2023 Haul Road Caribou Hunt

[JBWinter]

I've been archery hunting the haul road for the last couple of years and have been successful in both years.

• I go up there for a week in the first half of August.
• I've experienced 60f sunny weather down to 20f and snow at that time of year, and so far, the bugs haven't been nasty.
• I've had my license and tags checked once by the feds.
• Most of the caribou I've seen killed were east of the road.
• We car camped on pull-outs by the road and just day hunted off the road.
• The tundra is bad but not super bad, and a typical day hunting for me up there is about 6 miles.
• Be ready to belly crawl a lot. There's minimal cover and trust the camo.
• Try to position yourself on a migration path and be patient

It's beautiful up there, and I highly recommend it to experience the emptiness
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Really appreciate the response on this! That gives me some more to work with! Are there many pull outs that you can get to, or are they very few and far between? do you prefer early august for numbers of animals or timing of movement, or is it just a timeframe that has worked for you. We are kinda set on those dates given other things going on. Hopeful those September dates aren't too late. Is it possible to go to late and miss out on the animals moving through all together?

Thanks again for the info! Im excited for the experience and will follow up on here when we are back from our trip!

 

[KingGus]

Really appreciate the response on this! That gives me some more to work with! Are there many pull outs that you can get to, or are they very few and far between? do you prefer early august for numbers of animals or timing of movement, or is it just a timeframe that has worked for you. We are kinda set on those dates given other things going on. Hopeful those September dates aren't too late. Is it possible to go to late and miss out on the animals moving through all together?

Thanks again for the info! Im excited for the experience and will follow up on here when we are back from our trip!

Not a problem. There are quite a few pullouts, but they are popular. Whatever you don't block any pipeline gates. Sometimes you'll have company at a pullout, especially the bigger ones. Early August is a bit of a sweet spot for me with weather, bugs, caribou, and schedule, but there are plenty of folks on here who prefer later. I think you can miss the big herds but your timing should be fine and there are a few resident animals that will stay there year-round.

Good luck!

 

[Mangata]

Fly in and float out!!!

 

[danwolf]

Fly in and float out!!!

At this point most places that fly in are booked, unless they have a cancelation.

 

[Hayduke541]

I have done it twice and never saw caribou past the 5 mile mark either time. You kind of have to go in blind and hope they will move through. Both times we had very nice bulls stand broadside at 15 yards next to our basecamp tent and just off the road. Maybe pick up a bow....

The hike is a PITA no other way around it. Study sat and topo maps and you may find a few ridge lines or very old road scars running perpendicular to the pipe. 5 miles is not far but you can't really imagine it till you have done it.

Aside from hunting up there I spent a fair amount of time working around the pump stations. In August you will probably still have to contend with bugs. Don't forget the deet and I would wear a head net. I killed a caribou in the AK range in August and the little black flies chewed me up so bad I couldn't see through my own blood running down my forehead to cut meat. The weather could dip into the 20s or even lower but most likely 30s overnight and 50-60 in the day.

Bring the extra tires and fuel. This is an industrial road to service the pipe and oilfield. There are virtually 0 services. You can get gas in Deadhorse. Show respect to the trucks and having a CB to communicate is not an awful idea. Bring a flyrod and gold beadheaded nymphs. You can tease grayling out of just about any moving water.

 

[Mangata]

At this point most places that fly in are booked, unless they have a cancelation.

I suspected as much.
Have done that hunt twice flying in and floating out and it is such a great trip!
5 miles of tundra each direction seems like a form of punishment…

 

[danwolf]

I suspected as much.
Have done that hunt twice flying in and floating out and it is such a great trip!
5 miles of tundra each direction seems like a form of punishment…

I'm bringing a bow

 

[Mangata]

All good.
i just love the water based hunting trips. My caribou were shot while I was fishing for arctic char. I can still vividly remember this huge rack appearing to bounce above the tundra, crossed the river right below where I was fishing with my rifle in tow. Swapped fly rod for rifle and collected a beautiful double shovel velvet bull without moving more than 5 feet. Was able to float the raft down from camp when we left & load game bags from 25 yds away. Good times !!!

 

[7mm-08]

My son and I successfully archery hunted for caribou in the Brooks Range in 2012 and 2013 when Deltana was still allowing self-guided caribou hunters to book with them and use their transporter out of Happy Valley for the air travel. I can't necessarily contribute to the Haul Road experience, but having spent 10 days in that country twice, I can give an equipment suggestion, which I hope is constructive. We hunted the first week of August both years and if we had neglected to bring head nets and wear clothes the mosquitos couldn't bite through, we'd have been miserable. I have a photo somewhere my son took of more than 150 mosquitos on the back of my shirt at one time. Head nets are light - wad one up and put it in your hat and wear one. Warnings about the tundra and the possibility of an injury carrying a load are also legit.

 

[HoneyDew]

@YellCoAR @KingGus @Hayduke541 Hopefully this is helpful to the OP and the other guys making the drive for the first time. Can anyone give me more feedback on the parking situation on the haul road? I’m curious if pullouts are the only place you can park or is the shoulder big enough to park other places? I’m also wondering about vehicle security. Both from passing trucks/vehicles and from theft. If we’re planning on doing the 5 mile death hike and then camping back there for 3-5 days any special instructions for leaving the vehicle? It’s a personal vehicle with AK plates not a rental if it makes any difference. I appreciate everyone that’s contributed to the topic.

 

[YellCoAR]

I would not think people messing with your rig would be much of a concern. As long as you pull off the road and don't block any pipe line gates. Most hunters would not mess with anything left out in the open. I did good to carry my gear much less anyone else stuff. The only people up there are hunters, road workers, and truck drivers. None of which are there to steal from you. Sure I guess it could happen, but it was not a worry of mine. There a lot of places to pull off the road also.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

just keeping the loop tight:

Dalton Highway closures planned at Koyukuk River bridge for emergency repairs

Damaged bridge will be closed from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. daily for two weeks starting June 21

www.newsminer.com