Equipment Guidelines
We don't receive any remuneration from any of the equipment suppliers mentioned below. These suggestions are based simply on what has worked best for us and our clients in the field. They are meant as a guideline when compiling gear for the mountains. The one constant is, whenever possible, buy only top line equipment -- it won't disappoint you in the field. Buy it in stages and in a few short years you will have gear that will last you a lifetime.
For those items listed as optional, please contact us before you bring any of it. It's not the personal clothing that adds extra weight to your packs, its all the items like snack food, extra batteries and gadgets. Our guides have everything that is required in the way of optics etc. More often than not clients' optional equipment never leaves base camp.
Here are some tips to make your trip more enjoyable:
- For July to August Sheep hunts please keep your duffle to a maximum of 50 lbs.
- For September Moose hunts please keep your duffle to a maximum of 60 lbs.
- We have made arrangements in Norman Wells for the safe storage of your street clothes, hard suitcases and gun case.
- We ask you to carry your rifle on board the bush plane.
- For Sheep and Caribou, we recommend a flat shooting mountain rifle with a compact 3 x 9 scope. Use a 270. cal and up. Be familiar enough with your rifle to know your bullet drop out to 400 yards. Shots for Sheep are generally from a prone position. Bi-pods are OK, but they don’t fit in rifle scabbards. Most of the time we use the guide's back pack for a rest.
- Alaska/Yukon Moose are large animals. Bring the biggest flat shooting rifle that you can comfortably handle. This should be in the 300 win mag. to 338 cal. range.
- There is a trend to large diameter objective lenses of 50mm. These scopes aren’t the best for mountain hunting.
- They are too bulky to carry.
- They are prone to being knocked off zero. - General equipment suppliers - www.cabelas.com
- Optics
- 1 pair of superior quality 10 x 42 binoculars, such as Leica, Swaroski or Zeiss
- compact spotting scope (optional)
- 20 x 60 power Leupold, Leica or Swarovski - Sleeping bag should be:
- compact and light weight
- down is the best
- minimum rating of 0°F
- we supply therma-rest air mattress - Hunting Clothes:
- always think in terms of layering
- should be made of quiet material
- pants should be loose fitting
- pants are best held up with suspenders
- Sept. hunts use wool outer clothing. Check out Sleeping Indian Designs - Suits of Underwear - use polypropylene type of material
- Socks
- light inner socks against skin
- good quality wool socks on top - Vest - fleece or wool
- Ball Cap - waterproof type
- Boots
- Sheep and Caribou hunts only: 1 pair of superior quality hunting/ hiking boots, with vibram soles, well broken in and waterproofed.
- Moose hunts only: 1 pair of insulated rubber bottomed pac boots, such as "Schnee's 13" insulated "Outfitter" series as well as a spare set of boot liners.
- check out www.schnees.com – boots for fall hunts. - Camp Shoes
- light tennis shoes
- rubber bottom slip-ons - Rain Gear - top quality, natural colors, including jacket with a hood and pants with bib and suspenders. NOTE: please don't bring either slickers or ponchos.
- Emergency Gear
- bivy sack
- emergency blanket
- check out www.orgear.com or www.cabelas.com - Head Lamp
- such as Cabela's "Petzl"
- Browning 10mm. Ballistic lite - Day Pack - top of the line only. A day pack should be strong enough to pack out a hind quarter of sheep meat plus all your personal gear.
- Pack Frames
- top of the line only
- back pack hunts only: external frame pack designed for heavy loads
- Alaska / Yukon Moose Hunts – Mountain Caribou Hunts – Fannin / Dall Sheep Hunts
- Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories, Canada big game hunting guides for trophy hunters
- Rifle hunting – Archery hunting (Bow hunting)