Critique My Gear for August NWT Dall Hunt

[buffybr]

I did a backpack hunt with Gana River back in 1999. GREAT HUNT!!

Great base camp. I was really impressed with their water powered electric came generator.
If their hunter cabins are still the ones when I was there, I signed the ceiling for my ram, mountain caribou, and wolverine.

If you can still buy option tags for caribou, wolf, and wolverine, DO IT! I did and had an opportunity for a wolf the first afternoon in base camp, shot a wolverine while packing out my Dall ram and our spike camp, and I shot a mountain caribou in velvet after I got my ram.

I'm old school, and didn't take half the gear in the OP's list. The only name brand cloths that I took were a Cabela's Dry Plus camo rain coat and pants, and a pair of 10" Cabela's hiking boots. I had a lightweight camo jacket from Wall mart. My hunting cloths were 3 pr of white cotton socks, 1 pr of Levi's, a couple cotton T shirts, and a couple of Wall mart long sleeve camo shirts. I probably took a set of long underware. I rarely wear any kind of hat, and didn't take any on that hunt.

In recent years I have "upgraded" some of my hunting cloths to include a lightweight Sitka jacket and pants, and a Kuiu puffy coat.

My pack frame is so old that I don't have any idea what brand it is, but I have packed a pile of deer, antelope, 3 bighorn rams, and a bunch of elk quarters out on it. I did buy a large Cabela's pack that fit over my frame.

My sleeping bag was a down mummy that I got in the early '70s. I still use it today. I did have a Thermarest pad.

My rifle was my .257 Ackley that I built in 1977 on a Mauser Mark X barreled action, topped with a Leupold M8 6x scope, and shooting my 117 gr Sierra GameKing reloads.

I did have a Nikon range finder, and my binocs were Nikon 9x25s. My guide had a little better binoculars, we didn't have a spotting scope or a tripod, and neither of us had trekking poles.

I shot my ram at 206 yds, my caribou at about 150 yds, and my wolverine at a little under 100 yds.

Take at least one paperback book. We had a bit of rain time in our tent and we ended up reading our books and each other's books.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I was limited to 50 lbs in weight. That is plenty considering it doesn’t include food and cacamp.

Sound Advice /\/\/\ Today's modern hunters need to keep in mind that they're only going to be in the bushes a total of 10 or 12 days, typically. You don't need a bunch of s**t along.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I have kicked around leaving the tote, and having my pack loaded and in a kuiu taku bag. Then on my return trip I can hopefully have my horns and cape in the taku bag with some clothes wrapped around the horns and the rest of my stuff in my pack. I have a few different books I havent started and plan to take one of them. It sounds easier to just have my gun, one checked bag and then a carry on for the flights up.

 

[OMB]

I have kicked around leaving the tote, and having my pack loaded and in a kuiu taku bag. Then on my return trip I can hopefully have my horns and cape in the taku bag with some clothes wrapped around the horns and the rest of my stuff in my pack. I have a few different books I havent started and plan to take one of them. It sounds easier to just have my gun, one checked bag and then a carry on for the flights up.

Last time I went up, I flew up with my pack more or less loaded (SG 6900) inside of the Kuiu 10400 duffel, rifle in a Pelican roller case, and a strap to connect the duffel to the top of my rifle case to roll it around. Carried on my rain gear/boots/bino harness in a normal size North Face backpack. Flying home, cape and horns went in the duffel with all of my pack contents, took the lid off and compressed my hunting pack and carried that on. I did need a luggage cart for the meat cooler I flew back with but that's not a big deal at any airport you're coming through.

Just rebooked for an upcoming season and I don't anticipate changing anything with that system.

Ditch a bag in base camp with street clothes, nothing worse than that first hot shower and having to throw dirty cammies back on. If you're a dipper, double what you think you'll need, because the selection in Norman Wells is neither great nor reasonably priced. Best of luck, take lots of pictures.

 

[FRANKBUCK]

Hey guys, I leave August 20th for my Dall hunt in the NWT with Gana River Outfitters. It's a horseback hunt, so a different ball game than a traditional backpack hunt. I was hoping to get some feedback on my gear setup from all the experienced sheep hunters on here.

Kifaru Rekoning Pack, debating on getting a lid for it just for ease of throwing my puffy layers or rain gear in the lid for quick access.
Tikka 6,5 prc 20" barrel shooting factory eldx, or eldm. Both shoot great. Maven RS 1.2 for the scope in UM rings, hopefully my Rokstock comes in.
Base Layers, 1 Black Ovis merino long sleeve, 1 Kuiu Peleton 118 short sleeve, 1 Kuiu 120 merino zip off bottoms, 2 pairs Kuiu boxers, 1 xoskin boxer. 1 Kuiu neck gaiter. 3 pairs of socks.
Mid layer, 1 Sitka Core Lightweight Hoodie, 1 Marsupial Gear Suntech Hoodie, 1 Kuiu Strong Fleece 210, 2 pairs Sitka Traverse pants.
Outer layer, Kryptek down jacket, I may upgrade this cause the fabric is pretty shinny, although I dont know if thats something to worry about. Kings down pants, dont know if they are really needed but if we have to siwash out on the mountain it'd be nice to have them. Kuiu gaiters.
Rain gear, Kuiu Chugach jacket and Yukon pants.
Kuiu Kenai packable gloves, Kuiu leather palmed gloves. If the Kenai are too much I can swap them out for a lightweight merino glove.
Sleep system, WM Ponderoso MF 15* bag with over fill, Thermarest Neo Air Xlite NXT, Exped pillow.
Optics, EL 10x42, Leica 2800.com rangefinder, ATS 20-60X65 spotter, Tricer tripod and head. The spotter may get left at base camp, but it would be great to be able to watch the sheep.
Misc. Lightweight knife, Petzel Tikka headlamp, Zoleo sat communicator, Black Diamond Trail Back trekking poles, Spartan bipod, wind checker. Rite in the Rain book and pen, Iphone 13 pro max for pictures, battery bank, 1 liter nalgene and a 3 liter bladder.

I'm probably forgetting something but that should about cover it. Is there anything you guys think I should drop out of this list or add to it? Anywhere to save a bit of weight? Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone this season on your hunts!

What are you using for a stove? I like the reactor personally.

 

[ReddingArcher]

What are you using for a stove? I like the reactor personally.

I need to get a reactor. I didn’t take a stove on my hunt, we were on horseback and cooked on cast iron over a fire.

 

[schmalzy]

What are you using for a stove? I like the reactor personally.

I know this wasn’t directed at me, but think the reactor is overkill for most mountain hunting when melting snow not the objective.


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[FRANKBUCK]

I'd also add super glue for cuts and Newskin to your med kit...along with some electrolytes like Wilderness Athlete.

 

[FRANKBUCK]

I know this wasn’t directed at me, but think the reactor is overkill for most mountain hunting when melting snow not the objective.


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Yes it depends on the hunt. For freeze dried meals and heating water, that stove is the quickest and most efficient IMO.

 

[ColeyG]

Yes it depends on the hunt. For freeze dried meals and heating water, that stove is the quickest and most efficient IMO.

Their new wind burner kit is pretty good as well and it comes in a little lighter and smaller and it is just as efficient. I bring the Reactor and 1L pot for 2 people and use the Windburner when solo.

 

[schmalzy]

Their new wind burner kit is pretty good as well and it comes in a little lighter and smaller and it is just as efficient. I bring the Reactor and 1L pot for 2 people and use the Windburner when solo.

I’ve got a windburner and like it, but it’s still pretty heavy. Overnights or day hunting it’s always my choice, but if trying to go light it gets cut for a snowpeak giga.


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[ColeyG]

I’ve got a windburner and like it, but it’s still pretty heavy. Overnights or day hunting it’s always my choice, but if trying to go light it gets cut for a snowpeak giga.


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Those small stoves like the giga, pocket rocket etc trick people into thinking they are going lighter.

By the time you add a pot, wind screen, and more fuel due to the relative lack of efficiency, my experience is you havent really saved any weight over an integrated system like the Windburner or jetboil.