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High-tech hunting: It might be time to upgrade
If you've got to carry it, you want the right stuff
By Bob Robb / Anchorage Daily News
In his classic work, "A Sand County Almanac," Aldo Leopold called the sportsman of his day a "gadgeteer." He said that hunters were more concerned with technology than woodcraft. And while that may apply to some degree today, taking along the right equipment on an Alaska big-game hunt -- and especially a backpack-type hunt -- will not only help you find success but also help keep you safe.
Before talking about specific equipment, let's talk about skills. One skill that Alaska hunters need but few have is basic first aid skills. When you're hunting a long way from anywhere and someone is injured, you need to be able to take care of it yourself. If your skills are rusty, taking a basic first aid course is cheap insurance.
BACKCOUNTRY CLOTHING
Alaska backcountry hunting is different than hunting off-road Outside. It can be wet, cold and miserable, and unless you dress properly you will limit both your effectiveness as a hunter and increase the risk of hypothermia. That's why, though I might scan the popular catalogs like Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops, when I look for the "right stuff" to wear, I turn to a specialty retailer right here in the Anchorage Bowl. Shops like Barney's Sports Chalet and Mountain View Sports in Anchorage and Boondock Sporting Goods in Eagle River have a good selection of high-tech hunting clothing that's been specifically tweaked to handle the challenges of Alaska. I also spend a lot of time shopping backpack and mountaineering shops, like Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking and REI, which carry cutting-edge clothing and equipment designed for the mountains. They're also staffed with trained personnel who can answer technical questions and get you fitted properly.
"The most important thing a person can do to dress for a backpack-type hunt is to dress in layers for both comfort and mobility," said Bob Hodson, owner of Barney's Sports Chalet, on Northern Lights Boulevard in Anchorage. "Each garment should be able to perform multiple functions, which saves both unnecessary weight and bulk, as well as allow maximum freedom of movement without being too loose-fitting."
For maximum performance, backpack hunters should never wear any type of cotton clothing, Hodson said.
"Layering begins with your underwear, including your briefs," he said. "Wear something like the Polarmax underwear and longies by Acclimate, which are made from an anti-microbial material that fights bacteria -- and thus odor -- and stretches for ease of movement."
Other excellent materials include CoolMax, Thermax and similar synthetics.
Over the long underwear goes the first outer layer, which should also allow freedom of movement when hiking, climbing and moving the torso. Barney's Sporthill Mountain Pant is super light, provides a wind barrier, wicks moisture off the skin and dries fast when wet. I've hunted everything from sheep and mountain goats to caribou and moose in a pair of Mountain Hardware's Windstopper Fleece pants for many years, and they're excellent. The Windstopper membrane is highly-breathable yet blocks 100 percent of the wind, which eliminates wind chill. On top, rather than a traditional shirt skookum hunters wear a zippered shell that matches their pant fabric -- something stretchable, breathable and windproof. Mountain Hardware's Alchemy Jacket is a super choice.
IT'S COLD AND WET
When the weather takes a nose dive, the mountain hunter needs to stay warm and dry. That means a warm jacket and the very best rain gear you can buy.
"No one wants to pack a heavy jacket around, so they need to carry something lightweight but warm," Hodson said. "When you place a lightweight insulating jacket under a windproof shell -- and your rain suit should be able to double as a wind shell -- you can stay extremely warm without the bulk and weight of old-style coats."
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