elkandsheep
FNG
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2019
- Messages
- 29
**I don’t want this to be a pity post, I want to share my experiences and the events leading up to an awesome trip in detail. Everything worked out out for me and my family and I am extremely lucky and we are all doing very well.**
COVID began and remote work and isolation started for many of us. For many, this was the cutoff for significant relationships made with friends and family. For me, seeing my grandfather enter late stages of dementia, it was difficult to choose to be with him instead of maintaining relationships with my friends. COVID presented significant downsides to people who wanted to continue a normal way of life. For me, remote work was the opportunity to go to Alaska and spend significant time in the state fishing, learning the land, and doing a bit of big game hunting. This was a dream that I always thought what would be an expensive one-week big game transporter led hunt. With the opportunity for remote work, I could turn it into many months exploring Alaska and a DIY backpacking Caribou hunt.
2020-2021 were mainly gathering gear and waiting for the US-Canada border to open. I had originally planned to leave in 2021, but due to border closures had to delay the trip by another year. I knew that I wanted to do the trip with by brother and hike throughout Glacier, Banff, Jasper and Kluane along with way.
As life began to return to normal, I moved back to my home city. My mom was diagnosed with cancer during Christmas so I had to return to my birth town. I spent the next 5 months with her at home. The best thing that year was her entering into remission and having a very low chance of it returning. From that point, I had my chance to make the journey up north. In late May, me and my brother set off from the east coast to Alaska, a 2 week journey that I will remember for life, visiting every national park we could along with way.
I lived in Fairbanks for 3 months. In Alaska, I had the opportunity to limit out on reds in the Klutina river, catch a king in the Gulkana, and take a road trip with a sheep hunting guide to fish Valdez for silvers. This was in addition to the weekly trips catching stocked trout and char in the lakes around Fairbanks. Grayling fishing was also excellent. One of the most memorable experiences was helping my friend build his cabin and drinking white claw's after we were done for the day, looking over the vast Alaskan wilderness.
I was never found it easier to make friends so many people (many of whom I am still in touch with for future plans), all connected by our love of wildlife and hunting.
This was all done in conjunction with the planning of my 40 mile Caribou hunt.
Caribou are where they are, travelling up to 50 miles per day. My weekends out along the Steese highway were by no means scouting trips, but were definitely skill gaining trips and the opportunity to learn the land and trails. Many others show up at eagle summit with the crowds and head out, but I wanted to find the best game trails and ATV inaccessible areas to know exactly where to place my camp on August 10th. I admit that I had a bit of help from my friends along the way on where to check out.
COVID began and remote work and isolation started for many of us. For many, this was the cutoff for significant relationships made with friends and family. For me, seeing my grandfather enter late stages of dementia, it was difficult to choose to be with him instead of maintaining relationships with my friends. COVID presented significant downsides to people who wanted to continue a normal way of life. For me, remote work was the opportunity to go to Alaska and spend significant time in the state fishing, learning the land, and doing a bit of big game hunting. This was a dream that I always thought what would be an expensive one-week big game transporter led hunt. With the opportunity for remote work, I could turn it into many months exploring Alaska and a DIY backpacking Caribou hunt.
2020-2021 were mainly gathering gear and waiting for the US-Canada border to open. I had originally planned to leave in 2021, but due to border closures had to delay the trip by another year. I knew that I wanted to do the trip with by brother and hike throughout Glacier, Banff, Jasper and Kluane along with way.
As life began to return to normal, I moved back to my home city. My mom was diagnosed with cancer during Christmas so I had to return to my birth town. I spent the next 5 months with her at home. The best thing that year was her entering into remission and having a very low chance of it returning. From that point, I had my chance to make the journey up north. In late May, me and my brother set off from the east coast to Alaska, a 2 week journey that I will remember for life, visiting every national park we could along with way.
I lived in Fairbanks for 3 months. In Alaska, I had the opportunity to limit out on reds in the Klutina river, catch a king in the Gulkana, and take a road trip with a sheep hunting guide to fish Valdez for silvers. This was in addition to the weekly trips catching stocked trout and char in the lakes around Fairbanks. Grayling fishing was also excellent. One of the most memorable experiences was helping my friend build his cabin and drinking white claw's after we were done for the day, looking over the vast Alaskan wilderness.
I was never found it easier to make friends so many people (many of whom I am still in touch with for future plans), all connected by our love of wildlife and hunting.
This was all done in conjunction with the planning of my 40 mile Caribou hunt.
Caribou are where they are, travelling up to 50 miles per day. My weekends out along the Steese highway were by no means scouting trips, but were definitely skill gaining trips and the opportunity to learn the land and trails. Many others show up at eagle summit with the crowds and head out, but I wanted to find the best game trails and ATV inaccessible areas to know exactly where to place my camp on August 10th. I admit that I had a bit of help from my friends along the way on where to check out.
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