North Arm heli sika hut ,will fire burn coal ?

Looks like we are going in here for 6 days start of June .
Going to be a little bit cold ,but just way the work roster works out.
Looking at some photo,s on web site looks like a bag of coal on floor of hut.
Anyone been in this block and used coal in the fire with success?
Don,t want to sound like a pussy , but after 5 years in Africa this Kiwi feels the cold in winter months.
Last trip in end of may last year I was cranking up the fire and Mate was opening the window looking at me as if I was mad.
I know you can burn coal in alot of Doc huts but I was under the impression it needs to be a certain type of burner?


Read on a thread somewhere that there was a Biv on block ,but its not mentioned anywhere?


Cheers

If you feel the cold that bad, what are you going to do when you get away from the hut? I have stayed in the hut many times over the years and never had the luxury of coal. The firebox is/was large and could be cranked up till it glowed red and pieces of wire could be pushed through it. One had to keep the hut door open to get enough air into the place. Great hunting block, but I have only fix winged into it. The bivvy is/was up the Blue Duck stream.

Harden up

I'd suggest another blankie :thumbsup:

Coal will burn anywhere, the thing with coal is you need a good base fire to get the best out of it.

My suggestions
Take extra tucker and eat it, to keep you energy up, warm drinks regularly, keep your feet dry as possible.

Get out of wet cloths as soon as possible when back at the hut, dry warm cloths and dry feet and a beanie and a warm drink and you will feel a million bucks!

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Originally Posted by stingray

Coal will burn anywhere, the thing with coal is you need a good base fire to get the best out of it.

My suggestions
Take extra tucker and eat it, to keep you energy up, warm drinks regularly, keep your feet dry as possible.

Get out of wet cloths as soon as possible when back at the hut, dry warm cloths and dry feet and a beanie and a warm drink and you will feel a million bucks!

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The only place to hunt the North Arm and keep your feet dry is to hunt out the back of the hut, the boundary is not far away though.

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

Harden up

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Harden up?
asked a simple question .
Not sure about your methods wheather you wrap yourself up in bear skin or sleep under a log or do you just sit around a fireplace at night wondering what it does?
I don,t care about hunting in the cold or rain but why have a hut if you can,t crank up a decent fire to dry your gear and have a bit of comfort.
Don,t want to take a bag of coal in there and back out for no reason if it won,t burn in the fire .
If the weather goes to shit for a few days be better in a warm hut than sitting in a cold one in between hunts.
Cheers for your advice and the time it took to write it.
from not so hard but warm.

Don't worry mate, you can get your own back when you take someone for a hunt in Zambia in November, you can tell them to harden up in the 45 degree 100% humidity heat after following spoor for 7 hours and need to backtrack 7 hours to the truck! :)

What are your weights like ? If your gonna be touch and go heading in I would leave the coal out and swap for an extra box or two of piss! :D good ol alcohol blanket!! and then just stoke up the fire as previously mentioned. But if youve got weight to spare I would be loading in the coal! No better feeling in the morning than dry warm socks!!! :XD:

Best of luck for your trip!

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Originally Posted by DanS

What are your weights like ? If your gonna be touch and go heading in I would leave the coal out and swap for an extra box or two of piss! :D good ol alcohol blanket!! and then just stoke up the fire as previously mentioned. But if youve got weight to spare I would be loading in the coal! No better feeling in the morning than dry warm socks!!! :XD:

Best of luck for your trip!

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We have got a bit of system going now so have a bit of spare room these days .( no more double ups on gear )
You can,t beat those first few minutes of dry warm feet until you cross the first river.
I spent alot of years working in underground mines that were raining from the rock above your head all day and as you advance it moved down with you.
Getting your feet and body into dry gear even it was only dry for 30 mins was moral boasting and keep you sane .
used some coal in a Doc hut last year and it was great once it was burning .
Mate has already booked my dog for his feet and is bringing me a extra blankie

Yeah awesome man ! Cold beers and a warm hut after a successful days hunting with good mates. Sounds like your gonna be living the dream!

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Originally Posted by Zamkiwi

Harden up?
asked a simple question .
Not sure about your methods wheather you wrap yourself up in bear skin or sleep under a log or do you just sit around a fireplace at night wondering what it does?
I don,t care about hunting in the cold or rain but why have a hut if you can,t crank up a decent fire to dry your gear and have a bit of comfort.
Don,t want to take a bag of coal in there and back out for no reason if it won,t burn in the fire .
If the weather goes to shit for a few days be better in a warm hut than sitting in a cold one in between hunts.
Cheers for your advice and the time it took to write it.
from not so hard but warm.

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Hey!, you are kidding that you would fly the coal back out if you didn't use it...right?

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Originally Posted by DavidGunn

Hey!, you are kidding that you would fly the coal back out if you didn't use it...right?

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If I didnt use it because the fire wouldnt burn it , then yes i would bring it back out .
if it worked in fire and I had some left then I would leave it there.
Why would I leave it there its not my hut or should I leave it there with all the other rubbish guys leave behind these days?


Went for a overnighter in Nov to Pio Pio flats a place I have not been to for over five years .
Stayed in one of the shelters there .
rubbish all thru shelter and around it .
somebody had shit next to meat safe .
fireplace was full of half eaten take aways .

So yes I take all my gear back out when I stay somewhere.

I have never known a fire that couldn't burn coal...seen a few dickheads that couldn't light a fire to save themselves.
I am guilty of not flying everything out of the North Arm that I took in...there is a 40 oz Coruba stashed in a hole behind the hut...been there a few years now.

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Originally Posted by Zamkiwi

Harden up?
asked a simple question .
Not sure about your methods wheather you wrap yourself up in bear skin or sleep under a log or do you just sit around a fireplace at night wondering what it does?
I don,t care about hunting in the cold or rain but why have a hut if you can,t crank up a decent fire to dry your gear and have a bit of comfort.
Don,t want to take a bag of coal in there and back out for no reason if it won,t burn in the fire .
If the weather goes to shit for a few days be better in a warm hut than sitting in a cold one in between hunts.
Cheers for your advice and the time it took to write it.
from not so hard but warm.

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You're welcome pussy

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

You're welcome pussy

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Settle down big fella you will wear yourself out typeing such well thought out advice.

So what do you do Nathan F when you stay in a hut in the middle of winter and its pissing down with rain all day.
Do you light the fire or not ?
I do and I would rather take some coal or a bit of dry wood with me than waste my hunting time looking for dry wood .
By the way what does the F stand for ?
I reckon I have a fair idea myself.

Stash the handbags lads and offer me a seat on one of these trips [emoji779]️[emoji6]
Sounds like an interesting spot...

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Originally Posted by Danny

Stash the handbags lads and offer me a seat on one of these trips [emoji779]️[emoji6]
Sounds like an interesting spot...

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Wish I could but weight is gonna be a issue with my bag of coal and extra blankie and dry socks and I think Nathan is keen to come with me?:o

[emoji6]

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

You're welcome pussy

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Bro....forget you're happy pills or something??

Sorry just taking the piss.....

I'd happily go hunting with you. Just not during May June or July. That's duck killing time :cool:

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

Sorry just taking the piss.....

I'd happily go hunting with you. Just not during May June or July. That's duck killing time :cool:

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No worries, sorry fella,s but myself and me mate combined top the scales at about 230 kgs
Add the dog, food and now my coal, not to mention my extra blankies as somebody put it.
Then is not alot of room left.
June is not my ideal time to hunt, but like I said with my work roster a hunt is a hunt and I will take it while I can.
Sounds like the biv is gone.
Cheers for the info on the fire place.
Good luck on the ducks Nathan F

The Helisika huts I've been into with fires, have been the 'pot belly' type, so coal should be ok..... Awesome for drying gear....

It's a good hut and always a good amount of
Firewood around as most of us make sure we leave
Some for the next guys and the biv is up blue
Duck creek too, I have been in here once or twice
:ORLY: