Brooks Aviation 2021 Caribou Hunt

[Shooter2medic]

Hey I’ll does anybody have any experience with Brooks Range Aviation? I’m looking to book a late August caribou hunt in 2021 with them. We are trying to decide on a drop camp or a float hunt down the Nigu. From the sounds of it they only do one or two float trips a year. Mainly just due to the logistics of a float trip. They said they have about a 90% success rate out of their drop camps. Just wondering how their service went. Did you pick your drop area? Did you run into other hunters?
When you found caribou, how far did you have to go to pack them out?
I have read all of the float hunt post and for me that is how I would like to do it.
Thanks all for the great forum.

 

[adventure907]

I would highly recommend BRA. There are many shady transporters/outfitters in Alaska that will take your money and leave a bad taste in your mouth, but BRA is not one of them and about as good as they come as far as transporters go.

 

[Thess87]

There a transporter so they legally can’t pick an area for you. They are Great people. As far as how far. That’s up to you we’ve had them run through camp and we’ve went on a couple mile death march to get in front of them.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

BRA is great, could be better with comms but great people and great service. My next hunt with them will probably be a Nigu float!

 

[Shooter2medic]

BRA is great, could be better with comms but great people and great service. My next hunt with them will probably be a Nigu float!

Please let me know how that goes.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Please let me know how that goes.

It wont be for a while.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

I appreciate the intel as well and the starting of this thread. I have also looked at BRA and wondered what the reviews were like. Seemed really good on the phone and they also emphasized that they were "transporters" and not outfitters/guides

 

[mtnwrunner]

Plus one on Brooks Range Aviation. They were great on a DIY dall sheep hunt in the gates of the artic.
Slept in their hanger for a couple of days.
P.S.----don't buy beer in Bettles. It was like 28 bucks for a six pack.

Randy

 

[Northwestalaska]

Bettles is a really great spot for a transporter because they sit smack dab in the middle of lots of good hunting units. we send 1-2 groups of hunters out of Bettles every year and we also outfit floaters for Noatak NationalPark and the famed Kobuk River.

Now the down side....Getting in and out of Bettles is super pricy and you need to understand to get to Bettles happened through Fairbanks and only Wright Flying services Bettles so they charge a butt load for seat fare and cargo is worse. Wright Flying charges $1.80 a pound in and out of Bettles and seat fare is $385 as well. We use Northern Air Cargo for our gear going to Kotzebue and we pay $1.35 a pound up and $.37 coming back. Seat fare on Alaska Air is about $350 round trip to Kotz as well with 2 flights a day.

Brooks Range runs a good operation so you wont got wrong but get ready to the sticker shock!

Walt

This photo is a Bettles hunt

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Plus one on Brooks Range Aviation. They were great on a DIY dall sheep hunt in the gates of the artic.
Slept in their hanger for a couple of days.
P.S.----don't buy beer in Bettles. It was like 28 bucks for a six pack.

Randy

What year did you do your sheep hunt?

 

[rayporter]

had a float lined up with them in 08. my bud had a stroke and i had to find a partner. almost went solo cause no one wanted a very cheap trip.

anyhow they lost or rented out my gear, and lied about it. told me to go look in the hanger for my frame and oars. i found a kid working in the hanger and he said ' yep, i put it right over there"
over booked or something cause we went out a day late and a lot of guys were late going out.

after the kid told them the gear came in they let me rent their frame and oars-how nice of them.
they would not admit it, all my problem.
got flew in late the next day which put a crimp in our time schedule. just snotty as they could be about it.

 

[mtnwrunner]

What year did you do your sheep hunt?

We did it in 2010.

Randy

 

[Ono]

Plus 1 on BRA, we flew with them in 2019. Had animals run through camp and did some hiking. Getting in and out of Bettles with Wrights was spendy. If we did it again we would drive up the haul road with a uhaul. Feel free to shoot me a pm with questions.

 

[Northwestalaska]

The flight from Fairbanks to Bettles is about $385 but the shipping is what kills you. Wright Air is the only option so they charge $1.80 a pound up and back. Look at it this way..200 pounds of gear up and back will set you back about $700 but that moose you now have to get back will run you about $1600 and then you have to get it home on top of that....We do a few trips out of Bettles but I always point out the extra $$. Brooks Range has a perfect location to hit so many good GMUs and that is huge....Perfect location but need a bigger check book!

The attached photo is a Bettles area Bou from 2 years ago...Great bull