Ask ten sheep hunters about gear, and you’ll probably get ten different opinions.
Everyone has a favorite pack.
Everyone has a favorite boot.
Everyone thinks their tent is the best.
After several years of building my own system—and learning plenty of lessons the hard way—I’ve realized that no piece of gear is perfect.
Instead, I’ve tried to build a system where every piece complements the others and supports the way I hunt.
My Gear Philosophy
When choosing gear for a sheep hunt, I prioritize several things:
- Reliability
- Weight
- Durability
- Comfort
- Simplicity
- Versatility
Those priorities don’t exist independently.
Every gear decision is a balance.
I want equipment that’s as light as reasonably possible, but I’m willing to accept weight penalties when they allow me to stay in the mountains longer, recover better, and continue hunting hard instead of simply surviving.
I’ve also become a believer in the phrase, “Buy once, cry once.”
Quality gear is expensive, but once you’re several days into the backcountry, dependability is worth far more than the money you saved buying something cheaper.
Building Around Proven Equipment
One thing you’ll notice throughout my gear system is that very little of it is new.
That’s intentional.
If a piece of equipment has already proven itself in difficult conditions, I have very little reason to replace it.
Several of my friends have worked for Stone Glacier over the years, so I’ve had the opportunity to use their equipment for a long time.
More importantly, that gear has earned my trust.
It’s handled heavy rain.
It’s handled high winds.
It’s handled the abuse that Alaska mountains inevitably deliver.
That confidence is difficult to replace.
Shelter: Matching the System to the Hunt
This year’s hunt is a fly-in hunt, which changes the way we’re approaching shelter.
My wife and I will be sharing a Stone Glacier two-person tent, while my brother-in-law will carry the same tent for himself.
I’ve used this shelter on previous hunts because it strikes an excellent balance between weather protection and weight.
The two vestibules provide valuable covered storage for boots, packs, and wet gear, allowing more of the interior to remain dry and organized.
One of the biggest advantages of a fly-in hunt is that we aren’t required to backpack every piece of equipment for the entire trip.
Because of that, we’re also bringing an Argali four-person teepee to establish a base camp.
Normally, I wouldn’t consider carrying a shelter this large while backpack hunting.
Its taller profile and larger footprint simply aren’t ideal for moving camp every day.
As a stationary base camp, however, it makes perfect sense.
The stove provides an opportunity to dry wet gear after extended periods of rain, warm up after cold days, and create a much more comfortable place to wait out bad weather if conditions deteriorate.
It’s a luxury that simply isn’t practical on a traditional backpack hunt, but one that makes a lot of sense when aircraft are doing the heavy lifting.
Sleep Is Recovery
One lesson I’ve learned is that sleep isn’t a luxury during a sheep hunt.
It’s recovery.
Recovery determines how well you climb the next day.
My sleep system is intentionally simple:
- Nemo sleeping pad
- Stone Glacier 0-degree sleeping bag
- Rolled-up clothing as my pillow
Nothing fancy.
Just a system that I’ve already tested and know I can rely on.
Packing for Ten Days
I’ll be carrying a Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900.
Some people see a large pack and assume it should always be filled.
I don’t look at it that way.
I’d rather have extra space available than spend ten days wishing I had more room.
Extended hunts simply require flexibility.
Food, extra layers, meat, and unpredictable weather all take up space.
The larger bag gives me options without forcing me to use every cubic inch.
Clothing: Staying Functional
I’ve gradually simplified my clothing system over the years.
Merino wool serves as my primary base layer because of its comfort, odor resistance, and ability to perform even when damp.
Over that, I carry lightweight insulating layers along with Stone Glacier De Havilland pants.
Full Stone Glacier M5 rain gear is non-negotiable.
Rain isn’t an inconvenience in Alaska.
It’s an expectation.
I also carry puffy insulation for both my upper and lower body.
Being able to warm up quickly after long periods of glassing or bad weather is worth every ounce.
Beyond that, I keep clothing changes to a minimum.
One extra pair of socks.
One extra pair of underwear.
That’s it.
Because we’re establishing a base camp on this hunt, I may leave a few additional comfort items there, but they won’t be riding in my backpack every day.
Boots and Mobility
For footwear, I’m sticking with what has worked.
Lowa Tibet GTX boots, paired with Stone Glacier gaiters.
Perhaps the most valuable piece of equipment in this category isn’t my boots at all.
It’s my trekking pole equipped with a Black Diamond Whippet.
The Whippet quite literally stopped a dangerous fall during my last sheep hunt after I slipped while crossing an avalanche chute.
Without it, that fall could have ended very differently.
After experiencing that firsthand, it has earned a permanent place in my pack.
My Rifle System
This year’s rifle setup is one of the biggest changes from my previous hunt.
I’ll be carrying a SIG Cross chambered in .308 Winchester with a Banish Backcountry suppressor.
The rifle weighs approximately nine pounds and is equipped with an Arca rail, allowing quick attachment to my bipod for more stable shooting positions.
I’ve established a personal ethical shooting limit of 500 yards.
That distance isn’t based on what the rifle is capable of.
It’s based on what I know I can consistently and confidently accomplish in field conditions.
The goal is always to make the most ethical shot possible.
Optics
My optics setup is intentionally lightweight.
I’ll be carrying:
- Vortex 10×52 binoculars
- Leupold SX-2 spotting scope
- Leupold tripod
These have served me well, provide good image quality, and keep overall weight reasonable.
Sometimes good enough really is good enough.
Water, Cooking, and Electronics
Keeping these systems simple has become another recurring theme.
For water, I’ll use an MSR bag-to-bag gravity filter.
Cooking duties fall to the MSR Reactor stove, accompanied by two fuel canisters in my pack and additional fuel stored back at base camp.
Coffee is instant.
Meals will get their own article.
Navigation and communication rely on a Garmin inReach, Garmin Fenix watch, and my phone with offline OnX maps downloaded before leaving home.
One feature I especially appreciate is my SIG rangefinder’s ability to mark locations directly in OnX.
When an animal is shot hundreds of yards away across complex terrain, being able to navigate directly to the exact location is far better than trying to remember where you think it was standing.
Three Anker battery banks round out my electronics kit, providing enough power to comfortably make it through the hunt.
Medical and Emergency Equipment
My medical kit is intentionally minimal but purpose-driven.
The goal isn’t to treat every possible injury.
It’s to stabilize a serious problem until we can reach emergency assistance.
That includes supplies for controlling bleeding, cleaning wounds, blister care, allergy medication, anti-diarrheal medication, and a tourniquet.
Fire-starting materials are equally simple.
Cotton balls coated in petroleum jelly remain one of the lightest and most reliable fire starters I’ve found.
Bug nets are another item that weighs almost nothing but can make an enormous difference when insects are at their worst.
Personal Protection
Bear encounters are always a possibility in Alaska.
Each member of our group carries the sidearm they’re most comfortable and proficient with.
I’ll be carrying a .44 Magnum revolver, while my wife carries a 9mm handgun and my brother-in-law carries a 10mm.
Like every other piece of gear, these are tools we hope never to need but prepare to have available.
A Few Worthwhile Luxuries
Not everything in my pack has to be about survival.
Long stretches of bad weather can leave you sitting in a tent for hours—or even days.
A small book, a deck of cards, and a compact cribbage board weigh very little but do a surprising amount for morale.
Sometimes the smallest comforts make the biggest difference.
Lessons From My Last Hunt
Compared to my 2024 sheep hunt, this gear system isn’t dramatically different.
Instead, it’s been refined.
The biggest changes have been my rifle system and my spotting scope.
Rather than chasing every new product that comes to market, I’ve focused on making small improvements while keeping the equipment that has already earned my confidence.
Every successful hunt teaches you something.
The goal isn’t to rebuild your entire system afterward.
It’s to improve it one thoughtful decision at a time.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give someone preparing for their own sheep hunt, it would be this:
Test every piece of gear before you leave home.
Don’t assume your boots fit.
Don’t assume your stove works.
Don’t assume your sleeping pad holds air.
The mountains are a terrible place to discover a problem for the first time.
By the time this hunt begins, nearly every piece of equipment I’ll be carrying has already been tested, trusted, and earned its place in my pack.
That confidence allows me to focus less on my gear—and more on the hunt itself.
Leave a Reply