Northern BC Moose/Caribou - 19 days and counting

[270quest]

Morning of Sept 12th, I will be leaving Boise, headed north to the Liard River Hotsprings area to hunt with Gunson Outfitters for Moose and Caribou. Excited is an understatement - other than the 31 hour drive...lol This is a remote horseback hunt near the Yukon border. Will focus on a big Trophy moose, but also have wolf and caribou tags. Been tweaking my gear list and since I am driving will have the flexibility to leave extra/non needed stuff in my truck at camp once we head out. But for now, Here is my updated Gear List:

CLOTHES
KUIU 130 ZIP – 1
UA Sliding shorts – 3
Teton short sleeve base – 1
UA Heat Gear Base – 2
Teton Pants – 1
Phantom Attack Pants – 1
Peloton Zip – 1
Teton Shell Coat – 1
Super Down Puffy Coat – 1
Teton Rain gear Set – 1
Kuiu guide beanie - 1
Kuiu Gators – 1
Killik Gloves – 1
KUIU/UA Socks - 4
Boots – All Leather Danner Pronghorns
Leather belt
Hounds Camp Shoes

Rifle – Weatherby VG DGR – 375 H&H Mag, Neoprene Sling
Scope – Leupold VXR 2-7X33, Warne Steel Rings/Mounts, allen key for just in case
Ammo – 260 Nosler Partition Handloads – 2880 FPS
Binoculars – Leica Geovid HD – 10X42
Ltwt vanguard tripod and BOG gear binocular mount
GPS – Garmin 650
Pack – KUIU 3200
KUIU Pack Rain fly
Knife – Havalon + Benchmade fixed blade
Gerber Saw Kit (Wyoming saw knockoff)
Camera – Samsung Digital
Water Bottle – Life Straw and Camelback Groove Filtered Bottle
Head Lamp – Petzl – rechargeable as well as battery operated
Sleeping Bag – Outdoor Vitals – o degree
Pad – Big Agnes
Mos. Repellent
Personals – (tooth brush, deodorant, Monkey Butt Powder, ect.)
Costco Baby Wipes
Moleskin
Sat Phone – renting one
First Aid Kit
Pack Snacks – Protien Bars, candy bars, crystal light packets, jerky
8x10 tarp
Game Bags – 4 ltwt elk quarter mesh bags
Paracord – 100 feet
Remington Gun Wipes packs
Book to read

Chest Freezer in back of truck with Honda 2000 generator to bring meat back home.

What am I missing? What else do I need...lol

 

[mmcneil]

Good luck with your hunt. We just drove through that area on our way home from Alaska. That's some beautiful country.

 

[buzzy]

Good luck and shoot straight. Looking forward to hearing how you did and what gear is a must have. I'm going on a similar hunt in 2018.

 

[AXEL]

I have spent a lot of bush time in northern BC and AB, starting 1972, often alone for 3 months air access no breaks for . I have done a few packtrain hunts there as well.

1.SPARE BOOTS, Schnees pacs or Hoffmans, would not go with only one pair of leather boots. Wet boots ruin hunts and mess your feet up, BTDT, long ago when young.

2. STRONG painkillers, a fracture when air evac. is prevented by weather, is NOT nice, get your MD to give you whatever, about 3 dozen.

3. One more shortsleeve top, if weight is a major issue, leave any booze home.

One point, NO offence meant, but, your rifle and cartridge are much heavier than necessary and I would go to a VX3i 2.5x80 or a 3.5x10x40, for hunting there. I use .338WMs for northern hunts and would use my .300 mags too.

I bought my first of seven .375s in 1984, used them extensively in the solo bush work above and am selling my last now as it is more than needed and weighs more in the hills. JMHO.


BTW, I really respect American hunters who when they come here, take the extra time and hassle to take home all the superb meat and not waste it as has been done for many decades. Best of luck and KILL that Wolf, they are now a plague here!

 

[Gunnersdad49]

You may need some more game bags. Moose are big critters!
Neck Gators can really cut down on the chill if you get caught in some breeze
Sunglasses. Snow blindness is a real thing and a real possibility this time of year
Charger or spare batteries for camera, and extra memory cards. Document the heck out of this trip!
biodegradable surveyor's flagging tape is great for finding a kill site, or following a blood trail
Ask the outfitter about waders. In Alaska, a lot of moose hunting is done in hip boots, I'm guessing Canadian moose are similar.
A pillow may make your non-driving turns in the truck a lot more restful.

Good luck and have an awesome trip!

 

[Blockcaver]

I'm headed up DIY fly-in Sept 2, west of you. I like to take my Muck boots too. Also gorilla tape to fix stuff. Plenty of
Emergen-C powered sports drink packets to prevent cramps too. I personally ditch the camera and gps for the iPhone with GAIA GPS app. Also replace the Sat phone with an InReach. Decent looking list that will get you through....good luck! Those are big moose up there!
Big

 

[poman]

Having been hunting Moose the last two years in Northern BC I would have the Muck boots along to.
Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Grambo]

I hunted several times with Chris Schippman of Liard River Adventures between 2002 and 2010 . Sadly Chris has since sold and I haven't hunted in the area since . Your list looks good , with you driving you can give or take on the list. Best advice is to listen to your guide , take all the pictures you possibly can and hunt hard and have FUN ! Hopefully you are in good shape its not as easy as some think with long days and sometimes very tough going . You can expect all kinds of weather so be prepared . Most times you are allowed 60 to 70 lbs not including your gun. Your 375 may be a little over kill but if your comfortable that's the most important . The drive will be a great experience with the chance to see every type of game possible . Stone sheep and Buffalo up north to big Mulies and Elk in the south . I even saw my first Wolverine . Remember to enjoy and take it all in . I wouldn't trade those memories for any amount of money . Oh ya KILL a damn wolf , Good hunting.

 

[Grambo]

P.S after hunting in B.C. I joined the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia. They are a great organization and care about what happens their.

 

[AXEL]

This organization is very unpopular among we BC residents and their actions during the past 10 years in particular have alienated many BC people, both hunters and non-hunters. I would be careful about becoming a member, but, whatever.

A new and VERY different government is now in power here after some 17 years of corporatist, Neo-Cons, who literally devastated our resource management agencies and strongly favoured the GOABC over we BC citizens.

I expect major changes to all BC hunting regulations and this has already started. The outlook for BC hunting, other than the free-for-all aboriginal slaughter does not look encouraging..........

 

[poman]

Look forward to a story.
Good luck !

 

[270quest]

One point, NO offence meant, but, your rifle and cartridge are much heavier than necessary and I would go to a VX3i 2.5x80 or a 3.5x10x40, for hunting there. I use .338WMs for northern hunts and would use my .300 mags too.

I bought my first of seven .375s in 1984, used them extensively in the solo bush work above and am selling my last now as it is more than needed and weighs more in the hills. JMHO.

I am taking the 375 for a couple reasons....

1. My other main rifle is a 270 WSM, and while capable and accurate, feel better with the 375.
2. I shoot this rifle very well and know it very well. I have 100% confidence it will work when called on and feed and extract everytime.
3. With scope, this rifle weighs 8.4 pounds - so weight is not a huge concern.
4. Lastly, 260 partition at 2880 FPS shoots as flat as a 270/30-06 out o 3-350 but really packs a whallop.

I like the VX-R because of it's flash dot. Figured if it was last light and trying to line up crosshairs on a black moose, that may come in handy.

 

[AXEL]

I merely wanted to point out that lighter, perfectly capable rifles are available and certainly respect your personal choices.

I have seen a number of hunters choose big guns for various reasons, but, honestly, Moose are actually "soft" animals and the Grizzly issue, while certainly a factor, is often over-stated in terms of the "need" for big boomers.

Lighter is much better in the mountains and I now mostly carry my Kimber MA in .280AI and frequently encounter Grizzlies, while hunting solo and am totally confident in this combo.

Whatever, "feel" IS an important part of these trips and you are happy with a very workable rig, so, beat of luck and whack as many wolves as you can.

 

[270quest]

I keep sensing a theme with the wolves...lol, certainly try to put one down.

 

[AXEL]

Wolves and bears, even the iconic Grizzly are a major issue in the serious decline of our Elk and Moose herds and one encounters Grizzlies on almost every bush trip.....and they often even wander into the middle of my hometown of Nelson,. BC, but the local hippys agitate to have them protected.

So, yeah, do your best to cull them a bit.

 

[270quest]

Heres a question, since this hunt is Sept15-24, I assume the moose will be in the middle of the rut. Will that ruin the meat? I know this is a trophy hunt, but I am also looking forward to bringing home 5-600 pounds of good meat.

 

[AXEL]

When I was up at that time, best of all for hunting in BC north of Highway 16, IMHO, the Moose were just starting to rut. The meat from several bulls taken then was outstanding and IF you skin, quarter and COOL your animal immediately, yours should be fabulous.

I prefer to kill Elk and Moose in the last week of Sept. as it usually has cooled off somewhat, but, care is paramount. Your GO will have this down pat as more and more hunters WANT the meat and demand proper care in it's harvesting.

Do take extra game bags, most of the GO's have diesel powered coolers even in satellite camps and after cooling your meat in the first sacks you use, it is a good idea to change them in the cooler and keep it in the second set until you are home. Seems to give a sweeter end product and Moose meat is awesome.

 

[yama49]

How did your hunt go???

 

[Stew]

How did your hunt go???

X2.............................

 

[prconnection]

X3.....we need pics!!