Alaskan Adventures?

[birdhunter]

Anyone here been up to the Great North for a hunt yet? I've been itching to go and am considering chasing after some caribou and moose in the near future. Anyone have thoughts or advice on how/when/where/what/why/etc. I'd love to hear some stories if you've got em. I've been up there for the fishing and seen the bears, but haven't fired a shot.....yet.

[Rauly]

Birdhunter

If you go up ther to hunt do you need somebody to carry your gun for you? :grin: Better yet, carry your own and I'll back you up with mine. :tongue:

How? IMHO you should use a gun. Leave the archery to the brave guys. I feel a little more comfortable with a gun when bears are around.

When? If you want to do both hunts at the same time you need to go around the first of September. In most of the units this is when both seasons coincide. If you are looking for a Caribou in the velvet you should go early in the season. The first 3 weeks of the season. After that they will have started rubbing the velvet off. My favorite time was the last week of Aug. Tey are still herded up and you can look over a lot of bulls in one area usually.

Where? I would recomend hunting the Mulchatna herd. It is the largest, and if you are in animals you should see apprx. 500 - 1000 plus a day. This herd is usually around Illiamna in force the 3rd and 4th weeks of the season. Subject to change with weather.

What? Caribou. You can get 2 tags.

Why? Because it is an awsome place to hunt. DON'T shoot the first big one you see. Trust me you will see a much larger one.

Etc. Moose. The really big ones are in small pocets as a general rule. You will need to find an outfitter that has a good rutting area and you will get into a big one. If you need a starting point I can put you in touch with one of the best up there. He has a area that he only takes 4 hunters into per year and they will take 2 to 4 big bulls out. 63" plus. It will be 2 groups of 2 that get taken to the area. Usually first week and second week. Get the first week if you can.

My Hunt. It was the last week of Aug. and A friend came up to hunt with me. We had all kinds of weather. Sun, rain, fog with 15 yard visibility, wind to 90 mph, temps 34 to 50 degrees and lots of bears. My buddy had his 2 caribou taken by the bears. Luckily I shot mine in the morning of the second day of our hunt. The outfitter flew over that day and saw that we had game and stopped to pick it up on his way back from dropping other hunters off on another lake. We both shot Caribou that made the book. We just came home with a little less meat. I can't wait to go back again.

I also have video of shooting my bull.

[ 01-27-2002: Message edited by: Rauly ]</p>

[Tilla]

I did a last minute Moose/Caribou hunt with a buddy 7 years ago. It was a friend of a friend deal out of King Salmon Ak(Naknek). Absoloutely a wonderful trip. Not only the hunt but the people and lifestyles were fascinating. Got a 59" 3 point moose and my buddy got a Caribou. 3 days of packing meat and horns in all kinds of weather. Luckily the bears were several miles away chasing Silvers. Definitely a gotta do at least once in your life thing!!

[Capin' Dan]

Tilla has the pictures to prove it. I have seen them and they were really nice pictures of a really nice moose.

With that said birdhunter the sportsmans show is coming up the first week of Feb. Look at the guys around there. ALso look at alberta theya re some great animals coming out of there.

If you do the sportsmans show thing stop by the rose City Labrador Retreiver booth and say hi.

Dan!

[bigshark]

It might be worth your time to call Gordy Gracy in
Forks Wa. He does some guiding up there and can give you some current info. If you really want a Boo I would put in for the limited access hunt just east of Soldotna. This heard has not been hunted for more than 30 years and year before last it was reopened. The racks that are available
there would be worth the try for a tag. The money saved on air time would be another plus. Gracy doesn't guide in that area and I think he is mostly into hunting bear. He might be able to give you good info however.....Just a thought!

[birdhunter]

Thanks guys. I'll start to look into some of this stuff. Still probably talking 2-3 years out, but nice to get some info in the mean time. I should be by the Sportsmans show. Will stop by and say hi Danny. Hope all is going well.

[willametteriveroutlaw]

Alaska is a great place to hunt, But be a tad wary of drop off hunts. Ask for refrences at a minimum. Some friends of mine who still live up there do a float trip on the hoholitna river right out of kotzbue each year. They average 60in + moose and nice bull caribou. The hunt is fairly laid back and the fishing ain't half bad either. Caribou taste a hell of a lot better in august before the rut when there still loaded up with fat, and not all stunk up. I have them in both conditions, In august there as good or better than elk, but by mid september they taste like my danners, (after hiking). That hunt out of Soldotna could be decent, but don't expect the awe inspireing # of animals you would see in the mulchatna heard. But there are some real bruisers in that area.

[Tilla]

Hey Dan, when is your booth duty? I talk to J Morris yesterday.