Dudes that are Alaska Bound this fall.......

[Daniel_M]

I won't be hitting the woods until late August, so if you guys that are traveling north need anything, let me know. I'll have no issue helping out with a ride, gear staging, pointing you in the right direction, last minute purchases ETC. Where to eat, where to sleep, where to find the good beer. Meat processing, taxidermy stuffs, shipping.


I live north of Anchorage in Wasilla, 45 minutes up.

Just lemme know!

 

[j-rod]

Daniel,
VERY VERY VERY cool thing for you to do for folks! Top notch guy in my book!

 

[bbrown]

Hell of an offer - some day hopefully soon I may just have to take you up on this.

 

[colonel00]

Thanks. Saw your offer in the other thread. Very generous indeed. Want to take me up the Haul Road next year I kid. This year I think we are set for our fishing trip and will only be passing through Wasilla in the middle of the night but should plans change I might just take you up on that beer.

 

[Daniel_M]

No worries.

It's a big bite to take just packing up for in state trips, let alone coming form another state! Shit I forget stuff just going 2 hours up the road!

 

[Daniel_M]

Thanks. Saw your offer in the other thread. Very generous indeed. Want to take me up the Haul Road next year I kid. This year I think we are set for our fishing trip and will only be passing through Wasilla in the middle of the night but should plans change I might just take you up on that beer.

Food and Beverage are my specialty!

 

[actionshooter]

Very generous offer!

 

[Ants]

I think I need to take you up on the offer of some information. I am heading up to Anchorage at the end of August and hunting brown bear and moose in September. Recommendations for meals and drinks in Anchorage for the day before and after the hunt would be great. In addition, any suggestions for taxidermy and shipping will be very much appreciated.

 

[Daniel_M]

I think I need to take you up on the offer of some information. I am heading up to Anchorage at the end of August and hunting brown bear and moose in September. Recommendations for meals and drinks in Anchorage for the day before and after the hunt would be great. In addition, any suggestions for taxidermy and shipping will be very much appreciated.

Grub
First and foremost, EVERY stop in Anchorage requires a trip to The Mooses Tooth for the BEST freakin pizza EVER! As a carnivore, I stick with the "Santa's Little Helper" and substitute in Buffalo Chicken. Great beers.

Glacier Brewhouse is legit as hell, great beers.

Sushi is a hit up here....love me some sushi.

No fancy dress required for most places, carhartts and camo is normal affair.

Taxidermists - I can recommend some names I have worked with, but it's up to YOU to check out there work, talk to them and develop a relationship.

Anchorage/Wasilla areas
Dan at The Wildlife Artistry does good work.

Jesse @ Dahlberg's Taxidermy does good work. I've developed a friendship with Jesse and he's done an antler mount and rugged a bear for me, very happy with the work. Turnaround was great, under 5 months on both. Jesse just retired from the Army as a career sniper. Solid dude.

Fur and Feather I have heard does good work.

Fairbanks
PRO Taxidermy
Browtine

Shipping meat - Standard affair is coolers and meat boxes. Or you can have it process here and shipped out.

Glenn's Wild Game is a popular place, nothin' bad to say.

Pioneer Meats in Wasilla - Kickass place, they did a bear for me recently. The slim jims and jalapeno cheddar dogs are WICKED!

Alaska Airlines offers cold storage, you'll hafta contact them for more specifics.

There was a dude with a reefer truck that would freeze meat and roll down to the L48 at "X" amount of points along the road way and drop off meat,hides and antlers. I'l see if I can dig that one back up. Seemed pretty reasonable. Clicky..

If you are flying out some where with an air taxi, be advised that compressed fuel cans were hit hard by the FAA 2 seasons ago, meaning Jetboils/MSR Reactors are generally a no-go. I have like 3 stoves depending on the mood. MSR Whisper lite has served me well, I've filled my fuel bottles straight from a plane once.

Also don't forget the Transfer of Possession forms if the meat leaves YOUR possession.

 

[6t4nova]

Don't forget about humpies in Anchor town!!

Then there's the bush company if your into that

 

[Daniel_M]

Don't forget about humpies in Anchor town!!

Then there's the bush company if your into that

Haha. Yeah Humpies has the bombest nachos in town.

 

[Becca]

Haha. Yeah Humpies has the bombest nachos in town.

Sorry Dan...but these are the bombest nachos in town:

That's moose chorizo sausage there, with all the fixings...

Unfortunately we aren't in town much in the next several months, so I suppose Humpy's will have to do.
Awesome offer you have made Dan, I would love to meet more Roksliders...our schedule during hunting season makes it tricky, but let us know if you get together with folks. We have a few overnights planned at home and would love to meet up!

 

[Daniel_M]

Holdin out on me now eh?? Lol

Lookin good!

 

[TXCO]

Im in anchorage now and leavin tomorrow for a summer bear hunt. Ill be back on sunday and may be lookig for dinner if youre interested. Ill be out of service thought for the time being

 

[Huntr]

Daniel_M,
Thank you for the info and offer of assistance. I will be in Anchorage late on the 3rd and have a couple of days before I head up to Healy. I would be happy to buy dinner if you wil be available.

The offer also stands for any of our other Rokslide members that will be around.

 

[colonel00]

Here is a brief rundown of my upcoming trip in case anyone is planning to be in any of these areas. The first three days I have the girlfriend coming up to get a whirlwind tour of the state. I am trying to get here more into the outdoors and camping but I don't want to burn her out with a long trip.

8/18 - Arrive in Anchorage around 11PM. Will get some supplies and stay in a hotel.
8/19 - Head to Whittier and take the ferry to Valdez. Will hang in Valdez the rest of the day checking out all the stuff around there.
8/20 - Head from Valdez up to Fairbanks stopping along the way to see things. We will camp in Fairbanks that night and I am thinking of camping up at Olnes Pond because I know that place and I have camped there before.
8/21 - Head from Fairbanks back down to Anchorage on the Parks Hwy. Hoping for some decent McKinley viewing on the way and we might do a little hike. That evening she leaves and the boys show up for the fishing trip.

8/22-8/27 we will be fishing on the Parks Hwy and the Gulkana. We don't have exact plans and dates as that will all depend on how the fishing is.
8/28-8/30 we will be hopefully hammering the silvers in Valdez. I say hopefully because last year was such a bust.

Anyway, it any of this syncs up with anyone else's plans, let me know. Always happy to share a beer over some wild fish stories.

 

[Ants]

This is all great information for those Alaska virgins among us (e.g., me). A few more questions that I have for my upcoming trip at the end of August and beginning of September:

(1) what rod/reel set up do you recommend for Silvers? Is a bait feeder reel recommended?
(2) The guy with the refer truck would have been a great option, but his site says no deliveries for 2013. Any alternative recommendations for shipping all that moose meat back or is the over baggage charges with the airlines the best way to go?

 

[Daniel_M]

I'm not much of a bait caster, but I run a 9wt Sage/Lamson combo for Reds and Silvers. Bit heavier on the action but I don't fart around, I'm in it to hook 'em and put 'em a net.

Shipping - De-bone, 50# shipping boxes, big coolers, dry ice. Or have it processed locally and ship it out. My general consensus is that a guy who can afford a trip up here as NR hunter should be able to handle the shipping aspect and it's not cheap! Some guys leave the meat behind and donate it. Definitely have it figured out, you don't wanna be here with your pants down figuring out how to move 500# of meat / antler at the last minute.

All par for the course.

 

[colonel00]

Ants, we always bring fish home on the plane and mail our gear home via USPS. However, this is just for several fish boxes/coolers and not a moose. Some of the airlines have a "air cargo" division but you have to jump through some hoops to become a verified shipper. Several years ago my buddy got a moose and had it shipped home. I will try to find out how he did it specifically but I can tell you that it wasn't cheap. Regardless, Daniel is right, you need to get on this because it will be tough to do in the moment.

As far as a rod/reel setup, we usually just use a medium action rod with a spinning reel. I can get more details from my buddy on how exactly he has them setup as I leave that to him.

 

[Daniel_M]

Yep any medium weight with 30# test line. I fish some fast water so my theory is to go big.