Hey fellas, looking at seriously trying to get a flight service booked for a drop camp caribou hunt for 4 guys for the 2020 season. We want to do a non guided, no camp/meals/ect provided hunt. Just fly us in ahead of a herd and leave us for a week. We are experienced hunters and 2 of the group have done this in AK before. Prior area the 2 guys hunted is no longer offering hunts because of declining herd numbers there.
Any and all help or pointers would be appreciated, i know this question has been asked before.
Also not looking to pay 3 to 4k per person to be flown in and out. Seems a bit ridiculous considering what we want.

The problem is how far you have to fly as a nonresident to get to caribou these days.

Considering the risks none of the guides, transporters, or charter services are making big bank...

You need to start contacting air services soon and get your dates locked in, otherwise you won't get the area you want. Air services book up quick once the draw results are released.

Art, how's the Mulchatna herd doing these days, have they recovered enough to make them a worthwile option?

The demand for quality fly-in hunts far exceeds the supply and booking one of those quality flight services is getting very difficult.

The better outfits are booked mostly with repeat customers that have preference because of their known capabilities in the bush.

If there is a flight service looking for business, they are either new or there is some other reason.

I often have coffee with guides and bush pilots and they all have numerous stories of "high maintenance" hunters.

Hunters search for references for flight services and I see that reversing as hunters may have to provide references some day.

Not very good. The wolves kill the calves quick. Last I read they were not even up to the low end of the target herd size. That puts them at around a tenth of the population in the glory days. Another example (like last year's Unit 13) of management failing to kill enough caribou to keep them in check.

Yup, I have heard the same sentiments and have seen the same thigh maintenance" hunters.

Damn, was hoping to have a chance to hunt that herd some day. Guess i'll have to stick to the 40-Mile or Malcomb herds.

The McComb herd is one of the smaller herds but is doing well and contains some really nice bulls but access is difficult.

It is a hell of a gamble, as mentioned in this post. My group last year went 1 for 2 on nice bulls but saw plenty, and the group after us went 0 for 5- just terrible weather the entire time that barely allowed them to hunt, and when they could, the herds weren't there. It was a hell of an experience, but I was difnitely lucky to have come out of it successfully. Feel free to PM if you'd like more specifics.

I'd say its almost not possible these days.

Not at the rate you want to pay anyway.

Its not like it was 10-20-30 years ago for sure.

Flight time per hour isn't going down either. I usually figure at least 4 hours minimum flight time period. More if you have to bring out game in the end. Beavers were 1600 an hour when I looked a year or so ago IIRC. Not cheap at all. Yep you can get it done with smaller planes too, but the point is cheap isn't around.

And I agree on the hunters, it should be you submit an application, for all the issues they can cause.

Holy moly! I think the last time I chartered a Beaver, about 6-7 years ago, it was $750 an hour.

I doubt it.

Mccomb herd hunt is resident only

Wow. Those transport/rape prices are insane. There must be incredible demand for caribou hunting?

I recall 30 years ago caribou numbers were better but hunting them was affordable as well. Something how thats changed in fairly short timeframe. It makes OTC elk tags look like a downright bargain.

Thigh maintenance hunters are a different breed. They have a leg up on the competition for sure.

Some say they don't know squat, but they have quadruple the odds of success compared to the average.

I just saw that, myself! Well played!

Stop pulling my leg.

Sorry to derail the thread. I thought you would find these femur jokes more humerus.

Humerus or not, I don’t believe your apology has a leg to stand on.

Waiting for this. Well played!

IF you mean MORE WOLFS Should Be KILLED, I AGREED !