Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Caribou?

Can anyone recommend a good guide for Caribou in Alaska? I want to take my dad on a trip, and what I have been looking at doing is one of the trips where a bush plane dumps you off along the migration route and it is DIY from there (doing this to try to save a bit of cost). Can anyone recommend a good outfit that does this, or thoughts/opinions from people that have done this type of hunt before? Thanks in advance for replies, guys.
Northerner

40 Mile Air , Tok, Alaska. Look them up on their website. Everything is pretty much self explanatory. We have used them for years with every satisfaction. We're going on a drop off Moose hunt this fall.
They're not cheap, but what is these days.
Regards,
Scott

Northerner:

Check your PMs.

KC

And be very aware, it can be the best hunt you've ever seen, or you can go days if not the whole hunt, without seeing an animal.

I"d be flexible and time flexible enough and hope to find a service that you could call back via sat phone and move you at least once if the need arises.

I have been referred to 40MA by several people now. Seems like a very reputable outfit.

Theyve been around a while... with a good rep, so much so that there seems to always be a waiting list IIRC, and you may not be able to get on with them for a couple of years possibly?

We do see them fly almost every year so I know they are getting out there for sure.

I have flown with 40MA since the mid-70's for sheep, caribou, and moose. While there are a few top-notch air taxi services all across Alaska I can personally certify that I've NEVER had a bad experience with 40MA. You have no guarantee of getting an animal but they wouldn't have been in business this many years without putting their hunters in good places.

Ridge-top SuperCub hunts for moose are extremely limited and mostly taken up by regulars like me. But as far as I know their caribou hunts are not nearly so limited in number.

It has been quite a few years since I've hunted caribou with them but as I recall they offer ridge-top hunts, river bottom hunts, and air strip hunts (with correspondingly increasing chances of other hunters being around). Check them out. You might be able to do better but I can promise you that it would be easy to do worse than flying for caribou with them.

That brings back some old memories. I did a fly-in non-guided hunt with 40 Mile Air back in 1987. Great trip. Didn't catch a migrating herd but we still found caribou.

If the tundra rats are around ...Bow = boo hunt gun = boo eating ..1st one is fun 2nd one is picking targets imo

Normally I would point you towards unit 23 but that is a mess right now. The RAC-Subsistance board had recommend closing unit 23 and the largest caribou herd in the state down to all non qualified subsistence hunters starting this fall.

non qualified subsistence hunters-ie native/local hunters.

Unit 23 harvested 500 bulls from out of region hunters and 13,000-15,000 bulls and cows were taken by" qualified subsistence hunters" in 2015 and by removing the 500 out of region hunters the Feds are going to increase the size of the herd! This is pure politics at the local level with out any data to support the closure.

I have started to work with a pilot in unit 26c and 25a so that is where you might want to look until the mess in unit 23 clears up.

For you guys who want to gang up and carpet bomb the Subsistence board with letter I will add the names below. The real concern is now that the local population and figured out how to shut down hunting in the most prolific unit in the state and one that is larger than Indiana your unit will be next! You guys who hunt in Unit 13....Get ready.

Ahtna...Unit 13 has made it know for years that they want to take over the management of all game in unit 13 and now they have they tool/template to make it happen. It will happen and soon so get ready!


Please contact


Voting Members of the Board
Tim Towarak, Chair - Unalakleet
1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Phone: (907) 786-3888 - Fax: (907) 786-3333

Anthony Christianson, Public Member - Hydaburg 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Phone: (907) 786-3888 - Fax: (907) 786-3333

Charles Brower, Public Member - Barrow
1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: (907) 786-3888 - Fax: (907) 786-3333

W. Bruce Loudermilk, Regional Director - Bureau of Indian Affairs
3601 C St., Ste. 1100, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: (907) 271-1828- Fax: (907) 271-1750

Bud Cribley, State Director - Bureau of Land Management
222 West 7th Avenue, 13, Anchorage, Alaska 99513-7599 Phone: (907) 271-5080 - Fax: (907) 271-4596

Herbert (Bert) Frost, Regional Director - National Park Service
240 West 5th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: (202) 208-3884 - Fax: (907) 644-3816

Geoff Haskett, Regional Director - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: (907) 786-3542 - Fax: (907) 786-3306

Beth Pendleton, Regional Forester - U.S. Forest Service Federal Building, Post Office Box 21628, Juneau, Alaska 99802-1628
Phone: (907) 586-8863 - Fax: (907) 586-7840

Lets not forget that in the interest of "preserving the herd " that this last winter the locals got ADF &G to institute 4 months of "pregnant cow only" season at a time when the animals are migrating thru all the villages.

WTF did that accomplish.. I know thats your point...

I wouldn't piss in your ear if your brain was on fire

Bear::


This thread was directed to the hunters on the fire, not the want to bees. Stick with something that you know something about.....Like Palin's panties and leave the government over reach discussion to the hunters.

What would a commie know about hunting? Your in the rental game dood. Pocket the loot as it were. Your motto is there's a sucker born every minute, and now that your squeezed out you come crying.

Democrats should really just eat chit and die.

A very mature reply....

Just an FYI...the chairman of the board, Tim Towarak is originally from Unalakleet, kind of the southern end of the NWACH range. It was the local hunters from Unalakleet who asked F&G for a strong limitation of the moose season in their area in order to rebuild the herd several years ago. They are part of Unit 22A, but they have a more specific season of a very limited nature right in their area. And the herd has come back.

"The locals" are often generalized as being ruthless when it comes to the resources, and perhaps there is some truth to that in some areas. However, there is certainly the other side as well. With that in mind, I suspect that one would expect a rather conservative approach to management of the herd.

But I believe that the herd which once approached an estimated half-million animals - and was expanding its area, perhaps in search of better food sources- is now suffering from over-grazing of the range. (I know we saw a decline in both the condition of the animals - less fat on them, and in fewer twin fetuses among the cows we killed.) Trying to hold the population steady may not be the way the managers want to go. Who knows? I'm sure there are many different opinions when it comes to caribou management. I know the lichens that are a major part of their diet don't just spring up and flourish overnight.

Klik:

Do you think there is any real possibility that they would actually close unit 23 to caribou hunting this fall? That could be a real mess for all the the people who have given deposits to bush pilots for this fall season? They have already issued hunting licenses and caribou locking tags to people. Would they rescind those tags? Tell people to hunt elsewhere?

If the herd is over-grazing the range, then further reduction in the herd would be healthy.

KC

I would imagine the Department has considered those angles and would not jeopardize hunts that are close since it isn't like the herd has a sudden major disease or anything. (I'm sure there are some conditions that would blow plans out of the water regardless; I don't see the herd needing that.) But I would watch things closely if I was thinking much beyond this fall. I'm sure that some of the villages which have always relied on caribou for a major protein source will have the highest priority, especially as the state's fiscal issues begin to crunch rural areas harder.

A democrat governor helps too

Actually Bear, Walt's post was right. (I think that makes twice, now...... :)) Especially the precedent part. I don't think deluging the Subsistence board with messages will make any difference, but it might be worth a shot.

The closure for NRs is on the Federal lands (which is virtually all of it). And this "subsistence" decision was made by out of area (DC based) Agency b-crats, at the behest of the "subsistence" locals. It has nothing to do with biology, everything to do with PC and politics.

las:

Your post makes it sound like it's a done deal. Walt's post said it was a recommendation. Which is it?

I looked at the on-line regulations and I can't find any emergency orders that make it official.

KC

Don't the regs come out first in June or July? they may not have made their mind up yet?

I NEVER buy tickets for the fall moose hunt until I know the dates have not changed at the last minute....

rost:

But all the bush pilots are already full. We nonresidents have to send in deposits before the end of January if we want to hunt with a bush pilot this year.

KC

I get that, just that I won't book a plane RE commercial flight to AK until after the regs are out.

Obviously I"d have paid a bush pilot and we can dicker with reg changes and their schedules or refunds later.

Its why my plan is hopefully to own a plane by the time we move there.

It won't be in the state regs because it only applies to federal(everyone's!) land. The Feds are choosing with no biological reason to let only a few select people hunt caribou on your land. I'd call your Congressman and state your displeasure. The Subsistance board isn't going to change [bleep]. The board is made up of the "select few" and fed bureaucrats.

We residents have to have deposits in early as well. The air taxis don't discriminate between res and non res money. One more reason to really research your air taxi and be able to trust that they will work with on a refund in these types of situations.

I predict that a lot of folks planning to go hunt unit 23 are all going to be stacked on the Squrriel River. It's mostly state land so the closure won't apply and the air taxis won't have to give a refund! Of course they've stacked people on the Squrriel for years....

Oh, I get it now. Walt gets the boot because of those he supports.

Thomas told him this would happen, but walt is very daft. All I can do at this point is laugh at walt.

KC

As of right now we are into a comment period and the decision is not final. There is a huge push among the users of the resource to bomb the board with concerned letters. Theses need to be mailed the old-fashioned way..US Mail We have lots of hunters on the Fire who are concerned about Fed Over Reach and this one has huge ramifications for every GMU in Alaska. Now that Unit 23 has bet hit with a purely political decision which was rammed through with strong support from the local population we should expect to see more of this in other units as well.


Unit 13 is next! Ahtna-Regional Native Corporation for the Nelchina Caribou herd has made it know for many years that non Athna members are not welcome on their lands and they go as far as placing ads welcoming hunters to unit 13 and follow with STAY OUT warnings. Now this is private land and we should respect it period but 2 years ago Athna floated a proposal that got some traction to turn over ALL game management for all of Unit 13 to them. Needless to say those of us who live in 13 abut crapped ourselves. Now that The WACH Caribou herd has been all but turned over to the local population in NW Alaska (less than 8,000 people) and they account for almost 15,000 caribou harvested every year and you guys account for less than 800. Do the math....

You guys living in Anchorage, the Valley and most of the rest of the population centers are about to loose your hunting in unit 13...This will happen because Athna now have a tool to make it happen thanks to NW Alaska.


Now we have guys like Watch4BEER who knows nothing about hunting or cares nothing about hunting saying Walt is just protecting his business interest and he is 100% right. I make part of my living outfitting guys like KC and many others on the Fire with hunts but I will still have the ability to hunt anywhere in the state because I qualify as a "Subsistence User" so I am protected, I am shifting my focus to fly fishing for Dollies and doing very well along with my operation on the Gulkana River in the summer. The real fight is not for me or my business but to make sure the rest of us/you keep your right to hunt on federal lands.

The Nelchina Caribou herd is next and now is the time to stand up to a huge Native/Local overreach.


By the way: This morning the ADN ran a story about a big group of cows that were shot and left to rot just out side of Kotzebue and my bet is there were no non-Federally Qualified Subsistence users involved. And the story goes on.

Bear....Time to grow up man! Are you a 9 year old on the Playground in real life or just on line?

Trapper:

The Squirrel is almost void of caribou and has been for almost 5+ years. I have not put any hunters in there science 2009. The herd shifted way to the east and that is a waste land so do not get talked into hunting there guys!!!

As far as Air Taxis and refunds. I work with 2 local guys and they will be issuing refunds later in the summer if this stands. There are 3 flight services who will most likely tell you to pound salt. All 3 have no interest in the Unit other than treating it like a piggy bank and all 3 have really bad reps. Many oyou know who I am talking about, and they book the most hunters as well. I have issued 2 refunds already and I have shifted 3 groups over to unit 26A as I have a good working relationship with a pilot out of Fairbanks.

This is a mess so get your pens out fells!

Bear-You are a sad old man!

26A... now 26 will get pounded worse... what a shame. 26 used to be pretty good for some animals.... I was told a couple of years ago though to quit putting in for moose as the population was shot up way to bad to expect good hunting anymore. At least for some time.

A shame that is too.

It's official. I talked to Chris KcKee. He's the senior biologist for the subsistence board. He said there is no biological reason for the closure and his department recommend against the recommendation and voted against it. But the measure passed on a 5 to 3 vote.

It's just plain mean on the part of the people that voted for the closure and just plain selfish for the local eskimo subsistence hunters who see that resource as their birthright and they resent anyone else being allowed to harvest any animals which belong to all Americans. They're selfish SOBs.

I'm screwed. I drew a moose tag in unit 23 and found a couple of guys who wanted hunt caribou in the unit and were willing to help me haul out a moose if I got one. Now I don't think they will want to help if they can't harvest a caribou.

I suppose that I can try to get a refund on the moose tag and maybe we can try to hunt caribou somewhere else.

KC

Your are 100% right. This is a moving target and these types of BS games makes it possible.

Dang KC...Did you pull a Selawik Tag? Don't pass up on that tag..its GOLD!!

I just talked to our bush pilot and she said that meetings regarding this issue will be held on May 4 and May 5. So maybe there's still hope.

KC

I just received a message/update from one of the pilots I wiofk with and his list-serve is currently over 250 people. Lets just do the math here. 250+ add all of you and lets assume each of you pass this along to 5 others. That is a mountain of influence (not counting BEAR-Non hunter) and lets assume all of write a letter and send it to each on that list I provided yesterday. They may not change their minds but this many concerned hunters will have an impact!!

Follow up guys! Send those letters!!! Let Freedom Ring!

Walt:

DM872; south and east of the Sigoalik River drainage. Looks to include the Noatak River drainage and a lot more. Yep Looks like that includes the Selawik River too. But that's still part of unit 23 isn't it?

KC

KC 872 is the upper Noatak and does produce nice moose. With out the Caribou hunters you will have the country to your self. Most likely you will be on the Anasic River and you need a raft! Guess what? I have some thanks to the bou season getting dumped!

Let me know.

I talked to Brandon Saito. He's the regional biologist in Kotzebue. He said the meeting on May 4 is of the advisory council. It has no authority to change the decision.

KC

Naw, even if they can't shoot, they'll be happy to pack your moose out

Laughing at your stupid ass

I didn't even get kissed.

Bear::Could you even find Unit 23 or have any idea where the Anisac River is? Sit close to your computer, it is your best friend and as close to a hunt you will ever get. (not counting that stalk you had in your Carrs/Safeway last night!)

I hope your democrats put the boots to you in 13 also. I'd like to see em put in way up inside you and break it off. ( Of course you'd like it)

Maybe your rental cabins could be used to shelter some transvestite syrians or mesicans

Thank walt and his democrats.

Beer:


Have you noticed that everyone here has you on ignore? This is a thread about HUNTING.....Try contributing something to the discussion if you have something or just not!

and KC packing his own moose

and native privilege

and your loss of revenue

LMAO

He damn sure ain't on ignore but a poster I know is a LOT closer to ignore than Bear ever will be....

KC


I have some solution ideas for you. Contact me on my business email.

Walt

I got in on the last hour of the WACH advisory management meeting here tonight. Picked up the agenda/ outline and stuff and talked to one of the Brown Shirts about what I'd missed in summary during the day.

The Fed Sub Board DID close Fed public lands to all but "Federally qualified subsistence users" with a press release on April 18, effective July 1, 2016 thru June 30 2017. Says so right here on their News Release, page 44 of the Agenda.

Which means effectively that non-subsistence users are SOL for 2017 also, even if it is reopened July 1. Real short time frame there, but keep it in mind as a possibility. Bags packed, gun cased, ammo loaded, air taxis on speed dial.....

Other info: The last effective census was in 2014. I believe I mis-stated the population as 130K, but it was 230K! Estimated at about 200K now. From other indicators, it appears the decline has greatly slowed, perhaps even stabilized. Cow mortality is down, calf survival/recruitment is up, and last summer calf weights at the annual Onion Portage were at an all time record. Range conditions appear good, and we had a good winter since.

Harvest last year appeared to be about 12,500 overall. 60% bulls, 30 % cows, 10% unknown.

WACH has a management goal of no less than 40 bulls/100 cows, and it appears we are real near that. At that point restrictions such as above kick in.

I don't know what "bull" is - whether it is all males, or just the breeding age ones. I'll ask Brandon tomorrow.

One obvious solution, of course, is to shoot a bunch of those damned cows off to get the ratio up......oh wait- we are doing that.

You're a despicable pos Walt

Hey Walt-

Is that your place on the Tok Cutoff with the "Raft Rental" and "Cabin Rental" sign on the road?

In Walt's case I believe POS should be capitalized...

Grammar Police