2023 DIY Caribou Planning

[TodOz]

It seems that trip insurance is highly recommended. I've never purchased trip insurance before and I'm wondering how that works when you book the flights separately (regular commercial to get to and from Alaska and the drop flights) as well as overnight stays. Anyone have experience with this? thanks!

 

[AKBorn]

I never purchase trip insurance, but have heard stories about the criteria for reimbursement being very narrowly defined in some cases. If you look into trip insurance, please ask very specific questions about what would and would not be covered before buying? Have heard of a few people getting burned by this in the past...

 

[TodOz]

I never purchase trip insurance, but have heard stories about the criteria for reimbursement being very narrowly defined in some cases. If you look into trip insurance, please ask very specific questions about what would and would not be covered before buying? Have heard of a few people getting burned by this in the past...

I think my main concern would be the return flight out of Alaska. If weather prevents us from getting picked up on schedule I’d hate to miss my return flight any have to buy another ticket.

 

[AKBorn]

I think my main concern would be the return flight out of Alaska. If weather prevents us from getting picked up on schedule I’d hate to miss my return flight any have to buy another ticket.

I would hope the airline would credit you for the missed flight and apply the credit toward your new ticket home? It's been a while since I missed a flight, maybe things have changed...I would give them a call and ask.

 

[monsais91]

I think my main concern would be the return flight out of Alaska. If weather prevents us from getting picked up on schedule I’d hate to miss my return flight any have to buy another ticket.

 

[Trial153]

I think my main concern would be the return flight out of Alaska. If weather prevents us from getting picked up on schedule I’d hate to miss my return flight any have to buy another ticket.

Just buy ticket that allows changes to be made if your worried.

If your going to be delayed on your bush flight and not make it time then an in reach message to someone designated to make flight change can bail you out. In my case it my personal assistant aka my wife

 

[monsais91]

Update: we have 4 deposits for the 9-19 of September 2023. Float trip out of kotzebue with gear/raft rentals from Walt at northwest Alaska and flights through golden eagle. So far three of us are for sure hunting with one possibly just fishing and hanging out. Another is hoping to join but just had a baby very premature and hospital bills have cut into his hunting funds. Walt has been super helpful and provided a ton of good info. As for trip insurance, my wife and I booked a 5 week backpacking trip through Europe as a honeymoon/college graduation present to ourselves. Booked everything in advance and purchased fairly pricey trip insurance to cover any unforeseen problems. We were set to leave may 2020…when I contacted the insurance company in may to inquire about refunds or coverage of lost deposits, I was told they don’t cover pandemics and had to provide proof that our flights were cancelled just to get the insurance transferred to a later date, even though the world was in lockdown during that time. My two sense now is to purchase refundable airline tickets and deal directly with outfitter and hotels, they’re typically more understanding than the travel insurance

 

[KID]

I sure wish I had discovered this forum before I booked my failed Caribou hunt. Good luck to you all that are getting out there. Once again do lots of research and find a good credible travel insurance company. Read all the fine print in that insurance! I strongly advise to plan on your own don't go through an agency.

 

[VernAK]

This web site and it's members sharing helpful experience beats any trip insurance I've ever seen.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I sure wish I had discovered this forum before I booked my failed Caribou hunt. Good luck to you all that are getting out there. Once again do lots of research and find a good credible travel insurance company. Read all the fine print in that insurance! I strongly advise to plan on your own don't go through an agency.

Kyle, any chance you would write up the lessons learned from your trip?

 

[KID]

Kyle, any chance you would write up the lessons learned from your trip?

Lessons learned:
Don't plan a hunt through a booking agency. I'm not blaming them for my shitty luck but there are lots of details that were left out when I arranged my Hunt.

Don't plan a hunt unless you have money to burn in the fire when shit hits the fan.

Talk to the Hunting community in depth. I have really learned that this Forum and others like it, provide people with a wealth of knowledge and opinion. I would have had a much better idea of what I was getting into and what the risks were.

Travel insurance in my limited experience has proven to be exactly what insurance is. A JOKE.
If there is a good one please someone let me know for my future endeavors...

Don't let excitement blind you from obvious red flags.

Pay as late as you possibly can.. maybe then your bank or the credit card company can help you get some money back.

My gear never left the basement... Someday I will try this again but I will be much more prepared.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Lessons learned:
Don't plan a hunt through a booking agency. I'm not blaming them for my shitty luck but there are lots of details that were left out when I arranged my Hunt.

Don't plan a hunt unless you have money to burn in the fire when shit hits the fan.

Talk to the Hunting community in depth. I have really learned that this Forum and others like it, provide people with a wealth of knowledge and opinion. I would have had a much better idea of what I was getting into and what the risks were.

Travel insurance in my limited experience has proven to be exactly what insurance is. A JOKE.
If there is a good one please someone let me know for my future endeavors...

Don't let excitement blind you from obvious red flags.

Pay as late as you possibly can.. maybe then your bank or the credit card company can help you get some money back.

My gear never left the basement... Someday I will try this again but I will be much more prepared.

Damn, sorry to hear about that. Persistence is key. We found out that @Larry Bartlett was 100% correct when he said something along the lines of "Hundred dollar bills make problems disappear like smoke through a keyhole." Not many problems that can't be fixed by throwing more money into they abyss.

Kids are getting Top Ramen in their Christmas stockings this year, but I got my moose! LOL

 

[KID]

Kyle, any chance you would write up the lessons learned from your trip?

I forgot to mention the biggest lesson

LIFE ISN'T FAIR I'm reminded of this everyday.

We're going to be just fine... Lol! Bad luck happens

 

[VernAK]

Something I picked up on years ago and don't believe it's been mentioned on this site. Exam photos of the aircraft [especially Supercubs] that used by your prospective flight service. If the tail numbers are obscured or diminished, I'd be having second thoughts.

 

[ppumil]

Just wanted to chime in. I have a group of three of us that are planning a 2023 caribou hunt. We’ve been researching this for a long time, two of us almost went in 2012 but some life stuff happened and pushed it back. Now we have a third guy and are committed. Starting at the beginning of COVID, I formulated an excel sheet of basically every caribou guide in Alaska I could find online. Called each of them (some didn’t answer so I emailed). It’s a pretty great document breaking down cost, units, dates available, services offered, etc. without exposing the entire list, the top contenders are:
RAM
BRA
Golden Eagle
Arctic Air

After talking with each of these four over the phone, talking to references, and reading here (long time lurker), we think we’ve settled on Golden Eagle. May seem silly to some but this may be a one time trip for us. Cheers everyone and thanks for any input you may have contributed unknowingly.

I think that is great. I did same for a draw hunt in 17A and we had only transporter not behind 2 days this year with the bad weather. I am looking at caribou in the future and would like to see why you made the choice you did. We are thinking a float trip for this one. Any info you have I would appreciate.

 

[ddavis_1313]

If I could make ONE recommendation to all of the guys on here considering future trips - it would be to go over to the thread about potential closures this year in Alaska Units 23 and 26, find the posts that show where you can email comments, and send in an email with your name and address stating that you oppose this action (there are templates within that thread you can use to craft your email).

If that action passes, it puts a serious crimp on areas that non-resident hunters have access to, and could pave the way for actions in other Units in the future. The time is now for us to ensure that our voices are heard on this.

My wife and I are headed to AK next year to caribou out of Kotz. Shoot me the info on who to email and I’ll send it in as well as gave as many friends and family I know to do the same.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[alaska_bou]

Arctic Air is refunding clients who they screwed this 2021 season despite their efforts to push them off to travel insurance. You just have to fight for it.

 

[AKBorn]

My wife and I are headed to AK next year to caribou out of Kotz. Shoot me the info on who to email and I’ll send it in as well as gave as many friends and family I know to do the same.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pretty detailed info on that over in the Unit 23/26 thread.

 

[TheDStein58]

Not much wood to burn up there depending on which part you are in. I hunted near deadhorse two years ago and the only wood was driftwood and not much of it. We rented camp gear from a transport service and they took us up river in an airboat. There were four of us and that seemed to be a good number, we all fit in the airboat and all had good chances to kill a caribou. I believe it was around $2500/person for the transport and camp rental. Which I thought was very reasonable considering the service we received. A good pair of waterproof boots and rain gear are must haves! Good luck!

 

[Alaska2025]

Just wanted to chime in. I have a group of three of us that are planning a 2023 caribou hunt. We’ve been researching this for a long time, two of us almost went in 2012 but some life stuff happened and pushed it back. Now we have a third guy and are committed. Starting at the beginning of COVID, I formulated an excel sheet of basically every caribou guide in Alaska I could find online. Called each of them (some didn’t answer so I emailed). It’s a pretty great document breaking down cost, units, dates available, services offered, etc. without exposing the entire list, the top contenders are:
RAM
BRA
Golden Eagle
Arctic Air

After talking with each of these four over the phone, talking to references, and reading here (long time lurker), we think we’ve settled on Golden Eagle. May seem silly to some but this may be a one time trip for us. Cheers everyone and thanks for any input you may have contributed unknowingly.

Brick, I'm in the process of reaching out to transporters for my father and I's 2024 trip and making my own spreadsheet. Do you mind sharing yours so that I can compare notes?