Backpack Hunt - Alpacka Raft - Alaska Moose Hunt - Gear List

AvidIndoorsman

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I find myself perseverating about what's in my bag for weeks before a hunt. I think Covid and all the added travel wrinkles it has created has made my normal anxiety a bit worse.

Anyway, mostly in a attempt to get myself to chill out, here is what I'm taking on a Alaska pack raft hunt. Planning on 5 nights 6 days, hiking in floating out. Could be as far as 20 or as short as 8 miles depending on how things go. Assuming it will be quite rainy with highs in the low 50s and lows right around 32.

My buddy is the tag holder, though I might make a game time decision and buy one. That said I'm not bringing my own rifle, and will primarily be a camera man/ pack mule. My setup is heavier than I'd like, but I'm factoring in some group gear like the forager (2 person boat), which hopefully will allow my friends to have lighter packs.

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Actual pack weights taken at trail head for the 3 of us.
Me: 64.8lbs
Buddy: 56.4
Buddy 2: 37
 
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We will be taking a Forager and a Classic for three people. These are my friends rafts so I don't have pictures yet.

I believe we will be using a shred apart paddle
 
Such a stats guy! I’m afraid to add up my weight and put it all on paper! It would probably help a lot though. I’d probably drop 5 lb of crap from my pack.
 
Such a stats guy! I’m afraid to add up my weight and put it all on paper! It would probably help a lot though. I’d probably drop 5 lb of crap from my pack.

Measure it in oz as well really makes you realize how much of a burden some of those heavier items are.
 
Going to be difficult getting three people and a moose on just two packrafts, let alone two moose. Do the rafts you are using have the cargo fly option? The in-tube storage definitely helps, but I still don't see how you will be able to get all the meat/rack out in one go.

Two of us in Denali Llamas with less gear than you are bringing had to hike back in and do the trip a second time to get a single moose out. Even with just a 1/4 of a moose and my gear in my boat, I felt like I was riding very heavy and would not want to have floated through even smaller rapids.

If I do that trip again, each person will have their own forager or possibly one of the Pristine Ventures packrafts.
 
Going to be difficult getting three people and a moose on just two packrafts, let alone two moose. Do the rafts you are using have the cargo fly option? The in-tube storage definitely helps, but I still don't see how you will be able to get all the meat/rack out in one go.

Two of us in Denali Llamas with less gear than you are bringing had to hike back in and do the trip a second time to get a single moose out. Even with just a 1/4 of a moose and my gear in my boat, I felt like I was riding very heavy and would not want to have floated through even smaller rapids.

If I do that trip again, each person will have their own forager or possibly one of the Pristine Ventures packrafts.

Yeah both boats have the cargo fly, plan was if we happened to get lucky to put all of our gear in the tube of the classic, then put neck, back straps, tenderloins, in the tubes of the forager and then two people and the quarters and ribs in the boat. Rack would go on the front of the classic.

Something like that... there is another classic we could bring as well, but yeah fair point two moose would absolutely mean two full trips.

I suspect we will learn a lot.
 
Sounds like a good plan, but if you guys have an extra classic on hand, I would recommend bringing it along. Those moose up there are BIG!

Anyways, have a blast! Nothing quite like the adventure of an Alaskan packraft moose hunt.
 
@wllm1313 i was gonna pose this as a question but I’m pretty sure I know the answer. You have all the gear you own weighed out and on a big spreadsheet don’t you! When it comes time for a trip you drag and drop into the pre made spread sheet you posted up top....
 
@wllm1313 i was gonna pose this as a question but I’m pretty sure I know the answer. You have all the gear you own weighed out and on a big spreadsheet don’t you! When it comes time for a trip you drag and drop into the pre made spread sheet you posted up top....

Yes and no... I do have spreadsheets from past trips, so I only had to weight a handful of things this time.
 
Yeah both boats have the cargo fly, plan was if we happened to get lucky to put all of our gear in the tube of the classic, then put neck, back straps, tenderloins, in the tubes of the forager and then two people and the quarters and ribs in the boat. Rack would go on the front of the classic.

Something like that... there is another classic we could bring as well, but yeah fair point two moose would absolutely mean two full trips.

I suspect we will learn a lot.

Looks like the max capacity on the forager is 1000 lb. and the classic is 400 lb.? If so, it probably would take two trips. Are there other species in the area you could target instead of a moose? They are so large that it's difficult to get two in five days.

Really looking forward to the write up when you return! Good luck and enjoy!
 
Can't wait for the recap, will be a hell of an adventure. I hope you guys tag out.

DIY float hunts seem insurmountable to me, due to my complete lack of rafting experience. Coupled with fall
temperatures, those rivers in AK, the Frank, etc are so intimidating to me. The fear of the unknown with the water levels.
Although I'm sure you're prepared and will be just fine, I'm just a wuss.
 
Looks like the max capacity on the forager is 1000 lb. and the classic is 400 lb.? If so, it probably would take two trips. Are there other species in the area you could target instead of a moose? They are so large that it's difficult to get two in five days.

Really looking forward to the write up when you return! Good luck and enjoy!
I could get a black bear tag... probably won't get any tag though, will see how I feel with my feet on the ground in AK.
 
Can't wait for the recap, will be a hell of an adventure. I hope you guys tag out.

DIY float hunts seem insurmountable to me, due to my complete lack of rafting experience. Coupled with fall
temperatures, those rivers in AK, the Frank, etc are so intimidating to me. The fear of the unknown with the water levels.
Although I'm sure you're prepared and will be just fine, I'm just a wuss.

It's definitely a totally new set of variables. I've done a bunch of late season duck hunts, and deer hunts in MT out of a canoe... actually dumped one in late December, car read -24 that morning when we started out. That wasn't my most fun day, but we survived.
I'm a novice rafter, honestly my first time on the oars was on the smith on a bachelor party.

I've only pack rafted once and it was more of a glorified river crossing if we are being honest.

My limited experience has given me a healthy fear and taught me to just dress to swim and rig for epic failure... I see folks in pack rafts with critters in their hunting gear. I do not have that level of confidence hence the 5mm wetsuit, gloves, socks, etc.
 

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