New to This - Any/All Help

[austinphps]

Hey guys,

As the title states, my dad and I are just in the beginning stages of planning a bou hunt in 2019. I figure we need to do this hunt before the old man gets too old, and this appears to be one of the cheaper hunts to do in Alaska. And when I say beginning, I mean it. I just printed off the reg book, and some information so I have a lot to read/learn on my own, but just looking for some general pointers.

I think overall we would like to do a 7-10 day hunt. Tack on another 4 days for travel to and from Alaska. My thinking is, stay in the interior like the Nelchina or 40 Mile herd or the Mulchatna herd area given the distance to those areas. Looking to do a drop camp, and the goal is to walk away with a trophy from this hunt. Trophy for me is a bull in general, doesn't have to be the biggest/baddest.

Any advice, on just how to narrow down where and what herd you hunt? Once you get that, you start looking for transporters? Does best time to go depend on the herd/area?

For anyone that has done a hunt for one of the herds mentioned can you point me to who you used for transporting? Or can you point me to a herd to look closer at?

Average cost we are looking at per person?

Just looking for generalities, but PM if you want.

Appreciate the help.

 

[adventure907]

Nelchina herd is out, it is generally residents only. Mulchatna herd has been dead for quite a long time, although the herd is starting to come back. Look North young man....

 

[austinphps]

Look North young man....

Words to live by. Thanks Adventure.

Like I said, I have plenty of research to do on my own, but glad I asked. Didn't know that Nelchina was res only or that Mulchatna was bad numbers (map i printed off has that heard at 30k).

 

[Wolf-killer]

Im going with Brooks Range Aviation this year in August, going with a friend that has gone with them 4 times already and had success every time. I know BRA will put you were the caribou are.
Here is the costs I got so far.
Airfare from states to Fairbanks and back home $800
Wright air service- Fairbanks to Bettles and back $310
BRA Transport Fee $2500 I think that is what I was told
Caribou & Wolf Lic $495 but that doubled after Jan 1

 

[Doc Holliday]

Since you are just beginning and not too far down any road, you may want to check out Mountain Caribou hunts in Canada.....

 

[austinphps]

Im going with Brooks Range Aviation this year in August, going with a friend that has gone with them 4 times already and had success every time. I know BRA will put you were the caribou are.
Here is the costs I got so far.
Airfare from states to Fairbanks and back home $800
Wright air service- Fairbanks to Bettles and back $310
BRA Transport Fee $2500 I think that is what I was told
Caribou & Wolf Lic $495 but that doubled after Jan 1

Thanks Wolf; from reading the posts in this forum BRA seems to have good reputation. Appreciate a rough estimate on price.

Doc - thanks, I will definitely check them out. I just figured Alaska would be less hassle, given I am a US citizen, but is negotiating Canada and the rules/regs about the same as going to AK from the lower 48?

 

[Kotaman]

Im going with Brooks Range Aviation this year in August, going with a friend that has gone with them 4 times already and had success every time. I know BRA will put you were the caribou are.
Here is the costs I got so far.
Airfare from states to Fairbanks and back home $800
Wright air service- Fairbanks to Bettles and back $310
BRA Transport Fee $2500 I think that is what I was told
Caribou & Wolf Lic $495 but that doubled after Jan 1

BRA does not always "put you where the caribou are"...I speak from experience. Three of us were dropped last fall by BRA and did not see a bull caribou. We hiked SEVERAL miles each day every direction possible. We were not the only unsuccessful group either. With that said, I think BRA is a pretty decent option and for the most part, do what they say they will do and they are good people. Just don't go in thinking it is a slam dunk. The only downside I see with BRA is that they take a TON of people and sometimes there isn't room for everyone "where the caribou are"...

 

[adventure907]

I can vouch for BRA. Jay and Judy are great people and they run a very safe operation.

 

[Wolf-killer]

BRA does not always "put you where the caribou are"...I speak from experience. Three of us were dropped last fall by BRA and did not see a bull caribou. We hiked SEVERAL miles each day every direction possible. We were not the only unsuccessful group either. With that said, I think BRA is a pretty decent option and for the most part, do what they say they will do and they are good people. Just don't go in thinking it is a slam dunk. The only downside I see with BRA is that they take a TON of people and sometimes there isn't room for everyone "where the caribou are"...

Thats called hunting, I never said it was a guarantee. There may have been caribou there before you got there and they moved out of there. Did you ask to be moved to a diff location. I know they will do there best to put you on them.

 

[Nick Muche]

Thats called hunting, I never said it was a guarantee. There may have been caribou there before you got there and they moved out of there. Did you ask to be moved to a diff location. I know they will do there best to put you on them.

Kota knows how to hunt, he was merely offering up his experience.

 

[Wolf-killer]

Kota knows how to hunt, he was merely offering up his experience.

I didn't say he doesn't know how to hunt


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[Nick Muche]

You're right, you didn't, my apologies.

With Caribou, there is no way to know, even with the best transporters in the world. I've hunted twice with what some consider to be the worst up there and have had incredible hunts.

 

[Wolf-killer]

You're right, you didn't, my apologies.

With Caribou, there is no way to know, even with the best transporters in the world. I've hunted twice with what some consider to be the worst up there and have had incredible hunts.

Totally agree


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[Gunnersdad49]

Look into the porcupine herd, it has been growing the last few years.

 

[Stid2677]

I would look hard at the 40 mile area. The central arctic herd is in decline and just had a rules change in the last few days.


BOG Report - Central Arctic Herd changes to seasons and bag limits

I recommend 40 mile air, a cub hunt is worth it for the ride alone. Plan on about 3k each.

Pricing – Contracts

 

[mmcneil]

I researched for almost 2 years and talked to numerous guides, air transporters and many hunters. I decided on the 40 mile herd with 40 mile air. There cost is around $3000, that's on par with most reputable outfits. They do book up quick, I was one the phone with them at 8am on call in day and got our trip booked for this August.

 

[power54]

I hunted with BRA last year and our group saw a lot of animals, like a whole lot of animals. We went 4 for 4 and everyone we talked with in Bettles tagged out as well. I assume it's luck of the draw to some degree but we had a great hunt. We figured about $5500/person total when all was said and done. If I was doing another Alaskan caribou hunt, I would go with BRA.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I think the first thing to acknowledge is that...caribou being caribou...you can roll snake-eyes in any area with any transporter. It's part of the deal with caribou. I've experienced hunts where caribou were almost impossible to find for days on end, and I've seen them so plentiful it was storybook hunting. I once killed a bull and before I could go find him a herd of caribou walked toward me. I stood on a rock and watched as probably 400 animals enveloped me and walked past on both sides. I probably had 20 bulls so close I could've touched them with my longbow. My hunting partner saw the whole thing. 'Feast Or Famine' had to be created by a caribou hunter of old.

I like the Fortymile region for its terrain, accessibility and cost. It's rugged country and you'd better be in some kind of shape. (Round is a shape, but not the correct one.) Most hunts will be ridge tops, passes or higher plateaus. You won't have competition from road warriors or other pilots. You can fly to Fairbanks and in some cases from there into caribou camp. Or you might need ground transportation a few hours to Tok, Delta, Chicken or wherever your pilot wants you to meet.

$800 commercial airline
$900 license and tags
$250 hotels both ends
$200 probable car rental both ends
$75 sat phone rental
$100 restaurant meals
$2000-$3500 bush flight
$0-$700 backhaul caribou
$? meat handling, storage, processing and transport home.
$? trophy handling, prep and transport home.

These are the per-man costs. You can save a few dollars here and there but some of it is unavoidably pricey. Don't book with anyone who hasn't been doing this at least 5 years with excellent references. Even better is to know someone (well) who has been their customer and gives you a 100% good-to-go rating.

 

[realunlucky]

I'll add bring plenty extra cash to fix any unseen dramas. Visa doesn't help you to much out there and besides every Alaskan I've ever met has a soft spot in thier hearts for 100 dollar bills.

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[cnelk]

Yep. Cash in Alaska is the 'Universal Visa'