"The Doubler"

[530Chukar]

Awesome congrats! Great pictures too. You guys have to be in great shape to hike those hills day after day.


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[Greg Beck]

Awesome! Congrats and thanks for sharing!!

 

[Fjelljeger]

Great story Steve. Thank you for sharing that awesome adventure. You and Chris had an incredible hunt!

 

[chippewawarrior]

I can't come up with enough adjectives to describe how incredible your adventures are. I can only pray to find something equally as spectacular in my outdoor escapades. Thank you for the ride. I appreciate every lesson you have taught me through this media, and I hope to run into you in person someday so that we can share a drink...

 

[Julius K]

Congrats Steve, I always enjoy your stories!

 

[poman]

Congrats and thanks for sharing your hunt and story!

 

[Fishn4eyes]

Great story, fantastic pics and awesome rams.

Doesn't get any better than that.

Congrats, men!

 

[Stid2677]

This hunt was very satisfying for me,, I'm sure many can relate to a spot they have hunted before, during long hours spent waiting out weather about how you could better hunt a spot. That was this hunt, I often thought there was enough water to float back, but never wanted to risk packing rafts up only to have to carry those back along with a ram and gear.

Having packrafted before I knew this is a wet operation. More in the water than out of it, I used a pair of NRS paddlepants with goretex socks attached and a spray bib that went to my armpits. For a top I wore a wool shirt, wind shirt and Kuiu Chugach rain jacket. I have found that all breathable rain gear will become saturated after awhile and that the single layer rain gear dries faster and is lighter. This combo kept me warm and dry, Chris used raingear and gaiters and was Okay on the warm day float, but took over an hour by the stove to get warm enough to function when we floated his ram out on the day it rained/snowed.

I bought a new pair of Sparpa boots that Kuiu was selling off to try with the paddle pants as I needed about 1/2 size larger and I wanted non leather since I knew I would be in the water alot. I have to say these boots performed well and still can be bought for about 200 bucks, good deal on boots you can mountain hunt in. Another item I added this year was Injinji toe sock liners, Chris used them last year and I decided to try a pair and I'm a believer. Takes some getting used to, but I had zero foot issues.

Packs,, Chris used a Kifaru EMRII with hunter frame and I used a Stone Glacier XKruve with Sky 7400 bag. very impressed with the SG, that thing sticks to your back like glue. The center zipped allowed access to the ATX 95mm with doubler and the tripod tucked in nice in the slot on the outside. The tripod slot also held my trekking poles too.

Rifle for me is my Kimber Adirondack with Swaro Sheep hunter scope. Feeding it handloaded 130 grain Accubonds matched to a custom turret dial. Been impressed with the terminal ballistics and flat shooting of this caliber and the small package is a joy to carry. I sewed up a gun bearer and could carry Kifaru forward style of strap it up right for packing and floating.

Shelter is my old Sawtooth,, with my TI stove, That combo allowed us to warm up and dry out... This made a raft type hunt much safer, cold water kills and being able to get warm and dry is huge deal. I pack the 8 lb spotter/tripod, partner packs 10 lbs of shelter and stove. 18 pounds in a sheep pack is crazy,,, I know. I only took 15 pounds of food for 14 days, but those items allowed us to stay in the game and in Chris's case, that big eye was key in killing his ram.

I received my GIRU Kuiu Super Down Pro puffy jacket the day before we left.... Really liked the new material, pit zips and more fill. Beaded water well and also cut the wind fairly well, combined with the 240 Pelton Hoody I stayed very warm.

 

[Liv2Hunt]

Congrats! Cool story and pix!

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[Dinger]

Great story with great pictures...really helps me to imagine whats it's like to be there. RS stories like this get me thinking about a trip over there to experience that beautiful country.

 

[blackdog]

Epic adventure! Thanks so much for sharing. This is the type of hunt that I often dream about. Hopefully one day.............

 

[JWP58]

Thank you for sharing! Makes me want to move to ak.

 

[couesbitten]

Congrats to both of you, fantastic story, thank you for sharing.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

This hunt was very satisfying for me,, I'm sure many can relate to a spot they have hunted before, during long hours spent waiting out weather about how you could better hunt a spot. That was this hunt, I often thought there was enough water to float back, but never wanted to risk packing rafts up only to have to carry those back along with a ram and gear.

Having packrafted before I knew this is a wet operation. More in the water than out of it, I used a pair of NRS paddlepants with goretex socks attached and a spray bib that went to my armpits. For a top I wore a wool shirt, wind shirt and Kuiu Chugach rain jacket. I have found that all breathable rain gear will become saturated after awhile and that the single layer rain gear dries faster and is lighter. This combo kept me warm and dry, Chris used raingear and gaiters and was Okay on the warm day float, but took over an hour by the stove to get warm enough to function when we floated his ram out on the day it rained/snowed.

I bought a new pair of Sparpa boots that Kuiu was selling off to try with the paddle pants as I needed about 1/2 size larger and I wanted non leather since I knew I would be in the water alot. I have to say these boots performed well and still can be bought for about 200 bucks, good deal on boots you can mountain hunt in. Another item I added this year was Injinji toe sock liners, Chris used them last year and I decided to try a pair and I'm a believer. Takes some getting used to, but I had zero foot issues.

Packs,, Chris used a Kifaru EMRII with hunter frame and I used a Stone Glacier XKruve with Sky 7400 bag. very impressed with the SG, that thing sticks to your back like glue. The center zipped allowed access to the ATX 95mm with doubler and the tripod tucked in nice in the slot on the outside. The tripod slot also held my trekking poles too.

Rifle for me is my Kimber Adirondack with Swaro Sheep hunter scope. Feeding it handloaded 130 grain Accubonds matched to a custom turret dial. Been impressed with the terminal ballistics and flat shooting of this caliber and the small package is a joy to carry. I sewed up a gun bearer and could carry Kifaru forward style of strap it up right for packing and floating.

Shelter is my old Sawtooth,, with my TI stove, That combo allowed us to warm up and dry out... This made a raft type hunt much safer, cold water kills and being able to get warm and dry is huge deal. I pack the 8 lb spotter/tripod, partner packs 10 lbs of shelter and stove. 18 pounds in a sheep pack is crazy,,, I know. I only took 15 pounds of food for 14 days, but those items allowed us to stay in the game and in Chris's case, that big eye was key in killing his ram.

I received my GIRU Kuiu Super Down Pro puffy jacket the day before we left.... Really liked the new material, pit zips and more fill. Beaded water well and also cut the wind fairly well, combined with the 240 Pelton Hoody I stayed very warm.

Thanks for the gear run down! Would you mind commenting on your experience using the super down up there, new or old? Given the weather extremes of your trip, did you have any issues with the treated down?

 

[Stid2677]

Thanks for the gear run down! Would you mind commenting on your experience using the super down up there, new or old? Given the weather extremes of your trip, did you have any issues with the treated down?

I have been running treated down products since they came out. I have had zero issues with any of my down items getting wet. I have a Super Down Kuiu Jacket and the New Super Down Pro. The Pro has more fill, pit zips, and velcro sleeve cuffs. I have apacks down sleeping bag, just over one pound. For cold nights I wear my puffy jackets, vest and or pants to make up for a lighter bag. I do make sure to keep items in dry sacks when not used and use the rule of 2 levels of protection to ensure a dry sleeping bag.

 

[Tod osier]

Thanks Steve for sharing your hunt and what a hunt it was! I can't wait to get up there again. Beautiful pics as well.

 

[bates]

Awesome Hunt thanks for Sharing

 

[Jordan Budd]

This is awesome, freaking love looking at all of the photos. Thanks for sharing Steve! I start the fall in the morning.. packing in for 2 Bighorn Sheep!

 

[Snyd]

Shelter is my old Sawtooth,, with my TI stove, That combo allowed us to warm up and dry out... This made a raft type hunt much safer, cold water kills and being able to get warm and dry is huge deal. I pack the 8 lb spotter/tripod, partner packs 10 lbs of shelter and stove. 18 pounds in a sheep pack is crazy,,, I know. I only took 15 pounds of food for 14 days, but those items allowed us to stay in the game and in Chris's case, that big eye was key in killing his ram.

I don't blame you for packing a "heavy" shelter. My Hilleberg Tarra weighs 8.5lbs but it's 8.5 lbs of bombproof bliss on the mtn and it doesn't have a heater! So a little over 4lbs each. But, my partner wanted to use his Black Diamond TiPi so we did. About 3lbs, plus we each packed visqueen ground sheets and I put my down BA Zirkle bag/pad in a 8oz cover/bivi. I don't know what all that weighed (tipi, visqueen, bivi) maybe 5lbs total? It was a wet, drafty shelter. On this years wet, wet hunt I really missed my dry, warm, Hilly. For another 2lbs each we could have had a much better shelter. I've never been climbing up an mountain and thinking.... "ug, I wish my pack was 2lbs lighter..." Heck, I probably lost 2 lbs the first 2 days!

I also pack a little heavy on food, I need it. Gotta feed the machine! Optics, hey..... if you got it flaunt it ... you can't hunt what you can't see!

I think the "golite or go home" mentality has become a "lightweight" obsession. At some point saving 2 or 3 lbs can come at too big of a cost. If a guy is wet, cold, tired and hungry he's not up to his game and could be headed to bad situation. The better shelter, bag, clothes, food or whatever at 3lbs can be worth it's weight in gold, as you just proved on this hunt. Nice job Steve. Good to see your still at it.

 

[adventure907]

I don't blame you for packing a "heavy" shelter. My Hilleberg Tarra weighs 8.5lbs but it's 8.5 lbs of bombproof bliss on the mtn and it doesn't have a heater! So a little over 4lbs each. But, my partner wanted to use his Black Diamond TiPi so we did. About 3lbs, plus we each packed visqueen ground sheets and I put my down BA Zirkle bag/pad in a 8oz cover/bivi. I don't know what all that weighed (tipi, visqueen, bivi) maybe 5lbs total? It was a wet, drafty shelter. On this years wet, wet hunt I really missed my dry, warm, Hilly. For another 2lbs each we could have had a much better shelter. I've never been climbing up an mountain and thinking.... "ug, I wish my pack was 2lbs lighter..." Heck, I probably lost 2 lbs the first 2 days!

I also pack a little heavy on food, I need it. Gotta feed the machine! Optics, hey..... if you got it flaunt it ... you can't hunt what you can't see!

I think the "golite or go home" mentality has become a "lightweight" obsession. At some point saving 2 or 3 lbs can come at too big of a cost. If a guy is wet, cold, tired and hungry he's not up to his game and could be headed to bad situation. The better shelter, bag, clothes, food or whatever at 3lbs can be worth it's weight in gold, as you just proved on this hunt. Nice job Steve. Good to see your still at it.

Well said...I usually go in around 60 pounds, not counting water or firearm. I wouldn't trade one of my hillebergs for anything else when it comes time to storm.