Backup tent

[6.5-284]

What is the general consensus regarding taking a spare tent on a hunt...especially if you are hunting somewhere in AK that is notorious for crazy wind and weather...for example Kodiak or the AK Peninsula?
We have a Cabela's Guide tent that has served us well but are wondering if we should pack in a small 2 man expedition style tent just in case we get into some really stupid weather and our main tent gets destroyed. I realize that one needs to erect tent where it can be sheltered, stake it down and then use rocks to cover stakes, and tie it down to alders, etc. as much as possible. We have even built walls out of surrounding rock to help as as windbreak on previous hunts. Just curious if anyone has ever done this. If so, do you have recommendations regarding types of tents? I know Hilleburgs and good as is the Northface V25. This is a backpack hunt so weight and room are definitely an issue. Thanks!!!

 

[Brian M]

For a backpack hunt I generally wouldn't bother, unless weight is no issue on the flight in. In that case, I sometimes will have a roomier basecamp tent along with a spare sleeping bag. After a wet slog back with 100 pound packs, it is realllly nice to roll into basecamp where a dry tent and sleeping bag await. Definitely a luxury. But I only really do this for comfort - not out of concern of my tent being destroyed. If you have a high quality tent, I wouldn't worry too much about that.

 

[4merguide]

On a backpack hunt I don’t know if I’d go as far as to bring another tent. I used to guide out of Cabela’s guide tents. They are great tents but we did get into some big wind that busted them up a couple times. Mostly just busted poles. The ones the outfitter had me use had fiberglass poles. I heard the aluminum poles are stouter. If you still would rather just use yours you might consider bringing a couple extra poles, or just make sure you have a way of splinting them like I did if one breaks. Besides making windbreaks like you said, one thing I learned the hard way was how to guy better. If you guy at too steep of an angle it still holds down the tent but it doesn’t stop the wind from bending the poles in too far. I ended up using spruce poles or even tall caribou sheds to brace off up high to them first, then come down to the ground. This helped buck into the wind more horizontally. Makes a huge difference. Sometimes where they dropped us there was little to no shelter at all.

 

[6.5-284]

Thank you both for your insight. We will be hunting out of a base camp (which will be the Cabela's Guide tent) and will return there every night. I doubt we will do a bivouac on this hunt.

On our last hunt, we had the luxury of setting up camp just off the lake so we were able to have a few more amenities. We set up a tarp that served as our cooking area, food storage area and it was where we hung our meat. We won't have that luxury on this hunt, so that will change things a bit. I really like to be able to store food and meat away from the tent for obvious reasons. We may still be able to erect something crude using a small tarp and some tall alders as it's super nice to be able to cook and eat under a shelter.

I know there are different schools of thought on this subject as some like to keep meat and food quite a distance from tent, while others prefer to keep it much closer in order to keep a better eye on it in the event a bear tries to abscond with it. We will not be taking a bear fence.

Would love to have a 20-25 gallon steel drum with a locking lid for our food like we used in the Brooks but not going to be able to pack that in. The bears should be on the streams and on fish so unless we run into a rogue, we shouldn't have any issues. We also urinate around the tent and meat to help discourage bears from snooping around.

Does anyone have any other advice and/or ideas to offer? Thks.

 

[The German]

Thank you both for your insight. We will be hunting out of a base camp (which will be the Cabela's Guide tent) and will return there every night. I doubt we will do a bivouac on this hunt.

On our last hunt, we had the luxury of setting up camp just off the lake so we were able to have a few more amenities. We set up a tarp that served as our cooking area, food storage area and it was where we hung our meat. We won't have that luxury on this hunt, so that will change things a bit. I really like to be able to store food and meat away from the tent for obvious reasons. We may still be able to erect something crude using a small tarp and some tall alders as it's super nice to be able to cook and eat under a shelter.

I know there are different schools of thought on this subject as some like to keep meat and food quite a distance from tent, while others prefer to keep it much closer in order to keep a better eye on it in the event a bear tries to abscond with it. We will not be taking a bear fence.

Would love to have a 20-25 gallon steel drum with a locking lid for our food like we used in the Brooks but not going to be able to pack that in. The bears should be on the streams and on fish so unless we run into a rogue, we shouldn't have any issues. We also urinate around the tent and meat to help discourage bears from snooping around.

Does anyone have any other advice and/or ideas to offer? Thks.

Yea, I always urinate all around my camping area, all 4-corners of my Tent, and I also use Moth-Balls as well, and as for a Back-Packing Tent,,,,, I've been using a Eureka Timberline SQ2XT with Rear Vestibule & Poly-Foot print ground cloth, currently I've got 2-Tents, One that's been used the last 3-seasons and a Brand New One, still in the Box, I've been using this Eureka-Set-up for about the last 25yrs +/-, it just works,,,,,
Note: Just me and my Gear in this Tent..... TG

 

[4merguide]

Yea, I always urinate all around my camping area....

Gotta make a good piss fence for sure....

 

[The German]

Gotta make a good piss fence for sure....

Yea,,,,, been doing it for ever, Granddad showed me the way back-in the Day.....

 

[SmokeRoss]

Gotta make a good piss fence for sure....

Every time. I've even left my scent behind in the boat I pulled up into a stream and left for a week or more. Stashed the fuel lines in a locking metal box that I put inside of a tote with the lid strapped on. I wasn't taking any chances.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Years ago I started using a MegaTarp (kifaru i think) with a hiking stick or boat paddle as a center poles. Anchors quick and low to the ground, holds two with cots and small amount of gear. "Good back up" is what I call it.

 

[4merguide]

Thank you both for your insight. We will be hunting out of a base camp (which will be the Cabela's Guide tent) and will return there every night. I doubt we will do a bivouac on this hunt.

On our last hunt, we had the luxury of setting up camp just off the lake so we were able to have a few more amenities. We set up a tarp that served as our cooking area, food storage area and it was where we hung our meat. We won't have that luxury on this hunt, so that will change things a bit. I really like to be able to store food and meat away from the tent for obvious reasons. We may still be able to erect something crude using a small tarp and some tall alders as it's super nice to be able to cook and eat under a shelter.

I know there are different schools of thought on this subject as some like to keep meat and food quite a distance from tent, while others prefer to keep it much closer in order to keep a better eye on it in the event a bear tries to abscond with it. We will not be taking a bear fence.

Would love to have a 20-25 gallon steel drum with a locking lid for our food like we used in the Brooks but not going to be able to pack that in. The bears should be on the streams and on fish so unless we run into a rogue, we shouldn't have any issues. We also urinate around the tent and meat to help discourage bears from snooping around.

Does anyone have any other advice and/or ideas to offer? Thks.

You didn’t say what you will be hunting.

 

[SmokeRoss]

I always bring something I can slide a sleeping bag into and stay dry. Huge plastic bag works. Or a goretex bag liner. Stayed out lots of nights with nothing else. Sometimes in driving rain. I survived.

 

[6.5-284]

Thks guys! Always a pleasure picking your collective brains! lol BTW How in the world do you send a PM on here? Since they changed the format, I can't seem to figure it out.

@4mer....caribou

 

[4merguide]

I always bring something I can slide a sleeping bag into and stay dry. Huge plastic bag works. Or a goretex bag liner. Stayed out lots of nights with nothing else. Sometimes in driving rain. I survived.

During a sheep hunt a buddy and I ran out of daylight with two rams down. Rather than making our way down to base camp we ended up spending the night on the mountain under an old military poncho I had. Worked out great. Even drizzled on us a little.

 

[SmokeRoss]

During a sheep hunt a buddy and I ran out of daylight with two rams down. Rather than making our way down to base camp we ended up spending the night on the mountain under an old military poncho I had. Worked out great. Even drizzled on us a little.

In 1980 4 of us dropped rams more than 20 miles from the airstrip. Not as the crow flies though, but the terrain we had to follow. It rained every step of the way. We had 2 sleeping bags and 2 bag liners between us. We built lean-to shelters for 2 of the 3 nights below tree line. We walked onto the air strip 4 days after killing them. My pack weighed almost 150 pounds.

 

[6.5-284]

AH the glorious bivouac! lol All of us have had at least one good experience doing that! Not sure I would want to entertain that on Kodiak or the Peninsula; however, an oversize garbage bag would probably do the trick. Albeit considering the types of weather that is regular there, it would be a long night. haha

 

[4merguide]

AH the glorious bivouac! lol All of us have had at least one good experience doing that! Not sure I would want to entertain that on Kodiak or the Peninsula; however, an oversize garbage bag would probably do the trick. Albeit considering the types of weather that is regular there, it would be a long night. haha

Space blankets work pretty good for that too. I always have one in my pack just in case. I doubt they weigh even as much as a big garbage bag.

 

[6.5-284]

For sure. Have one in my pack at all times. Luckily have never had to use it. lol

 

[Daveinthebush]

I also have a military type poncho. Simular to a rain fly material. belive it has eyes in all four corners. I can use it as rain gear over my pack, a bivy tent or tent extension. Walking sticks can act as the poles.

 

[SmokeRoss]

I have camped all over Alaska in a variety of tents. Some were much better than others. I have camped just below tree line in the Kenai Mtns in the snow end of October. Wrangells, and across the Inlet. Also many winter hunts in the mountains of Wa. and Idaho, in the snow. Been in some very nasty weather. A quality tent makes all the difference. My go to tent for most of those years was a North Face. Yeah, they aren't the lightest, but never had one blow down on me.

 

[tonymull]

When I do river floats I take an extra tent for cooking. Seems like the wind comes up every afternoon, onshore flow, and cooking is difficult. I just use a 2 man tent with an awning. I solo those trips so even though I'm not carrying it on my back I still like to keep weight down some. Serves as a cooking shelter or windbreak depending on the weather. And it can double as a backup sleeping tent.