DIY off the haul road rifle hunt

[tyler32455]

Hey guys I need some input on what are essentials for pack hunting off the haul road 5 miles in , just need to know what the best things for me to bring would be , thanks for any and all input

 

[medvedyt]

5 miles can be a killer on your knees and footing walking on the tundra is interesting. wish you the best cant hunt in alaska without a guide but you will have fun.

 

[BowMan86]

A good sense of humor! Be honest with yourself on your abilities and choose your hunting partner carefully. Not a place to figure out you can’t pack 130 lbs of meat or that you can’t make multiple trips after you shoot one. Not trying to lecture or dissuade you, but I have had conversations with other guys doing this trip just to find out there trip was ruined due to how tuff it was or their hunting partners couldn’t hack it. The hunt is totally doable and myself and my buddies have done it several times, but I have also seen it break people too. I even tell my self everytime on the pack out that I will never do it again, but every year I find myself right back out there. Pay attention to the weather, you will most likely have creek crossings that may be fine when you head out but be totally blown out on the way back if it rains. Trekking poles make a huge difference. A good shooting stick can be helpful as sometimes it’s impossible to get a good rest or prone shot. Choose your boots wisely and bring blister tape. Extra socks as your feet will get wet (sweat or water). Good lightweight rain gear will be helpful. Depending on time of year bug spray will be a must. Lightweight folding saw is helpful if you will be staying out there for a few days. If you are successful, you can cut willow brush and pile it up to keep your meat off the ground. A lightweight tarp is helpful to put over your meat to keep dry. Be prepared for any weather. I have spent many days walking in sunshine and tshirts just for it to drop down into the 20s at night. A GPS or inreach is a must. For the most part it’s easy to find your way, but there are also times when the fog rolls in and you won’t be able to see 30 yards and that can set in for several hours at a time. I’m sure there are some other things, but if you have a good attitude and are able to push through some crappy hiking you will have fun.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

A sled without a doubt. If you can't afford the LB flex sled, get a viking sled from WallMart, Sportsmans or Freds. High stiff walls, not the cheap ass kiddy sleds. Especially nice on rainy or snowy days for glide.

Take a packraft to go east, away from larger people groups. Follow the caribou trails in the tundra until you're outside the 5-mile corridor. If they're fresh tracks it'll be the most direct path to the best odds of a harvest.

Don't blow all your stamina on chasing groups of bou on every horizon. Conserve your energy, hunt close to fresh trails, conceal, ambush.

 

[tyler32455]

5 miles can be a killer on your knees and footing walking on the tundra is interesting. wish you the best cant hunt in alaska without a guide but you will have fun.

Nonresidents:
A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred" This is on adfg it states if I'm not a US CITIZEN that I have to have a guide , but seeing how I I am a US citizen the only species that I have to have a guide for is brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat .

 

[medvedyt]

i should i ve wrote i can t myself in alaska without a guide ...

 

[jdub17]

Hiking poles will save your knees. Don't leave home without 'em if you are covering any distance.

 

[Rowsdower]

You are able to start hunting with a rifle at the 5 mile mark, you will often have to venture further to kill your caribou. I have hunted the North Slope many times and done the tundra death march solo, brutal to say the least. I have encountered many hunters over the years who underestimated their physical abilities and have been unable to pack out ALL the meat. Mental fortitude, a sled and time are what you need.

 

[HoneyDew]

The answer changes depending on if you’re staying in overnight and how many nights.

 

[StupidLightweight]

It’s an incredible adventure, but as others have said, walking on the tundra is tough. The best analogy for this ground is a waterbed covered in bowling balls. I’ve hunted the steepest slopes of N. America and New Zealand and grew up hunting the rainforests of WA. North Slope trekking crushed them all in difficulty.

Gear selection wasn’t complex, but every single step was brutal. Footwear matters. I used lightweight water shoes with neoprene socks. Everything else is basic: go light, use great glass, have rain gear.

 

[sickles107]

Not a direct analogy, but in my limited experience walking on tusics is physically equivalent to post holing through 1-2ft deep snow. Then if it's early and bug are bad, stopping for a break is more torturing than the hiking.

Having said that, my trip up the haul road made running around the mountains in montana look like child's play. The adventure it self is next level, and that country is truly wild.

 

[AK Troutbum]

No doubt about it, the absolute best piece of gear you could bring up to the Haul rd. for a caribou hunt is a bow.

 

[hunterjmj]

I hunted that country in the early 2000's and was not mentally prepared for walking on tundra. My dad and I got the job done but it was tough. Trekking poles and different boots would have made life multiple times better. With all that said, I'd do it again.

 

[KingGus]

No doubt about it, the absolute best piece of gear you could bring up to the Haul rd. for a caribou hunt is a bow.

I second the bow, but on some of my biggest bow hunting days up there, I've still done 10-15 miles. I caved to the rifle this year and made the long trip out. The wife and I did it in a day. 20 miles later, at 1:30 am, we made it back to the truck.