Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska DIY Caribou

Thinking of doing this in 2025 and looking at RAM Aviation or Arrowhead Outfitters. Planning on getting the package where they supply a set up camp with food. Anyone ever do this? Would love to hear about your experiences and any and all advice u can give! Been a dream of mine since I was a kid and really kicking myself for waiting so long.

Been doing some reading and doesn’t look good for nonresident caribou hunts. Hope there is a season in 25 or 26. Thanks for any info fellas.


Thanks
Roy.

Good chance unit 23 will close to non res. Maybe western unit 26 also. Recommend you book with an outfitter that hunts the central arctic herd on the north slope. Arrowhead hunts there. Might look into the 40 mile herd out of Tok. August hunt. 40 mile air is in Tok.

40 mile herd is in decline. Season for us hunting off the road system last year was 3 days. Fly in into the central portions may be open longer, I think. Dunno since I don't. I'd talk to the Tok biologist.

I think the only herd not in decline is the Porcupine herd.

I know nothing about accessing that one tho.

Coyote or Brooks Range, could fly you into the Central Arctic or Porcupine herds. The Western Arctic herd is declining to the point where, just the locals will be able to hunt. The Porcupine herd hunt might be a longer flight…but you never know with caribou.

Caribou hunting opportunity across North America is declining rapidly.

The Kotzebue area of NW Alaska is being scrutinized and you can expect severe restrictions.

The 40 Mile Herd is showing some indication of stabilizing and next spring's calving results will tell the story.
Current population estimates are 35K after reducing the herd from 80K after indications of severe stress.
Those that hunt the Steese and Taylor Highways can expect delays in season opening dates and bulls only.
There is a proposal before the Board Of Game in March to restrict non-residents from all but Zone 2 [fly-in].
40 Mile Air seldom takes new clients

The Porcupine Herd seems to be intact yet but access can be difficult.

The Nelchina Herd probably won't have a huntable population for another 15-20 years.

These closures will force residents of the Anchorage vicinity to venture further in search of hunting opportunity also.

It's been decades since I hunted the AKPEN but I was told there is some caribou hunting out of Cold Bay........but the bears will likely take your animal.

The demand for fly-in hunts far exceeds the supply so expect +$$$$$+. Most reputable transporters are booked far in advance or not taking new clients. Caveat Emptor!

There are some good caribou out of Cold Bay and Sand Point from what I"ve seen. As to bears, there are surely a few, but I've not noticed them an issue as long as you take precautions. Have not lost a bear hide left overnight either. But we pee around it and leave a shirt. They are not to be ignored but they don't seem all that bad.

Came closer to loosing a caribou to a bear out at Aniak many years ago. Probably a fluke there too.

Bear fence is your friend.

If you want to get real spendy, with truely rotten weather, but some dandy bulls, try Adak island.

I think they have a healthy dose of reindeer genes, so you can get some odd colored animals, too. NWACH also has reindeer genes, from the herding days when herds were not well attended sometimes and the migrations swept them up.

Shockey used to hunt Adak - don't know if he still does.

That Adak heard has been pounded in the last few years as other opportunities diminish.

Coyote Air, Brooks Range Aviation and others are not or at least were not taking on new customers.

Not sure about RAM nor Arrowhead. That area is under a microscope with the subsistence hunters raising huge stinks about non-resident hunters, and even non local residents. I have heard mixed reviews about RAM Aviation, for what it is worth.

The Teshekpuk Lake herd is supposedly growing but most herds are in a decline. They’re getting tough to get tags for. The road accessible 40 Mile hunt lasted 3 days this last year, and a LOT of cows were killed in that bull only fall hunt. They didn’t even hold a sport winter hunt for that herd.

That sucks about Caribou.

Kodiak will be the new hotspot...

Or, I could just pot one coming through my yard in the spring...

We hunted with Ram this year. Were supposed to go in ‘22 but last minute restriction imposed by the Subsistence Board limited access so we put it off till ‘23. Weather went to [bleep] the afternoon we landed, not much of a migration. My buddy missed a slam dunk shot and we put a stalk on one other decent bull. The rest were cows. Saw 17 grizzly’s, certain some were repeats, had to head back to camp on day when we saw 2 heading down the river toward camp. They were within 100 yards of it when we met up and chased them away. Ram was ok to work with, when I go again I will look at a different area. The whim of the Subsistence Board and their ability to make last minute restrictions will keep me away. Aside from the hunt, Kotzebue was an interesting place. Had some great conversations with some of the Native Alaskans living there and being out on the North Slope tundra was pretty inspiring.

If you were south of the Brooks Range, you weren't on the North Slope. Technically. Were you?

Kotzebue is in the Arctic, tho - by aout 30 miles. I liked my 8 years there.

Nelchina will be the new caribou hotspot......for your grandchildren to hunt.

When I hunted out of Nome in 2011 I was told residents could shoot 5 caribou a day. Is that still going on? Should that be curtailed if it is? Even than we did not see many caribou but I did get a good bull.

LAS, never said we hunted south of the Brooks Range. We were north of the Brooks Range. Along the Kukpowruk River

The fact that the board can instantly close something, but not instantly open something like wolf or grizzly IE predators is about the dumbest set up around.

I do like that they can close a season because it should be protect the resource above all. Yet you certainly have to know this is bad way before they close it.

All politics unfortunately. Just like resident hunters thinking they should be the only ones hunting in the state. RHAC>.. Ugh....

Thanks for the clarification. You mentioned Kotzebue and North Slope together. I've lived both places. I was wondering if you had flown out that far from Kotzebue. Most out of Kotz do not. Or did not. I left there in 2018, so haven't really kept up on where the guided and fly-out activity is now taking place. I know the locals were trying to eliminate guiding and fly-outs to the Squirrel and other drainages south of the range - don't know if they did.

As a "subsistence hunter"when I lived there, 2010-2018, I did all my caribou hunting on snow machine or ATV within 20 miles of town. But I conserved the resource for you guys - I only shot one half-way decent (and that's exaggerating a bit) out of the 20 or so cows and bald bulls I killed later in the winter than the "sport" season.

Sometimes its hard to tell how big a bull you killed if it was bald. LOL. Obviously on size you can know if you kill old or young though.

I figured everyone did their best to be happy with one or a couple big ones and after that you shot meat animals so the others had chances and big ones had chances to pass along genetics etc....

Unfortunately I think you are rare.