Alaska 2026 8/26-9/9 Starts now

[BDH]

Looking forward to hearing what works and what didn’t. Good luck with the train up and the hunt. Stay safe!

 

[kwyeewyk]

@Nuts

I think you mentioned in another thread maybe but can you give some details of the hunt, are you going cross country and then floating out to the road? How far of a hike and how far to float? What's the river like and what kind of rafts are you using? How big is your party? Caribou and moose tags?

Had to postpone a return trip up there until next year and it's killing me!

Thanks

 

[Nuts]

Did my first hike this morning. Had to get some weight distributed better. Biggest thing now I think is the rifle. I need to get it closer to my spine. Everything else felt good on the pack. The chest rig straps were pulling on the back of my neck. Kinda how binocs can. Contemplating doing some quick connects between the backpack straps and the chest rig. Get everything where I want it and connect. So that if packs pushes and I need to adjust the chest rig adjusts as well. As I adjusted the pack today the chest rig was getting pushed around.

The hunt.

We actually are going with 2 different plans. There is 4 of us. The other 3 have never been. But I have hunted with them locally for years. They all really want caribou. 2 of us will have moose tags. Everyone will have caribou. Plan 1 I have not done but know guys who have. Plan 2 I have done often

Plan 1- feedback provided to us by a pilot friend will direct us where to go. If past years prove useful we will drive about 5-6 hrs from FAI then hike about 20miles. We can float/hunt skinny water to a different area about 10-12miles. We can float to a jet pick up point a out another 10-12 miles. We can float out meat at multiple points along the way. By float I mean load everything in a raft and work it. Not paddle the entire time

Plan 2- if the caribou are not at Plan 1 in the days leading up to our arrival. We will drive about 6-7hrs from FAI. We will either hike in 30miles and float out or if a friend has filled his tags jet in most of the way and hike 2-3 miles.

Alpacka raft

 

[Lmartin5]

Sounds like you are on your way...following!

 

[Bryerific]

@Nuts you must have gotten an early start this morning! Hike and writeup completed before 7AM ET!! Thanks for sharing your general hunt plans, as those are some adventurous approaches

 

[Nuts]

@Nuts you must have gotten an early start this morning! Hike and writeup completed before 7AM ET!! Thanks for sharing your general hunt plans, as those are some adventurous approaches

They were calling for rain around 8am. I am an early bird but also was in no mood to dry gear out. So started in the dark. Lol.

 

[Nuts]

Typically I do a separate dry bag with food and cookware. I then strap it to my backpack. This allows quick find for food and jet boil at meal time. Not liking. where my weight was at yesterday I took all my dehydrated meals. Unpacked them and vacuum sealed them in smaller pouch's. When I did that I could fit them in my backpack and shed and overall weight of 7-8lbs. A good part of that was likely the dry bag. It does mean I will not be able to eat out of the pouches. I will have to use the jet boil container and wash out. But that's ok. Water is plentiful.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

So yeah, I noticed you got a lot of dehydrated foods between your pack and truck MRE. If you want to eat the MRE, you do you, but why not put some good canned options and rice, potatoes in the truck? It’s like, bear’s gonna sniff out the food and sardine can your vehicle if it’s MRE or otherwise if bear decides to do so.
Regarding bears, I agree with your wife that spray is the better option. I have multiple exposures to various % CS sprays including Counter Assault and tear gas. Shit is gtfoh irritable, generally incapacitating and you can’t miss. What’s the latest on taking a handgun through Canada anyways?
I don’t hunt with boxers. Plenty of extra wool socks, but I just wear one 100% merino base layer for days and that’s it. Antimicrobial properties of wool beat Under Amor every time.
Your med kit is missing whiskey.

 

[Nuts]

So yeah, I noticed you got a lot of dehydrated foods between your pack and truck MRE. If you want to eat the MRE, you do you, but why not put some good canned options and rice, potatoes in the truck? It’s like, bear’s gonna sniff out the food and sardine can your vehicle if it’s MRE or otherwise if bear decides to do so.
Regarding bears, I agree with your wife that spray is the better option. I have multiple exposures to various % CS sprays including Counter Assault and tear gas. Shit is gtfoh irritable, generally incapacitating and you can’t miss. What’s the latest on taking a handgun through Canada anyways?
I don’t hunt with boxers. Plenty of extra wool socks, but I just wear one 100% merino base layer for days and that’s it. Antimicrobial properties of wool beat Under Amor every time.
Your med kit is missing whiskey.

Truck food-the cooler with rd food. I typically do lunch meats and cheeses. Apple and peanut butter. I cant do rice and potatoes. I absolutely love them but my sugar levels do not.

MREs. These are 3 things.
1. grab and go with no thinking.
2. Someone else out of food
asking for food
3. Almost as good as cash away from home depending where you are at

I fly so no worry about handguns in Canada unless we miss a turn and end up there

My downside of bear spray. Hunting ridges and valleys there is always a wind. Having been sprayed once on accident I have no desire to be testing wind prior to spraying. Just my opinion. Given the right amount of time in an unstressful situation its a good option