Kodiak Gear List - Tell Me I’m Wrong
Bears
Flying out April 10th for a 15 day Kodiak Brown Bear hunt. I got the opportunity to be a packer for a family friend’s rifle hunt in exchange for photographing/documenting the entire trip. I’m finalizing my gear list according to outfitter recommendations, but since there’s been so many of you guys go to Kodiak I’m wanting to run it by y’all to confirm. Is there anything on this list you WOULDN’T take? Or anything not on this list that you WOULD take?
BASIC CLOTHING Lightweight Socks (x3) Midweight Socks (x3) Underwear (x4) Base Layers (x2) Wool 5-button mid-layer Puffy Jacket Sitka Jacket Sitka Pants Wool Gloves Beanie Kenetreks Gaiters
WEATHER CLOTHING Rain Gear (x2 Top) Hip Waders Weatherproof Hat
PERSONAL ITEMS/CAMP BAG Toothbrush/Toothpaste Deodorant Baby Wipes Lighter Flashlight/Headlamp w Extra Batteries Journal w/ Pen (Pen x2)
EQUIPMENT Swarovski’s/Bino Harness Glock 20 w 200 Grain Solid Core Camera Camera Batteries (x7) Camera Card (x2) Stone Glacier Pack Rain Cover for Pack Down/Synthetic Sleeping Bag with Waterproof Shell Lightweight Air Mattress or closed cell foam Fishing License Multitool Pocket Knife Trekking Poles
MISC Seabags (x2) Trash Bags (x2) Gallon ZipLoc bags (x5)
Don’t know anything about Kodiak or your list. However, watching you grow up and explore the world by your posts and accomplishments, has been cool.
What a great opportunity.
"Glock 20 w 200 Grain Solid Core"
The most important item on the list! Good luck up there!
I have a very good gear list in excel with weights etc if you PM me your email address I will forward it to you. I have tweaked my list after many hunts including several solo AK fly in hunts. You should include exactly what you are bringing. One question i had immediately is what rain gear are you taking?
WV, definitely been blessed with some crazy adventures I never would’ve imagined going on! Thank you, it’s been so cool to have somewhat of an audience and a whole lot of guidance from a community of folks that are fired up about the same thing I’m fired up about. It will be somewhat relaxing to be able to focus on documenting the hunt from a tag-along standpoint and not having to worry about being the shooter (unless they get way too close)
I might have to throw a write up and pictures up on bowsite of my camera-hunt and people will just have to deal with the fact that a rifle is on the trip with me :)
My two sense
Since you’re not hunting and carrying a firearm or Bow.it’s a good opportunity to carry a proper weapon and actually be on guard.
Why not carry a short semi automatic 12 gauge, or rifle. Pistols are used by people that are stalking and hunting and can’t carry two large long weapons.
Remember, Pistols are good for getting yourself to a long gun
If you don’t know anyone close to you. I’ll ship and loan you one.
12 gauge coach gun 12 gauge tactical type 12 gauge O/U with 20” barrels Custom Marlin 45/70 guide gun
The double guns break down nice and short
You can’t hurt any of these firearms so I’m not worried about them.
Altitude, I was seriously debating that. One reason (aside from wanting to be as lightweight as possible in order to be able to fulfill my first duty of the trip - packing) is that according to the guide I will always be with him or the family friend who will both have rifles. He actually acted like he would rather me not carry any weapon at all, but he can just deal with it because I’m not going up there without atleast a 10mm
I missed the guided part Chase. I agree, leave charging animals to the professionals.
Ya no way you’re catching me in Grizz country without a 10mm or bigger… idc how safe the guide tells me he’d keep me lol.
Will you be in hip waders the whole time or between those and hiking boots? I was a bit confused about 2 different types of socks and gaiters but no boots.
Might bring a book or phone w/audio books, podcasts, and/or a deck of cards in case there are weather days.
"...I will always be with him or the family friend who will both have rifles."
That's what we were told on a moose hunt about my wife carrying her pistol. Then one morning she stayed in camp to dry clothes while the guide and I went to glass. I left her my 44. We spotted a bull and decided one of us would go back for her. That meant I went back with only my bow in hand. They also had to move us one at a time in a Piper cub. The guide went first to start setting up the new camp and was told by the outfitter to leave his rifle for me, the last one out. He wasn't happy.
Fire starters, compass, first aid kit, space age blanket, and don't forget bear spray.
Matt, yes I’ll be in boots and switching between those and the hip waders I believe. I thought I put them on the list but I’ll be wearing them the whole trip so they might not have ended up on the “hunting pack” list. Great call on a book, though!
Matt, yes I’ll be in boots and switching between those and the hip waders I believe. I thought I put them on the list but I’ll be wearing them the whole trip so they might not have ended up on the “hunting pack” list. Great call on a book, though!
Chase if you change your mind on the rifle deal I have a Marlin 45-70 with a trijicon 1 moa red dot on it. You’re welcome to borrow it. But I need to know immediately, as I leave on April 1st for Africa.
I appreciate that, Bake! I have access to some slug guns if I decide to go that route but I greatly appreciate the offer. Enjoy Africa!
I would take some basic medications with you. Go to your doctor and see if they will prescribe a basic antibiotic in case you become ill.
A small diamond stone, tripod, a full head covering/balaclava, spare gloves, Life straw or filtering bottle would be on my list.
Chuck Adams always carries gorilla tape.
Good stuff. Forgot to mention, the fella I’m packing for has basic medication and electrical tape that we are gonna share as needed.
Diamond stone and life straw are good recommendations. Was told you don’t need filtration for snow runoff but I will do some research on it before making a decision
Five arrows is plenty. Lol
I’d take super glue too and some paracord! Good luck man ur Glock is fine
Never been to Alaska, but don't be persuaded not to take a firearm. If the guide gets surprised by a bear, while probably unlikely, it could be a game changer. You can read plenty of stories where even the most experienced get surprised from time to time, and there is no guarantee the guide will even be in that category.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except bears, bears will kill you. (Ukanik Bay Kodiak) I was guiding the idiot with the camera. Told him to stay close to the boat.
Sunglasses/sunblock/chapstick/full face balaclava Helly hansen 3/4 length impertech raincoat
Did I miss it, or did you forget your first-aid kit?
Wilburness, I think he forgot the “stay close” part…
70lb, was told the guide would have one, but I’ll toss in some stuff from my IFAK as well. Good stuff guys! Thanks
Looks like you are well covered by your list above and the additional advice and offers! Looking forward to your report back after this experience! Have definitely enjoyed your posts over the last several years!
Pretty impressive bunch here on Bowsite willing to loan out solid equipment to another person!
Thanks again guys! Updated the list and feeling confident! Some great ideas here that I never thought of. I’ll try to update this thread when I get back on what I would have or wouldn’t have brought after the fact that way if anybody searches they can find it.
I’ll try to get some great pictures and keep a pretty solid journal throughout for a write up, should come sometime in early May! Thanks again!
Just recently watched a video of husband and wife hunting brown bear. The wife did not carry, the husband had a rifle and a 454. The rifle failed after the first shot, the bear came after them, he had emptied his 454 once and luckily the bear died. They both said, all should have at least a pistol, never again will she go out and not carry.
After watching the Stuck in the Rut guys kill a brown bear at 5 yards that soaked up 3, 225 gr. high power loads and then ran toward them for half a mile and soaked up 3 more from a 454 Cassull, I no longer think a 10mm Glock is the way to go. Compared to other big bore pistols, the ballistics on the 10 mm appear anemic.
Thornton, no manageable handgun is "enough " for Brown Bear
Your rain gear is the most important tool. I would feel safe with a 40 glock but I would probably leave it in camp whenever you are tagging along with those carrying a rifle. You will only need it if you stay in camp or walk out to take a crap. It's really only there to make you feel better. It's very unlikely that it will need it.
Without a guide around, I carry a 454. With a guide, I only carry my bow. He is there to keep you all safe and has years more experience on how to do that.
That’ll work as long as the guide is not incapacitated first
Which is exactly what happened in Wyoming three years ago. No gun for hunter with guide being mauled / killed and hunter eventually given a gun he could not use.
JSW, you will not be in your guide's hip pocket even 1/2 of the time and, if you don't carry for yourself, carry for your guide as Bou' alluded.
Owl x2. If my guides getting his gun stuffed up his arse it’s not gonna do me much good standing there with a notebook and a camera.
The Stuck in the Rut video they had a high powered rifle, a bow, and a pistol between the two of them. Bear soaked up 3, 225 grain rounds from the rifle in his vitals and some major bones were broken. A screw fell out of the rifle action and lodged where the bolt locks into the chamber. The rifle was unfirable from that point on. The bear, about 800 yards away if I remember right, milled around bleeding for over 40 minutes until he spotted the hunters above him. At that point, he hunted them down and the guy put 3 454 bullets in hom and he finally died at 5 yards. Both admitted how stupid it was for shooting the bear as far away as they did, and not having enough guns between the two of them.
"A screw fell out of the rifle action and lodged where the bolt locks into the chamber. "
Not a gunsmith but having a hard time visualizing this. Been shooting rifles since the mid-'80's and can't even figure what screw could do this? (Also can't imagine going after dangerous game without every screw loc-tited...)
"Both admitted how stupid it was for shooting the bear as far away as they did, and not having enough guns between the two of them. " One gun, employed properly, would have been enough. Bullet at 800 yards has lost too much velocity. Also, did the bear see them 800 yards away? Or were they closing to finish? (Bears not known for great eyesight.) Seems they could have cleared the rifle *first*. 'Stupid' doesn't begin to describe this story.
Dana, On a model 700, where the bolt locking lugs mechanically lock in, is like a ring that’s milled out. The front action screw comes right into the bottom of that ring. (If your front action screw is too long, your bolt won’t fully close, as the screw hits the locking lug)
On the guys last shot, the primer blew out, and fell into that ring. It got caught in the top of that action screw hole, but was half in/half out, as that’s typically where the top of the action screw would sit. So now he can’t close his bolt, it’s basically the exact same thing as a long action screw. If he would’ve knows what happened, he could’ve simply held the gun upside down and shook the primer out, but I don’t for a second blame him for not cluing in.
That’s a terrifying video, as that bear clearly locks on to them and starts hunting them. Yikes.
All the best on your trip, Boggs!
Always a smartass on here. Watch the video, these guys kill more big game on public wilderness than any other documented family. I re-watched the video, and a primer fell into the action, not a screw, Could happen to any of us.
Where can I find this video
Found it awesome story telling. Amazingly close call
Sounds like you are up for an exciting trip Boggs! Take way more pics than you think you'll ever use! I am always amazed how few good pics I end up with from my hunts. Take a bunch and delete the ones that dont make the cut.
Never been to that part of Alaska but I did watch the video referenced in this thread. 3 shots with a 338 RUM and the bear chased them down. You cant make them too dead!
You can search this title on Youtube:
WE SURVIVED A BEAR ATTACK / Bear Hunt Went Wrong - Stuck N The Rut
or:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyO5Vs2huhg
I also correct my earlier statement on range. The shot was only 475 yards.
I might’ve been the only person to ever finish a hunt on Kodiak without ever wearing their rain gear? Thanks for the recommendation of a full face cover. A little thin neck gaiter worked wonders when it came to wind control. Full write up to come, but I might take my time with this one!
Cool! Looking forward to it!
Bring it on Boggs! Cant wait to hear about this adventure.
Boggsbowhunts we had great weather luck on our Kodiak trip as well.
