Brian M wrote:I don't have a fraction of the backcountry flying experience as most here, but I have been hunting Alaska since I was a kid and have been hunting sheep for 20+ years. Although I appreciate lightweight gear, I'm willing to carry some ounces and pounds that others choose to cut. Some comforts are worth it, frankly. Below is my working list that I go through prior to each trip, though some of these things get cut depending on the mission or length of trip. I made this list quite a few years ago and have altered some of the gear, but this at least gives an idea of things to consider.

Clothing - packed
• 1 pair merino socks
• 1 pair merino boxers
• 1 long-sleeve shirt
• rain pants
• backwood shirts
• bandana
• hat
• gloves
• puffy jacket
• puffy pants
• sandals for river crossings
• lightweight dry bag for clothes

Clothing – worn
• boots
• gaiters
• merino socks
• softshell pants
• merino shirt (x2 – lightweight short and long sleeve)
• merino boxers

Hunting gear
• 10-15 rounds ammunition
• firearm
• binoculars
• spotting scope
• cutco hunting knife
• havalon knife
• 1 set TAG game bags
• License/tags

Safety/utility gear
• InReach
• Topo maps
• camera + extra battery
• ¼ roll electrical tape
• small amount of duct tape
• 50’ of 2mm cord
• headlamp
• 2 lighters
• prescription painkillers
• ibuprofen
• glucosamine
• skin stapler
• bandages (Ace, band-aids, guaze)
• 2 contractor bags
• Go-lite SL-3 for siwash (or lightweight tarp shelter?)

• roll toilet paper
• extra pins for pack
• pack cover?
• Leukotape
• Inhaler (wife) + allegra D
• Hot hands (wife)
• Trekking pole
• Toothbrush/paste

Sleeping/camp gear
• Marmot Grid 2p
• sleeping bag in compression sack
• sleeping pad
• Ti-goat bivy
• 6 extra stakes for guy-lines

Food
• Jetboil with 2 canisters
• water filter or steripen
• cup
• spork
• camelback 3L
• nalgene
• 1 mountain house dinner per day
• 1 mountain house breakfast per day
• 2 bars (snickers, Kind, etc.) per day
• 1 hunter stick per day
• Bag of various nuts, chocolate raisins
• 1 coffee packet per day/tea bags for Sara
• 2 desserts
• Bottle olive oil

To be left at airstrip
• 10 lbs salt
• 3 extra meals
• 1 extra set of clothes
• Extra sleeping bag?? (primary bag is down)
• Wine
• Spices for ribs
• Extra shoes
-Satellite phone?
-lightweight bear fence (deployed around airplane)

ATV specific hunts
• NF 4 man tent
• Waders to scout river crosings
• Containers for blueberries
• Small firearm for ptarmigan
• French press and ground coffee
• Small tarp
• Tow rope/extra winch
• 4 stroke oil
• gasoline
• heavy (orange) raingear
• flagging tape
• ground anchor
• xtratuffs
• wine/beer/whiskey
• heavy dry bags
• regulations book
• extra game bags for incidental animals
• Reading material
• Tools for tightening chain


And since we're talking sheep hunting, here is the first one that I flew in for - also my wife's first sheep after years of trying. I've taken a number of sheep previously, but it sure was satisfying to fly us in.