Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 2018 Backpack Hunting Trip

I was always under the evidently mistaken impression hunting in icy cold, steep country without sleep for a few days was a recipe for disaster which could only be made more rediculous by sipping whiskey to warm one up. My mistake. Carry on.

Great pics and scenery in the thread, so thanks for it.

I only hope stories like this dont impel some mortal man to die attempting a similar type type super human feat.

This stirs the imagination, feel like I'm on the hunt. Great piece of writing.

Form I have a new found respect for you - not that I had none before, I just thought you were a shooting guru, but you’re also a badass hunter when you’re not shooting! Great story!

Good post!

I never pack booze, but I'll help drink it if someone else is foolish enough to take the weight penalty, good guy that I am.

I'm getting beyond the really good death-march stuff now (or as my brother put it on his 2nd Alaska hunt with me "Another bleep'n scouting trip?") due to age and ambition lag, but I used to get into it.

My first sheep hunt at 25 was solo, 18 miles to base, kill another 2 miles back in. Once was enough solo, but I did it the next two years in company. 2nd one was with gf, third with her as my wife on our honeymoon and a 100 lb Lab as pack dog. Her ram on our honeymoon was bigger than my two to that point. That was 40 years ago.

I have packed a number of caribou out of the mountains as far back in as 12 miles, sometimes solo, sometimes with a dog, a couple times with my wife and boys. Usually on a weekend hunt, taking Friday night off, and not due back until my swing shift Monday. Bust-ass hunting at it's best.

Just turned 70, and the last 8 years I have hunted off snow machine, ATV, or boat. Not good for physical conditioning... I noticed it elk hunting at 9,000 feet last October! Living at sea level doesn't help.

If I draw for caribou, it will be a 20 mile boat trip, and 8 mile hike up hill in August, for the 4th time, over the years. The good news is that it is all downhill back to the boat! And I have scouted the country. already....

If the permit doesn't come, fall-back is a 700 mile OW road trip and 6 mile hike in for the caribou, tho I'm thinking I might start the season 18 miles back where I started on that sheep mountain for a sheep hunt, and work my way back out for caribou if the rams don't cooperate.

I too learned years ago one needs to drop the sleeping bag rating by at least 15 degrees to be warm enough to sleep well at night. 20 is better, and/or one can add an 80-100 Lab. That works too, on one side, anyway. Bag hogs, every one! Can pack out 15-20 lbs meat also.

Retired now, and time is of no consideration until meat is cooling, or the food runs out... A no time-constraint back-pack hunt is going to be a refreshing change!

Talk about age being just a number!!! I hope I'm as able as you are at your age! Cant wait to read the story after your hunt!

Form,

What is this puffy suit made of?

Any kind of suit that will allow you to wake up in sub zero weather with 20 mile an hour winds, and still be drenched in a 1/4" of sweat, combined with just an SOL bivy is something that I should probably look into.

I have been living in the Rockies my entire life, and spent countless nights outdoors, in all manner of weather, in all seasons, so I am all ears.

Nice work and thank you for the play-by-play....really enjoying this thread!!

Very nicely written up Formidilosus. Look forward to your posts.



Same here Snowy nailed it, I’ll be taking more pictures on my future hunts for sure. Always forget about pictures in the excitement of the hunt.

Wheres the rest of the story?

Haha WOW....