Sheep Hunt Just Turned Solo

[AK Shane]

Unfortunately my sheep hunting partner is having to pull out of next months sheep hunt. So, looks like I'm heading in Solo. The first step was to make the mental adjustment. Now I've moved on to taking a closer look at my gear. With no one to share weight with, I need to shed some weight.

I need some tent advise. This is the first item I need to trade out. My go to for two guys is my 6 lb Hilleberg Nallo 3 but that's way to heavy for solo. One option is to pull out the inner shelter and just use the fly and a ground cloth. I don't know what the fly alone weighs. The other option is buy a new tent. The problem is, I like having a little room in my tent and most of these solo tents seem tight. So I'm looking at a one man that actually has some livable space or a smaller two man. Preferably a tent that would be able to withstand some winds.

Any opinions on the MSR Hubba Hubba, MSR Freelite or REI Quarter Dome? Bid Agnes Fly Creek, are these too thin to stand up to the elements?

The next item to lighten me up could be my sleeping bag which weighs 2lb 11oz. I'm currently looking at a Marmot Helium at 2lb 1oz. If I didn't go that route I'd probably look at a quilt. For you guys using quilts are you having to use high R-value pads to stay warm? Are you using other methods to block heat loss from the ground?

OK, this question may be purely option. Which pack would you take? Barneys' Pinnacle, 8+ lbs, that is heavier but will pack out a solo sheep much better. Exo Mtn. 5500, 5.5 lbs, much lighter under normal packing conditions but doesn't handle heavy weight anywhere near as well when packing an animal? Which would you take?

Thanks for your help and opinions.

 

[idig4au]

Sorry to hear you have to go solo, but a solo sheep hunt is better than no sheep hunt!

I would take the Barney's Pinnacle pack between your choices of packs. I loved mine, but retired it after I switched to Kifaru.

I use a 20 degree EE Enigma, wide and long model with 950 power down. If you go with a quilt, i suggest going with the long and wide version as its a bit more forgiving. I pair it with a Neoair x-lite with a cover sheet also from EE. Its worked well for me so far and if I get cool, I just throw on my insulating layers. I'm a pretty cold sleeper.

Tents, I have no experience with the models you are looking at. But might consider going with a MLD Duo cuben fiber. I think mine weighs like 14 or 15 oz. I pair it with a carbon center pole as I like to use two trekking poles during the day. Plenty of room shelter to place with all your gear.

 

[Maverick940]

8x12 tarp, a framepack, and a 20-degree synthetic-fill sleeping bag. Always worked fine for me. Heck, back in the day, we didn't even take a tarp or a sleeping bag (lol).

 

[Yellowknife]

Might be a bit late to get a quilt? I seem to recall those are a stock item most places. Anyway, by the time you get “long/wide” and the pad to match, the difference isn’t that much.

If you are brave or dumb enough, the Barney’s Pinnacle can lose a bunch of pockets to a sharp knife and be trimmer and lighter. Mine is short 4 or 5.




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[Big Nasty]

I Swear by my Stone glacier pack and have hauled moose quarters over 150lbs without breaking, I almost broke! I run a nemo sleeping bag at 2 1/2lbs so I wouldn't worry there too much. I have run the msr Hubba hubba and really liked it for solo hunting but switched to the kuiu mountain star this yr just because Setting up ease with the fly already attached (stays dry in rain when setting up). I know that won't be a popular answer here but have had in torrential downpours and stayed dry, will see how it handles 25 mountain nights this yr. Solo for 10 days I'm around 65-70LBS with food, water. and weapon. Solo hunting is awesome, you are in charge and have no one to keep up too or slow you down. Good luck and Have FUN!

 

[wind gypsy]

If you go quilt, make sure you give it a test run in cool weather rather than breaking it in on a sheep hunt. My experience is that they take a little more skillful sleeping to keep the warmth in and my skills weren't up to the task.

I've never run a Barney's pack but my Exo K2 has been sufficient for me packing out a few elk.

Seems the Hubba Hubba and Kuiu Mountainstar (i'd look at big sky revolution 2p) are popular freestanding tents. You could save more weight with a floorless or mid/tarptent with inner if you don't require free standing.

 

[Maverick940]

Yeah, a freestanding with poles, stakes, rainfly and all that, ain't worth the hassle or the weight.

 

[C Bow]

Feathered Friends Swift 20 YF 31oz Extra room in shoulders

 

[BRWNBR]

My sleep system is a msr hubba, EE 0 degree quilt and neo air pad for my sheep hunts. I’ve never weighed my set up but I think I’m close to 5lb total weight for my sleep system. I do carry a 12x Noah tarp for siwashing if I need to or for making camp more comfortable if the crap hits the fan.
Won’t go sheep hunting without my Barney’s pack.

 

[robAK]

Marmot helium great bag. Tensor 25r pad will add insulating value to bag. Used a quarter dome in CO on a above timberline muley hunt but don’t recommend for sheep. For all the %-+-%- talked about Kuiu packs they are a good pack, go with icon 6000 or bigger. Kuiu Yukon pants and gators, first lite puffy and seek jacket. Hillebrand has a two person packable tent that’s reasonable, can’t remember the model. Wiggys waders to cross glacier streams. Get an Inreach!,,,,,,,,,very important,,,,,,,going into the Granites solo next week for my bros hunt, First and foremost piece of gear I take.

 

[Blockcaver]

I like the MSR Hubba Hubba but do not have many miles on mine. Bought it as a replacement for a Mountain Hardware Skyledge II that had a flawed fly (MH warranty was good, but sold the replacement they provided, as it was a single wall...forgot the model). I wouldn't touch a Big Agnes Fly Creek after the issues I had with a Fly Creek I one man tent as well as their sleeping pad that had thousands of holes develop in it. Good luck on the solo hunt!

 

[AK Shane]

Thanks for all the feedback, I'm finally getting to read through off of them. Lots of guys seem to be running EE quilts. I pulled up Enlightened's site and a few youtube videos and think I'm sold on a 10 degree. EE does stock wides and longs, no special order required. I'm 5'8" and 170 lbs. Was looking at regular length x wide? I can't think of any downside to having 4 more inches in width. Do you guys like the sewn or zippered foot box? Either way this would cut at least 20 oz off my sleeping bag weight.

The tent I still need to figure out. I pulled the guts out of my Hille Nallo 3 to look at going floorless and just running the fly. Fly, poles and stakes puts me at 3#13oz. Add in some plastic or some type of ground cloth and I'm 4#. Not the lightest for a floorless shelter but almost has enough floor space to throw a party. At 4# I think I'd rather find something with a floor and bug screening.

The Kuiu Morningstar 2p tent has my interest because it has external poles. I really like my Hille Nallo 3 for that reason but the Hilleberg's just don't let any air flow through and like to condensate. So I guess the tent is still a work in progress.

I'm still undecided about which pack to take, Exo or Barney's. I did order a new belt for my Exo pack. My original seamed to be borderline small. Hoping the new belt will cinch around the front of my hip bones better under a heavy load. We'll see if the new belt tips me one way or the other. There is no way I'm as bold as Yellowknife and could take the knife to the pockets on my Barney's bag. That's dedication to shaving weight.

The Inreach will be coming along. I actually just upgraded from an old Spot Connect to the new Inreach Mini. Been so busy I haven't even had a chance to activate it yet.

 

[Choogiak]

Hey shane, I will second the mountainstar. I used it for a couple weeks of sheep hunting last year and had no problems with durability or condensation. I really love the poles on the outside. I have a quilt as well and no problems being cold. Good luck with your solo hunt

 

[Flojoe]

I'd go with the Barney's bag. I took my EXO 5500 on a 10 day Sheep hunt with a buddy 2 yrs ago and we each harvested a ram. With a whole ram + half the camp in my EXO, she was maxed out and not comfortable.

I threw on my buddies Barneys frame with his ram and camp, and it handled the load way better. That external is just flat out better at handling those type of loads I believe.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[CTobias]

I'm running the stone glacier guide 7900 and love it. I have it loaded to 70lbs with water during my training hikes and it is super comfortable.

I'm running a Bear Paw Wilderness Design Bear Den 2 floorless for my hunt. I gave the SG 2P a shakedown this past weekend during my scouting trip, and I decided to just shed 2lbs and take my floorless. This way I can be mobile and not have to leave a tent setup anywhere as a base camp.

I am running a 0 degree EE quilt and the thermarest neoair extherm pad. I also picked up a bora gear bivy to keep the bugs out of my face.

With my rifle, glass, food, etc., I'm coming in right around 52lbs. I knew I was going in solo back in March, so I started to order all the light gear I could afford, or not afford, depends if you ask my wife or not.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[Fjelljeger]

I'm running the stone glacier guide 7900 and love it. I have it loaded to 70lbs with water during my training hikes and it is super comfortable.

I'm running a Bear Paw Wilderness Design Bear Den 2 floorless for my hunt. I gave the SG 2P a shakedown this past weekend during my scouting trip, and I decided to just shed 2lbs and take my floorless. This way I can be mobile and not have to leave a tent setup anywhere as a base camp.

I am running a 0 degree EE quilt and the thermarest neoair extherm pad. I also picked up a bora gear bivy to keep the bugs out of my face.

With my rifle, glass, food, etc., I'm coming in right around 52lbs. I knew I was going in solo back in March, so I started to order all the light gear I could afford, or not afford, depends if you ask my wife or not.

Good luck on your hunt!

52lbs is mighty light. My hunt is very likely going to turn solo as well. I don't think I will get anywhere near that weight.....I am hoping to be under 70lbs.

 

[Short on cache]

If you live in the interior, I have a bunch of backcountry shelters. you could borrow one

 

[CTobias]

52lbs is mighty light. My hunt is very likely going to turn solo as well. I don't think I will get anywhere near that weight.....I am hoping to be under 70lbs.

That's dry without water. I will be going in water heavy, as I would rather have "too much" than not enough. Especially when the water is a nice hike below where I will be camping.

 

[AK Shane]

Right now I'm leaning towards my Barneys bag. It's more comfortable and offers more room for my gear and meat. With the Barney's I'm weighing in at 59 lbs including 48 oz of water, 8 days of food and my trekking poles.

I still haven't figured out a tent yet but have 4 lbs plugged into my pack weight to account for one. Hesitant to go floor less without giving it at least an overnight test run. Just don't think I have the time to get up in the mountains prior to heading out on the hunt. I'm headed out on the 17th so only two weekend's to dial in the gear and I have family plans this weekend.

 

[OregonInAlaska]

Right now I'm leaning towards my Barneys bag. It's more comfortable and offers more room for my gear and meat. With the Barney's I'm weighing in at 59 lbs including 48 oz of water, 8 days of food and my trekking poles.

I still haven't figured out a tent yet but have 4 lbs plugged into my pack weight to account for one. Hesitant to go floor less without giving it at least an overnight test run. Just don't think I have the time to get up in the mountains prior to heading out on the hunt. I'm headed out on the 17th so only two weekend's to dial in the gear and I have family plans this weekend.

Solo hunting is a blast. I went on a 10 day hunt last year with my dog. We didn’t get a ram, but had a great time.
I love my barnys for a solo trip.
As for the floorless shelter, their great for what their designed for. That being said, I switched from a supertarp to the mountainstar 2p this year. I wanted a free standing tent and to have my trekking poles available at all times.
Good luck this year.


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