Mountain Hunting Regrets

[Scooter90254]

Telling myself your mind quits before your body does and pushing through pain. Turns out that’s an absolute lie!!!

 

[AK Troutbum]

My absolute biggest regret is not starting my mountain hunting obsession when I first moved to AK at 23. I opted to wait until I was almost 40 and missed out on close to 20 of the best (physically fit and healthiest), years of my life. Every day I look up into my “backyard”, and think, goddamnit, I could have hunted that every year, before it became draw only, and some of the most difficult sheep tags in the state to draw.


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[Carr5vols]

Bailing off the mountain, when you know game is there. Then getting to that good meal and warm bed and start kicking yourself.

 

[Northpark]

My mountain hunting regret is not doing more mountain hunting. I live in the best place in the world and I still let day-to-day life get in the way. I need to get my priorities straight.

This ^^^^

And not understanding how a sleep system works. I spent some really cold nights in a 15 degree synthetic bag with a thin uninsulated pad in a 3 season tent before figuring out how a good down bag on an insulated pad and a good 3+ season tent can actually provide a good nights sleep.

 

[HoodooHunter]

Bordeauxs butt paste - the HD version - has worked wonders for my young kid. I wish they made a small tube version for backpackers. Ive never had an issue and eat mtn house no problem, but i see where it could be a godsend for others.

We used to get sample packets of the butt paste.

 

[Sourdough]

Smoke........From fires far away.

 

[VernAK]

Thinking I'm too old and not applying for TMA and DCUA tags.........hell it's right out my back door and I could have my butt landed at 5k feet for a sedentary sheep hunt......you never know when a ram might venture close. Maybe next year.

 

[Snyd]

What has everyone regret after a few days in the mountains?...

This shelter....

Instead of this one... To save 1.75lbs per guy ?!?! We'd packed it before, shot rams and managed to pack it all out!

 

[AK Troutbum]

This shelter....

Instead of this one... To save 1.75lbs per guy ?!?! We'd packed it before, shot rams and managed to pack it all out!

I hear what you're saying Snyd, but by comparing a Mega Light to a Hille, doesn't really give the whole Mid style a fair shake. The Mega Light is a poor example of a pyramid style shelter IMO. They're pretty light wt. but they aren't made with nearly the number of guy out points that are needed for a Mid of that size. Plus, silnylon does not do nearly as well as DCF when it comes to windy and or snowy/wet conditions. I think that if you were to try out a HMG Ultamid or something similar, you would have a much different opinion of Mids. You may still rather have the Hille, but guaranteed the margin would not be nearly as wide.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

My absolute biggest regret is not starting my mountain hunting obsession when I first moved to AK at 23. I opted to wait until I was almost 40 and missed out on close to 20 of the best (physically fit and healthiest), years of my life. Every day I look up into my “backyard”, and think, goddamnit, I could have hunted that every year, before it became draw only, and some of the most difficult sheep tags in the state to draw.


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I have similar feelings. Other than a bighorn hunt when I was like 15, I didn't do another mountain hunt until I was 35.

AS far as gear and equipment, I don't really have any regrets, There are several schools of thought on gear, its hard to say one is wrong. Some guys swear by ultralight shelters and down bags while others feel more comfortable with synthetic insulation and heavy duty tents. I can say that the weather I hunted through in 2018 made me really re think my shelter setup and go through the rest of my gear.

 

[Jimbob]

My absolute biggest regret is not starting my mountain hunting obsession when I first moved to AK at 23. I opted to wait until I was almost 40 and missed out on close to 20 of the best (physically fit and healthiest), years of my life. Every day I look up into my “backyard”, and think, goddamnit, I could have hunted that every year, before it became draw only, and some of the most difficult sheep tags in the state to draw.


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I hear that. I moved to BC at 34 and think to myself what did I miss out on by not moving here sooner.
Thankfully when I got here I hit the ground running and got in the mountains right away so I did get at it before 40 but I wonder what it would have been like in my 20's.

 

[Snyd]

I hear what you're saying Snyd, but by comparing a Mega Light to a Hille, doesn't really give the whole Mid style a fair shake. The Mega Light is a poor example of a pyramid style shelter IMO. They're pretty light wt. but they aren't made with nearly the number of guy out points that are needed for a Mid of that size. Plus, silnylon does not do nearly as well as DCF when it comes to windy and or snowy/wet conditions. I think that if you were to try out a HMG Ultamid or something similar, you would have a much different opinion of Mids. You may still rather have the Hille, but guaranteed the margin would not be nearly as wide.

Ya, I hear ya regarding material, guy lines, etc. We used Bob's last year. I think it's what you have or had. But with the weight of the tipi, pole, nest, bivy bags, stakes, etc. we were within 4 lbs of the Hilleberg. I sure missed the double entrance/ vestibules big enough for each guys pack, boots, wet rain gear, etc. Warm totally dry inner tent with no condensation dripping, etc. No sliding out from under the tipi on a sheet of plastic or inner nest sticking to a wet tipi fly. After 3 wet windy tipi tent hunts I'm not convinced that 2 lbs less weight on my pack is worth it. But 2 lbs is worth it for what the Hilleberg is. Atleast to me anyway. I think I got spoiled over the years with the Hilleberg. I don't mind packing my 4lbs of it and at this point planning on doing so into DCUA this year. Plus, now that I hunt with a pistol my weapon is atleast 2lbs lighter so I know I'll be able to haul that tent up the mtn!

 

[Blockcaver]

Very few regrets in the mountain hunting arena for me. It would have been nice to be in BC before I was 57 but would have missed some CO mountain hunting. It's all worked out anyway, just at a bit slower pace, lol.

Gear wise, I had a Big Agnes Flycreek 1 tent that was really bad above treeline in a Sept blizzard on a solo sheep hunt. It would blow flat, the foot section was too small for my size 13 feet on top of a pad, sucked getting in the end of the tent as the snow/rain poured in on your bag, etc.

 

[Billinsd]

backpacking several cans of food 3.5 miles into camp above 12,000 feet in Colorado and then back out again 2 days later, because I was cheap 13 years ago?

 

[VernAK]

Snyd's tent looks like a Hilleberg Tarra.......I think.

They are a bit heavier but the most bullet proof tent I've found.

 

[Snyd]

Snyd's tent looks like a Hilleberg Tarra.......I think.

They are a bit heavier but the most bullet proof tent I've found.

Yup. The Tara Bunker has served us well in the sheep mtns over the years.

 

[lmeyer]

Bordeauxs butt paste - the HD version - has worked wonders for my young kid. I wish they made a small tube version for backpackers. Ive never had an issue and eat mtn house no problem, but i see where it could be a godsend for others.

They do make sample single use packs. I got some from either the hospital or pediatricians office with a bunch of other samples in a "welcome baby home " bag when my kids were born. I'm not sure if you can buy them anywhere through.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I have no regrets. I moved to Alaska in the 1990s and my hunting mentor moved to Alaska specifically because of sheep hunting after being stationed here in the 1970s.
He always had us meet the weekend before a hunt and empty our packs on a tarp in his garage.

That way we both knew exactly what were were taking and if any crucial item was missing.
Never regretted forgetting something and no surprises in terms of duplicate gear, missing gear, etc.
With Super Cub hunts, pack limit 50lbs, so we also would verify each pack weight.

 

[AKarchery]

Not writing down or remembering the dosage for aqua tabs. Put two tabs(which was in one square so it made sense to me at the time to use both) in a nalgene on my hike in with the DS140 tag in my pocket. Started to get a headache so I wasted no time drinking water. I’m fairly certain I poisoned myself. I laid in the tent for 2 days with the worst headache of my life and had to hike out because I couldn’t keep down food.

 

[Antares]

Not writing down or remembering the dosage for aqua tabs. Put two tabs(which was in one square so it made sense to me at the time to use both) in a nalgene on my hike in with the DS140 tag in my pocket. Started to get a headache so I wasted no time drinking water. I’m fairly certain I poisoned myself. I laid in the tent for 2 days with the worst headache of my life and had to hike out because I couldn’t keep down food.

This is off topic, but that's good looking shorthair in your profile pic.

Carry on.