So I want to go on a hunt in Alaska...

Okay. That type of title turned out pretty good for me a few years back when I started the post here about wanting to go on a Mountain goat hunt so let's see if it will work on this.

Each December when the Alaska drawing deadline comes around I scramble to find some information on the different seasons, regulations, etc. and get bogged down and confused and give up. I'm not even sure if I need to apply for any of the tags as a nonresident or if I can just buy the tags when I want to go on the hunt.

Like most folks here in the lower 48, my ambitions generally center around caribou and moose now that I have my mountain goat, and I also would like to check into some coastal black bear hunting.

Ideally I would like to put something like this together as a backup plan if I don't draw any good tags here in the lower 48, but I'm not sure if that will work or not. I would like to go DIY with a friend using an air taxi service rather than going with an outfitter.

Reading different posts it sounds like the issue with doing this as a backup plan in case I don't draw any tags may not be as much as an issue with hunting an OTC area vs. a draw area as it would be with the better transporters already booked up for that time of year if I waited until May or June to book.

I guess right now I just need to figure out if I need to be applying in Alaska or not. I don't really see myself springing for an outfitted sheep or grizzly hunt and to me those seem to be the ones that I would improve my chance of successfully harvesting a nicer animal by getting into a draw area over an OTC area, but I've also read that may be the case with black bear as well.

Is there anyone that wants to point me in the right direction or is my thinking that I could work up an Alaskan hunt as a back up plan to not drawing a good tag out of whack and I just need to plan to dedicate my hunting that year to Alaska and put in for points on everything else?

Any input or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Nathan

I guess right now I just need to figure out if I need to be applying in Alaska or not. I don't really see myself springing for an outfitted sheep or grizzly hunt and to me those seem to be the ones that I would improve my chance of successfully harvesting a nicer animal by getting into a draw area over an OTC area, but I've also read that may be the case with black bear as well.

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If you want to hunt dall or grizzly/brown you need to have a guide unless you have next of kin as an AK resident. I know for dall, you have to be contracted with a guide if you draw.

From what I gather, it's best to have a taxi sorted out first, often they can be fully booked...I remember one company offering priority to folks that use in sequential years.

I need to do a lot more homework still, but getting your logistics figured out first seems to be key before putting in, as it can be your gating item.

If you haven't planned a trip by now, a "back up" fly out trip is pretty much a not going to happen for next year. Most all reputable taxis are booked for next year already, many booked for the following year. I'm sure you can find a taxi to drop you off, but sorting through them all and finding one that flies into decent areas, and has a spot open will be tough. The few draw units where there is availability will be booked within a day or 3 of the draw coming out.

Draw tags in Alaska are really just to limit hunters or harvest. None are "trophy" hunts, per-say, outside maybe a Chugach sheep tag. Huge animals are killed on OTC tags every year.

Good luck with your planning, but a back up hunt for caribou or moose is really out of the question, IMO. A bear hunt?

Bambistew said:

If you haven't planned a trip by now, a "back up" fly out trip is pretty much a not going to happen for next year. Most all reputable taxis are booked for next year already, many booked for the following year. I'm sure you can find a taxi to drop you off, but sorting through them all and finding one that flies into decent areas, and has a spot open will be tough. The few draw units where there is availability will be booked within a day or 3 of the draw coming out.

Draw tags in Alaska are really just to limit hunters or harvest. None are "trophy" hunts, per-say, outside maybe a Chugach sheep tag. Huge animals are killed on OTC tags every year.

Good luck with your planning, but a back up hunt for caribou or moose is really out of the question, IMO. A bear hunt?

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My friend and I plan to go on an Alaskan moose hunt in 2016. Are you saying we should have the taxi service booked soon?

mr_steve said:

My friend and I plan to go on an Alaskan moose hunt in 2016. Are you saying we should have the taxi service booked soon?

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I'd be getting my ducks lined up, and have the trigger ready to pull by early summer at the latest. There are only so many spots to go, and so many people to take you in.

I don't think you can use an Alaskan hunt as a back up. You really need to book your transporter at least 9 months in advance and 12 months would be better. If you are thinking about a DIY caribou or moose hunt, you should just plan on it for that season and plan your tag applications for the lower 48 around it. I was happy when I did it. Researched and planned during the off season for a year, booked the transporter and equipment rental a year in advance, and hunted the lower 48 knowing I was going to Alaska the following year. It was a very satisfying experience.

Okay, thanks for the input.

I know about the guide requirements for brown/grizzly bear, sheep and goats, I just don't think I want to deal with that right now as in I'll pass on those animals for now because of the guide requirement.

Sounds like a backup type hunt isn't really an option either. Maybe get on someone's cancellation list if I don't draw any good tags for this year and start planning for 2016 it sounds like.

What about coastal black bear? Do I need to be applying for those tags now? I would also like to do that one as a backup hunt if I don't have anything else going in the late spring, early summer, but somewhere I thought I read that you had to apply for those tags a full year in advance or something like that?

Thanks again for the input so far.

Nathan

Cancellation hunt would be the ticket if your work schedule is flexible.

Get plugged into as many guides/outfitters as possible.

Crazy good deals can be had on the short notice hunts.

If you're looking at coastal black bear hunting Southeast Alaska, you'll want to get your application in by Monday for the Fall 2015 or Spring 2016 season. SE AK is draw only for non-guided non-residents, but odds of drawing a very good. Non-coastal black bear hunting in Alaska is probably the easiest hunt to pull off logistically as a back-up option.

Some of the air taxis I've worked with in the past do not take reservations / deposits for the upcoming season until December or January so you're not out of luck yet. But as Bambi said, others are booked a year or two out. Once the AK draw results are announced (mid to late Feb) then its a matter of days before most air taxis book full.

I think you can do DIY caribou or moose for Fall 2015 through an air taxi but I'd start making phone calls soon. If you wait till April or May, you'll be out of luck. Most air taxis I've dealt with will not return your deposit, so if you book with them now and send a deposit to hold your reservation and then back out after drawing a tag in the lower 48, you may be out your deposit $$. Often times, however, they'll apply your deposit for a trip the following year.

Regarding your question between drawing vs. OTC. In Alaska unless you're looking to hunt a specific area that is drawing only, I see no advantage to draw tags over a regular harvest ticket. My success rate on filling the tags I've drawn is 0, I'm batting near 100% on filling my harvest tickets.

I almost found out the hard way how fast transporters filled up, I've been scrambling the last couple weeks getting a back up to a back up lined out for a caribou hunt. I think I ended up getting lucky and finding a good one, but it was a lot harder than I expected.

Sent ya a pm nathan

You should be making your Alaska plans in Nov at the latest to make sure you can get a transporter to fly you into a unit you want to draw in before you enter.I got lucky and found a guy willing to fly me and partner into a lake we chose.I still have to draw but its been 100%.Places like Renfros and papa bear you'd be looking at 2016 right now for moose;maybe 2017.40 mile books quick too,but don't open their flights till early Dec each year for booking.Thats your best bet,but you best call they day they start taking bookings.Only so many pilots for the amount of hunters.It has to be your main plan for the year,and hunt rifle for elk or deerin lower 48 if you have the available time
POW has good bear hunting but you have to enter draws.Even blacktails on POW or Kodiak would be hard hunts to find available after the western draws are over.Sitka blacktail hunting is a lot of fun and great august hunt in case your open to something other then moose,bou,bear

If you haven't already lined something up for 2015, I would encourage you to move your Alaska dream hunt out to 2016 and take the time to research and plan it out in detail. If you only get to do Alaska once, you want to give yourself every opportunity to select the area and transporter that gives you the best chance to make memories!

There are a few different units where you can do flyout DIY moose or caribou hunts, but the best areas and transporters to those areas tend to fill up early. I would recommend doing a moose or bou hunt, as black bear have a much longer open season and generous bag limits around the state, so really no need to do a flyout for them.

Happy to help if I can, have hunted a few different areas in Alaska for moose and bou. Shoot me a PM in January if you're interested.

Michael

If you are okay with Sitka Blacktails, I'm thinking you might be able to find a transporter to take you on a boat based hunt as a backup. I hunted on Kodiak from a boat. If you didn't want to do a boat based hunt, I'm pretty sure the tags are OTC and one could hunt either Kodiak or SE AK.

I wonder if I can find a hunt in July or August. I'm heading to AK on the bike in 2016. But if not at least I'll see some beautiful country.

Taxi costs

Just curious... This type of DIY hunt is on my bucket list (as with most) and I'm curious about the air taxi. Do most just give you a drop off date and a pickup date or do they do bi-weekly flights to check on hunters and pick up meat? I was oblivious to how busy these guys are. I'm guessing that the cost of these flights are pretty substantial?

81hntn said:

Just curious... This type of DIY hunt is on my bucket list (as with most) and I'm curious about the air taxi. Do most just give you a drop off date and a pickup date or do they do bi-weekly flights to check on hunters and pick up meat? I was oblivious to how busy these guys are. I'm guessing that the cost of these flights are pretty substantial?

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You and the air taxi will have an agreed upon drop off and pick up date. Sometimes if they're flying in the area during your hunt they'll fly over to see if you want an 'early out' or need a meat back haul. You'll either communicate this with a satellite phone call or with a pre-arranged signal (e.g. blue tarp on the landing strip). But many air taxis are too busy flying others in and out to check in on camps. If weather is bad and they're backed up on getting groups into the field, they're not likely to deviate from their schedule for an early pick up.

Cost of flights is usually the most expensive part of the hunt. Some charge flat rate for a certain area, some charge by the hour. I've mostly paid by hour. $800 / hr for a C206 and $1,200 / hr for a Beaver are some rates I've paid in recent years. Rates tend to be cheaper if flying directly out of Fairbanks or Anchorage area.

Drop off date and pick up date. Anything else is by sat phone. You should plan on caring for your meat. In some locations there is no cooler facility available. Your transporter could get weathered in or suffer a break down. Usually cool enough to hang your meat during hunting season.

You are getting some great advice here. I have hunted with 2 responders and exchanged e-mails with 3 others about planning my Alaskan adventures.
Could you put something together for this year as a back-up? Probably yes. Of course you might miss that it's a registration hunt that ONLY allows possession of a moose tag OR a caribou tag at one time (not both!). Or you might have a frequent flier ticket changed by the airline while you are in the field. Or your partner could come down with Dengue in August and elope to South Africa with Ernesto! What I mean is, you need to allow yourself time to evaluate every angle and plan for hitches.
Better if you and a couple of friends spend the next 18 months scouring maps and websites and friendships looking for the ideal place to host your Alaskan adventure. The joy of planning a hunt for 18 months cannot be overstated. When, after years of planning and effort, you finally tag out on your trophy, you'll sit there running over all the planning, conversations and the sacrifices that had to be made. And you'll have a really goofy smile on your face. That beats the heck outta arguing with your partner over who was to bring TP on a hastily planned trip.
Also, this gives you time to form a partnership/alliance with someone who already has status for a given transporter such as 40-mile--their first couple of days of open phones are reserved for previous customers-as an example.
My instinct says that (cancellations being the exception) most taxi's with openings as late as June or July should probably be avoided. .02