Alaska Goat Hunt Gear List

 

Jason asked me to put together a quick list of what I took my Chugach Goat hunt this past August.  We were limited to about 50 pounds of personal gear including our bow and optics. Transportation into the hunt was by super cub.    Obviously, some of the gear listed below I wore (boots, bino’s, pants, etc.) and was not in my pack.  Other items on my list (sat phone, video camera, spotting scope, tent, stove) were split between the three of us. I generally add 24 ounces of food per day for myself, and depending on water availability (not a concern on this hunt) 60 ounces of water.

This hunt was what I consider a modified backpack trip, where we had a main base camp, and had the option to spike camp out on our backs depending on where we found goats.

Some of my kit I chose for the weight, and other things are specific to the needs on this hunt. All of these items have been verified on my scale and are accurate to my size. It is a constant battle deciding what is worth the weight and what is not. As you can see on this trip my bow, optics, and specialty gear needed for this hunt were the real curve killers.

Not included on the list are a few things I bring for travel that will not be going on the hunt with me.  I generally pack my optics and bow and most of my clothes into a hard sided locking bow case.  The rest of my gear is either in my pack as a carry on or in a large checked duffel that has enough room to get my frozen cape, meat, and head back with me on the return trip.  I always have my jacket, hunting pants, and boots on or in my carry on in case my luggage gets lost. I could get by for a couple of days with shared gear if it came down to it, but good fitting boots are not something I can live without for any period of time.

If this had been a solo hunt I would have brought a backup bow and left it at the main air strip, but because we both had a bow I did not bring a spare.  If something were to happen to my bow, I have extra cams that would allow me to shoot Matt’s bow and vice versa (we shoot the same bow with different draw lengths). Although not ideal, in an emergency we could make it work.  This is definitely something to consider on a hunt like this. It would be pretty easy to damage your bow in a fall or busting brush.

No gear list is end all, including mine. Personal preference plays a huge role in deciding what you need and what you can live without.  Trying out new products is half the fun of getting ready for a hunt. On this hunt there was nothing I did not use and nothing I would have left at home.

Below are five products that were essential on this trip:

Petzl Snowscopic Ice Axe/Trekking pole-  In steep country having an ice axe to catch you if you slip could save your life.

Spindrift Jacket- When you have to sleep out unplanned you need this jacket. Weighs nothing and makes a normally miserable night out bearable.

Chugach Rain gear- Being completely dry all the time in ALASKA  is awesome.

Schnees Granite Boot-Breathes better than any boot I have ever worn.

Zeiss Diascope 85 spotting scope- 75 power saved us alot of walking.  I was able to identify Billies from Nannies at great distances.  Great piece of glass.

Function	Spec	Weight in oz.
Pack, shelter and sleep system
Backpack	KUIU ICON 6000	91
Pack cover	Sea to Summit (large gray)	4
Sleeping bag/ w waterproof stuff sack	Mountain Hardware Ultra lamina 15 (synthetic)	53
Sleeping pad	Exped Synmat UL 7	16
Stuff sack/ pillow	Thermarest	2
Tent	Hilleberg Jannu	90
Clothing- Skin to Shell
Underwear	2 pair Smartwool merino	4
Base layer top	KUIU 185 zip	9.6
Base layer bottom	KUIU 185	9
Mid layer top	KUIU 250 zip	12.5
Pant	Attack pant	18.5
Vest	KUIU Guide vest	11.2
Micro insulation	KUIU Spindrift	13.5
Soft Shell Jacket	KUIU Guide Jacket	18.5
Rain Shell top	KUIU Chugach Jacket	17.3
Rain Shell bottom	KUIU Chugach Pant	13.3
Gaiter	OR Crocodile	9.6
Ball cap	KUIU	2.5
Lighweight beanie	KUIU merino 185	1
Heavy beanie	KUIU Guide beanie	1.3
Gloves	KUIU Guide glove	7
Gloves 2	Rubber Crabbing gloves	5
Lightweight socks	4 pair -Smartwool fine merino	2
Mid weight socks	2 pair -mid weight Smartwool	2
Boots	Schnees Granite	74
Camp shoes	Nike Free 2	12.2
Gear
Bow	Hoyt Carbon Matrix w/ release and 4 hunting arrows	99
Arrows	12 extra w/ 4 practice heads and arrow tube	33
Binoculars	Zeiss Vicory 10-45 rf	37
Rangefinder	Nikon riflehunter 550( angle compensated)	6
Spotting scope	Zeiss Diascope 85mm   20-75 power	69
Tripod	Outdoorsmans medium with rc 700 head	55
Satellite phone	Motorolla 9555 (Iridium)	10
Camera	Sony Nex 5	12
Video Camera	JVC Everio  HD 40 optical zoom	6.2
Headlamp	Petzl Tikkina 2	3
Knife	Havelon Piranta w/ 12 blades	3
Sunglasses	Smith	1
Ice Axe/ trekking pole	Petlz Snowscopic	16
Crampons	Kahtoola kts	19
Water container	Nalgene 1 liter	3
Eating utensil	Titanium spork	1
Personals
Small item storage	2-Sea to Summit 4 liter bags	1
Hygiene	1 pack wet wipes	2
Fire starter	1 storm proof lighter	1
First Aid Kit	Tape/blister kit/	2
Medication/ prevention	Advil/immoduim/ emergency pain/ ect	2
Wind checker		1
Lens cleaner
Watch		2
Extra batteries	For camera/headlamp/ video/sat phone	4
		Total
	OZ	888.2
	LBS	55.5125

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions or if I can help you put together a gear list for a specific hunt you have coming up.

 

Brendan Burns
KUIU Guides & Outfitters Services

Chugach Archery Goat hunt

My good friend Brendan Burns, who manages KUIU Professional Services, just returned from another epic hunt in Alaska. Hunting Mountain Goats in this section of the Chugach Range is darn near impossible as you will read below.  Putting gear through these types of conditions is what will continue to help raise the bar here at KUIU.  I asked Brendan to put together a photo essay for all of us to read.

Jason

This spring while on Kodiak Island glassing for bears I mentioned to Lance I wanted to hunt Mountain goat with my bow.   ” I got a goat hunt for you, but there is a great chance you dont get one. ” was his reply.

Throughout the summer Lance asked me several times ” Are you sure you want to do that hunt?  There are alot easier places to kill a goat.”

I was sure.  After waiting 23 years to have a goat tag in my pocket, any goat hunt was good enough.

It didn’t take a whole lot of convincing to talk my long time hunting buddy Matt True to join me on the hunt.

Always ready for a good adventure, this would be his first trip to Alaska. Lance only gave us one guarantee -it would be a tough hunt. After doing some research we found out the area we held  tags for had not given up a goat to a bowhunter in over a decade.  Not exactly the stats of a premier spot.   Long odds or not, we were going.

Our guide for the hunt was mountaineer and ice climber turned Freelance Oudoor Adventures goat specialist Bernie Babcock.(Nonresidents are legally required to have a guide to hunt Mountain Goat in Alaska). Not only can he pick a trail up a sheer face like no human Ive ever been around, he makes a pretty mean cup of coffee.

Our guide Bernie. As the beard indicates, 1/2 man 1/2 goat.

Headed for base camp

Camp

We initially concentrated on looking for a goat in a good place to stalk, but after thoroughly surveying the area and putting on a ton of miles in all directions, it was clear that was not going to happen. Goats were few and far between.

With a limited number of goats even remotely accessible, we set our sites on our only real option, a steep brush infested mountain on the opposite side of a glacial river. The only positive was there were at least two nice billies living on the mountain.

If our first plan failed, our next option was a two day hike across a glacier. There was no third option.Opportunities were going to be slim at best.

We put totherther a game plan that would put the odds in our favor. Logistically with 2-3 days travel between animals you are only going to get into goat country three or four times on a ten day hunt. With bad weather it may be less.

After making a decision on where we were going to concentrate our efforts, we set out at light for what was going to be an all day climb.   We crossed the glacial river early and for the next 8 hours we were either clawing our way up steep rock faces or sawing a tunnel through the alders. It quickly became apparent why no one wanted to hunt goats here.

At 4 pm we finally broke out of the alders and climbed a deep cut in the mountain to get above the goats. We had severely underestimated how long it would take us to up the mountain and there was no chance we could follow our path out in the dark.

One thing was clear, we were not making it back to camp. Win or lose on this stalk- we were here for the night.

There were two mature goats on the mountain. One was bedded on the edge of a snow field with a smaller two year old billy and the other was higher up the mountain bedded by himself. We worked across the slope and closed the distance on the closer billy.

Matt had first shot on this hunt.We snuck in to 134 yards and hunkered down to wait out his next move.

After holding tight for a couple of hours, the biggest billy left his bed crossed the snow field headed our way.  Matt and Bernie made a move down the mountain to cut him off. Matt caught the Goat just as he was leaving the chute and came to full draw as the Billy spotted him. Too late.

The shot was 46 yards straight down.   Matts arrow passed through the ten ring and clattered in the rocks below. Bernie and Matt both scrambled around the edge of the chute to keep an eye on the goat, but there was no need.

In less than 10 seconds the billy was tumbling end over end down the rock slide  before coming to rest against a big boulder. It was one of the toughest and best shots I’ve ever seen anyone make.

There was no time for me to celebrate Matt’s shot. With one more big goat above us and a confirmed night of work ahead, it was time to go for broke.

Matt’s goat went down so fast the higher billy didnt seem to know what he had just witnessed.  He slowly worked his way across the hillside away from us, alert to the danger below, but not spooked.

From glassing the mountain the day before I knew there was a large vertical rock face running a thousand feet a half a mile around the mountain.  I did my best to hustle across the steep slope in hopes he would hang up temporarily.

Running down a mountain goat from behind may not seem like much of a plan, but it was the best plan I had.

One hundred and twenty yards from the rock face I caught a quick glimpse of the billy disappearing into the chute. I ran up to the last place I had seen him and ranged the rock face in front of me.  Forty yards exactly.

Spooked from the bottom, the goat suddenly jumped up on the exact place I had ranged and stood broadside. Good luck for me, bad luck for him. I heard my arrow bounce off the rock wall as it passed through him. He bolted down the slope 50 yards, stopped to look back, and pitched over backwards coming to a stop on a small ledge below.

Just like that our hunt was over! I sat down stunned at what had just happened.

My goat where he died. A sight I wont forget!

I worked my way back around the mountain to Matt and Bernie to let them know the good and bad news. The good news was we would not have to climb up the mountian again.  The bad news was we had two goats down, two hours of light left, and more work ahead of us than we could imagine.

We decided to enjoy the moment and photograph both goats before dark.  The backdrop would be hard to beat.

Both goats turned out bigger than we could have hoped for.  Matt’s billy was 7 years old and measured 9-3/8.  Mine was 6 and measured 9-2/8.   Both have great hair and will score about 45 inches.

When you experience luck like we had, eventually you are going to pay the piper. As the sun went down it started to rain. Knowing we had a long night ahead of us, we skinned an deboned my goat and packed it back to Matt’s kill site. By 2am we had both goats ready for the pack out.

With the rain coming down harder and harder we made the decesion to drop down a couple of hundred feet, dig a flat spot out of the mountain, and attempt to get some sleep. The next morning couldn’t come fast enough.

I will spare you the pack out details, but it should suffice to say it capped off the toughest 30 hours of my life. Heavy packs, steep wet brush, and a rain swollen river didnt make it any easier.

By 6 pm we had both goats back to camp. Truly a mountain hunting adventure none of us will ever forget. I will have a full breakdown of the gear we used on the trip including some of the specialty we needed for climbing.

I would like to thank Freelance Outdoor Adventures for a first class operation. Lance and his team of guides always give 100 percent no matter the hunt or location.  They excel in some of the toughest areas of Alaska through preparation and effort.

Brendan Burns

KUIU
Professional Services