ARE YOU

READY

You should take this hunt seriously. Do not show up in sorry shape and risk eating a tag sandwich. The better mental and physical shape you are in the more you will enjoy the hunt and the better the chance you will harvest the critter of your dreams. More often than not, good physical fitness and a positive attitude will make the hunt of your dreams come to life. Please take that to heart.

REALISTIC TRAINING

You will be carrying your own day pack and rifle at all times. Please do some form of cardiovascular training four days a week and free weight/body resistance training three days a week in the months leading up to your hunt. Also practice shooting your rifle.

For cardio training, hiking 3 to 6 miles on rugged terrain or climbing stairs in a football stadium is recommended. Running, biking, and swimming for 45 minutes to 2 hours per session is also highly recommended. For free weight/body resistance training we like squats/lunges, lifts with a kettle bell, and a set of bar bells. Push ups, pull ups, sit ups, mountain climbers–all manner of body resistance training–for 30 minutes up to 2 hours per session is recommended.

Shooting

Generally speaking, we do not shoot far in pursuit of our quarry. We like high-percentage shots and the terrain and wind are unforgiving on Kodiak Island. Please practice shooting quick and offhand from 30-100 yards and from improvised rests (packs, rocks, tree limbs) from 100-300 yards. This best represents real hunt conditions. It is important, especially for bear hunting, to have a smaller-powered scope for shooting close and at a big target, such as a Leupold VX5 1-5 power or 2-10 power. Dials and high magnification have no use, especially when a stalk goes down quick and lethal at close range, which is often the case. Please do not let your scope and caliber give you a false sense of power and confidence. KNOW YOUR WEAPON AND HOW TO USE IT.

What to Bring

Good gear also makes a hunt more enjoyable and successful, providing for a warmer and drier experience, more endurance, and longevity for the long haul to accomplish our mission.

The following gear is what your guides use and has been battle-tested in Alaska.

Barneys Sports Chalet in Anchorage is THE BEST source for all this gear. barneyssports.com, 907-561-5242

NO COTTON, NO DOWN, NO BLUE COLORS

Outer Wear

  • Hiking boots: Vibram sole and Goretex-lined heavy-duty mountaineering-grade hunting boots (Lowa, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Kenetrek). Make sure you have logged some miles in your boots and are conditioned to them well in advance.
  • Gaiters: Outdoor Research Crocodile (Black) or Kuiu Yukon (Major Brown)
  • Breathable waders and wading boots (for fall bear hunting)
  • Lacrosse Big Chief hip boots (for spring bear hunting)
  • Rain pants: Outdoor Research, Helly Hansen, or Sitka Gear
  • Rain jacket: Sitka Gear, Helly Hansen
  • Wind layer: Sitka Jetstream or Kuiu Guide DCS Jacket
  • Puff jacket: Synthetic, NO DOWN, no exceptions. Sitka or similar

Mid and Base Layering

  • Mid layer: Sitka Core Hoody heavy-weight shirt
  • Baselayer: Firstlite, Sitka, or Smartwool Merino wool long underwear, t -shirts, and long-sleeves
  • Puff vest: Synthetic, NO DOWN. Sitka or similar.
  • Pants: Kuiu Attack pants or Sitka Intercept pants or similar (synthetic, quiet, and quick drying with good freedom of movement in a neutral color like gray, green, brown, black, or camo)
  • Socks: Darn Tough heavy weight and thin, 6 pairs each
  • Puff pants: Mountain Hardware Compressor or similar
  • Hats: Warm synthetic beanie and baseball cap
  • Gloves: Thin synthetic pair and Outdoor Research Mount Baker Shell Mittens with Hestra liner mitts

Personal Equipment

  • Headlamp: Petzl with extra batteries – bring two headlamps and enough extra batteries for both
  • Trekking poles: Black Diamond
  • Waterbottle: 32-ounce Nalgene widemouth
  • Knife: Small curved blade skinning knife or Havalon Piranta Bolt with 60xt blades
  • Sleeping bag: 0 or 20 degree synthetic (Mountain Hardware Lamina or Ultra Lamina)
  • Sleeping Pad: Thermarest
  • Valid Alaska Hunting License and Necessary Tags
  • Pack: Alaska Frontier Gear, Exo, Mystery Ranch *Don’t bring Stone Glacier, Kuiu, or Eberlestock packs. They break and fail miserably under real field conditions.
  • Rifle: .270 or higher caliber bolt action rifle for goat and deer with a good variable power scope (Leupold Vx3 3-9×40). .338 win mag or higher for bear with smallest magnification scope you can shoot accurately (Leupold Vx3 1.75-6×32)
  • Ammo: 2 boxes of the best higher grain for your caliber. Use a bonded core bullet (example Nosler Partition, Accubond, Swift A frame)
  • Optics: Best 10 or 12×40 binoculars you can afford. (We will have Leica range finders, Swarovski binoculars (EL NL) and spotting scopes (STS80 ATX85)

Personal Items

  • Toiletries
  • Sunglasses
  • Medications
  • Camera and extra battery
  • Personal snacks if not available in Kodiak

Safety

We will be a long way from a hospital most of the time. Please consider trip insurance or LifeMed for this mission. Your health and safety is our number-one priority. We are certified in Adult First Aid/CPR and Cold Weather/Marine Survival training. In our possession at all times will be a satellite phone, Garmin Inreach, and handheld Marine VHF units. Kodiak Island is a harsh and unforgiving hunting environment. IT DEMANDS RESPECT. We use trucks, ATVs, and boats frequently to pursue game so please be aware of the inherent risks involved with such and LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE. We are insured and certified as United States Coast Guard boat captains as well. We are born-and-raised Kodiak Islanders and you will not find more capable and qualified professional hunters and hosts than ourselves. We look forward to hunting with you on Kodiak Island.