It is my belief that Merino wool is the ultimate base layer, not only for hunters, but for outdoorsman all of types. I base this on merino’s ability to wick moisture, dry quickly, insulate when wet, and fight odors. While merino wool may cost more than its polypropylene counterparts, and require more care when laundering, its long term benefits outweigh the cost. Polypropylene has its place, but for pursuits of a wilder nature, when base layers are worn many days in
Stone Glaciers all loaded up The title pretty much sums up 2015’s sheep hunt. Yet despite eating tag soup, any time in sheep country is a coveted adventure and a time for learning and reflection. Our trip started out great. Good weather, robust plans, and solid preparation. Pioneer X-Stream Our adventure this year involved multiple rivers and creeks in an attempt to distance ourselves from other hunters. We utilized a Pristine Ventures Pioneer X Stream to
April 11, 2018 Update: I found this article via a thread over on Rokslide. Its a must read if you spend time in bear country. The accounts of the attacks, how they happened, and how they were responded to is great info! Adding to that you get to see a lot of data around the effectiveness of handguns as bear defense tools. https://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2018/02/defense-against-bears-with-pistols-97_25.html I moved to Alaska in 2006 and two things were deemed a must have
This Part 2 in a series on Elk Hunting in Alaska. Part 1 provided info on the history of elk in Alaska. Part 2 is The Adventure... I’ve been a member of Rokslide since its early days and have developed a great network of like-minded individuals and was recently added to the Pro Staff. It’s a great place to bat around ideas, learn, and contribute. Through this experience I met a fellow Rokslider, Billy. We communicated off and on over
Approximately three years ago I picked up a KUIU Guide Jacket. It was my first technical soft-shell and I appreciated it’s pros and cons. It was the item I always left off my pack list yet still somehow ended up in camp. I read many reviews on how soft-shells had no place in the high country and felt that soft-shells were getting a bad rap. I sure enjoyed having mine around! About a year ago I started gathering soft-shells. I
Remote Pursuits was given an exciting opportunity to test a new product. As some may be aware First Lite has some big announcements coming up this month and we are excited to be a part of it. My cohort and hunting buddy was the first of us to be able to get out and test First Lite's new offering. I think he has found his new lucky pattern. Jerry has been after a brown bear for along time and to
Continuing my train of thought from yesterday’s post (Kitting up with First Lite) I am going to use the same hunt scenario (Mid October Elk & Black Tail hunt on Raspberry Island) to build this KUIU kit. As mentioned we are flying in via a Beaver and operating out of a base camp so I can take more gear than I typically do. As in my earlier post I’ll need a good base layer, solid pants, insulation, and of course
I was having a conversation with a few guys and decided to turn that into a blog entry as it seemed to be an interesting topic. My kit (kit = backcountry clothing system) is a mixture of several brands and is a combination of colors and camouflage patterns. The conversation focused on what your setup would be if you could only run ONE brand. This is actually a bit harder than we thought because even though guys may, or may
Day 1 - Fresh Legs! 2014’s DIY Alaskan Dall sheep hunt has come and gone. A redo might be possible, but that is likely wishful thinking. Again the full curls have eluded us. It started out with the success of last year fresh on the mind, but as the days evaporated so did hope. This year we covered more miles than the last 2 years combined and saw our fair share of rams, just never one that crossed
Mule Deer Camp I grew up hunting mule deer in Eastern WA and dreaming of a sheep hunt I thought would never happen. In 2006 my wife and I relocated to Anchorage, Alaska. As fall came around and the boys back home headed to the Mule Deer camp, reality set in that I was in Alaska complete with all of its opportunities and challenges. Dall Sheep were spotted on a hike, and I could see them from
