Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 1st Trip Suggestions

I'm looking to plan a trip for 2025 (2026 if a delay is needed or prudent), Alaska or Canada (preference for Alaska).

I'd like to go after the following:

-Brownies/Grizz
-Moose
-Bighorn Sheep
-Dall Sheep
-Mt Goat
-Caribou
-Blacktail

I've hunted out of state before, but mostly bird hunting. Living where I do, physically demanding and dangerous environments/animals are not foreign to me. I'm mid-30s, physically fit and cost isn't necessarily an issue- I know some pursuits are inherently more cost intensive, however, Benefit - Cost = Value. Outfitters are the next step. I'd like to get the quarry and type of hunt hammered out first based on your experiences and suggestions.

Thoughts on combo hunts? Is taking multiple species on the same hunt a regular feat?

Is taking a pal or family member along better for the memories and experience? Go solo?

My list isn't ranked.

Thanks for the input ahead of time.

If you're not stuck on any one animal...think about caribou or grizzly. I say that because there seems to be fewer and fewer opportunities every year, especially for non-resident caribou. A guy can only hunt griz in the Yukon and Alaska now (in North America at least), and I don't see that getting better anytime soon.

Prices are getting stupid for guided sheep hunts and such everywhere but seem be taking a huge jump in the Yukon. Maybe (probably) elsewhere too that I just haven't paid attention to. Dall sheep are semi affordable but their numbers really took a crash the last few winters and are getting hard to hunt. The way I understand it, bighorn hunts in BC and Alberta are ridiculously expensive.

Mt. Goat, blacktail and moose (at least the Alaska-Yukon variety) seem to be holding steady and I suspect opportunity will be around for a while, though tag and transportation costs will continue to go up.

Just things to ponder....

I killed a grizzly and caribou last August north side of Brooks Range, i killed a couple of mountain goats and blacktails last weekend. Logistics are expensive in Alaska. I spent $6000 on charter flights for the Grizzly hunt.
The goat charter was only $2500 ish
For non-resident all the good stuff is guided.

Spring bear is the ultimate hunt in my opinion. Some areas are open, others are on a lottery.
Moose can be done for about $10,000 if you have a partner.
Solo hunting in Alaska isn't the wisest thing to do.

A trip will not come close to fulfilling that list. Best commit to a single hunt per year to work ones way though.

Do the high end first as prices will never decline.

That’s why I stated I’d like to get the quarry and type of hunt hammered out first.

I’ve been doing some research and you have what appears to be sound advice. I see a lot of areas and seasons have been closed due to some federal subsistence office decisions re: Dall & caribou in back-to-back years.

If I was still willing it would be Stone Sheep and Mountain Caribou first and second. Neither of which are on your list.

I will tell you while all hunts are great and offer different experiences, nothing compares to the size and majesty of a coastal brown bear and A-Y moose. I will put Dall sheep in third only because I have not hunted them and probably can't afford to now.

I have taken 4 A-Y moose and a 28" Kodiak bear. Quite honestly everything else pales in comparison now. I want to be excited about caribou , Mt. goat, etc but can't . I may do a sheep and or trophy elk someday but I can't see spending much on anything else personally.

Just be aware you are going from bird hunting to the major leagues of hunting with these animals. If you can afford to, do it now while your young. Good luck.

Moose and big bear hunts are the ones I keeping migrating to when I’m investigating opportunities.

That’s the combo I’d do if I was you. Moose and grizzly go together like peas and carrots. 😉

How do you monetize benefit?

Google--Jake Jefferson

I've hunted with him twice for Grizzly/Black bear. I have a 3rd booked for June 2024. He's top notch---gives you 110% effort. He's a grizzly/brown bear guy. But he also does blacktail deer on Kodiak. Dall sheep but the winters have taken a toll on them & I think he's hasn't done it a couple of years.

His website---Black River Hunting Camps----

Bob

pm me if you want more.

If I was a young man----I would do a back pack hunt for grizzly.

Thanks, Bob! I’ll look him up!

I don’t want to sidetrack the thread, but benefit can be quantitative or qualitative. In your monetization case, a simple example would be ROI in dollar or percentage terms.

Typically, benefit is a blend of both quantitative and qualitative factors in that specific formula.

A cost doesn't have to be monetized either, for that matter.


It seems every hunter has that one animal that they really, really want...whether that be a dall sheep, a 150" whitetail or just any deer with grandpa's old 32 Win Special.

For me, that was an interior, mountain grizzly. I have killed 3 now. Brownies? Meh....though I am sure I will shoot one at some point. Go with whatever your gut is telling you to do, but keep in mind the hurdles of population crashes and tag demand that has been discussed in this thread.

I was in a similar position as you a couple of years ago (in my mid 30s) when I set a goal of taking an Dall, MT goat, moose, caribou and brown bear. My plan was Dall by 40 since opportunity is shrinking every year. Then MT Goat by 42 since I’m still in very good shape. I will probably plan a caribou or moose after that and brown bear last. The bear hunts I’ve looked into seem more glassing and less hiking so plan to do that last when I’m older.

Here is where I’m at:

For Dall sheep, I wanted to do a walk in backpack style hunt in AK. Hunts for Dall sheep can vary greatly depending on location and transportation used so you really need to decide what you want out of the experience. It took two trips but I was successful last year. Both trips will be hard to beat and I think about them all the time. Highly recommend a Dall hunt.

I am now booked for a MT Goat hunt next Fall in AK. This will be a boat based hunt with a spike camp. Can’t wait and training now. I wanted a hunt that offered good hair quality and the ability to do some fishing once my hunt is over.

I’m researching caribou trips now and thinking about Canada as an option but not sure I want to deal with the extra travel. For this trip, I’m looking into horse hunts. Keep in mind, AK is very easy to get to as well.

Also, I planned to have a hunting partner go with me on my first sheep hunt but they were not as committed to preparing so I had to leave them home. It is difficult to find someone that wants the same experience as you and is willing to do what it takes to be successful. Some guys just breakdown on the rougher trips and you want to give it everything you have. I’ve decided to enjoy other hunts with buddies and go alone on my sheep and goat trips.

If cost isn't an issue, dunno how you would get past the first item on your list.

In my view, priority one is hunting exactly where you want. If you have a companion, of course it would be a plus.
However, tagging along with another person could possibly turn out as a waste of satisfaction if it was your second choice of species or place.