model 94

Hey everybody i'm kinda new to the board but have been reading post for a little while and you all seem like real nice and smart guys.

I am in 10th grade and I was thinking about taking a trip to alaska for graduation in 2006. I want to go up there on a hunt but Im not sure about how much the hunts run price wise. I want to either hunt brown bear, moose, or dall sheep. Im looking for some advice on which one would be a more affordable hunt along with a good succuss rate.

I will probly be taking a browning a-bolt in .300 win mag or .338 win mag. For the next two summers I will be able to coin about $4000 a summer and I work part time throug out the school year, and I have all ready got about $1600 put in the bank for it. I have heard about the physical strength required for hunts like this and I think that I am up for the task. Rate now I am 6' 2" and 200lbs. and almost egale scout.

Any advice will be greatly appreactied.

ELKampMaster

Model 94,

Nice goal. I like your style. Make sure early on that your parents agree that those dollars that you are banking are earmarked for you graduation "present" to yourself.

I can't speak to all the species you named but I can tell you that the brownie or even grizzly hunt will not fit in your $4,000 budget. I hope one of the other two will.

At 200 pounds I'd recommend the 338 as your "Alaska Gun". You're thinking mighty big early in life young feller --- good for you!

Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM

model 94

Klkampmaster, thanks for replying so soon. You were saying that a grizzly hunt is out of my budget. How much do they usually run or whare could I find information on a guide. I have all ready talked this over with my parrents and they like the idea. They told me that if I stick to the plan they will buy me the gun for a graduation gift.

I also was just goin through my new issue of North American Hunter and I read an article that was talking about the decline in the moose population in alaska due to the numbers of wolf's and grizzly's. They also said that a grizzly hunt runs between $8,500 and $11,000. Is this the average price of all grizzly hunts or just the upper class ones. I'm going up on a hunting trip not a first-class vaction, I don't really want to pay mostly for accomadations just the hunt. I am going rate into the army after I graduate so this may be my only chance for a few years and I want to rember the hunt and not the lodge.

Don't get me wrong a good place to stay would be nice to but for the sake of a couple of grand I can't see going with a guide who has you take a tent and stay in that.

ELKampMaster

I haven't seen grizzly for less than $8000 and I doubt this is "lodge hunting". A grizz hunt in Alaska will legally require the use of a guide on your part -- even at that price they are not getting rich.

BTW, make sure you have some serious hunting time in on what ever rifle it is that you decide to take with you -- you want to be old friends if griz is on the menu. If possible hunt black bear locally before going (maybe the year before you go), just as a warm up --- not good to have too many "new variables" sprung on you at one time.

Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM

beej99

Model 94,

ELKampMaster is right on the price of a griz hunt. an 8K hunt is actually very cheap. You MUST have a guide to hunt for brown/griz/Kodiak bear, mountain goat, or dall sheep. I think any of these hunts will be quite difficult. Moose I think you could probably get for around 5K. I know most Dall sheep hunts run about 9K.
You mentioned that youare going into the army after H.S. well, when do you plan on hunting? I would suggest that if you can arrange leaving for basic in July, that will give you the month of June to head up and do a black bear hunt. You can usually do one of those relatively reasonble with a guide or rather economical on your own.

If you do one thing...get that eagle scout. It means an awful lot when you get into the "real world" and will give you a huge edge up in the military.

beej

Howler

Well, you are doing it right and planning well in advance, kudo's for that move. I've been savin' for 7 years now and am going with my best friend on a moose/griz hunt this fall. It ain't cheap when you start figuring airline tickets to and from AK, and then puddle plan expense to and from camp, your tags and hunting license are the cheap part of the hunt, and then like was said, the cost of a mandatory guide for certain species, and then to bring home meat and antlers/hide, and gratuity should be figured in too!!
I never thought that I'd spend this much coin for a hunt, BUT, by saving money and putting it into an "account labeled specifically as my ALASKA fund" it won't hurt my day to day living expenses and will be quite enjoyable, No make that VERY enjoyable.
On another note, you could plan a float trip for moose or a caribou hunt for much less money!

model 94

Hey everybody, thanks for the replies. I think that I have just about ruled out hunting grizzly hunting due to the price. Although I would be just as happy to go on a moose, or sheep hunt.

Does anybody have any information on what prices will be and what I will need to go. I took the time last night and figured out a rough idea of how much I will have to spend on it. I am some whare in the $8,500-$9,500. This will be for the trip, hunt, and meat/trophy care. I will greatly appreaciate any advice or information on what links to go to for more information on this subjects.

P.S. This is for anyone who has been to Alaska or hunted any of the speices that I have listed. STORIES I would like to know about how the guide was, what you hunted and how you made out and pictures if you have them. I don't want to disscourage anyone who hasn' t been from telling I love to here them.

Thanks ahead of time.

plainsman

This link will help you alot and answer some questions
http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/hunt_...-faq.cfm#paper
Don't give up, it'd be the hunt of a lifetime!!

model 94

Thanks plainsman, that website had alot on grizzly hunting. It is some aweful expensive and I think that a moose hunt is more in my price range. Does anybody know whare I can get information on alaskan moose hunting? From what I have read the moose are a different species of moose than they are here in maine. I know we get pretty big moose around here and the alaskan moose are susopsed to be bigger which sounds amazing to say the least.