First and formost look for an area where there is Moose. So much of the state right now is suffering from low Moose populations due to heavy predation of Wolves and Bears. We are making a turnaround in those areas but it will be a few years before their numbers recover enough to be good hunting areas. Stay away from the Kuskokuim river area. It is one of the hardest hit areas. Unit 20-A has the highest numbers but most of the people in the state are hunting there since Fish and Game is trying to cut the numbers drasticlly in that area and they are having Cow hunts. This will be the third year for massive cow hunts in this area. Personally I don't know any outfitters. Know a few guides, but they are expensive in my openion. I have one of the Air Services drop me off at a location I sellect. Cost is dependant on amount of travel (flight time) required. Cost can average from $500.00 to $1500.00 depending on distance and number of trips required to get me and my gear (plus meat) out. You can contact Fish and Game in Fairbanks to find out the location of the highest density herds in the state. Biologist Don Young would be a good person to start with. Don is the area biologist for the interior of Alaska. While I don't have Don's e-mail address, or phone number off the top of my head, he can be reached by e-mail through the Alaska Dept Of Fish And Game, Fairbanks Office. Their phone number is also listed on the web site.
PS Mike Pearson is an assistant guide, but he is also Chairman for the Game Board Advisory Committee for the Clear/Anderson area. Mike knows everyone in the area around Cantwell north to Nenana. Mike might be able to give you the name of a good outfitter. He can be reached through his business Pearson Enterprises at (907) 582-2610. Try calling him in the evening. Remember we are 4 hours behind the East Coast on time. So 10PM in Virginia is 6 PM here. In other words DO NOT try and call at 7AM from the East Coast, that's 3AM here. I say that because my wife wants to call me at 6 or 7AM, when she is visiting her relatives in Virginia. And she wonders why I hang up on her.
