Remington Hunter
FNG
We have all had at least one nightmare hunt and I have been part of a few, but most recently mine happened two weeks ago.
I was on my way to a four day spring bear scouting trip when I stopped for gas and had to use the little boys’ room. I filled the truck up and drove to the trailhead, but to my surprise when I got there my Kifaru Mountain Warrior that I have had since 2012 was gone. Optics, tripod, warming layers, 0 degree bag, RabRidge Bivy: ALL GONE. While I am not a forgetful person and with the truck camp, it was impossible to fly or fall out of the back, I figured that I left it at home amidst the rush in the morning. I walk through the door and my pack with all of my gear and food inside was not there. Must have been stolen at some point throughout the day I figured. I have accumulated gear throughout the years, but with moving with my job, is in a storage unit in the lower 48. I franticly through some gear together that I had which included a 45 degree sleeping bag, a backup cook set, a three person tent that I have never used and bought on an impulse buy, and old freighter pack and a larger waterproofing bag. Couple warming layers, a little food that I could rustle up from the kitchen and I was heading back out.
Knowing that I was ill prepared for Alaska in March, allowed me to embrace the suck factor that was I was about to endure. I got out of my truck, without weighing anything in my pack I immediately noticed a difference that what I was used to, but I determined to get out into the woods after doing nothing but ice fishing all winter. I walked in 7 miles, but was feeling good until it turned dark. It dropped below 20 degrees that night and I forgot my sleeping pad. I woke up at 0330 to build a fire and unfreeze myself from the ground. Waiting for the sun to come up I started writing down things that I need to buy and things that I just plain forgot. I wanted to remember what kind of suck fest this actually was.
To make a long story of misery short, I was very ill prepared for this adventure, but I survived. I learned, or rather relearned, three major things that I will never forget.
(1) Boiling your water 500ml at a time sucks and you always need more water
(2) Woodsmanship can actually make the suck fest less as I ditched the tent and built a lean-to and a bed of pine with a warming fire.
(3) If you are determined enough (or dumb, either way), you can make it, but it wont be as comfortable
The only good thing to come out of this, is that I am now forced to spend money on the gear that I already know that I will need and try new gear that I have been wanting.
Good Luck to everyone this year!
I was on my way to a four day spring bear scouting trip when I stopped for gas and had to use the little boys’ room. I filled the truck up and drove to the trailhead, but to my surprise when I got there my Kifaru Mountain Warrior that I have had since 2012 was gone. Optics, tripod, warming layers, 0 degree bag, RabRidge Bivy: ALL GONE. While I am not a forgetful person and with the truck camp, it was impossible to fly or fall out of the back, I figured that I left it at home amidst the rush in the morning. I walk through the door and my pack with all of my gear and food inside was not there. Must have been stolen at some point throughout the day I figured. I have accumulated gear throughout the years, but with moving with my job, is in a storage unit in the lower 48. I franticly through some gear together that I had which included a 45 degree sleeping bag, a backup cook set, a three person tent that I have never used and bought on an impulse buy, and old freighter pack and a larger waterproofing bag. Couple warming layers, a little food that I could rustle up from the kitchen and I was heading back out.
Knowing that I was ill prepared for Alaska in March, allowed me to embrace the suck factor that was I was about to endure. I got out of my truck, without weighing anything in my pack I immediately noticed a difference that what I was used to, but I determined to get out into the woods after doing nothing but ice fishing all winter. I walked in 7 miles, but was feeling good until it turned dark. It dropped below 20 degrees that night and I forgot my sleeping pad. I woke up at 0330 to build a fire and unfreeze myself from the ground. Waiting for the sun to come up I started writing down things that I need to buy and things that I just plain forgot. I wanted to remember what kind of suck fest this actually was.
To make a long story of misery short, I was very ill prepared for this adventure, but I survived. I learned, or rather relearned, three major things that I will never forget.
(1) Boiling your water 500ml at a time sucks and you always need more water
(2) Woodsmanship can actually make the suck fest less as I ditched the tent and built a lean-to and a bed of pine with a warming fire.
(3) If you are determined enough (or dumb, either way), you can make it, but it wont be as comfortable
The only good thing to come out of this, is that I am now forced to spend money on the gear that I already know that I will need and try new gear that I have been wanting.
Good Luck to everyone this year!
