Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska 3 Caribou by Dog Team:

Have some pups available from these jolly wood, fish and caribou haulers. 2 pups can be trained to follow you with a pulk sled full caribou and camp. Cheaper than that next rifle you'll never use....

https://alaskaslist.com/-3/posts/13_Pets/71_Dogs/668279_Alaskan_Malamute_Puppies.html

An excellent thread from awhile back, updated! I miss being up there!

I'd love to see those reddish dogs.

It ain't the cost, it's the up-keep.... Try a Dachshund who fugs up his back and needs surgery.

You don't want to know.

Something I've yet to have the opportunity to do with my dog team is go on a caribou hunt. Any tips or need-to-knows for when I finally get a chance?

Mainer, I just can't begin to describe how interesting and entertaining it would be to spend a few days traveling, hunting, etc. with you and Chip. Why don't you have a NW alaska woman? Or do you? I had one for a couple years in the 90s.
But Mainer, there is a reason most all dog mushers have moved away from Malemutes. Your story of the dog fight and your wound is that reason. FIGHTERS! It was hard enough to keep the regular Alaska huskies from fighting.
What interesting things are you up to these days?

Nah, I don't have no fights bud! At first 2012, my team had some brawlers. That got straighted out darn quick. Then again in 2017 when I bought 6 new mals.

Nowadays, the selective breedings and progress, it's like riding a wave that I can't pass to anybody. No fights at all.

That one brute that bit me on accident, he's now my lead dog and getting towards the tail end of his career. He's a funny old man. I let this latest litter loose to visit all the adults. They chase the old man right into his dog house. 2-3 pups will pile into his house after him. Poor old man! He grumbles, but he wouldn't hurt any of his puppy team mates.

Other time up in kotz, a loose race husky jumped on his back while he was in harness. Nose to the trail like an arrow, he flung that husky 4 ft into the air and kept running.

2 years ago, while running in harness, a cocky junior male locked onto his face with a death shake. He simply tucked his head and veered that big boy into the deep snow. Floundering and getting drug, the junior dog had to focus on regaining his footing. When the old lead dog felt that junior had cooled off, he let him share the packed trail again.

Not much has changed, same old same old bud.

Like Las mentioned, sure do miss it up north. But this massive groves of Alaska birch, gosh that can't be beat. Can't have it all I guess. Perfect world would be massive stand of birch, sheefish and caribou right out the window.

Anyhow, who wants a darn puppy? Have two more left, only keeping 5 total. Better grab one, before I get attached to the adorable little buggers.

You didn't answer the question about having a NW Alaska woman!!
There was a woman living on the upper Nowitna and breeding Canadian Eskimo dogs. I think she lives here in Fairbanks now.

Good grief marten-match-maker. Hahaha!

I'll PM yah my number. We're long overdue for a conversation bud.

The one gal that I was amazed with up there, we talked dogs while I was working in Noatak. Her father was a musher and she even offered me to park my dogteam at her moms place so I could have help during training runs. Kinda had a crush on the gal.

She broke though the sea ice and drowned. There were weird, thin patches of ice that year near mouth of Noatak River. I dunno if it was stronger currents or too warm of a spring? I saw it too: drill a hole for sheefish: 18 inches of ice. Walk 20 feet, drill another hole: 4 inches of ice. Then feel your heart sink to your toes, scared to even walk back to your sled..........

great thread I enjoyed reading it. Thanks everyone for participating.