Lonewolf-Outfitting

Whether you have booked a backpack Stone sheep hunt in August, a horseback high country hunt in September, or a late riverboat trip, you can expect all kinds of weather extremes. Temperatures in August can range from 30-50 degrees at night to 50-90 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the hot afternoons.

The Yukon is famous for many hours of daylight at this time of year, so you can expect to cover a lot of ground. Be prepared for rain, which can turn to snow in the high country. September weather can be similar with temperatures averaging 10-20 degrees lower than August. You will notice the days starting to shorten, but there are still long hunting days. This is when there are the most extremes in temperature changes- freezing your feet at night, and burning your neck in the day! For late hunts in October, expect cold. Daytime temps could reach highs of 50 degrees, but rarely more. This is also a time where hunting opportunities are higher because of traveling animals, and higher concentrations of rutting bulls.

Depending on which hunt and species you have chosen, you could be sleeping on the ground in a wall tent, or in a bed under a cabin roof. Regardless of where you sleep, please bring a ground pad or air mattress to sleep on. It is important to be mobile and able to camp wherever the game is. Your comfort at night is important, so bring a sleeping bag that is overrated for the conditions you will expect.

Your rifle or bow should be one that you are notafraid to "use". Mountain conditions are hard on equipment, and it seems when you spend too much time worrying about your equipment, you won't have as much fun. All weather rifles or bows are recommended, both for temperature extremes and moisture conditions. Stainless is best, and your bow should be able to perform in all extremes. Rifle calibers to consider are .270 on the light end for sheep to .300 or .338 on the high end for all around use. Anything above .338 is definitely overkill. The most important thing about caliber selection is being comfortable with your rifle. For grizz, it is better to have a well-placed shot from a .30-06 than a bad shot from a .338! The same goes for archers. Over cranking your bow might see you in a rough spot when it comes to a tense shot situation... Be familiar with how your rifle shoots from 20-350 yards, but expect to take shots at 200 and less. Handguns are illegal in Canada, so please do not try and bring one on your hunt. For traveling, you'll have an easier time at Canada Customs if your ammunition is separate from your rifle, and the bolt is removed.  Hard cases protect your gun or bow best from the airlines. These hard gun cases can be left at the hotel in Whitehorse, as they are difficult to transport into the bush.

What to bring on your Yukon adventure is always an issue. Since there are many different weather conditions and extremes, you should be prepared without carrying too much. Here is a short list of necessities:

• Rifle with 60 rounds of ammunition or Bow with plenty of arrows

• Binoculars (recommend high quality) and Spotting scope

• Headlamp !

• Waterproof Hiking/walking boots - for a river hunt, a higher pair

• Rain Gear - good quality pants and jacket that can be easily pulled over boots and jackets

• Warm jacket - early or late season, warm clothing is a must

• Waders for Remote Lake Hunt

• Ski Goggles for ATV Hunt

• Sleeping bag with ground pad - make sure your bag is rated for the time of year that you are hunting. Ground pad should be compact - Therm-a-rest is a good choice.

• Personal gear - toothbrush, shampoo, towel, etc. You may also include particulars like hunting knives, and daypacks (to carry your gear for the day).

• Clothing - it is difficult to list exact numbers of socks or pants to bring, because everyone is different. Keep in mind that you should have clothing that is comfortable, durable, and quiet. You should be able to ride, walk, stalk and maybe even sleep in them. Your feet are important, so bring enough socks to keep your feet clean and dry. Longunderwear may be considered as well.

• Backpack - only for backpack sheep hunts

• Camera with plenty of film - this is a hunt of a lifetime, and you'll appreciate looking back at the memories of your successful trip.

As you pack please keep in mind that you are flying into camp via bush plane with other hunters. You are only permitted to bring a maximum weight of 60 pounds of baggage (includes all hunting gear!). This makes it easier to get your trophies out with you at the end of your hunt.

Your flight to Whitehorse, Yukon should be two days before the first day of your hunt. This means you arrive in Whitehorse, overnight, and then fly out to camp the following day. Your hunt begins the next day. This is very important because mountain weather makes it impossible to arrive in Whitehorse and fly to camp the same day. The same scheduling at the end of the hunt - fly out of camp the day after your hunt ends, overnight in Whitehorse, and fly home the following day.

When you arrive in Whitehorse, a representative from Lone Wolf will meet you - unless you are arriving on a late-night flight. In this case, please take the free shuttle to the High Country Inn 867 667 4471 867 667 4471 . This is where your reservation is made for your overnight stay, before and after your hunt. This will be your cost at approximately $130 per night. From the hotel you will be taken to a bush plane charter service, to be flown into camp. You are also responsible for the cost of this flight into Camp and the flight out of camp after the hunt. These scheduled flights appears on your invoice as AIRCHARTER. Any unscheduled flight cost extra !

Aircharter is subject to price change.

All non-resident hunters in Yukon are required to contribute to the Yukon Hunter Preservation Fund (YHPF). This fee is collected by the Yukon Outfitters’ Association to preserve non-resident hunting  in the Yukon. This fee appears on your invoice as “YHPF”.

In most cases, we will have pre-purchased your hunting license for you.

Physical fitness is always an area of concern for most people that come to the north. The type of hunt that you have booked will determine the level of fitness that is required for success. If you are planning to hunt Stone sheep, you should consider yourself physically able to hike/climb long distances over the entire duration of the hunt. A riverboat hunt is the least physically challenging, because you can cover a lot of country sitting in a boat. On a horseback hunt, you and your guide can make it as physical as you need to. You can cover all kinds of terrain from a horse, or you can leave the horses for day hikes. Please keep in mind that in any case you will be getting on and off the horses, and you should be able to do at least this. If you are not sure of your particular hunting conditions, please discuss this with us and we can shape your hunt to your level of physical fitness.

An important thing to keep in mind is that our guides, cooks and wranglers are employed on a seasonal basis. In most cases, they leave high paying jobs to enjoy the outdoors and hunt with you, our guests. We would like to draw your attention to the custom of tipping. Over the years, tipping your guide, wrangler, or cook, has been a custom that is accepted. There is nothing saying that it is required, only people in the industry have evolved to expect it. A $500 - $1000 US tip to your guide is considered reasonable for a successful hunt. Different hunters define a 'successful hunt' in different ways. This is to your discretion. If you are unsure, please talk with your outfitters and we can give you an idea.

Trophy preparation is done in the field where possible. Sometimes your guide will have the time to skin and cape your trophy to make sure that it lasts until a time when your taxidermist can prepare it. For most trophies, it is impossible to take them home with you after your hunt. We will have your trophies prepared at the end of the season to be shipped to you as quickly as possible. Different countries have certain requirements for trophies before they will release them to you at home. We have experience in shipping to many countries, and can make this as painless as possible for you. This does involve cleaning and crating costs, which will be dealt with on a per hunter basis, depending on trophy size and number.

Your experienced guide will help you determine trophy legality and quality, but it is ultimately your decision as a hunter whether or not to take an animal. Our crew will work with you to make sure your hunt with Lone Wolf Outfitting is the best we can provide. We are always looking forward to the upcoming season, as you are too.