The main problem you will have is that no rental car company allows you to take their vehicles on the Haul Road. Competition is pretty intense from other hunters and the caribou may or may not be there when you drive up the road. If they are not there, there will none around and no walking or scouting or floating is going to help.

I have hunted out of Kotzebue and that is a good hunt, lots of animals, but it is getting more and more crowded. Also, the Western Artic herd is not really known for its trophy potential, although there are certianly some nice bulls in there, not nearly as many as the Central Artic or the Mulchatna. I took a 370 class bull up there a few years ago, and it was the best bull I had seen in two years up there. Kotzebue is also above the Artic Circle, and extreme weather, and I mean extreme weather can and does happen. My buddy was hunting up there last year when they had Military Hercs helicoptering hunters out of the field.

I hear good things about Papa Bear out of Bethel or Renfro's. They access the Mulchatna from the backside and seem to be finding the bulls when other outfitters near Dillingham, Soldotna, etc. are just not getting intobulls.

If you are dead set on the Sag, I believe there is an airboat service that runs guys up the river past the five mile corridor where you can rifle hunt and get away from the crowds.