Pack Raft Hunting

[264mag]

With plans all in place for this year I am starting to research and plan 2021 hunts. I picked up an Alpacka raft a couple months ago and would like to do a float trip somewhere next year. I am looking at flying in to a lake somewhere and doing a float hunt from there. At this point I haven’t decided what species, hence what area to do this.
We would likely be a party of 2-3 guys. Ideally we would be targeting caribou or elk, possibly moose but that might be too much animal for 3 rafts.
What would you do? Any suggestions? Looking to her from others who have done this type of hunt before and would love to hear their thoughts, tips, experiences etc.

Thanks to all.

[264mag]

I am running the explorer 42. Anyone else use this raft?

[bard]

I am running the explorer 42. Anyone else use this raft?

looking at buying this raft. How do you like it? did you do a float trip? sounds like a great time.

[waserwolf]

There's also this option.....
https://www.diypackraft.com

[silveragent]

These look like https://kokopelli.com/ rafts

[264mag]

I haven’t done one yet with it. Just played with it a bit on the lake. It’s very stable and very well built.

[markathome]

Hey 264,

PM sent.

[bard]

did you buy it through the canadian dealer or right from alpacka? anything you don't like about the explorer? I think i like the extra weight capacity in case i take one of the kids or use it to paddle out with some game. I see some guys using the one size bigger and paddling out a whole moose. Maybe an elk or caribou with the explorer?

[albravo2]

I bought an Alpacka Forager a couple years ago from Mt. Waddington in Chilliwack. They were great to deal with and their price was very fair.

I used mine on a hunt up near Redfern Lake, then again this year I put it in on the Elk River. I was in the stern on the lake but the river was super-shallow and my 200lbs on the stern kept arresting our movement so I sat mid-ships on the river. To our surprise, we friggin' capsized in an eddy when my wet rain pants slid over the inflatable bolster/seat. It was a Sept hunt in the Kootenays, so fairly warm and it wasn't an emergency situation but it made me a bit nervous about using it for real river use. I think a hard seat that kept me up above the gunnels would be way better. Sitting mid-ships I really didn't like the fact that my feat were the same height as my butt and I couldn't generate any power on the paddle.

All in all, I like it, but I need to tweak it considerably before I have confidence.

[bard]

Just pulled the trigger on the Alpacka Explorer 42. anyone got any cool hunt ideas? i am thinking northern bc for stones and elk would be ideal.

[Downtown]

Rafts have there advantages but unfortunately also a sour side.

Don't leave your Raft alone if there are Bears around, especially younger Black Bears. Those F&%$#rs love to rip anything plastic. Talk to any experienced Guide or Trapper they know.

If you put Meat into a Raft, even if you take it all out and wash the Raft real good with Cold Water, the residue smell of Meat and Blood is almost impossible to get rid off. If you leave this Raft for any any amount of time alone no Bear be it a Black or Grizzly can resist tearing your Raft apart.

Great Adventure if you can hop onto another conveyance to get you out, but can turn into a real Desaster if you dependent on the Raft.
Been there done that.

Cheers

[pg83]

Great advice Downtown.

For anyone toying with the idea of a packraft trip, there is a ton of info in this Beyond The Kill podcast with Thor Tingey, CEO of Alpacka Raft.

https://journalofmountainhunting.com/ep-187-taming-water-with-thor-tingey-ceo-of-alpacka-raft/