Lessons Learned Moose Hunt

[RedRidge]

Have my first moose hunt in Alaska this September and am sorting through my list of gear to make the final cut. Some background for context. This will be a fly in drop camp rifle hunt in unit 20 with 3 other guys. Will be in wall tent. Meat will be flown out and taken to processor and am shipping it home from there via Alaska air cargo. No Alaska experience, but am with backcountry backpack hunting.

For those who have been to Alaska on this style of hunt what were some things you forgot or wish you had. I will be limited to the 50lb limit, so trying to see what I don't need or haven't thought of yet. Some things that are on my mind are:

1) What size tarps do you recommend for meat care?

2) Realistic amount of bullets to bring? Most I have researched or heard was 20-40 rounds.

3) Best practices for waterproofing rifle? Tikka T3 7RM.

Anything else you couldn't live without? Thanks!

 

[VernAK]

If you're taking a wall tent, you will have at least one gear load so the 50 pounds can be personal gear without food included......50 pounds is a lot of clothes and gear.

I take a 8x10 tarp for each moose butchering job or emergency shelter use......cheap at Frontier Hardware.

A box of ammo should be plenty.

No special waterproofing.....wipe down dry and wipe with oiled cloth......wood stocks can be sealed with Johnson't Paste Wax.....

 

[Kevin Dill]

Unless you're going to be blasting rounds in camp, 20 cartridges should be more than plenty. I only bow hunt and I take 8 broadhead arrows for a 2 week hunt. I'd have no problem going in with 10 cartridges personally. Limit yourself to 100% sure shots and make it count.

I made myself a 6'x8' tarp from silnylon and it's sufficient for laying out moose quarters which is really the only use I have for it when butchering. It folds very small and is lightweight; makes a good emergency cover for gear or whatever.

Thing I can't live without in the backcountry: Pocketknife. I'm serious...you'll always find a Case 2-blade folder in my pocket. 2-1/2" main blade and I use it for everything, every day.

Another item seldom mentioned is a sitting pad. I take a Therm-A-Rest Z-Seat as it weighs maybe 2 oz and folds nicely. Keeps my butt dry when sitting and glassing, while protecting my pants from damage by rocks, etc.

Pillow: Say what you want, but I'm not going anywhere for 2 weeks without a real pillow. I've done the make-do thing (stuff sack with clothing) and...uh-uh....not anymore. My head deserves 8 hours of comfort every night. I like the Therm-A-Rest Compressible Pillow in a large size.

2 oz bottle of Dr Bronner Peppermint Castille Soap. Works on everything you've got.

1 oz bottle of 100% DEET....just in case.

1 oz of your favorite steak rub in a plastic baggie.

Black Rock Gear down beanie. Weighs about 2 oz or less and is superbly warm.

Cutco #5718 Drop Point with Double-D edge. Best moose butchering blade I've ever used or seen used. You can't imagine how much effort an extremely sharp serrated edge saves you on a moose-sized job.

 

[RedRidge]

Thanks guys thats exactly the kind of feedback i was looking for. I was thinking like 15 rounds max. Not sure why one would need more then that unless they were hunting more species or couldn't check their zero with two rounds. Thanks for the reminder on the seat and real pillow Kevin.

Vern, yeah the outfitter/transporter service I am using provides a wall tent and cooking utensils. I will be responsible for food, sleep system and all of my personal gear.

 

[Brian in AK]

I second the cutco blade, it's by far the best knife I've used to take apart a moose. The serrations seem to stay sharper longer than a regular blade.
Started taking tyvek for laying the meat out on instead of tarps. lighter and folds smaller. It's 9' wide and you can cut to any length you want. 9x9 works good for me. Recommend a second piece to use when you roll the carcass, keeps everything much cleaner.

 

[VernAK]

Ditto the Cutco......I use the gutless method and this knife will zip right down that thick hide on the back.
I send mine in every couple years and get it sharpened.

With the tent in place and no gear load, you'll need to pay attention on weight. One food that I take a lot of
is Lipton Knorr pasta or rice dinners......cheap at WalMart.

 

[AKDoc]

I second Kevin's suggestions of the Thermarest butt pad, mine is well used...I take it on every hunt, and the Thermarest pillow. I just upgraded to the large size this year after the partition seal blew-out last fall on my regular sized one that I have used and patched for years.

Last year I tried something new, which worked out well, and I'm going to bring it again this year...a roll-up plastic sled. I've humped moose quarters for many years, and I'll hump them again. However, last year it was really nice to be able to just pull/slide them behind me back to camp. Many times, if not most of the time, a sled is not a viable option due to the type of terrain between the point of take and camp. Additionally, the sled may be the first thing you take off the scale if you're pushing over your weight limit, but nonetheless I thought I'd mention it...so much easier if you have the right terrain.

Last suggestion...be sure to bring good hiking poles! I can't imagine humping moose quarters without them.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Carnuba liquid car wax works wonders on rifles. You can coat your metal parts and wood parts. Just wipe it on, buff it off. Keeps the rust at bay for weeks at a time.

Bring good rain gear, and a length of cordage. Being able to tie a leg back and hold it in place while quartering is a big effort saver.

 

[cnelk]

Tarps. One for the tent floor. One for the tent roof. One for outside to stand under. One for the meat pole.

I cut a piece of that blue foam sleeping pad to kneel/sit on.

I too have the Cutco drop point straight blade. Had it for 20yrs. A great knife.

One box of bullets.

Para cord. Lots. A must have.

A couple small pulleys. Use to hoist food

You can plan on 1lb food /day.

If you have room, a thermos for hot drinks is a real pleasure.

A small grate for cooking over a fire or use as a table.

We brought a small camp axe.

Remember. These items counts toward your weight and the others weight too.
No need to double up.

 

[RedRidge]

Some solid feedback from you all. I really appreciate the input! Seems like i have my bases generally covered. I like the small grate idea. Side note, I once used some old concertina wire we found to string together to cook during SERE school. Best rabbit i ever had. I'll look around for a small portable grate to take just in case.

A lot of you all are recommending the cutco with the serrations. Do you think the serrations are a better choice then smooth? I like the idea of being able to resharpen it myself later down the road, but seems most recommend the serrated version.

Cnelk, what kind of tarps are you talking about or recommend. I have some cheap walmart ones, but assume these will take alot of my weight percentage up. Now I know we can spread these out among the 3 other guys, but curios on the quality of tarps your using?

Hopefully my rifle can keep doing this. 160 grain Accubonds.

 

[cnelk]

I tried the serrated cutco blade but didn’t like it and went the the regular blade.
I found the serrated didn’t part hair like a straight edge does.
I had hair everywhere.
Plus I like to sharpen my straight edge knives myself.

I wouldn’t recommend the blue poly tarps.
Get the better ones

 

[Kevin Dill]

Re the Cutco: I consider the serrated Cutco to be my specialized butchering knife for moose and that's all I use it for. I also take a straight blade with me for other duties. The Cutco is the only knife I've ever seen do an entire moose...completely skinned, quartered and de-boned...without a stop to sharpen. Cutco offers free annual sharpening, but I'm learning to do mine myself with the correct size diamond and ceramic rods.

 

[Wingert]

A suggestion since you mentioned your hunting in a unit where meat must be left on the bone, bring a hand saw in order to remove the ribs whole from the moose. I've use a Wyoming Saw.

 

[Robinhood21]

I’m bringing a 15” Stanley hand saw for cutting bone and camp chores


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[VernAK]

That Stanley is the best bone saw I've found.....not expensive either....I buy a new one every season.

 

[cnelk]

RedRidge - clear out your PM inbox, Its full

 

[Kevin Dill]

I tried the serrated cutco blade but didn’t like it and went the the regular blade.
I found the serrated didn’t part hair like a straight edge does.
I had hair everywhere.

I'd like to verify this as TRUE. Those serrations are major hair-grabbers, and the only time I used the Cutco to open up the hide I experienced plenty of cut hair. After that I used a straight edge to do all my hide cuts and then switched to the serrated Cutco to do all the skinning, take-apart and de-boning work. For my 2016 bull I used a razorknife with a roofing (hook) blade to open the hide, but I found the hook to be a bit small. Picky-picky I know. Anyway, I recently noticed the RaptoRazor and decided to give it a shot. It's laying on my desk as I type this, and it looks like the real deal. BIG hook which will facilitate getting under the hide and cutting it from the underside to minimize hair cutting.

Incidentally, I once figured I did at least 20 feet of linear hide cuts to completely skin a bull. That's 1 dorsal cut from the head to the rump, and 1 cut from spine to shank x 4 quarters. Doing it quickly and cleanly is a big work saver for me.

Back to the topic...

 

[cnelk]

As far as the Cutco, I agree with Kevin with the knife staying sharp.
I did my 2016 moose and without sharpening and I've broke down 3 elk before its needed a fresh edge.

Just be sure to cut skin/meat and stay out of the hair. Thats where's the dirt is

 

[rayporter]

I know the wt. mounts up fast but a couple bungee cords make stretching a tarp in a hurry simple. I had one tarp with 3 tied to it. super quick in a hurry.

if any of you have the same caliber consider a box for camp and carry less ammo. we never dipped into the camp box in 15 years.

perhaps you could roll up the tarps in the wall tent to save a pound if it is going in on a gear flight. if they have it already set up this wont work.

 

[RedRidge]

Ray, Robinhood, and Wingert Thanks for the tips!

Sounds like the Cutco is the real deal.

Cnelk, inbox cleared. Apologies.