AK Jeff

I believe there's somebody that does fly-outs from Happy Valley, but don't quote me on it. I don't know what you've heard about "private individuals" that will fly you out, but to transport hunters for money in Alaska they are required to be a licensed transporter. You should be able to find a list of licensed transporters on the F&G website. There's an airboat transporter that runs people up the Ivishak, but he charges a pretty penny and I've heard reports of him stacking hunters up like cord wood. If you're going to try to book a fly-out do it fast because those guys book up quick and after Aug. 10 many of them get overwhelmed with flying sheep hunters into the Brooks Range.

Your best bet for value, experience, and success is to hike a mile or two off the road and find a good vantage point where you can see an area that isn't easily visible from the road. Taking a small inflatable is also a great idea as it gives you the ability to cross the Sag, or even float down the Sag and look for 'bou on the gravel bars. Any caribou that are visible from the road will more than likely be getting chased by numerous groups of people simultaneously. I've seen single herds getting chased by five or six different groups of hunters at the same time from different directions. If you can find a spot where you can see caribou that aren't visible to the guys that are road trolling you should have a much more enjoyable hunt without killing yourself with the five mile hike.