SO Redcliff for Alaska Hunt

[Gobbler36]

For those that have done an Alaska fly in hunt, would you recommend a tipi stove set up or more of a backpack set up with a hilleberg or similar tent? It would be caribou end of August most likley in river bottom type country.

 

[AK Shane]

I'd say tipi. August is our rainy month and the ability to dry out with the wood stove will make for a more comfortable trip. Even in the open tundra areas you'll find enough twigs and dead brush to burn to help dry you out, especially along the rivers and lakes where you'll likely get dropped. Bring a few fire starter cubes to get thing's going.

Even better idea, bring both tents. One for sleeping and the tipi for cooking and drying out.

 

[Texizona]

This year, we had rain about 90% of the time. It would have been great to have a stove to dry things out. However, we were on a gravel bar and it was nice to have a dry floor in a tent. It would have been interesting to have both to see which would be more comfortable.

 

[Gobbler36]

I'd say tipi. August is our rainy month and the ability to dry out with the wood stove will make for a more comfortable trip. Even in the open tundra areas you'll find enough twigs and dead brush to burn to help dry you out, especially along the rivers and lakes where you'll likely get dropped. Bring a few fire starter cubes to get thing's going.

Even better idea, bring both tents. One for sleeping and the tipi for cooking and drying out.

That is a good idea just dont know what the gear list entails yet and how close to 50# we’ll be

 

[AK Shane]

Sounds like you're Super Cubbing in? What area are you flying into? Who are you flying with?

 

[KJH]

I used to use a regular style tent up there, but now I'm all lightweight tipi when it comes to Alaska hunting. You have to be smart about where you set up your camp, but for a caribou hunt, I can't imagine ever using a regular tent again. A wood stove really helps for a lot of things, heat, drying, making coffee, burning wrappers, etc. I cook in my tent as well. I use another small "kids" tent for dry gear storage.

I use a 3-4" deadfall tree whenever possible for my centerpole and attach a few screw in hooks and bow arm hangers to hang things on to dry.

 

[passinggas33]

We did a fly in moose hunt last year and we took both a hilleberg and a redcliff. We put two guys in each. The stove was awesome to dry out when we were soaked. It was still big enough that we all got together for dinner and to get warm. One piece of advice is to take some hand pruners/clippers to cut brush if you have an extra pound to spare. We didn’t have any big trees so all we had were small limbs to cut up. It helped cut the brush up to a small size and was super handy. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

The tipi with stove is a great option. We went mid-September, and had days we hunted in T-shirts and days we were all bundled up from the driving snow. We were on a float hunt, and one guy went into the drink. Without the ability to get him warm and dry fast, it could have been a big deal. It is also super nice to warm the tipi up before getting dressed in the morning.

We took a Duraflame log, and rationed it for 10 days between two tipis. So a wallet sized piece of duraflame to dry sticks out and get things going. We laid more sticks around the stove in a semi circle to reflect/radiate heat while simultaneously drying out our next batch of firewood.

Added bonus to a floorless in the tundra: Blueberries. We had blueberries everywhere, and just scrounged around by the bedrolls for a few to toss into our breakfasts.

 

[Gobbler36]

Haha those are awesome stories especially the blue berry part! So in August is the mosquito a concern and would I need to get a nest for my redcliff?