Packrafting for Hunters & Ascent GuidesEatWild
Description
Packrafts offer a new and exciting spectrum of adventure for hunters. From lakes and coastlines to the incredible network of river systems all over the Province, the ability to incorporate packrafts into hunting trips transforms water from an obstacle, to a pathway.
This course is designed to give hunters and anglers the skills to navigate rivers with Class II+III whitewater and to plan and execute wilderness hunting trips with a packraft.
The Ascent Guides/EatWild Packrafting for Hunters course is a comprehensive course geared towards building the skills, knowledge and the confidence for people wanting to begin their journey as packraft hunters.
Course participants will join us for an evening (3 hours) of live webinar course session, and for 2 full days in the field.
- Course Location: Squamish
- Class Ratio: 1:8 Instructor to Student
GEAR
- Packraft, paddle, dry or wet suit, helmet, throw rope, and water shoes.
*A $200 gear rental package will be made available through Mt. Waddington's Outdoors. Message to coordinate
Course Overview
The online session will focus on researching, planning, safety, and meat care consideration for multi-day expedition hunts. The field days will focus on teaching participants how to navigate in moving water safely, how the river works, and how to recognize hazards and mitigate them. Participants will become proficient in rescue techniques, whitewater paddling techniques and pack raft repair.
ONLINE EVENING
Dylan from EatWild will lead an in depth discussion on hunt planning and packraft hunting considerations to prepare for a fun, safe and successful hunting adventure.
- Picking the right river- research where to go.
- E-Scouting the river - identifying hazards, hunting zones and camp spots
- How much river can you cover in a day?
- Hunting considerations - when to raft and when to hunt
- Raft capabilities
- Loading rafts
- Weight capacity and river class
- Meat care
- Raft repairs and repair kits
- Raft storage and critters
- Reducing risk to 0 - dry suits, helmets, and when to not to go.
- Gear: Boats, Personal Protective Equipment (helmet, drysuit & layering, PFD, shoes, knife, whistle), hunting specific gear considerations
FIELD DAY 1
Meet at TBD river location at 9 am and the day ends at 5 pm.
The Ascent Guide crew will lead a mix of dryland and on-the-water instruction, building a foundation of paddling, rescue, river awareness and trip planning skills. The rivers for this course offer a great progression through classic rivers with a variety of rapids, features and hazards to navigate.
This course includes in‐depth sessions on topics including: Outfitting & Rigging Your Packraft, Reading Whitewater, River Safety and Self Rescue, Responsibilities and Techniques of River Running, Packraft Hunting Skills and Trip Planning and Wilderness Considerations.
Mid-Morning Afternoon Session (Class I-II River)
River Reading 1:
- Understanding the river
Paddle & Rescue 1:
- Communicating on the river
- Principles/basics of swiftwater rescue
- Safety swimming
- Throw Bag rescues
- Self rescue in current
- Ferrying, catching eddies & peel outs
FIELD DAY 2
Full River Day (Class II-III)
River Running:
- Whitewater classification scale (I-V) & what it means
- Current, Hazards & Features
- Scouting rapids (boat/shore)
- River running strategies & awareness
- Group organization & risk assessment
Paddle & Rescue 2:
- Eddy hopping & advanced ferrying
- Companion/Self Rescue in rapids
- Boat/swimmer recovery
Conclusion:
- Debrief and feedback
- Course evaluation
- Further skill development
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