In Episode #10 of, A Beginner's Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting, we talk with Alpacka Raft co-owner, Thor Tingey, about the hunt packrafting and packraft fly fishing scene. We start by discussing his background in those two activities and how Alpacka Raft’s hunt and fish boats developed along with changing hunting trends generally, along with Alaskan trends toward minimalism and packrafts as a part of the float fish and hunt market. Fewer and fewer people are hunting, says Thor. But the reality is the same numbers of animals are being killed because the people who are doing it are more and more dedicated, core hunters, as opposed to those who are casually digging their rifles out in October to go hunting. “These are guys who think all year long about how they are going to go hunting,” Thor adds. “We have seen over 20 years a way more dedicated population of outdoor enthusiasts who are focused solely on hunting.” And “they want the full experience. They’re physically training. They’re buying fancy supplements and backcountry meals. It’s a big activity for them.” What do we cover in this interview: What has inspired the changes in the hunting community? A broad mix of marketing, equipment and culture. “And the reality is the more you show people this is a really cool way to do this, the more they will want to do it.” The problems Alpacka has solved with its packrafts for hunters and anglers. The first goal with big game hunting is, can the boat carry out a harvested animal? Do we have enough physical space in the boat to carry an animal? Alpacka’s Forager will do it, and the Ranger and Mule are both excellent for carrying up to a moose-sized animals. But those three boats have only been around for about ten years. Alpacka solved that problem for multiple sizes, while companies like Pristine Ventures solved that problem for people needing to carry bigger loads. The second thing Alpacka looked at was: How were people going to use the boats? They’ve always focused on hiking in and out with the boats. And that has become even more important with the expense of flying bigger boats, gear, people and harvest in and out of the backcountry on backcountry planes. Packrafting, Thor says, has become increasingly popular because it’s simply more affordable than flying planes. So people are using them more often for float trips. “You can save the price of the packraft just on this first flight that you do.” The company also considers the walkability of the packraft. Can they easily be carried into a river from a gravel bar, small lake or other small place where a plane might land? People are wanting to get deeper and deeper into the backcountry. So the less they carry, the easier they can access these hard-to-reach places. “It’s a great thinner,” Thor explains. “It’s amazing how many fewer people you see who are willing to hike even a mile to get to better hunting. Even here in Colorado, if I get a mile away from the road there are 90% fewer hunters.” He also makes recommendations to hunters who are just getting into boating, including things they should consider as far as safety and training and practice before they get out hunting in the backcountry. He also discusses the gear people should consider. He talks about his exploratory missions into the backcountry. He says: “We are always looking for rivers that have good whitewater and good hunting. If we can find a Class III or IV canyon, we go there because nobody else will be there.” This illustrates the expansive possibilities of packrafts. The more you learn and the better you get at paddling, the more access you will actually have. The last ten years he’s been blown away by the small number of absolutely incredible fishing locations that he and friends have been able to locate that no-one else is fishing. He’s super tight lipped about these spots. But they do exist around the world, and he encourages people to get out there and find these spots on their own. But he also discusses how it’s not necessarily finding the fish or getting the animal that is important. “People really go out there and look for first ascents or descents, and there’s nothing wrong with that,” he explains. But, like his friend Brett Davis says, “sometimes it’s the first time for me” being there in that place. While Thor says he does “chase beta” with the best of them, he also loves the experience of just going and doing something, not knowing what’s around the corner. “I love that experience. It’s what drew me to packrafting, and what draws me to a lot of outdoor activities.”
