A friend and I are doing a drop hunt for Caribou in the Eastern Brooks Range near the divide in early September. I have a fair idea of what to bring based on wilderness hunts in the Rocky Mountains, but am curious as to what you guys would pack for clothing and gear.

Dave

The same stuff you take to the Rocky mountains in Sept. Just figure the potential cold factor (weather) to be a couple a weeks ahead of US Rockies. I would also suggest a satellite gps beacon that can put rescue on notice and give your location.

Satellite phone is a great insurance item. They can be rented in Alaska.

Bring warm clothes, it will be chilly in the Brooks come early September. I like a nice fleece jacket underneath a water proof shell and a pair of Sporthill Expedition pants in camo. Good warm boots and plenty of socks, a solid pack frame, 4 season tent, Jetboil stove, water purifier, first aid kit, TAG bag game bags, and a good pair of bino's. I'm sure there's more that others can add to this list.

Don't forget your rifle or ammo...

I was up there two years ago and it rained, snowed, fog, snowed, fog, rained, fog, rain, fog, snow, fog, snowed, snowed, rained, etc,...

I used Frogg Toggs rain gear, (ok, or maybe pretty good,) lots of fleece, and a little wool. Avoid the down completely. A light small tarp or even visqueen could act as a shelter to sit under, It's not really boggy tundra there but there are some creeks to cross so goretex socks or the waders made to go over you're boots, or,.....I used a bled rifle with a synthetic stock and it worked pretty good. Stainless would be easier.

Eastern Brooks on the 1st of Sep't.? That's about the time we think of leaving. The weather, man, the weather. Don't take down. Take a damn good tent and a couple of tarps as well. Quality sleeping bag & I'd use a piece of polar fleece as a liner. As to your stove, I personally don't like nor trust the canister type stoves. We use only ones that burn white gas. In fact, our stoves are the MSR Whisper Light's. In the past, I've seen where the canister stoves gave problems - maybe everything's been worked out of them by now but for us, the bush isn't the place to experiment. Take plenty of extra food - about twice the amount you think you're gonna need. Fuel too. Ya never know if the weather will set in & your plane can't pick you up. You indicate "near the divide" - therefore you may or may not be near timber. I suspect none. Plan accordingly. One other tip. Take a large (10'x12", reinforced at the grommets) nylon tarp. Then get some fiberglass tent poles (Sportsman's Warehouse has 'em) and rig the poles & tarp up so it can be used as either a pup tent or lean-to/wind breaker. Trust me - you'll be glad you did. Been there & done it. Get this rig all set up & ready to go AT HOME BEFORE YOU GO. We use this type of set up on the north side of the Brooks on a sheep hunt & it's a life saver. You should be able to take all of your gear & 2 guys in a 206 and have an interesting (to say the least) trip. Finally, I can't emphasize enough on QUALITY gear, your lives could depend on it. Don't go CHEAP.
Good Luck. Bear in Fairbanks

Guys:

Thanks for the comments so far, kkep them comimg.

Bear - Thanks for the tip on the wind break, I would not have thought of that one. As to the rest, I agree with 100% of what you have said on gear, especially about not going cheap (I've alraedy learned that lesson the hard way). I've never had much use for the canister stoves, but have used an MSR multi-fuel stove since 1975 and as long as you maintain them, they are bomb-proof. Also, I am not taking down clothes or a down sleeping bag. Rather, I am planning on a good fiberfill bag rated to 10 degrees. I was going to take a flannel liner, but the synthetic liner sounds like a better deal.

I'm planning to use a .358 Norma loaded with 225-grain TSX bullets.

Thanks,

Dave

loud-n-boomer,

This is a good thread.
I like seeing this kind of interaction on the forum.
As an observer, I learn a lot too.

Don

Check out my hunt report here https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8521043/m/141109626. The one thing that you will learn, is that you'll plan on too much stuff. What type of plane are you taking out? That will have a large bearing on how much weight you can take. Ask your outfitter, then pack everything just like you were going to climb on the plane and weight it.

Remember, no cotton or down.

Wiggy's bags are the "bomb". Call Marc Taylor @ (907) 336-1330 or email him: MTCazador@aol.com and ask for Wiggy's Glacier Hunter. I used a 0-degree Super light; the Glacier Hunter is supposed to be lighter and 10-degrees. I'll be trading soon.

On the canister stoves, if you have a commercial leg on the trip, you can't carry the fuel, and anywhere off the road system probably won't have it either.

I'd slit somebody's throat for a pair of Swarovski 10x32 ELs. My 10x42 SLCs are great glass, but....

The sat phone is a "must have" - the couple hundred it will cost is cheap insurance.

You are going to have a great time - as long as you don't get eaten by a bear.

Get a Hilleberg tent (Allak or Kaitum model or similar)...you'll need it on the northeast,north slope of the Brooks range. weather can get nasty even in August!

As far as clothing, Arcteryx or Mammut gear, and HH Impertech for rain gear(it will rain there)good boots(Lowa sheep hunters or comparable) and don't forget hip waders! you will be crossing glacial creeks and streams especially if your Bou hunting (they make light weight ones now). Take a bug net, arctic flies/mosquitos are still hanging around in Sept. even though it maybe cooler.

Water filter not really needed unless you need peace of mind, just take the "Aqua Mira" drops, it's some of the cleanest water up there, been drinking it for years.Instead of salt for your hides take TTC, don't need to take as much and a whole lot lighter. Everything else is mentioned by other replies so you be covered.

I second the Hilleberg, they're great tents as well as the Wiggy bag. Most everything that has been mentioned here shows the commentors have been there. They're giving good advise.

Make sure you get a good, comfortable (sized to fit you) external pack frame and bag, the largest you can handle, get a rifle carrier with the pack. Your not sheep hunting so $500.00 up is not needed but the packs keep getting better and better. I've been back pack hunting for 25 years and I can't stop upgrading there (currently have 13 internal and external).

For Caribou hunting you don't need to relocate your camp from your drop off point, but you will want to day hunt away from camp. In your pack you want to throw your, rain gear, SAT phone, first aid kit, camera, bug dope, head net, bino's, spotting scope, game bags, tarp, cord, water, lunch and snacks, knives and a couple of big garbage bags.
Bring 2 walking poles (collapsible), they're nice for walking and you can use them with your tarp for a lean too (wind shelter).
Kill your bou, lay the tarp out, as you skin the animal keep the meat off the ground and put it on your tarp, then ASAP put it in GOOD heavy game bags. When you're ready to head for camp put the game bagged meat in the garbage bags, put the light items in the bottom of the pack and the meat above. As soon as you get to camp take the meat out of the plastic and form a rain shelter with you tarp over the meat (away from your camp).

One more thing, don't camp below the high water mark and double pole (yes extra poles) and double stake your tent. The weather changes quickly up there.

The Hilleberg tents are awesome tents as are the Exped's. The most essential gear to have more than anything IMO is a top notch sleeping bag, boots, and bino's. If you don't get enough sleep you will not be able to hunt at your optimum best, sore feet/blisters and you'll be miserable trying to hike up and down those mountains, good bino's speak for themselves. I also recommend using a Wiggy's bag, preferably a Superlight or a Glacier Hunter and a good pad, like a Prolite 4 or a one of the Big Agnes models.

Re: Tents

Look at the the Kifaru and Titanium Goat tent models. Both are tipi style without floors and allow the use of a wood burning stove inside the tent. Once you've gone "floor-less" you'll never go back. The 6 & 8 man models allow a 6+ foot guy to stand up.... very nice when "tent-bound" and makes getting dressed so much easier. The stove simply spoils you and can dry out pretty much anything.

Bonus item:

Take a 5 gal paint bucket with screw-on/off top or O-ring seal. First: it keeps things dry. Second: it is pretty much mouse/bear proof. Third: It makes a great stool.... beats the hell out sitting on the ground!!

Have a great hunt!!

PS --- Isn't the 358 Norma a bit lite for Bou?

I would not go with the floorless tent models in the Brooks, especially bou hunting, you'll be on muskeg most of the time. You also mention a drop hunt so I assume you are flying in, which therefore makes you weight restricted if you plan on bringing back game.

Also, 5 gallon buckets are not bear proof they'll haul that off and you'll never find it, I have bear baited in Alaska for years and seen black bears tear up 55 gallon Plastic drums while chained to a tree. If your looking for something scent and bear proof, go with the large square military ammo cans, but the drawback is the weight factor of taking them in.

Another key point to remember, is to keep your game meat away from your camp (at least 50 yards)If your headed to the northeast Brooks Range You can count on seeing good quality Bulls there....good Luck

AK,


[QUOTE]Originally posted by AKsheephunter:
I would not go with the floorless tent models in the Brooks, especially bou hunting, you'll be on muskeg most of the time."

You don't have to camp in/on the muskeg. Even if you do, how is the tent floor an advantage? So you can step "through it"? So you can bring all the mud, muck, & water inside? Have you ever used a floor-less tent?

"You also mention a drop hunt so I assume you are flying in, which therefore makes you weight restricted if you plan on bringing back game."

Valid point. Your weight limit will determine how much you can bring.

"Also, 5 gallon buckets are not bear proof they'll haul that off and you'll never find it, I have bear baited in Alaska for years and seen black bears tear up 55 gallon Plastic drums while chained to a tree. If your looking for something scent and bear proof, go with the large square military ammo cans, but the drawback is the weight factor of taking them in."

My point wasn't that thye are bear proof.... I said "mouse/bear".... nothing is bear proof. Stool/seat function is still a big plus.