First solo trip.any advice

[Snyd]

I've done 3 moose solo here in Alaska.

No need to cook anything but water. No need to pack any "stinky" food.

Urinate around your tent/tarp to "mark your spot".

If I'm too keyed up to sleep I pop a sleep aid and put in ear plugs. I figure if a bears gonna come through my tent I won't hear him coming anyways. If he's sniffing around outside and passing by I don't want to hear or think I hear something, I want to sleep. I sleep with my 454 RH in my bag with me. I'd not want to be shooting of bear spray in a tent.

Get a SPOT or rent a sat phone.

I don't know how you clean your critters. If you already do it this way then just disregard....

Don't gut the bull. Get him on his side if he's not already. Skin back one side, remove and bag the shoulder, hq, backstrap and neck meat, roll him over onto the hide or a small tarp. A 4x6 light weight one will do. Do the same on that side. Then bone off the rib meat, flanks and get the tenderloins. I never gut a bull, or sheep for that matter. By the time you mess with that you can have one side done and your not dealing with a gutpile. Just make sure you have 550 cord so you can tie back his legs while working on him.

Good Luck and go get him!!

 

[reid]

Thanks great info. Only dehydrated meals.I do have a spot,and earplugs will be added to my list.planned on doing the gutless method. And I never make it far from the tent to release myself.Call it mark your spot I call it to being lazy.last year when we had the bear come into camp we were about 200yrds away and saw a big sow with 2 cubs go running into our camp(about a 2acre chunck of timber were we at) after about 5 min they shot out of there full speed. Assumed they stumbled across our sent piles. We also had a pack of coyotes come in to camp,heard them howling all the way right on top of us. Enough to get me worked up and of course my buddy sleeps like a rock he never heard anything.

 

[realunlucky]

I've never had problem waking up after taking pm pills or feeling groggy in the morning. They really help me relax after my muscles really ache like after a hard pack out. I don't always use them but I do always bring them along

 

[G Posik]

For keeping bears (Black or Grizzly) out of your camp the best thing you can do..... Get a bear tag! Do this and I promise you will not see one!

Seriously, like said above keep your camp clean, sleep with a handgun and do not worry. Bear spray in a tent o under a tarp I would not want. Some people tie a string about 3' off the ground with survey flagging around the camp. Guess it scares the bears away, not sure if that really works or not, never tried.

Glenn

 

[Jason Snyder]

If a bear wants to get you, he'll do it regardless of whether you're in a wall tent, a backpack tent, or a tarp tent.

I've hunted solo, and being able to sleep is largely a mental thing. I always take some children's chewable Benadryl with me, as my allergies often bother me in the fall when the sagebrush and rabbitbrush is blooming. It can help you sleep, and is a lower dose so you don't have the groggy feeling in the morning.

I carry bear spray with me, and it's not a bad idea to have it handy where you can get it from your sleeping bag. I just leave mine on my pack holster and put my pack in the tent vestibule.

Keep your camp clean, hang your food and you should be absolutely fine. I've hunted in big time grizzly bear country and have had very little trouble.

Hunting solo can be very rewarding. Be careful and use your head.

 

[ohhiitznik]

The biggest challenge for me hunting solo last year was the boredom. Don't bite off more than you can chew distance wise or time wise. I started talking to myself around day 4 and I knew it was time to head out and refuel in town and speak to another human. Take a few books or reading material it really helps. And keep a clean camp. Also, a campfire can really give you a morale boost if you're feeling down.

 

[Racethesunset]

The biggest challenge for me hunting solo last year was the boredom. Don't bite off more than you can chew distance wise or time wise. I started talking to myself around day 4 and I knew it was time to head out and refuel in town and speak to another human. Take a few books or reading material it really helps. And keep a clean camp. Also, a campfire can really give you a morale boost if you're feeling down.

Kindle Paperwhite edition and a warm fire, and I'm good for months, theoretically.

In practice, a week of solitude is significant in the wilderness for us city dwellers.

 

[reid]

Thanks for all the help and ideas. I think I picked up a few things that I will try next year.I knew there was no solution to dealing with the bears other than just be smart but it was great to hear other people's thought process about dealing with them. Maybe I'm crazy but I think these are the reasons why a solo trip is going to be so rewarding. Until I do it I don't know if I can do it. The personal test of doing everything and dealing with everything is scary and exciting. Can't sleep already I'm to jacked up. Now how do I deal with that. Haha