23 October 2003, 10:36
PalmerBrown Bear Packing List
I have had some requests for this packing list and it occured to me that with all the expertise on this forum it would be good to just post it and ask for others suggestions on how to improve upon it. Thanks.
BROWN BEAR PACKING LIST The following is based upon a 10 day hunt out of a spike camp where limited backpacking is required. It assumes the outfitter will supply the food, cooking gear and tent.
This list is arranged in the way that I pack it for the plane ride to Alaska. Once in Alaska I unpack and rearrange it.
Where brand names are listed it is only for the purpose of indicating the quality level. There are no doubt other manufacturers that can be substituted. Alaska can find the flaws quickly in shoddy gear.
None of this gear will do much good if you are not in shape. Bear hunting is usually in hilly areas and can be strenuous - especially on a push to get up to a bear.
IN TUFF PAK: Rifle in Koplin ribbed soft case with bolt removed but tied in Crown Royal whisky sack to the trigger guard. I leave the scope covers and sling on the rifle.
Ankle fit hip boots with 20 rounds of boxed ammo in the toe of each boot (40 rounds total). The hip boots have insoles added. Note: I only wear the ankle fit hip boots while hunting. I used to carry leather hunting boots but never wore them so now I leave them at home.
If you are absolutely sure you won't need hip boots then your waterproof hunting boots or Rubber knee highs (Xtra Tufs)with Danner hard plastic arch supports have been suggested. These could be worn when no deep stream crossings are anticipated and they would be a lot more comfortable than the hip boots.
Rubber boot goop repair for boots
Folding knife
First aid kit with nail clippers, prescription drugs, new skin liquid bandage, aspirin etc.
Metal coffee cup and metal �spork�
Leatherman tool
Mini-Mag flashlight with 2 sets of new batteries
Petzel headlamp with 2 sets of new batteries
Sleeping bag (rated to 15 degrees or lower) stuffed around rifle case for padding
Inflatable sleeping pad (I roll up a jacket for a pillow)
Shooting sticks or bipod
Rifle repair kit including bore snake, star torque wrench and allen wrench for scope removal, an extra firing pin and trigger group along with the tools to install them.
6 nails for hangers in camp
10 wooden clothes pins (drying clothes on line)
50 feet of parachute cord
Rifle rain guard from Kifaru
10 inches of black electrical tape to tape over the muzzle of the rifle to keep out rain, snow and mud. I put this on after sighting in the rifle at the base camp.
Leupold lens pen
20 round cartridge carrier that slips on my belt
Firestarter device (Coghlan's fire starter), candle and disposable butane lighter. Not sure the butane lighter can be carried on planes though. You may have to purchase that after you land.
Emergency Strobe light or Personal locater beacon (PLB). Note: if the guide is carrying one of these or a Sat. phone or radio that may be enough if the area you hunt in has good reception. You will nearly always be with your guide.
Emergency Bivy bag
Space blanket - Large red and silver one
IN KIFARU LONGHUNTER BACKPACK: Whatever backpack you choose needs to fit you well if you are hiking very far.
(Note: In addition to the clothing below I will be wearing 1 set of clothing on the way to the camp. The following is what is in the pack)
8 pair of Thermax briefs from Cabelas
8 pair of Thermax liner socks from Cabelas
3 pair of Thorlo socks medium weight
1 pair of Thorlo winter weight socks
1 pair of Thorlo light weight socks
1 pair of waterproof divers socks - neoprene or military goretex booties
2 pair of long underwear - 1 light and 1 warm - both polypro
2 shirts with big pockets - one is camo and one is tan color (also wearing one)
2 tee shirts - tan
1 long sleeve tee shirt - camo
2 pair of rip stop pants with zipper pockets - both are olive drab color (also wearing one) or Carhart carpenters pants have been suggested. These are reportedly quiet when walking through brush which could be very important.
1 pair of fleece pants
1 fleece vest - camo
1 fleece jacket - olive drab
1 Gore Tex Jacket with hood and zipper pockets
Helly Hansen Impertech rain jacket and pants with suspenders. As an alternate to the HH pants I have also taken a pair of Grundeons and cut off the bottom legs below the knees. These will easily pull over the ankle fit hip boots.
Camp shoes (I like the waterproof moccasin slippers from LL Bean)
Lightweight ball cap - tan
Wool stocking cap - camo - it can be pulled down into a face mask also.
1 bandana
1 pair light cloth camo gloves
1 pair insulated light leather gloves
1 pair waterproof neoprene gloves
Extra pair of insoles for hip boots - the ones in the boots will get wet from sweat or rain
Ankle sprain elastic wraps for each ankle
1 pair garters for holding down pant legs inside of boots
2 handkerchiefs
Backpackers washcloth and Backpackers towel
Travel toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss
Small metal mirror
Eyedrops - 1.5 fl. oz. bottle
1 tube of chapstick or lip balm
25 cough drops - Halls
Pump bottle insect repellent with 100 percent Deet
SPF 30 sunscreen
Dr. Scholl�s foot powder to sprinkle in your boots each day
Small bottle of medicated powder
Moleskin
Hikers paks of toilet paper in plastic zip lock bags
8 small packages of Kleenex
12 packages of Baby wipes or Wet Ones
Small bottle of hand lotion
Needle and thread
Patching kit for boots and raingear
Alarm clock
Extra pair of sunglasses ( I will also be wearing one pair) and spare glasses with repair kit if you wear them
Water purifier bottle with pump (Giardia is common in steams)
Two 20 oz. unbreakable water bottles for drinking water (I use GatorAide bottles)
Stuff sacks for dirty clothes (or 6 large plastic garbage bags)
Waterproof duffle bag - a light bag that can seal at the top
6 large zip lock bags for carrying extra socks etc.
Lens cleaning fluid and lens cloth for glasses, binoculars and scope
1/4 roll of camo duct tape (Note you can put duct tape on your heels to lessen blisters)
Compass
1 book
Small (shirt pocket size) spiral notebook for journal and retractable pen or two
Assorted hard candy for those long hours of waiting and watching - enough for guide too
Sack of peanuts in the shell
Small stainless thermos for tea and soup
IN CROOKED HORN DAY PACK: Note I use this for a carry-on during the flight and use it to carry gifts back to the family on the return trip.
Camera with 12 rolls of film in zip lock bags or Digital camera.
10x40 Zeiss binoculars with Crooked Horn chest strap
Leica Rangefinder - LRF 1200
Extra scope with scope covers (mine are set up with Talley QD rings) This scope matches the one on the rifle and is sighted in the same as that one. My 375 doesn't have iron sights. If it did I would not carry an extra scope.
Spare set of travel clothing for return trip that I leave in Anchorage or base camp
Plane tickets and misc. travel papers
Business cards
In Anchorage I usually slip a bottle of Crown in the day pack hoping for a reason for a celebration. I also take a couple of Cohibas for the celebration or for the sorry day that I return without a bear.
IN NECK POUCH: I carry money, checks, drivers license, pilots license or other ID and credit cards in a zippered neck strap pouch under my shirt. I usually stash a couple hundred bucks of emergency money in the Tuff Pak left with the Air Taxi company just in case the other is lost.
Organization of it all:
The main reasons I pack it like the above is for the distribution of the weight during the flight and to protect the rifle, cameras, binoculars etc. The above results in two checked bags that are under the weight limit and one carry on bag with the breakables in it.
When I get the baggage off in Anchorage or Kodiak, the carry on pack straps onto the backpack and I roll the Tuff Pak (wish it had bigger wheels). Thus while in the city I just wear the backpack and pull the Tuff Pak.
At the motel at Anchorage or Kodiak I repack everything for the bush plane ride. Put the stuff that stays such as the travel clothes etc into the Tuff Pak and lock it up. The Air Taxi company will usually store it until you get back.
Everything else ends up in the backpack and daypack. I carry the rifle in the soft case during the bush plane ride. Then when I get to base camp I leave the soft case and a spare set of clothes in a plastic garbage bag and set out for the spike camp without any case for the rifle.
If hiking very far I leave part of the stuff (such as a change of clothes and some of the bullets) hanging in a tree or stashed about half way to the spike camp. If I need them, I can hike back.
If I ever get lucky I expect to carry the skull and part of the guides gear because he will be packing the bear skin so the backpack needs some type of freighter device.
[ 11-15-2003, 18:26: Message edited by: Palmer ]07 November 2003, 13:21
KeesSince you are talking about knee-high rubber boots, may I suggest the XtraTuf boot? Also known as Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka or Petersburg sneakers. The tread on them is superior in my opinion to anything else except maybe calks for gripping the ground, slippery rocks etc. For repair I use the neoprene wet suit repair stuff. It is spendy but holds better than Shoe Goo or Goop in my opinion. Be sure to insert some felt insoles to cushion your feet.
Living and working in SE Alaska I realize that I am going to get wet regardless of if I wear rubber raingear or Goretex. The rubber at least keeps me warm and it is a whole lot cheaper than the fancy stuff. I have used "Rainskins" for years now, and it seems to hold up well. It is also fairly light.
My day pack for work has Coghlan's fire starter, candles, matches in a match safe and disposable butane lighter, Acme Thunderer whistle, 50' of parachute cord, Case sheath knife w/ 3.75" blade, Ezelap diamond sharpener, pocket first aid kit w/ moleskin, Coghlan's Nylon repair tape and a small eyeglass repair kit, all in a small ditty bag in the side pocket.
Then I have a Silva Ranger compass, a handfull of Wash'nDri towelettes, bug dope, Minolta 8x21 binoculars, Leatherman tool, lip balm, mechanical pecnil and a couple of granola bars in the front pocket. The other side pocket is reserved for the water bottle.
Inside the pack I have my rain gear, leather gloves, a space blanket (the large type, red and silver, not the little emergency pieces of junk), a small sewing kit (needles, safety pins, a couple of spools of thread in a small ditty bag), and lunch. Depending on conditions I will carry a stainless Thermos of tea or a couple of small cans of tomato juice to warm up in the lunch fire. An extra pair of socks in a Ziplock bag is nice to have if the feet get wet.
Most of these items stay in the pack year-round. The matches and such get replaced as they get used. I have it all in a LL Bean "Continental" pack. The space blanket is handy for a clean surface to lay meat on when boning out a deer. It is also very nice when out in snow and one needs a place to sit.
Okay, I've rambled on enough. Hope this helps someone.
-Kees-