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Hunting & Fishing Caribou hunt next summer

Anvil_X

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 24, 2012
172
1
39
AK
Ok, so my friends and I are starting to plan for a caribou hunt next summer, one or two of my buddies from the lower 48 will be coming up, timeline's looking to be somewhere between 10Aug13 and 25Aug13. Before my lower 48 friends got in on the fun, we were just planning on running up to the Dalton with our longbows and bagging one or two for the freezer. Given the restrictions on hunting in the area, and that I want my friends from outside to get the most out of their trip up, we're looking at flying out into the bush, near larger concentrations of Caribou to increase their chances of bagging a nice trophy (and filling my freezer). so here's my questions:
What size aircraft would we need to go out with to carry 4-5 guys, with gear, and return with 2 caribou(possibly even a Grizz, my roommate's really wanting to fill his tag next year), and what kind of operating costs are we looking at?

where to fly out from? (anaktuvuk, etc)

what areas should I look at for the camp/hunt? Its a bit of a patchwork up here with state, federal, private and native corporation land, are there any places that aren't a headache to deal with? I'm planning on heading down to the DNR office here in Anchorage to talk with Cathy about getting some maps and such, so a shotgun blast area would be just fine

Is there anybody I should go to/stay away from when it comes to chartering a flight?

Any part of the state is game, I'm even open for flying out of King Salmon into Aniakchak (I'm planning on going there at some point anyways, but the chances of getting caught in the jaws of hell and not being able to get the guys back to Anchortown in time for their flight home put it pretty low on the list)

also- we're all Afghan campaign vets used to skittering around some crazy terrain with heavy loads, so fitness should not be an issue.

Looking forward to your wisdom, gentlemen.
Thanks
Tien Bien
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

40 mile air in tok has 8 or 9 different planes and can get you and your buddies into caribou. They are good people and will do a good job for you call them at 907-833-5191

The other air taxi I like is owned by Mike Mcreary, he flys out of Happy Valley and Dead horse. He has 2 aircraft. A Helio COURIER AND A 206. mike also does a good job. 907-209-0119
Sorry I do not remember the name of his air taxi

Enjoy your hunt
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

also Mr Jacques, just FYSA, the hyperlink for your lodge's website in your signature line doesn't work. clicked on it, and I'm getting an error.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

The reason I recommend flying out of tok or happy valley is that you can drive there and then fly out. That saves money and you do not have to fly as far with the air taxi.

If time is a big concern you can use wrights air service out of Fairbanks. They do a good job but the charter flights are longer an cost more because of the longer distance
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

yeah, flying out of Tok could come in pretty handy when it comes to hauling the dead critters back to Anchorage. Plus its a really pretty drive, and I could shoot across the Denali Highway and do some fly fishing on the way. Just threw another 500 bucks into the caribou fund this morning, and I figure if I shoot 300 rounds a month instead of my usual 5-600, then the extra flight time won't be a problem.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

so its lookin like either the Fortymile herd or the Porcupine herd, anybody have any suggestions on either? Gonna have a chat next week with NPS and USFWS about hunting in either Arctic or Yukon-Charley.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I use to hunt in the King Salmon area. There were a gazillion caribou back then. But that was the '80s.

Back in the 60s the Fish and Game would notify the radio stations when the herds would cross the Taylor Highway. Folks would line up and hose them down.

Natives out of Kotz would hang whole animals over their wolf traps. The were froze and when we came across them on our ski trips we'd cut off steaks and have a good feed.

When I was in the 1st Scouts I was driving back from from Teller to Nome. Had a guy with me who had me stop as he shot several with a M1 (one of our sniper rifles). We loaded them up in the Guard Van and hauled them to town.

I have a picture of that, I'll scan it and post it with an edit.

Alaska ain't what it use to be.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">I use to hunt in the King Salmon area. There were a gazillion caribou back then. But that was the '80s.
</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Back in the 60s the Fish and Game would notify the radio stations when the herds would cross the Taylor Highway. Folks would line up and hose them down.</span>

Natives out of Kotz would hang whole animals over their wolf traps. The were froze and when we came across them on our ski trips we'd cut off steaks and have a good feed.

When I was in the 1st Scouts I was driving back from from Teller to Nome. Had a guy with me who had me stop as he shot several with a M1 (one of our sniper rifles). We loaded them up in the Guard Van and hauled them to town.

I have a picture of that, I'll scan it and post it with an edit.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Alaska ain't what it use to be.</span> </div></div>

Yep, this is why the 70s brought on fish and game. Very little control of game management before the 70s. The 70s is why 80s were a very good hunting decade. The 90s brought too much control including the feds and outside influence and now we are where we are, no game and too many rules.

Use to hunt in our back yard valley in the Mat valley, now its full of houses, rules and no hunting. Places I use to fish where you had to walk or take beefed up mud tired with winches and tow straps rigs now have gravel or paved roads and camp grounds and of course, hordes of people and rules. We use to wet line when the run came by, pull the rifles and pop a few off, pull out the shotties or 22s pop a few grouse or hoppers, go back to wetting a line. If I did that today in the same area, I would be arrested. Like taking off in the T Craft / 172 on the road in front of the house.

I also remember and prefer hunters who walked, packed in or flew. Today its wheelers pulling trailers right right next to the animal. Duece and a halfs driving up the rivers?
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Alaska was fun in the old days. I wouldn't consider living in Alaska now unless I lived in the Bush, away from the highway system...........that ain't gonna happen, I'm too old for that stuff now.

As too hunting. I lived in Wyoming before I went to Alaska in '72. I came back in '94.

Hunting in Wyoming has improved quite a bit during that time. It's gone down hill in Alaska.

Not bad if you can aford it.

But fishing, even in South Central is great. Duck/Geese hunting in the Anchorage Bowl is some of the best in the world.

There are exceptions to everything of course. Black bear for example, pretty reasonable for even non residents. I'll probably do that this next year.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Most of the Alaska peninsula unit 9 is closed to non residents for caribou and unit 17 Mulchatna heard is mostly closed for nonresidents.
Bear and wolf numbers are way up but moose and caribou numbers are way down.

In the 80's and 90's my lodge had 75-100 caribou hunters a season with most hunters taking excelent trophies. The start of the end was when the limit went to 5 caribou for residents and 2 caribou for non residents.
The overharvest of bulls decimated the Mulchatna and Alaska Pen heard. now we take 0 caribou hunters as too few caribou left
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Kraig some of your old shooting friends hunted with me out of Iliamna and King Salmon in the 80's Craig Parker, Sky Gorden, Ace Dubie all had fun with M1-A's on winter hunts.

The Caribou are slowly coming back but it will take at least 5-10 years. Hopefully this time the limit will stay at 1 caribou per hunter.

The Caribou hunting may be poor but the fishing is better than ever in the Bristol Bay drainages. That could all change if the Pebble Mine is allowed to happen. The potential for a disaster with Pebble is my worst nightmare.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

LOL Sounds like you took the Alaska Rifle Club hunting. Sky use to shoot on my Guard team. I've had shot with the other two since the late 70s........or did until I left. Parker and Ace were some hard holders. Sky was iffy. No consistant... probably the drinking and funny cigs had a lot to do with that.

If Alaska is going to have multi animal hunts, You guides (and resident hunters) ought to patition the State to limit caribou to one bull, the rest cows.

That's the way it is here with antelope. You buy the any animal tag which allows bucks but you can buy additional doe/fawn tags.

This keeps the herds healthy with plenty of good bucks.

Alaska Guide: I have a un-related question. I read on the net that the Alaska Rifle Club has a 'CRAIG PARKER MEMORIAL MATCH". Did something happen to him? I've been trying to find out but haven't been able to find anyone who knows.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I feel for those who come to Alaska now or plan to and believe its the hunters paradise. I guess its better than the south 49 but its not Alaska anymore. Our game management is poor at best. The 70s brought stability and game growth for the 80s and early 90s but they got greedy and let the game get decimated again and let outside influence grow the predators into what Alaska is now. Over run with predators with little help from F&G due to outside influence. And as long as outside money keeps pouring into guided hunts there will be little change. F&G listens little to our residents but hears well when it comes to outside money. We did our annual family hunt up on the highway. Saw one bou, no moose but wolves where as thick as mosquitoes in June.

A buddy of mine at his established moose camp his family had for decades. He hears the faint sound, soon a couple ATVs pulling trailers roll into camp, ask where are the moose, then roll out. Now there is a ATV trail through their camp.

South central fishing, I have to disagree somewhat. Too many tourist breaking rules but they bring the almighty dollar into the state so F&G turns a blind eye to most of it. The Kenai is ruined from too many guides and boats. Physical fights over fish on and crossing lines. Guys tap their bear magnums on their chest when someone raises their voice due to fish on or its my hole, find another.

Take the Deska, now its hard to find open water to wet a line due to all the boats anchored. Our last trip there had a helo on floats land, taxi up with rotors whirling, anchor, wet a line. Had a bozo take off from up stream with roll out over boats in his cub spraying water on all of us fishing as him zoomed over us, glad he did not lose power or 200 people injured. Beer and pot party camps and uncontrolled shooting of bear magnums. We went up to camp from the boat to eat lunch, stoked the fire, went back to the boat to get the fish, somebody got in our boat and stole our fish. Never been back and never will.

Jim Creek in the back yard. Use to go there and pick up a couple for diner, a few locals doing the same. Now the ATVs blow through the creek for fun flipping you off as they go by.

But if you know where to go the fishing is beyond belief and the reason why I tell everyone to fish the Kenai, best fishing in the world.

I never waterfowl hunted but understand 20 mile is superb as is the hay flats where my boys hunt.

How things have changed. My best bud and his dad land their plane out in 13 and damage the prop. Another pilot gets the squawk and lands to help. Then flies back to town to pick up parts and tools asking some questions. The wrong person overheard. Now the plane is fixed and they land. Here comes FFA trouble. Since neither of them are qualified AP mechanics, they get fined and possible lost of license.

So when it is said its not Alaska anymore, believe it.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

A couple summers ago, we drove to Alaska for my stepson's wedding.

All my granddaugher wanted was to see a moose. Drove through Alberta, BC, the Yukon, Alaska and back through the Yukon, BC, Alberta, and finely found her a moose. But it was in the Big Horns in North Central Wyoming.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

45.308

I have to agree with you, fishing and hunting anywhere that can be reached by road is sad.

I sold out in Talkeetna 8 years ago as things just got too crowded. Stay out west 200 miles from road system.
The Bristol Bay Is still good. Cost of av gas and no caribou has had a nice side affect! Less people visit now than the 90's

Pebble could change that
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

glad I kept my trap shut the past few days..

and from what you guys are saying, I'm glad I stayed away from the salmon run. haven't gotten to do too many big adventures this year, but the little weekend trips I got to make were pretty great. Bird hunting was pretty fun in portage pass, resurrection(birds were hanging out about a Km past Juneau falls), and just running around to all these lakes filling up the freezer with Dollies and Rainbows. Thing that really irked me though was up in Hatcher pass just east of that big active gold mine, it was as busy as Times Square up there with dudes looking for Spruce Chicken and Ptarmigan.

Judging from all of your stories, I kinda wish I was around back then, but even on the road system I've managed to find some nice quiet and peaceful little lakes full of fish, and considering I came from a place in which fishing was pretty much illegal, thats a huge improvement.
hopefully once I'm done with my Bio degree here at UAA, I'll be able to get a pilots license, a cool job, and get out more.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Hatchers? Wait till the ski resort goes in!

Pilot license, whats that. The old days meant buy a plane and fly taking off from the road in front of the house or the neighbors back yard.

Not sure about Pebble, this has always been Alaska conundrum. Progress or not, hate the idea and others say bring it on for prosperity and jobs but with a caveat, not there. In today's world I am not so convinced it will ruin the fisheries but it will scar the land. In the same sentence I ask, do you hunt by ATV, then you do not have an argument to stand on as these things have scared the land everywhere 10x more than Pebble would. Did the oil and pipe really ruin Alaska?

Damming up the Su?

We hunted in 15 for awhile back when there were moose and few road hunters and our back yard Knik got over run by the hoards and now ATVs. I love the quite fishing in 15 just like hiking to Jim Lake, loons and quite with fish in the water.

Absolutely there are areas that lack people on the road system, rules still apply though. Its, back growing up we did it in our back yard area, now its a long way off.

Living back then was different, not sure better. Prices were very inflated and at times stuff was lacking. I preferred the mom and pop shops more but now the prices and supply chain is stable with the big corps here, traded at Howards and Brewsters a lot, sad to see them go. Recorded TV sent up from Seattle, no live TV. A lot of reruns when the tapes did not arrive.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Well its not like a ski resort will change the game conditions there, too many dudes crawlin around in there, the birds and critters have run off. this year in Hatcher's, I've seen one seven foot Brownie, and two Ptarmigan in July. The August I followed some moose tracks in there for a while while I was out for spruce chicken. Couple weeks ago there were some pretty fresh Caribou tracks mixed with snowshoe hare. But all of them were outnumbered handily by man-sign. funny though when you get down below the tree line, with all them dudes up above, and start laying into a tree stump. sure as hell, we looked up and watched 4 or five dudes perk up and start sniffin around in our direction.

My buddies think I'm a heretic for having snowshoes instead of a snowmachine or ATV.....
I've seen a lot of pics from one of your threads a while back rollin with cross country skis, I've got a hunch that I should look into getting a pair.. is it easy to pick up?


old days sound great, but I tell you what, after spending most of the last decade living cheek to jowl back in Germany, I'm just happy to have what we've got over here.

My sociology teacher was tellin us a while back about the TV situation, shoulda seen all of the gasps of disbelief from the college freshmen when they looked up from their iRobots long enough to blink.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Skis? Its almost like snowshoes, just walk but they do slide unlike shoes that takes some balance. After some time the kick glide gets better then you can cover terrain very quickly and efficiently. Every small slope no matter how short or steep is like a rest and faster. Flats is at least twice as fast and more as you get better. Up hill is about the same, can kick glide once you are comfortable or wishbone up if its steep. Kicker or climbing skins have hair laying one way so they glide but going in the opposite direction the hair stands ups, allowing the skier to walk up hill. Skins can also slow down the ski for better control until you get better technique.

In very deep snow pack, snowshoes will tend to tip you forward as the tail floats while the front sinks from body weight into the snow pack. Skis will glide right over deep snow pack.

A true cross country ski double cambered, long and narrow but can be very fast.

Backcountry touring skis is a camber and half, is wider, shorter and some had metal edges to protect the ski and for edging into hard snow pack. The new skis are shorter and wider. Some are 140cm but 110cm wide and are Ok for kick glide but allow the skier to walk around tight areas, like a snowshoe.

Alpine touring is what I use, are flat cambered like a down hill ski so you get no kick just glide, wide and short with side cut for turning. I run full length climbing skins. My fav ski is Atomic Chugach but they are no longer made 160cm long with 86 shovel and silvretta 500 bindings. Fischer has a ski identical to it, superlights.

Madshush lillehammer, best all around ski ever made.

Too many skis and different skis to list so this a small beta sample on skis.

Yard sales are full of used cheap skis. There are several ski swaps over the fall to pick up cheap used skis to include UAA. Play it Again but price are way inflated. I would have no trouble buying a used ski and binding but never boots unless a package deal then sale the boots and buy new.

We popped hoppers in our back yard around Jim Lake, over on the hay flats, or by Wasilla Fish creek, now my boys go to around MP 115 or 118 Glenn. They pop hoppers, grouse, tip over a few yotes when time and they allow it. Hatchers is joke as you know. While I like to hike and traverse the passes there, I am miles off the road system. If you are into hiking, hike to bomber glacier and see the old B29 spy plane that crashed, its still there. Quite a story, when the rescue arrived, they took all the classified out first then came back to get the survivors. I guided trips to there.

We did an annual family men only camp hunt trip up on the highway, mostly to get away from. We would have fresh grouse and hoppers, pick off a few 4 legs, but today, nothing but wolf tracks.

Its fun to watch the masses. Fish on and now 10 people run to your hole. Tip over a moose and here comes the buzz bombs.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Ahhhh....Skis.

Love them. Once you get the hang of it, skiing is faster is less tiring then walking on hard surface.

The trick is in the Wax. I don't like waxless skis, I don't like mole hair for climbing. I like Wax.....wax on a good pine tar base.

Again, being old fashion, I like wood skis with metal edges and WAX.

You don't need a lot of wax, a half dozen will handle all snow conditions, to include climbing.

As mentioned its about balance, but that comes with practice. Arctic valley has a great downhill/cross country trail. The army use to run (maybe they still do) a duce-and-a-half that carried you back to the top. Good place to get some great cross country practice.

Right from the Army's Ski Manual "AVOID FALLING AS IT'S VERY TIRING".

I was always lazy, I hated snow shoes, nothing but work, skis make any winter trip more enjoying.

I don't know if they still have it, but the Army Gurad use to have what we called the Airborne Det. (Later a company). We use to chopper up to the head of Eagle River, parachute into the deep powder snow, then ski out. Made for a great weekend drill.

If you're military and airborne qualified, get with those guys for some great "adventure training".

Too much of Alaska is swamps and N-heads. Need waders on dry land. Winter travel/camping is much more enjoying. No nats to suck in your lungs also.

Skis get you away from the 4-wheelers and snow-gos.

Snow%20Patrol%20001.jpg
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Skis get you away from ATV and machines? Not anymore, machiners have been seen in the Alaska Range now. High performance machines and skill place them everywhere. Very hard to get away from machines in today's Alaska.

Winter snow is OK for green wax but fall and spring when the temps, snow density and snow moisture change, waxless is best. Maybe not the grip but grip over the whole day as the snow changes. You really only need three waxes today; yellow, orange/red and green. For extra grip, go with a kick paste but its nasty but super grippy.

Kicker skin is best, remove it or stick it on.

Pin tar skis, yep, still used and I love the smell of melting pine tar into the ski.

Eklutna and Eagle were military training grounds. We train out on the Matt too. Ran a rescue course there.

Arctic Valley is not like that today. Go up to Glen Alps and ski on the trails there or over at Kincaid, all the hippy skiers and high schoolers and college ski teams are there and ask for help.

Skis open up the terrain and sometimes I love machines as they pack down a trail for super fast skiing.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Reading this and simular post sometimes makes me think I lived too long.

I remember living in Lignit (3 miles north of Healy). Had a fairly long moose season. Most of Sept, 1st week of Oct and all of November. I use to glass across the Nenana river, see and shoot a moose, row across and load it into the boat.

One of my last moose hunts was on a slough off the Big Sue. I spent a full week setting by the fire watching a beaver build a damn, never felt like leaving camp. Didn't care about moose.

I never saw another soul the whole week.

One of the best hunting trips I ever had.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

looks like I'm going to have a busy winter! First order of business is getting my friends to get off their snowmachines and join the heresy. All of my buddies are motorheads, and I'm not gonna be the moron that goes out alone.

course... those chicks in the UAA cross country skiing club are pretty good looking....
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I know a few of those chicks, more of the APU chicks.

Moron out alone, to me, that is the only way to enjoy Alaska. I spend more time out alone than not.

Kraig, how bad is it? A few years ago we ski in miles to winter camp. Sitting around the fire enjoying the light show and silence, talking to my son about the old days when we here the buzz bombs, at night even, around 10-11pm. The sound gets louder then here comes the headlights shining right on us. Yep, machines ride right up to and into our camp. They stop, doods whats going on? We were speechless, they just did not do this, did they! Then we cut lose and I am sure they saw our weapons, they spun snow all over camp as they road off. This is the reason why a secluded area that got invested by machiners had a thin rope across the trail about chest neck high....then reset after they hit it all winter...

I am not about squashing others fun but in the same sentence those need not squash mine either but wheelers and machiners have taken over Alaska.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I loved living in Dillingham and am pretty much enjoying Bethel also. Still able to leave the house on a snogo, pop some grouse or ptarmies and wander around all day without seeing many, if any people unless you want to. Heck, I can do it on the way home from work in the evening if I want to. 'Bou numbers are down. Moose numbers seem to be on the way up. Is ok, I like moose better.

All said, it is getting harder and harder to live in the bush. 'Stuff' is getting more expensive a lot faster than wages are increasing with energy costs leading the way. Not being able to keep the lights on is what is going to kill off living in bush Alaska eventually.

Yea, go out of Tok or out of Kotz for 'bou. Don't bother with South West and the YK Delta.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I think if I was to go back to Alaska it would be to the Seward Penn. I enjoyed the people there. I think some where near Teller.

Ain't gonna happen, I'm getting too old. I have no regrets about leaving and coming back to Wyoming. Hunting is better.

I'm with 45.308. I normally go out alone. Wife and kids don't like it but I'm not staying home.

I just tell them I'd rather die setting by a fire in the mountains then falling off a bar stool at the local VFW.

I'm even gonna go out on a limb here and confess I don't mind 4 wheelers. I don't use them. But they break up the elk herds and it makes it easier for an old man like me to take my horse to a pass where elk cross and 4 wheelers cant get too. Just set and wait.

Heck this year I killed my elk about 300 yards from camp, right in an active logging area. Didn't even saddle my horse this trip.


I really don't blame the people. We have more people per-square mile then Alaska. It's just Alaskans are crowded into pockets.

I don't know the answer. It would be nice to live out in the middle of no-where's vile, but you have to feed your family.

Once you're kids are grown, you retire and can aford it, you're too old.

Still, I spend a lot of time stirring into my wood stove, dreaming about all the fires I stirred into in my younger years.

Still would like to take a winter trip north, find me a quiet place, set by the fire and watch the Northern Lights Dance around.

Gonna have to do that alone though, wife says she's not leaving her electric blanket and kids are too busy.

Still, for you younger folks, there is still alot to do in Alaska. Simple stuff like taking a small boat, putting in at Fairbanks, and drift to Nenana. Nice week end trip.

I've taken some nice river trips on the Yentna and Skwentna also, but have to get pretty far up river. The lower river, below Skwentna was getting crowded before I left.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

I imagine when I get a little closer to both of your levels of experience, I'll start going out alone. I've only been up here for a year and a half, so I'm still getting used to the environ.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

When the rail goes in from Anchortown to Beth up to Kotz over to SQuaresbanks, then connecting to the outside states through Kanuckia, living in Alaska bush and Alaska will get cheap and will change forever.

Yenta and Skawenta are crowded these days, the Desk is ruined. Of course there are small sloughs to visit. Not quite the Kenai but it will be.

Tok is still OK but the hunting masses are circling.

The road triangle is filling up and going quick but everyone knew it was coming.

I confess to hating wheelers or more the idiots riding them.
 
Re: Caribou hunt next summer

Jerry,

Thanks again. Apparently Parker got the world I was asking about him. Just got an e-mail from him and he's still kicking, and still shooting.

Getting old but I'm in the same boat.