Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska T-Minus 10 Days . . .

Only interest in bison,,,no go as expected!

No caribou tag here.

Well I got DM920 on the Dalton Highway Corridor. There are 9 nonresidents and 11 residents drawn for the tag. I betcha that somebody is going to catch hell for that. Two of the tags went to Nick and Stephanie Muche so at least there are a couple of people I know.

Yeah that's ridiculous. On low tag #'s, it should be 10% non resident or residents only.

Keep checking resident/non resident ratios. Board of game needs to hear about it.

I bet RHAC would help on that. Can't stand that group Yup thats a tough one to call. I see both sides really easily. Its a big circle of hate at times.

Rost,

It's just the new normal unfortunately. The archery hunt I was referencing had a hunt video on a monetized YouTube channel filmed on it last year by non-residents (elk101) that has 2 million views. Only 25 tags are given out, and residents and non residents can both apply with same odds. This year a rokslider (non res) was almost killed on that hunt so maybe that talked a lot of guys out of it. Lots of exposure though in a hunt normally hunted by residents of the surrounding islands. I am not anti non res by any stretch of the imagination, I just seek to have a good healthy tag ratio between res/non res.

Etolin elk and a Chugach sheep tag for me. Was due for another Chugach tag, 3 years since my last one.

I was not saying anything much other than its a tough deal. So many factors involved.

The dang media stuff gives so many places wide open. Films are even worse. I wish we never took people that filmed and youtube it. Its a huge part of ruining whats there.

And then all the sides start hating on each other. I don't hate films I just wish some of this stuff was a bit more level headed like you note.

And this is all part of the reason I tend not to post much, post pictures. Etc. It can all be used against you lol

As to odds it is what it is, but I wish all places had preference points. Or do I. ?

Good thing I"m old LOL.

There's a party at the double shovel in Kodiak tonight to facilitate the collective drowning of sorrows aptly called to Draw Result Party. Probably not a good idea to show up if you drew anything😆

One thing that drives me nuts about people applying, resident or not, are those that apply just to apply with little intention to hunt the tag if drawn. It may be legal and a person's right, but it still annoys the hell out of me.

I think of the 15 DE711 tags, only 11 actually hunted it in 2023, and that was more than normal. Quite often it is closer to half. Family and health emergencies aside, I find that way more annoying than non-residents drawing hard tags. Why even apply if you're not dead serious about trying? All you're doing is diluting draw odds. I suspect some start researching how physically tough some of the hunts are after they draw and decide it isn't worth it. Others apply just in case they 'feel like going, if they draw'. I wish the YouTube videos really emphasized how physically demanding some hunts are, and especially the Alaskan elk hunts.

It is what it is, I guess. Other western states are just as bad.

Couldn’t agree more.

You do know fish and game would give out less tags if everyone hunted it?

It’s not all black and white why people didn’t hunt. Last year we sat in Ketchikan for 5 days and not a single plane took off so we couldn’t get to our area to hunt. After the 5 days the pilot had other people ahead of us and by the time he could get to us we would only have 3 days to hunt. The best part is he kept our 2000 deposit. Said he has a family to feed and can’t control weather. Lots of people draw multiple tags too and can’t hunt them all. It’s happened to me and I get unlimited PTO. And on the late season hunts a lot of those guys use those as back up hunts. Draw a late season moose to only fill it if they don’t get one in the regular season. Smart move, and it happens.

Those with tags just like that skew the hell out of success ratios that the biologists and board use at times to sway seasons etc... its nuts, stupid, etc...
Unfortunately Youtube, like any filming, only generally shows the good things. No one wants to see me crawling into a wet sleeping bag with wet clothes After taking my rain gear and waders off and being cold most of the night and knowing there are 10 more days ahead and no easy way to get dry or relief etc... I can only imagine the elk hunt after reading some about it. No way I'd even apply. Would be a waste of my time and a waste of the tag.

Yes, I am aware they factor hunt success and/or hunter days into tag numbers. That isn't rocket science, nor anything groundbreaking. I was speaking in generalities.

I could have given a few more examples of 'acceptable' reasons why a person doesn't actually hunt, to include weather but for the purposes of what I am talking about, I consider those situations to be 'hunted' or at least attempted. If you notice, I wasn't referring to those who just check the 'did not hunt' box on the harvest report form. I specifically stated: "those that apply just to apply with little intention to hunt the tag if drawn" and "why even apply if you're not dead serious about trying?"

I too know of a guy who had an ultra rare elk tag on Etolin last year that sat in Ketchikan for several days and never could get to the island. I felt pretty bad for him and certainly didn't lump him into those who didn't try. I seriously doubt a person would apply for the trophy bull elk hunts to use just in case they are not successful in one of the cow registration hunts. Moose and caribou situations? Sure, but I suspect those are relatively rare occassions, and again not what I am referring to.

Alaska is somewhat unique in that a guy can hold a draw tag and also hunt that particular species on a general tag. That isn't the case in a lot of states like Idaho and Wyoming where this is also an issue. Idaho started its 2nd draw because so many rare draw tags weren't being bought, let alone hunted.

A friend and I drew Afongnak in 2018, and pulled two mature bulls out. It was an absolute ball buster. That was one of the years only about half of those with a permit even attempted it.

So you acknowledge your gripe is based 100% on speculation really isn’t even an issue. Got it.


You’re full of chit and talking out your ass. “Rare” tags? Hahahaha

Since you’re but hurt why don’t you pick up a tag in Alaska ‘s leftover drawing? What? You didn’t know there’s one? Same as WY, where they just get rid of the leftovers.

Etolin is basically in my backyard. The “problem” we have with that hunt is the first rifle season happens to fall in the best time to be moose hunting, which has really taken off. And moose hunting, albeit just as miserable, has much better odds of success and you aren’t looking at a ridiculous pack out if you boat in. For most of good spots, you are looking at 4-5 miles with no trails. 3-4 trips to get a bull out for 2 guys unless you pack a lot of weight which is risky in that country. In a few years I will get pumped up for elk again.

I can’t imagine trying to fly in and out of Etolin in early Oct. It’s absolutely hammertime for weather that time of the year. I make my 200 mile boat trip annually that first few weeks of Oct and the weather windows are really small.

You don't actually know how many people attempted it. And why are you complaining? If everyone hunted it you would see people. You want to see people on your hunt? I wouldn't call afognak a "ball buster" On the level of difficulty it would be a 3 out of 10. Maybe a 2. Afognak and raspberry elk hunts should be reserved for old people or locals of kodiak etc

Exactly. I have the late hunt this year and access via plane (my only realistic option) is dicey at best. Got to give it hell though....

Instead of worrying about whether people hunt tags or not I would be more concerned with the following:

Tags available in the draw in 2021 - 9,502
Tags available in the draw in 2024 - 5,364

We've lost around 46ish percent of our tags.

So sorry if I can't sympathize with one's fixation on someone not hunting a tag. I wish more people wouldn't.