POW Gear list

[Deleted member 28227]

Any one ever brought up diving gear... between this and meateater my interest is piqued.

In Search of Alaska's Deadliest Catch: The Sea Cucumber

Notes from a deep sea fisherman on working one of the most lethal jobs in the world.

www.saveur.com

 

[Deleted member 28227]

How have you guys frozen your meat for the transport back home? Is there a processor around that will rent freezer space? Google searches coming up blank.

In order to give myself some buffer on the back end of the trip, and to deal with sealing processing etc... I have us booked 2 days at the Rodeway Inn Edgewater. I called them and asked about freezer space, they said that they would allow guests to store meat in their freezer, but due to health code regs it needs to be processed. Essentially, if you roll up with meat in game bags they are going to turn you away, but if you bone it out, trim it up, wrap everything, and put it in a cooler you are good to go.

 

[LCH]

In order to give myself some buffer on the back end of the trip, and to deal with sealing processing etc... I have us booked 2 days at the Rodeway Inn Edgewater. I called them and asked about freezer space, they said that they would allow guests to store meat in their freezer, but due to health code regs it needs to be processed. Essentially, if you roll up with meat in game bags they are going to turn you away, but if you bone it out, trim it up, wrap everything, and put it in a cooler you are good to go.

I decided to go a similar route.. I booked a small cabin in Hollis for my last night on the island, which includes the use of a chest freezer. I should be able to get everything frozen solid there for the trip home.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I decided to go a similar route.. I booked a small cabin in Hollis for my last night on the island, which includes the use of a chest freezer. I should be able to get everything frozen solid there for the trip home.

That's what we did on Adak, when I got back to Denver everything was still frozen solid... and it was just in a dry bag not a cooler.

 

[N_8]

re: head net
Sorry Ive been out of the country. I've rarely used a head net in SE Alaska. But, it doesn't cost you much in weight and warm still air on the mud flats can equal powerful no see ums. The worst IMO.

 

[cfree]

When are you guys going to be on POW? We are booked for May 16-25th. Hard to believe after nearly 14 months of waiting it's almost here!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

When are you guys going to be on POW? We are booked for May 16-25th. Hard to believe after nearly 14 months of waiting it's almost here!

May 10-18th

 

[LCH]

When are you guys going to be on POW? We are booked for May 16-25th. Hard to believe after nearly 14 months of waiting it's almost here!

17-26

 

[Coveyleader]

20 may - 6 june

 

[MThuntr]

Our group hasn't set dates yet but I'm sure we'll get that hashed out before too long for next year

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Our group hasn't set dates yet but I'm sure we'll get that hashed out before too long for next year

Looks like we have a nice spread of dates this year, might be worth it to see how everyone does and then pick.

 

[cfree]

It's 55 degrees already in Coffman Cove this week. I think you guys going early are gonna have a great hunt.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

@Randy11 & @MinnesotaHunter

Any recommendations on total cooler volume needed for a bear? I'm assuming a 65 and an 85 would be plenty of space. I'm just wondering if that's overkill.

 

[----]

@Randy11 & @MinnesotaHunter

Any recommendations on total cooler volume needed for a bear? I'm assuming a 65 and an 85 would be plenty of space. I'm just wondering if that's overkill.

The bear I killed up there barely fit in to a 60 without ice, and I brought my fish back in a fish box. That bear Ross killed was about three times the size though, no way it would fit in a 60.

I would run with whatever is easiest and will get you on the airline without oversized fees, then buy fish boxes as needed if you bring back more meat than expected. They're easy to find up there, cheap, and work surprisingly well.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I think mine boned out was about the volume of a really big mule deer buck or a small cow elk. I never had mine in coolers, it went to a freezer up there and then into fish boxes, and was actually pretty shocked when I got home and realized how much freezer space it took up. I brought it back in three fish boxes including the skull. The hide stayed with a taxi up there.

Bottom line I think you will be good with a 65 and 85 if you knock down a bruiser.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I think mine boned out was about the volume of a really big mule deer buck or a small cow elk. I never had mine in coolers, it went to a freezer up there and then into fish boxes, and was actually pretty shocked when I got home and realized how much freezer space it took up. I brought it back in three fish boxes including the skull. The hide stayed with a taxi up there.

Bottom line I think you will be good with a 65 and 85.

Thanks gentlemen. I agree the fish boxes are surprisingly good, my buddy used a couple to get back a caribou.

@MinnesotaHunter I'm not sure what you call it "volume miss judgement"??? I had the same feeling last year when I picked up my bull from the processor it came in three smallish boxes but then managed to completely fill up my chest freezer.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Thanks gentlemen. I agree the fish boxes are surprisingly good, my buddy used a couple to get back a caribou.

@MinnesotaHunter I'm not sure what you call it "volume miss judgement" I had the same feeling last year when I picked up my bull from the processor it came in three smallish boxes but then managed to completely fill up my chest freezer.

I don't think I really realized how big the bear was until I got him home. I knew he was big, as two of us could barely lift him over the bow of the boat....

 

[muskeg]

You are only required to salvage Spring bear meat ... after June 1st no meat salvage is required. The meat required salvaged is just the front & back quarters and the back straps ... you can use the non-required salvageable meat from bear as crab & shrimp bait as well.

You only are required to salvage it 'from the field'. I would say that most POW Island bear meat ends up in the dipsty dumpster. Fishbear can still be very rank and uneatable in spring and some of those fishbears can be very visibly wormy. Trichinosis has never been an issue in SSE bear.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You are only required to salvage Spring bear meat ... after June 1st no meat salvage is required. The meat required salvaged is just the front & back quarters and the back straps ... you can use the non-required salvageable meat from bear as crab & shrimp bait as well.

You only are required to salvage it 'from the field'. I would say that most POW Island bear meat ends up in the dipsty dumpster. Fishbear can still be very rank and uneatable in spring and some of those fishbears can be very visibly wormy. Trichinosis has never been an issue in SSE bear.

Not trying to virtue signal, but personally I'm excited to cook up my bear. Finger's crossed this will be my 4th and the other three tasted great.

 

[muskeg]

That's great wllm ... I have eaten both spring and fall bear meat from the Island as well. I use to have a whole hindquarter or more made into pepperoni sticks, when there was a butcher in Craig, once I considered it good eater, even when meat salvage was not required. I also took an active role in the salvage requirements when law was on the table.

Just offering some info based on my 35+ years of bear hunting on the Island.