What Hatchet to Bring to Alaska?

[standswittaknife]

Was wondering what hatchet you guys recommend for an AK diy moose hunt? thanks in advance..Danny

 

[rileybassman]

pack in or drop camp?

Estwing is touch to beat for quality, USA made, economical, and tough... but it's heavy.

Gansfors Brux and Wetterlings are both amazing, Swedish made axes, but pricey. With the wood handle, they would be lighter - they both make a "hunters" version with a rounded head for skinning.

 

[Ray]

First, you need to know if where you are going hunting has trees larger than your thumb. If you are headed way out west, snapping twigs is about all you will need to worry about. Far to the north could be the same. Yes, you can find larger trees in those locations, but the need to process them is not really necessary.

I typically have a boys sized camp ax on my transportation equipment. If I'm not using any transportation equipment, then I'll take a small bow saw. Lately, I have found a Gerber Gator brush cutter to be more useful than a small saw or ax for handling the majority of the chopping work of clearing trails, campsites, and limbs for fires. It can be used to hack through a small log, and it will split a log if used like a shingle froe.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

A pack saw is lighter, quieter and will handle most situations including cutting bone.

 

[InIt2Live]

I agree with Bruce, a saw will weight less and also be more efficient in most cases. If I had to take a hatchet thoug, I would definitely be looking at a Fiskars X7. The power/cutting ability to weight ratio is incredible, and the cost to ability ratio is even more amazing! But again, I would rather take a saw. For me, that would be a 14" Wyoming saw w/ bone and wood blades, or if I go crazy light then I just take a Bahco folding saw and take my time using it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Sadly, I don't have any experience in Alaska so defer entirely to those above.

As it relates to hatchets in the more general sense: http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/38...+&+Tools+-+Axes+&+Tomahawks-_-Gerber-_-380669

I like the fiskars hatchets. Think they are the best thing going for a balance of price and performance. This Gerber gator is 22 oz. made by fiskars. Under 40'bucks. Has both a saw and hatchet. Leave the hatchet in camp and take the saw on your hunts. Just a thought.

 

[sniper61]

I carry a browning folding saw the holds both wood and bone blades in the handle. They are 20" long . The saw is aluminum and is light and compacted and has cut a lot of skulls and some wood. Need to find a photo of it on the net to share. I have had it nearly 20 years and it's never let me down . Would buy a back up if someone could find them.

 

[sniper61]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDVRkd_8Hrs here we go.

 

[standswittaknife]

All great info...!! thank you. I own both sizes of Wyoming saws so I'll probably go that way I guess. I'll look into all the mentioned above first. Thanks again,

Danny

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Each has its uses.
Some are better choppers & some are better splitters.

The Fiskers hatchet gets used the most.
The Estwing is heaviest and isn't a very good splitter but it's really good at chopping and trail clearing.

The refurbished hickory handled camp axe is perhaps the best all purpose. It is lighter than both the Estwing and Gerber and majority of weight is in the head.

But because the 14" Fiskers hatchet is so light and handy, it's with me more of the time. Good steel, razor sharp, and will cut bone. Excellent for braking down elk into quarters to load onto the mules. Also my goto tool for blind building.. waterfowl junkie here. And it gets hooked on my backpack a lot for overnight trips.

The Estwing resides on my saddle.
the Gerber rides behind my truck seat.
The camp axe is at home in the camper.
And of course I have a couple mauls & splitting axes.

The only gap I have is in the 17-18" range.
That might be a good compromise for yor needs.
Hunt'nFish

 

[paleraider]

I have a the Gransfors Burks Hatchet and it is excellent. I have used it for dang near everything while backpacking. I also have their Hunters Axe, I wouldn't recommend taking that due to its size. Also it doesn't process wood as well as the hatchet go figure. Of course I am mostly working on very small logs so the extra size is more of a hindrance then help.

 

[duchntr]

I have a wetterlings hatchet and i can process some wood with that thing, the key as with all your tools is keeping them sharp. My opinion if your not worried about weight, bring a hatchet and a saw and if your really into having a cush camp and big fires every night bring an even bigger axe and saw.

 

[PNWGATOR]

I have the Eastwing posted above and wouldn't buy another. It's terrible. It doesn't have the necessary mass or blade design to chop or split. It's better than nothing, but just barely. Not recommended.

 

[Augustus46]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDVRkd_8Hrs here we go.

This looks sweet, but it seems to be discontinued.