Oh great and we only have about six weeks to go!! That's what I say, grrr. akwillyum, are you heading up soon?
Don't worry, you could fly up today spur of the moment and drive, and never see one...
They can be really flighty at times.
I came in one year, pilots just came in, and we had to wait the next day, personal friend that shot for my 4H team years before, and he worked for the pilots and was flown by them a lot also... so no lies, were over 3500 caribou in one area, and close to same in another.
We flew out next morning, saw a few, maybe 200, and landed, and didn't see one for a day, then a few, then none, then a few. Came back and folks came off a strip where they had all killed, we flew in right behind them coming out, didn't see one for 2 days, saw one, I killed it with a LONG shot that evening, after my buddy found some about 6 miles off across a river and a BIG one in that small bunch, he said to dangerous to go and spend the night... knowing what I do now I'd have done it in an instant today..... we found 4 or 5 more bringing mine 5 miles back to the strip the next day, one for him to shoot.
Flying out, we found the masses way out in the flat tundra, where no one could get to really until it snowed.... and froze...
You never know.
Best of luck, most of the fun is being in AK, killing is only a huge bonus.