Wolf killer

I went to a sports show yesterday & got the bug to huntCaribou inAlaska.
I can not afford a high priced outfitter. Iwould like to fly into alaska, rent atruck & drive north on the "haul road". I would not be shooting from the road! I would be doing a spot & stalk style hunt. The same way many people out westhunt antelope.
I have been told, you must be1/4-mile off the haul road before you shoot? If that is the case? I would just use my rangefinder to range back to the road from the field.
Has anyone done this kind of hunt? Any tips you can provide would be a great help.

Thanks,

Wolf Killer

Garminator

Never done it but it sure sounds interesting...let me know what your findings are wolf..

longrifle1000

I thought I read you have to hunt with a guide in Alaska if you are not a resident/or born in Alaska. You might want to look into that. If I remember correctly, I read that on Alaka's website. Good luck

Wolf killer

Longrifle1000, A non-resident can still hunt Caribou & moose unguided in Alaska.

AK Jeff

Wolf Killer,

The Dalton Highway (Haul Road) is one of the better DIY options for caribou that doesn't involve a fly out, but there are some things to consider. The 1/4 mile restriction was removed in early '04, but 5 miles either side of the Dalton is archery only!!! Some guys think no problem, I'll just hike 5 miles across that big golf course and get outside of the corridor. If you've never walked 5 miles of wet tundra you're in for a real treat. It's some of the most awful stuff you could ever try and traverse. If you do tag a 'bou 5 miles out then you're really in for a treat getting it all back. Remember all of the meat has to come back before the antlers can come out. The AK State Troopers love ticketing non-residents for wanton waste too. Most rental car companies won't allow you to run a vehicle up the Dalton so be prepared to spend big bucks to rent a truck in Fairbanks. Remember that because it is a road accessible hunt in a state with very few roads the Haul Road gets a lot of hunting traffic in the fall. Expect to see camps anywheresmooth enough to pitch a tent, especially from late August through late September. I wouldn't go any later than that unless you want to learn a whole new definition of cold. If you go before the first of September bring plenty of DEET bug spray, and two headnets. The mosquitos will drive you insane if you don't. It's 494 miles one way from Fairbanks to Deadhorse so bring at least two spare tires and plenty of extra fuel. Something I would recommend is renting a raft in Fairbanks and floating down the Sagavanirktok (Sag) River that parallels the Dalton. A lot of the caribou will hang out on the gravel bars and it gives you the option to hop back and forth across the river. Remember that the Sag won't get you outside of 5 miles so that would have to be an archery hunt, or a float/hike. Pristine Ventures (Larry Bartlett) rentsa variety of rafts in Fairbanks and Larry's a great resource for hunting info. Pick up a copy of Larry's book "Caribou Hunting: A Guide to Alaska's Herds" if you want some good info. It's a great resource. You may also want to look into a DIY hunt for the Western Arctic Herd out of Kotzebue.Tons of caribou in that country, and a lot fewer people, but it would require a flyout. That's my 2 or3 cents worth. If you have any other questions just ask.

AK Jeff

BareBack Jack

Hey Jeff could you give some info on who would be a good pilot,or how much dose a fly-in generaly costwhat is raft cost and what is needed for a hunt.Would the end of September be to late,or how early can you go?

Would it be better to drive up to AK from Montana and DIY hunt that way,I have driven it several times and it can be done it short order with a few guys driving straight through.Where else are ther good herds of Caribou in AK?Are ther any around Tok,Anchorage.
BBJ

ArcticBowMan

Jeff, you might meet ol' wolf killer later on this year. I'm hoping to return a favor he extended to me a few years back in Montana.

AK Jeff

Cool deal. I'm always up for meeting new hunting friends, especially if they're from the Big Sky State. Speaking of we still need to get you one of those big central MT mulies ArcticBowMan. I know Kevin will take you into his honey holes anytime you want. Wolf Killer, you should have said you know ABM. He'll take care of ya. He knows a hell of a lot more about the Haul Road than I do. He always keeps it interesting too. Phase III blizzards, boats launched up onto gravel bars, Singapore crotch rot, the whole "Rambo" incident...it's all good!!! I'll just leave it at that for fear that he'll start airing out my dirty laundry.


BareBack Jack,

I honestly don't know what a lot of the rental prices are because I live here and I own that stuff. As far as the drive up I'd say it depends on what size rig you have and how many guys. If you have a crew cab truck and say four or more guys it'd definitely be more economical to drive up instead of flying. That of course doesn't take into account for the minimum six or so days of extra time it'll likely take in travel time up and back. Where you'd really save is the freight to get your animals back to the states. That's where the airlinesreally gouge you. Be sure to check the import/export rules for taking meat through Canada these days. I know it's on again off again all the time for beef so make sure you can legally bring your critters back depending on the current embargo status. There are caribou herds around Tok. The Nelchina Herd (mostly in Unit 13) is all Tier 2 subsistence hunting only so you're out of luck there. The 40-mile herd is accessible around Chicken, north of Tok. That hunt is a registration permit hunt that runs off of a quota. Most successful hunters use ATV's up the Chicken Ridge Trail and there's a lot of competition. They filled the 400 or so quota last fall in something like 10 days. That one you have to be there early, have an ATV, and don't forget to pack your flak jacket. The closest herd out of Anchorage is the Mulchatna herd on the Alaska Peninsula. That herd has really declined in recent years and reports are that mature bulls are almost non-existant anymore. The biggest herd in the state is the Western Arctic Herd out of the Nome and Kotzebue area in Northwestern AK. Here's a link to a site that has some good archived info regarding flight services, etc. Be prepared for fly-out prices to really spike in price because the cost of fuel really hits those boys hard. Hope that helps.

http://www.pristineventures.com/cgi/messageboard/board.pl

AK Jeff

dayna0306

A friend and I did that hunt in 2001 .Flew from pittsburgh to fairbanks,rented a explorer at the airport and luckly a raft off a guy in prudue bay. we hiked the 5 miles and both killed nice bulls across the sag. {raft} loved the hunting and the county and did it for under $2000 for evey thing. Take a gps to range the road and a syringe and presevitive if you want to keep one in velvet. Goodluck PS. ship your antlers home by ups and the cape take as carry on luggage { its a fur coat just raw}

hillbillyhunter1

That Sag river float trip sounds like an awesome experience. I'd like to float it with archery equip. Jeff/dayna are there different put in /take out points? or just one of each or none (meaning you pack the raft in/out). Is the river "floatable" for much of its length in this area. Is there some fishing to be had at that time as well? Sorry for all the questions--it just sounds awesome and I'd love the DIY with some competent buddies. I guess what I'm try to say is where could I obtain more info about this particular hunt? the book Jeff mentioned?
Thanks
hb