What's the best hunt to experience Alaska at it's best?

[teddy12b]

Hello everyone,
          I'm just curious about what is the best game to hunt to experience Alaska at it's finest.  I'm from Indiana and I was up there once several years ago as a boy and never got to hunt anything.  I've looked at the plane tickets and they're getting more reasonable for what they are. 

          If I was going to try a hunting trip in Alaska what would be the best animal to hunt so that I would see some beutiful Alaskan territory?  I've always wanted to hunt carribou, brown bear, moose, etc.  I'll hunt anything with fur, but I don't know what's the best way to go to get the most for my money. 

Is there any way for a non-resident to hunt in Alaska without going broke doing it?

[Redhawk1]

I did a self guided Caribou hunt in 2004. Total cost was about $5000.00. A lot of research is needed.

[corbanzo]

If you want to see what Alaska is really like, go on a sheep hunt, that'll get you up out and away.

[Redhawk1]

corbanzo, when I went Caribou hunting in Alaska, we flew into Fairbanks, then took Wright Air to Bettles. From there we took a Beaver into the Arctic Circle. We were 150 miles north west of Bettles by the Etivluk and Nigu river on the northern slope. Talk about alone and out in the boondocks.  10 day drop hunt. When that plain flew away it was a lonely feeling.  It was a great hunt and an experience of a life time. 

[Dee]

I figure a house hunt could be the ultimate Alaska experience. Plus if you actually find a house, it will extend the hunting Alaskan experience.

[Redhawk1]

Dee, I tried to talk the wife into Alaska, no dice. She said I would be hunting all the time then, you know, she is right. 

[deltecs]

I've lived in Alaska for the last 37 years and still haven't seen the all Alaska experience.  It is just too darn big and spread out.  Depending of the game, one area of Alaska can have high concentrations of it and a few other heads big game in the vicinity.  Also, non resident hunters must use guides for some of Alaska's big game.  I know it is necessary for brown bear.  I think it is required for sheep too.  Your best bet is to look at the ads in hunting mags, classified ads on the net, and Chamber of Commerce info, and maybe the BBB in the larger cities.  It will take a lot of research before the trip though to get the best bangs for the buck.

[Sourdough]

Non-residents have to hire a guide or be accompanied by a relative with in the second degree of kindred to hunt Dall Sheep, Goats, and Grizzly/Brown Bears.  There was talk of lifting the  requirement for a guide for Grizzly in some of the areas where Intensive Preditor Control is being applied. 

There is five differant Geographic areas of Alaska.  It's like having five differant states and each differant from all the others.  Each has it's own terrain and climate.  Depends on what type of hunt, scenery, and weather you want to encounter.

[deltecs]

Sourdough,
Like you, I'm a long time resident of Alaska.  I reside in the middle of Prince William Sound about 40 miles South of Whittier.  It still amazes me that we have 5 different climates along with the associated flora and fauna per climate.  With a shoreline 2 1/2 times that of the rest of the US, there are a lot of nooks, coves, mountains and valleys I've never seen.  The idea that to take one trip to Alaska and you can see the majesty is just unreasonable.  My advice to the question still stands.  Do a lot of research to get the best bangs for the buck. If you are only going to be here once, preparation is key for the experience of a lifetime.

[Redhawk1]

deltecs, you are so right, it does take a lot of preparation and research. I just so happened to go with a guy that has been Caribou hunting for his 14th trip to Alaska. He knew the area very well and we still did a lot of preperation. I am planning on a return trip to Alaska. 

[deltecs]

Redhawk 1,
It does help to have relatives or friends to assist on the hunt.  With relatives it is much cheaper as Sourdough related.  Generally you have a place to stay too.  Anyway, it depends entirely on the game hunted that really determines where in Alaska one goes.  This is where the prep comes to play.  Trophy shipping, caring for the meat, trans, and dressed for the climate all make demands on our hunts.  Each locale has its own challenges and problems along with its own solutions.  I'm glad you enjoyed the trips North to hunt some of the game.  I'm really looking forward to someday getting a bison permit and hunting them up here.  I'm up there in years with some health problems now that restrict my mobility so I too have to really prep for a good hunt.  Shoot a Boo for me.

[corbanzo]

Redhawk, my caribou hunting experiences are a little different.  Every caribou hunt I've been on has been on the gulkana river.  I dont really consider a couple dutch ovens, enough food to feed us for two months, and sun and fishing and no hiking the true "hardcore alaskan" outdoor experience,   


Though with sheep, I do consider climbing a shale cliff which I have no business being on in the first place to get up to the tundra and find out which other cliffs I have to climb to get a good shot... then having to go and get the animal off of said cliff and carry it down pretty neat. 

[Redhawk1]

corbanzo, we took MRE's with us. We only had a Colman stove to heat water up. We did however dine or Caribou back straps the day I shot my Caribou. But the MRE's were easy on us. The bad part was no fire at all. No wood to burn, so when you get cold the sleeping bag was your friend. 

[corbanzo]

Yeah, it can get pretty lonely up in that tundra...  its pretty much a cold desert, nothing around, trees, anything, just caribou and wolves. 

The last time we decided to go camping, we didnt want to take the trouble to pack fuel with us (even though we were on snowmachine)  and in the cabin it was sleeping bags and full long johns and poly pro gear, about four layers total.

Right before I fall asleep I hear..  "damnit"  what?  "gotta pee, oh heck, it can wait till the morning"

Once you get warm in a bag when its -25 you definitely dont want to come out. 

People I've never been camping with in the winter think I'm crazy, cause when I get up I go into convulsions in my sleeping bag, tossign and turning all around.  I know from experience that the trip from the sleeping bag to the snow suit is a long one, and need some heat made to warm up the suit.

I remember the time we had pre made pemmican bars for snacks...  these were the commercial type with all kinds of wierd stuff in them.  From that day forward we decided a little more weight and size wouldnt hurt anything if we didnt have to eat that processed "high energy content in a small package" crap anymore.