What is the weather and temps like on Baranof Island in early to mid May? I've got a boat based hunt planned and being from the south, I don't mind telling you I'm more than a little concerned about the weather, trying to stay warm and dry without taking a bunch of un-needed stuff.

So far this is my gear list:
Base layer-Under Armour coldgear relaxed fit midweght tee and bottoms.

Socks - wool.

Second layer- Cabelas Microtex shirt and pants. I worn this stuff in Canada, here deer hunting in Alabama and like it a lot. Its warm, quiet, dries fast, blocks alot of the wind and breathes pretty good.

Jacket - Cableas T.E.F. windshear-thinsulate fleece jacket.

Vest - I've got a good Raven Wear fleece vest that, if I don't have it on, is always in my day pack.

Rain gear - I got the Cableas MT050 parka plus I've also just bought an HH Impertech Deluxe Jacket that I plan to take, just in case.

Still need some good gloves and some type of ankle fit waders or stocking foot waders with lace up boots.

So do I pretty much have it covered? Anything you'd add?

Hi Mark ,, temps 30- 75 deg F. You might need hip boots ,you might not . . Cabela,s ankle fits or LaCrosse work fine but we don,t use them much in southeast .. We wear X Tra Tuffs....You can buy them here ,, They are ankle fit and work well with a sneaker or felt insole...The insole is real important!! Lace up boots like Cabela,s Canada Hunter by Miendle are good but X tra Tuffs are what we wear......Make sure your water proof pants are quiet...I like Pig skin gloves as they are totally devils club proof and don,t get slimy when they are wet.. For if its cold , some dark orange yellow fleece lined cold storage gloves.. You can also get them here.........Fancy Shmanshy gloves usually don,t work too well when you muckle ahold of a devils club to keep from sliping and falling...... .... Make sure you wear your PFD when in the skiff and that its fastened about you .......The skiff ride is more dangerous than the bears , statistaclly...Have fun ......

There's a major difference between zipping around in a skiff and hiking the shoreline. Even if it's raining, windy, and cold, moving through the cover along shore will be a lot warmer than sitting in a moving boat.

It's pretty common up here to don a float suit (like a coverall PFD) while running around in the skiff, especially one without a cabin or windshield, and shed the heavyduty outer layer when hitting the beach. Something like an insulated drover's coat would be the only thing I'd add to your list and what Gumboot has mentioned. You might find it a godsend if you're spending a lot of time glassing beaches and traveling around in small skiffs.

Don't tell anyone but May is by far the best time to be along the Alaskan coast. The hoards start to really show in June, as does the rain and fog.

Good luck on your hunt!

Go to weather underground then zip code 99835 for weather history on days you hunt .
sounds like you got plenty of stuff . i dont like gortex pants, go tru a devilclub patch they will leak like a strainer , i use fleece with impertech rainpants over and unless youre 6' 8" have somebody cut them off and cap the leg zipper well above the ankle . impertec is real quiet dry or wet , i really like the pants ,im not so impressed with the jacket.

Think about a quality gortex mit with a good liner; gloves leave me with cold fingers. It will probaboy drizzle daily & you will be out in it for about 5 hours every afternoon. I had a pair of light gortex gloves my last bear hunt that I bought at cabellas that leaked terribly on the first day. Got so cold I was loosing body heat big time- rest of me was warm & dry.Guide had a pair of wool mits on the boat with finger slit that served me well rest of the hunt. My new mits have a slit at the fingers so I can get to my trigger; they are hevier with a good insulated lining. Hope this helps/ Chaz

Count on changeable weather. You could get warm, calm days that time of year but there will probably be plenty of wind and rain too. Good raingear over a couple of the layers you are bringing will go a long way. Bring a good waterproof hat and I like double layer Gore Tex type pants like the MT050. They will leak a bit, but never yet had a problem with devils club poking holes in them. I generally don't wear gloves until winter but for skiff rides the cold storage gloves gumboot mentioned are nice. Do what your outfitter tells you, but I doubt you'll need hip boots for bear hunting. IMHO XTra Tuffs (16" neoprene boots) are the way to go. If you buy them here most places will have heavy rubberbands used to seal your gore tex pants or raingear over the boots for quick deep water crossings.

Thanks for the info. As to boots, the guided recommend the ankle fit hip waders from Cabelas along with a knee length rain coat, he suggeted the Cabelas MT050. I just want what ever works...

mark,
Every time I see a question like yours my first reaction is to ask why you don't ask your guide. I'm glad to see you're taking his advice. He should know exactly what you need.
I understand your concern though too. It's hard to pack for a hunt up here. I used to send my hunting clients a very specific list of gear they should bring with them. They were being transported by float plane and river boat to my camp, so weight was a big concern. Mostly everyone followed my recommendations.

Both my brown bear hunts I needed hippers. You get out of the skiff & step into the water, sometimes knee deep. You may have to cross a stream or two while finding a place to glass from, or later during your stalk. I bought a Cabellas fitted neoprene boot & they worked fine; just be sure to buy 2 pair of felt liners. Use one pair while the other pair dries out. I found that an inexpensive rainpant, cut off at the knee, gave me great coverage over my hippers. I never liked the bulk of a knee length raincoat, so I gave my HH to Ducks Unlimited for a raffle. I like a light gortex parka with several layers underneath. If I am too warm during a long hike to a glassing spot, I peel a layer off & put it into my day pack. Hope this helps/ Chaz