Critique my gear list

[mcseal2]

I'm going on a caribou hunt this fall out of Kotzebue Sept 17 to 24 with a couple friends. It will be our first caribou hunt, and our first time on the tundra. I've had some time on some bad weather days to put together my initial gear list of what I am thinking of taking. I'm sure I have some unnecessary stuff and am probably missing some other items. Please check out my list and let me know what to look at changing if you have time.

Hopefully some of you experienced guys that helped me out before my moose hunt are weathered in and bored, and won't mind helping me again.

We are limited to 80lbs of gear each not counting our food and fuel we will consume in the field. Right now my list is right about there not counting what I wear in. I would like to shave some off of what I have, but I have not decided what to cut out. It's always harder for me the first trip to a new environment. I have a tendency to want to have everything plus a back-up in the vehicle when driving, but these hunts require a little more planning.

Weights of everything from my Excel sheet are out to the side of the item. I have things split between group items and personal items.

One thing we keep debating is tents. We are still deciding if we want to take several small tents and save weight, or go with a bigger 8 man and cut weight elsewhere. Tents, cots, and footwear seem to be areas we keep debating.

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[mcseal2]

Gear List AK caribou



Guns/accessories/Personal optics

-Rifles Inc 300 Win mag, 3-12x Huskemaw, scope caps, sling 133
-20 rounds 180gr E tip ammo in factory box 26.4
-Glock G20 w/ KKM barrel, empty mag, and Streamlight TLR-1 light on rail 37
-16 rounds Underwood 200gr Hardcast ammo in factory box 14.8
-Otis 30 cal cleaning kit (part of repair kit 3.4oz)
-Partial roll electrical tape for muzzles (repair kit .5)
-laminated wind drift chart for 300 win mags .5
-Leica 10x42 Geovid HD-B binos 36
-FHF bino harness w/ Razco holster for Glock 15.5 (wear in)
-Polarized sunglasses (wear in)
-Sunglasses hard case (won’t smash glasses in pack 3.9)

Sleep
-Thermarest Mesh cot 70
-Kifaru Slickbag +20 wide 39
-Thermarest Neoair X therm pad large 5.7 R value 20
-Kuiu Storm Star 2 person tent 93
-Granite Gear 25L dry bag (stuff with extra clothes for pillow, extra protection for them)

Clothing/Footwear
-Simms G3 wader boot 64
-Chota Tundra Hippie waders 22
-Kennetrek Mountain Extreme boots 86 (wear in)
-Kennetrek gaiters 12 (wear in)
-FL Wilikin Aerowool long sleeve zip shirts x2 (wear one 9oz each)
-Kuiu insulated snap shirt 10 (wear in)
-Kuiu Peloton 240 fleece hoody 18 (wear in)
-Sitka Mountain vest 10.2 (wear in)
-Kuiu Superdown Pro puffy jacket 18
-FL SEAK rain jacket 27

Total pairs of socks and underwear taken are 4, take 3 in pack and wear one in
-FL Aerowool boxers 4oz each x3
-FL Aerowool 200 base layers 10.2oz each x2 (wear one in)
-Darn Tough full cushion boot socks 3.8oz each x3
-Kuiu Yukon rain pants 26 (wear in)
-Kuiu Superdown Pro puffy pants 16
-Kuiu Chugach rain pants 17 (these fit over the puffy pants, Yukons are sized to wear as normal pants)

-Kuiu Peloton 200 fleece gloves 3
-Sitka Downpour GTX warm waterproof gloves 5.6
-Kuiu Axis water resistant glove 2.8
-FL Aerowool baklava 2

Pack/Meat Packing/Game Processing
-Exo 3500 pack w/ factory dry bag, weapon carrier, and Nalgene Holder 100
-Kifaru rain cover 3
-Leki carbon trekking poles 16
-Hunting & Fishing license 1
-Caribou and wolf tags 1
-Buck Alpha Crosslock knife (S30V blade, back-up bone saw) 3.9
-Bark River Classic Clip point hunter (tougher 4.5” 3V fixed blade knife) 7.2
(Benchmade field sharpener in group repair kit, ceramic steel in my DSK)
-Tag Bags 5 bag 24”x44” caribou set 18

Cooking & hydration personal
-Snow Peak 24oz Titanium mug w/ lid 4.6
-Silver Ant 29oz TI water bottle 4
-Smart Water bottle 33oz 1.4 (NOT a Gatorade bottle so it doesn’t get confused for pee bottle)
-TI long handled spork .7
-GSI plastic fork .4
-GSI Cascadian tall sided plate 3
-MSR Pocket Rocket stove 3 (take if I want when leaving camp)

Fishing
-Bass Pro 6’6” medium action Micro Lite pack rod in factory protective case 15
-Flambeau WP 3012 small waterproof tackle box w/ spinners & spoons 11
-Shimano Sahara 2500 spinning reel w/ spare spool of line 12.5

Misc
-Gatorade 28oz bottle 3 (pee bottle for tent)
-Black Diamond Re-Volt headlamp (re-chargeable or 3AAA) 4
-Streamlight Microlight re-chargeable min flashlight 1.5 (carry in bino harness)
-Dark Energy Poseidon 10k battery pack, mini dry bag, 2 micro USB and 2 I phone 6” cables 15.5
-Anker 26500k battery pack 18
-Sawyer 3oz bottle 100% Deet in ziplock bag 4.2
-Seek Outside DST tarp w/ guylines and stakes 30
-Kuiu Taku 5500 waterproof duffle bag 32 (haul gear home)
-Plastic tote for food on trip up, meat on way home 64
-personal med/ higene kit kit (pills, vitamins, lotrimin, deoderant, Carmex, etc) 7
-Wet ones antibacterial wipes 20 packs x5 3.5oz each 17.5
-1/2 roll blue shop towels (cut a roll in half to make it large toilet paper roll size)
-Rite in Rain notebook & pen 3.7 (hunt journal)

-Daypack survival/med/repair kit 20.7oz is the total of everything listed below
-Contained in Granite Gear zipper pouch, qt ziplock in pouch for small items:
-2 gauze pads 3”x3”
-2 Band-aids 1lg, 1 small
-packaged suture 1 small
-Adventure Medical space blanket 96“x60“
-Gorilla superglue single use tube
-partial roll Tenacious Tape
-trotline cord 10yds 142lb green
-50ft 1.9mm paracord
-3 6” zip ties
-2 repair needles (one curved, one straight)
-6 safety pins (2XL, 2med, 2 small)
-1.2oz fishing/snaring kit
-4 wetfire cubes
-1 Mentos bottle Vaseline soaked cotton balls
-mini Bic lighter
-Light my Fire firesteel and striker
-lens cloth
-Danner boot lace x2
-Silva compass
-10 aquapure tabs (1/qt of water, 30 minutes)
-Benchmade tactical carbide sharpener (.5oz)
-mosquito head net
-synthetic bandana (pre-filter water, etc)

 

[mcseal2]

Group items list (weights split between all 3 of us)

-Titanium shovel 20
-Outdoor Edge Flip N Zip bone saw 2.5

-Katadyn 10L base camp water filter w/ spare filter 14.5
-2.5L collapsible water jug adapted for Katadyn 6
-Steripen Ultra (freeze proof back-up and portable filter) 6.7

-Seek Outside Colorado 10x10 silnylon tarp (cook and sit under) w/ guylines 20
-Green Elephant tarp poles (raise a ridgeline for cook tarp) 37
-Equiniox 8x10 silnylon tarp (put over meat) w/ guylines 13.7
-Paracord 50ft 4
-10” spiral aluminum stakes in bag x40 (good stakes to use on tarps and tents) 54
-Kifaru SST stakes 18” x11 (longer stakes for tarps and tents) 27
-Camptime Roll A Chair x3 (35oz each) 105

-Promaster tripod, Outdoorsmans pan head, shooting rest 55
-Kowa 55mm Prominar spotter w/ stay on case 33.5
-Caldwell wind meter 3.5

-MSR Windburner stove set (2.5L pot, 8” skillet) 32
-Fuel canisters 8oz x8 (70oz total, but figure 20 for packing out empty cans) 20

-med kit group (vet wrap, larger gauze pads, immodium, etc) 6.2
-Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp (take 1 spare for group) 4
-Spare batteries (AAA lithium x6, CR-2 x1, 2032 x2) 4
-Dean’s good camera 24
-Repair kit group (wader repair kit, Thermarest repair kit, Tenacious tape, zip ties, etc) 23
-Coglans camp soap 2oz bottle 3.2
-open reed predator calls x2 (in case we get a chance for a wolf) 2

 

[NUGGET]

I can't comment on your list, I just wish I was organized enough in my life to make such a list.

 

[mcseal2]

I wish I was this organized about something other than hunting!

 

[Trial153]

80 pound, plus food... you will living the good life.

I am looking at 55 pounds this with food .....2.5 of which will salt .

 

[mcseal2]

Yeah that would require a new list. Does that include rifle and what you wear? I think my food was at 17.75 pounds. I'm going to make that a little more appetizing, cheaper, and heavier now. That was figuring some extra in case we got weathered in.

Moose hunt we ate almost all freeze dried stuff. I got some favorites picked out of the various brands I'll take again.

I like the Knorr noodle sides better than a lot of the freeze dried stuff. It takes more fuel to boil them for 7 to 10 minutes instead of just get the water to boil to dump in a pouch. We split a #10 can of Mountain House chicken up and vacuum sealed it into smaller portions for the moose hunt. The chicken re-hydrated great and had good flavor. I think I will do that again to add to the Knorr sides for some meals. I'm going to do some experimenting this summer on the river with meals for this trip. I'm going to get a can of the beef to try too. I haven't had the best results re-hydrating the beef in Mountain House, but if I'm boiling a Knorr side for 10 minutes then letting it cool and the sauce to thicken it will have more opportunity to rehydrate. I'll have it figured out by the time I'm done fishing and camping this summer. A Knorr stroganoff with some beef added over Idahoan potatoes would be more than I can eat after a long day and still cost less than $5.

 

[Trial153]

55 in gear, my bow is separate, I can wear whatever I want ......will need to stuff about 5 pounds in my pockets and bino harness

 

[mcseal2]

That helps. Last time for the moose hunt they weighed our gear when we were in street clothes. We had an easy limit at 100lbs. Our food came out of that but they provided camp.

 

[Trial153]

That helps. Last time for the moose hunt they weighed our gear when we were in street clothes. We had an easy limit at 100lbs. Our food came out of that but they provided camp.

Yea, I keep everything I am going to put on and it carry on me in a separate bag for that reason. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Trial153]

I didnt seeif you had crocs or camp shoes on your list.... i have forgotten mine once....wasnt fun

 

[mcseal2]

Thanks I don't have them on the list as of now. Last time in Alaska the ground was so wet I used Tingley rubber boots bought a size big and cut down as camp shoes. I figured this time I'd lace my Kennetreks loose to slip on and use them. I'd like to have camp shoes, just trying to eliminate what I can for weight. I have a pair of Hounds about like Crocs on now.

 

[mcseal2]

Forgot to add them to the list but the two guys with me are both bringing Garmin In Reach devices. Dean and I bought a mini together and Steve has his own full size. If we split up each group will have one.

 

[MNGaryB]

Will the +20 slick bag be warm enough??

 

[mcseal2]

Good question. I have been fine in it down to 0 but it was in a dryer climate. I hate to drop the money on a new one where that one hasn’t let me down, but I have wondered the same. I have an HPG serape I could take to use with it, but its another 40oz. Its warm as an overblanket and really nice for long sits glassing or whitetail hunting.
As of now I think I will be ok with the clothes I have to add if needed. Thanks.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

You got your plane ✈ tickets on the list! Haha looks good Heath!

 

[duchntr]

Very comprehensive list. Ideally Id take a big tipi for comfort, but your listed tent is plenty. Your 20deg bag along with your listed pad is fine. Might not hurt to bring a few more game bags, nice to be able to wash and rotate bags or have extras for loose cuts or marginal/bloodshot pieces.

If I'm going to be fishing or shooting small game and I'm not weight conscious like you, I like to bring a some seasoned flour mix along with butter or EV olive oil for pan frying grouse/ptarmigan or fish.

One item I didn't see listed that is really handy on big critters like moose is some meat hooks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P8MV5VL/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A2BXXQ2R62OSH2&psc=1

 

[mcseal2]

We actually have an 8 man Seekoutside tipi thats lighter than our separate tents combined weight. I wanted to use that but was cautioned about taking it due to wind. It does well in wind, but there will be no wind breaks where we are going more than likely I was told. I would like to use it.

I will look into adding a few game bags. It would help spread the smaller cuts out for better airflow

We have some olive oil and seasonings plus flour on the food list. This hunt is just caribou so no need to wrestle moose. Last hunt the hooks could have been useful but we managed. These quarters will seem light compared to that trip.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[mcseal2]

Thinking last night after moving the list from Excel to here I found a couple areas I can save weight to use elsewhere.

The Thermarest Ultralight cot in standard width is almost a pound lighter than my current one. It is supposedly warmer than my mesh one also, might help make up for my lighter bag.

I also have 2 battery packs, and that's probably not necessary with 3 of us going. We will all have battery packs if one fails. My Dark Energy is the one I always have in my pack, but the bigger Anker can power all my stuff for a 7 day hunt and probably still be half charged. I can save some weight there also just taking the one.

 

[Voyageur]

Looks like a well-thought out list.
I've been on three DIY caribou hunts with a 55# limit so am by no means an expert. Having made that qualification here are my recommendations...
When rifle hunting I leave the Glock behind. Seems redundant. That's just me.
I treat my clothes with Permethrin. Makes a HUGE difference for me in terms of bug issues. Since using Permethrin I haven't had the need to use DEET in 5 or 6 years. Really like not having to smear that stuff on my skin.
I've done it both ways, a single tent and multiple tents, and prefer having multiple tents if I can make it work weight wise. Seems to free up space plus it provides a backup in case a tent goes down.
I vote for the HPG serape. I do something similar with my 20 degree Slick Bag and a down quilt.
One note I added to my gear list after this past year's hunt is to bring down booties to wear inside the tent when weathered in. My last hunt was wet (muddy) and cold and there were many times I wished for something warm on my feet when laying in the tent.
My two cents...