Caribou Fly in Hunt

[Bakerthrive]

Just starting my research into planning a Caribou DIY Fly in Hunt. Anyone have any advice or forums to point me to as to choosing an air service or region to hunt out of?

 

[soggybtmboys]

It all depends on how much time you have, your budget, type of hunt you want? You looking for guided, semi guided, DIY? Start pairing it down a little more and therr is a ton of help here.

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[Trial153]

Do a search on here. Its been hashed over 20 times you will find a lot of information.

 

[Bakerthrive]

It all depends on how much time you have, your budget, type of hunt you want? You looking for guided, semi guided, DIY? Start pairing it down a little more and therr is a ton of help here.

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DIY. unguided. Budget is 6-7 grand.

Hoping to do the "fly in front of the herd" hunts.

I also love backcountry fishing.

 

[soggybtmboys]

DIY. unguided. Budget is 6-7 grand.

Hoping to do the "fly in front of the herd" hunts.

I also love backcountry fishing.

You can do the north slope if you'd like. Lots of grayling fishing up there, can be feast or famine on caribou. Alot of migration depends on weather.

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[Doc Holliday]

You could go hunt from Kavik. $350/night

http://www.kavikrivercamp.com/Hunting---Fishing.html

 

[AKBorn]

DIY. unguided. Budget is 6-7 grand.

Hoping to do the "fly in front of the herd" hunts.

I also love backcountry fishing.

You should be able to do a good caribou hunt for that budget, provided that number does not include any taxidermy costs...

FYI on the "fly in front of the herd" aspect - there are a number of caribou herds in different parts of Alaska; many are not as large as in the 1990s, when people hunting the Mulchatna herd in southwest Alaska might see thousands of caribou, and the limit was 5 bulls per non-resident hunter.

Caribou are finicky and unpredictable, and apt to change their mind (and their direction) on a moment's notice. I've done a lot of moose and caribou flyout hunts over the past 15 years; on some 6-day hunts we saw hundreds of caribou, and on some hunts we saw a few dozen. Weather can play a factor and totally disrupt how and where they move. Some years I've been fortunate to shoot really nice bulls; in a couple of years I shot a meat bull and felt very fortunate to get that.

Good luck, and hope you're able to line up a transporter - that's getting to be more of a challenge each year.

 

[Kevin Dill]

One of these days I'm going to begin compiling a list (of pilots, transporters, air taxis, etc) and then on to a spreadsheet detailing moose, caribou, GMU(s), comparative cost, and a few other things. It's not like there are a thousand transporters flying hunters to remote bush camps....more like several dozen we're actually interested in.

And yes, demand for diy caribou is out-pacing the supply of transporters with available openings going to good hunting areas. But it's not like the backcountry is just one huge airstrip either. Even if there were more pilots it doesn't mean they would have places to land and drop hunters into good caribou.

Caribou flights are now costing more than I used to pay for moose 8 years ago. Pilots are turning down customers with money to spend, and you can be 100% assured that prices are gong to rise steadily.....perhaps even dramatically as pilots find they can bump prices a thousand dollars and still remain booked tight. All I can advise is to beat the bushes hard for information on transporters and find a good one. Lock in a price and book it soon. You may have to sit a couple years, but at least you're going.

 

[VernAK]

You can all relax as I don't have many more years to fly-in so there will be one slot open ......

 

[Kevin Dill]

Vern....auction or raffle to get the slot?

To the OP: I'd recommend the Fortymile region for a great caribou hunt. The terrain is far more interesting than the slope (north of the Brooks) and there are typically plenty of resident caribou in the region as summer wanes. Probably the biggest issue is a short list of transporters servicing the area and it can be pretty rugged at higher elevations. I've personally found caribou and sheep living at the same elevation above treeline. Beautiful place to hunt.

 

[robie]

Vern....auction or raffle to get the slot?

HAHA. Could you imagine the bidding of people offering to take first timers with them on a 40MileAir trip.


OP I was in your position and got extremely lucky and got a spot with 40MileAir, but there are plenty of guys on here that have been trying for multiple years to get a spot with no luck. TOK Air services will charge you a pretty penny but is a way you can get a spot.

 

[Kevin Dill]

HAHA. Could you imagine the bidding of people offering to take first timers with them on a 40MileAir trip.

I've sometimes idly wondered what would happen if I said I had an opening for one guy to go with me to my moose camp......

 

[robie]

I've sometimes idly wondered what would happen if I said I had an opening for one guy to go with me to my moose camp......

You would fill it very quickly to anyone aware of how hard it is to become a returning customer.

 

[Bakerthrive]

That's what I've heard. The returning customer magic. My buddy tried to book with 40 mile. Called them the second the booking window came open with multiple phones. Finally got through and got told everything was booked within minutes. Sounds like some sort of weird Comic book convention phenomenon.

 

[AKBorn]

I am sure i will need a hunt partners sometime in the future, just not sure when. A couple of my previous hunt partners want to go again, but after that I'll be seeking a hunt partner.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I've noticed that a lot of moose camps stay occupied by repeat hunters. Maybe a guy goes back every year, or every other year. The bottom line is he's hunting and he has preference with the transporter. "Book me next year"....or "I'm skipping next year but put me down for 2020". Done.

Caribou camps seem to be a bit different. I don't read much about guys going back year after year to fly in for caribou at their favorite camp. Caribou are obviously great animals living in wonderful places. It's interesting to see pilots selling caribou hunts as a consolation or introductory hunt....a way for guys to get a foot in the plane so to speak.

I'm just permanently booked annually for moose. I remember when getting a plane lined up for caribou was no big deal. I still know a couple guys who fly casually but don't advertise and really prefer to NOT get too busy with hunters. They make a little money on the side and still have time to enjoy the season themselves.

 

[robie]

I am sure i will need a hunt partners sometime in the future, just not sure when. A couple of my previous hunt partners want to go again, but after that I'll be seeking a hunt partner.

I'd hunt with you! Not many people on here that have done it as many times as you have.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Guess I'm just gonna have to learn how to fly and move to Alaska

 

[AGdent07]

This is a bucket list hunt for me and my buddies. Thanks for all the input provided here.

 

[aheider]

On my bucket list as well....