocked a variety of clothing from different manufacturers but understand why they don't with the overhead cost and companies selling direct. I end up doing a lot of experimenting and returning stuff. The Kuiu Yukon pants for example fit me great, far better than other raingear like the Kryptek Koldo pants I tried first. I had trouble with the Kuiu softshell jacket and the Kryptek Dalibor II jacket fits me perfect and is my favorite softshell. Trail and error is the only thing I've found that works for me on getting functional clothing. I have not had a fit issue with anything First Lite yet, but I read about a lot of them. I have quite a bit of their stuff and it all seems to work. I don't care who makes what I wear I just want it to work and fit. I actually think having different camo patterns is a good thing, might break up my outline more. I like to wear a vest in a different pattern than my jacket predator calling but don't know if there is any real advantage to it. If I don't get caught moving I don't get spotted no matter the camo.

 

[randall3951]

We will be up there the 12th thru the 28th. Lots of good advice on here. One thing I've gotten out of everything I've read or saw on this area is prepare for the worse and hope for the best. I'm going to take Kevins advice and spend the money to get a twelve man tipi with stove. I can always sell it when we get back. I've never hunted Alaska but caribou hunted Northern Quebec and it was always wet the time I was there. Being able to come back and dry your gear out every night is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[AKDoc]

You got it sir...hope for the best but plan for the worse. It is true remote hunting, and it is wonderful, but you could be wx'ed in for days...it happens.

The tipi is a good idea for shelter...I have a Black Diamond mid that we use as shelter out of the wind and rain. I added a stove jack to it and I have a small Seekoutside titantium stove. Suitable wood to burn out there is a coin toss...we are two for four. Will be taking a Seekoutside 4-man this year...being able to guy-out the walls is a bonus. My hunting partner and I each have Hilleberg Staika's where we sleep, which are pricey for sure, but absolutely perfect for the conditions out there...the wind and rain can be pretty relentless in western AK.

Apologies to the OP for drifting off topic of clothing.

 

[mcseal2]

No problem on drifting off topic.

We have decided to take our Seek 8 man tipi, liners, and stove instead of using the outfitter supplied tent. Hopefully it turns out to be the right decision for where we get dropped. I have a set of 6 of the Kifaru SST stakes for it (once I saw what they are I could have made them and saved money), and I have 10" MSR cyclone stakes for the rest of the tipi and a few extras for tarps. Hopefully that will keep the tipi anchored in the worst conditions we see. I've used Kifaru Paratarps and Megatarps for several years on hunting and fishing trips but we just got the tipi last year and have only made a couple trips in it.

Anyone had an issue with the center pole of the tipi sinking into soft ground and loosening the pitch?

I wondered about the center pole and stove legs sinking in if we have to soft of ground. I thought of using a couple nuts and fender washers to increase the footprint on the stove legs and maybe welding a short collar a shade bigger diameter than the center pole onto an aluminum camping plate to increase the footprint of the center pole. The brother of the guy I'm going with has a set up to weld aluminum if it doesn't need to look pretty just hold. I read about people doing things like that camping on snow with the tipis but didn't know if it would be necessary for an AK bog. I figure it's better to ask now than wish I had later.