First Caribou hunt with Arctic Air - 2025

[daveinohio]

At least you saw a caribou even if it was from the air. Where we were dropped last year we watched trucks driving the Red Dog Mine road. Needless to say we saw no caribou on our “wilderness” hunt. Gary is a crook.

 

[FAAFO]

The reason these places stay in business is because timing is everything for caribou. I believe all that was posted but I bet you the majority of their clients will harvest bou this fall. All it would have took is one group of bulls to turn your hunt from a nightmare to the best hunt ever. I’ve seen it play out so many times.

I like blakees307 perspective. I like it a lot. At the end of the day it’s hunting and caribou are the least predictable out of all the ungulates.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

seems to be a thing the last few years, maybe its not worth coming up for caribou hunting. i havent hunted the haul road but i am going to assume its going to turn into a major zoo in the next few years with the other caribou herds having a tough time. people think its a guarantee up here and its anything but that. Like FAAFO said, its always a nightmare until 1 or 2 come by camp and turn things around. I am sure most people would not be pist off if they shot a caribou even if they could see 4 other camps within a mile of them.

 

[arctichunting]

I just returned from my hunt (camping trip) with Arctic Air/Unguided Alaska. This hunt is a overbooked factory money scam, Gary and Corey switched they're operation to Fairbanks due to the bad weather in Kotzebue. Prior to us leaving Corey called and said Kotzebue is less than 50% success and moving to Fairbanks is in our favor as the the test groups are 100% success. The truth is Kotzebue is on the coast and the weather is to unpredictable, and they fall behind getting hunters in the field. The switch to Fairbanks was dumped on a another aviation company. The pilots were great and straight shooters, saying the amount hunters Artic Air books is beyond insane. Neither Gary or Corey have flown out in the Brooks mountain range to preview where to put hunters. I was delayed getting in the field 2 days and once in the field I was put on gravel pennisula where two rivers came together. The rivers are big rivers that are impassable even with waders, the area was extremly thick moose country river bottom NOT the TUNDRA. BARREN GROUND CARIBOU live on the BARREN TUNDRA. I never saw a wild animal for a WEEK and they told us to sit on the gravel run way that where the caribou cross. There wasn't even old tracks or droppings. I went for hike to try and make my own luck walked the river bank for over a mile still never saw a caribou track or a animal. When I was picked up and returning to Fairbanks there was hundreds on caribou 15 miles from on the BARREN TUNDRA. I asked why we placed there. The pilots said theres no where for them to land there THEY HAVE NEVER DONE CARIBOU DROP HUNTS until ARCTIC AIR called them amid the choas in Kotzebue and doesn't want keep rolling over hunts and not make money. The pilot said they still have 150 more hunters to bring in. I spoke to the guys that went in when I went in they were also put in moose valley river bottoms. A group of 6 guys got one the first day they could hunt. Caribou stumbled in, never saw another. A group of 3 guys sat 16 hours a day, they had 3 yearling bulls walk in the day they were waiting to be picked up. No other groups saw or got anything. The groups that could see the tundra 20 miles away saw caribou in spotting scopes. We all made contact with each after we came out. All agreed it was a waste, of hard earned money, and time, complete joke not what a true caribou hunt we signed up and paid for. Alaska is expensive, hotel if delayed a day $400 a night, flights, meat shipping etc.... plan on $10,000. If I was to do it again go to haul road, or call a independent aviation company ask them to fly you to where they have seen caribou. Aviation companies charge $1250 a hour, so 1.5 hour is actually 3 for round trip, cost $3750 not $6000 of what Arctic Air is charging. The only positive thing I can say is the camping rental is good equipment and decent food. Althought I had PBJ and never was given bread or tortillas. The aviation company admitted they ran out of places to land and put hunters and had them camping on remote refueling runway, they had to hunt from the runway. BE AWARE DO NOT BOOK just trying to save others from being taken advantage by being promised they re dream hunt

Word on the street is that the move to FAI was a suggestion by the air taxi/transporter to Gary. Said success would be better over there. I think Guys in kotz have been doing pretty well since the weather cleared about the day after Gary left.

Either way sucks you spent all that money for a skunk outing. I’ve said it before that this is the reality of most caribou hunts in AK anymore with the closed lands.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zig4648]

I agree with Cata94 they’re are great transporters out of Fairbanks for Caribou. AAO moving they’re operation there mid season expecting the prime landing area for caribou is no not reasonable. I will clarify Arctic Air doesn’t offer drop caribou hunts out of Fairbanks until 8/22. They re was definitely guys with other transporters getting caribou

 

[Zig4648]

There are plenty of caribou hunts that have launched from Fairbanks for years. However, most are already full of hunters with transporters that always work from FB. AAO suddenly deciding to take their clients to 25A was a problem from the start because of this. It’s not like good areas weren’t already being used and were just waiting on AAO.
I’m sorry this happened to you and I know from experience what it was like.
I encourage you to read through your contract and decide if they broke it. If so, start talking to them about making it right.

They’re are caribou hunts out of Fairbanks and many good transporters. This thread is tile first hunt with Arctic Air, I’m only commenting on Arctic Air specifically

 

[Slugz]

I just returned from my hunt (camping trip) with Arctic Air/Unguided Alaska. This hunt is a overbooked factory money scam, Gary and Corey switched they're operation to Fairbanks due to the bad weather in Kotzebue. Prior to us leaving Corey called and said Kotzebue is less than 50% success and moving to Fairbanks is in our favor as the the test groups are 100% success. The truth is Kotzebue is on the coast and the weather is to unpredictable, and they fall behind getting hunters in the field. The switch to Fairbanks was dumped on a another aviation company. The pilots were great and straight shooters, saying the amount hunters Artic Air books is beyond insane. Neither Gary or Corey have flown out in the Brooks mountain range to preview where to put hunters. I was delayed getting in the field 2 days and once in the field I was put on gravel pennisula where two rivers came together. The rivers are big rivers that are impassable even with waders, the area was extremly thick moose country river bottom NOT the TUNDRA. BARREN GROUND CARIBOU live on the BARREN TUNDRA. I never saw a wild animal for a WEEK and they told us to sit on the gravel run way that where the caribou cross. There wasn't even old tracks or droppings. I went for hike to try and make my own luck walked the river bank for over a mile still never saw a caribou track or a animal. When I was picked up and returning to Fairbanks there was hundreds on caribou 15 miles from on the BARREN TUNDRA. I asked why we placed there. The pilots said theres no where for them to land there THEY HAVE NEVER DONE CARIBOU DROP HUNTS until ARCTIC AIR called them amid the choas in Kotzebue and doesn't want keep rolling over hunts and not make money. The pilot said they still have 150 more hunters to bring in. I spoke to the guys that went in when I went in they were also put in moose valley river bottoms. A group of 6 guys got one the first day they could hunt. Caribou stumbled in, never saw another. A group of 3 guys sat 16 hours a day, they had 3 yearling bulls walk in the day they were waiting to be picked up. No other groups saw or got anything. The groups that could see the tundra 20 miles away saw caribou in spotting scopes. We all made contact with each after we came out. All agreed it was a waste, of hard earned money, and time, complete joke not what a true caribou hunt we signed up and paid for. Alaska is expensive, hotel if delayed a day $400 a night, flights, meat shipping etc.... plan on $10,000. If I was to do it again go to haul road, or call a independent aviation company ask them to fly you to where they have seen caribou. Aviation companies charge $1250 a hour, so 1.5 hour is actually 3 for round trip, cost $3750 not $6000 of what Arctic Air is charging. The only positive thing I can say is the camping rental is good equipment and decent food. Althought I had PBJ and never was given bread or tortillas. The aviation company admitted they ran out of places to land and put hunters and had them camping on remote refueling runway, they had to hunt from the runway. BE AWARE DO NOT BOOK just trying to save others from being taken advantage by being promised they re dream hunt

What aviation company did they use?

 

[Koozer]

A group of guys are booked for Sept 25' through Artic Air out of Kotzebue, and they have one spot open and asked if I wanted to go. After reading this, I'm definitely on the fence about it. Yes, it obviously hunting. But I expect to have at least an opportunity at what I'm hunting.

Also, what is a guy looking at for being able to navigate/walk the tundra?? How well are bad knees going to hold up

 

[406flyfish]

Exactly why I didn’t choose this outfit.

 

[jrh357]

I’d be interested to hear how your trip goes

 

[Zig4648]

Blue River aviation is who they used in Fairbanks. In short Arctic Air/Unguided Alaska over book hunts, instead of providing good quality hunts to hunters, in quality hunting spots. They taken on a large amount of clients, to maximize profits. The Bottom line as even the pilots will tell you there’s only so many Caribou hunting spots they can land in the Brooks range. You may get lucky rolling the dice and get one of those spots, or get stuck on a Brooks range camping trip. For $10,000 hunt that’s a big gamble. They push getting hunting insurance which is another red flag that they can’t fill full what there selling. There’s a reason reputable hunting companies are booked several years ahead

 

[Natekraft]

That is hard to hear. I am scheduled with Arctic Air into Fairbanks this coming Thursday. Heard the same story about better success with the change into Fairbanks. They have our money, not sure how much we can get back through our trip insurance if we bail. 2.5 days to decide.

Did you end up going on the hunt or try and use your trip insurance. We are booked for Aug 25 and just trying to decide if I can put insurance on this trip, get some money back and bail for something else.

 

[TX338]

Natekraft,
We did go and hunt. Sent you a pm.

 

[TX338]

Natekraft,
We did go and hunt.

 

[EricBender208]

Natekraft,
We did go and hunt.

I’d be interested in how your experience went too.

 

[TX338]

I’d be interested in how your experience went too.

Write up of our experience can be found here:

2024 Alaskan Drop Camp Caribou

This is a write up of my first Alaskan caribou drop camp experience in September of 2024. I booked this hunt with Arctic Air in early 2021 for 2023. I was not a Rokslider at the time and no one in my circle had ever done this kind of hunt, so I used a booking agent’s recommendation to book with...

rokslide.com

 

[JBivens]

We went in with Gary in 24. First Week, I believe 1st group.

The bad.

We landed. Weather was perfect. We had everything weighed and wanted to fly out. If "felt' that Gary would not take us out so we could benefit the locals via hotels and resturants. Very frustrating. Then we got weathered in for 3 days, so we had more time to stay at the hotel and eat breakfast at the hospital. Once we got a window...

It was not well organized at all. Waited on pilots to get to Kotz for 2 days so they could fly us in. They never had the right pilot/plane combination so certain planes never flew. Bins were a mess, didn't have the ingredients they they said they had ( all Jelly/no peanut butter, ect...). Tents were old, had holes to let in bugs...

All that being said... they dropped us were they thought we would have the best odds. 4 hunters for 9 days, no caribou were ever in danger of being shot. Saw 5 caribou the whole trip. NOT THIER FAULT.

When I go again, I will not go week one. The longer you wait, the more data they would have. The farther into the Northslope you go, the more tea like the rivers are , so no fishing.