Recommendations for Alaska Dall outfitters?

[DuckDogDr]

Looking for recommendations, and any insight for drawing for tags

Thanks

 

[VernAK]

Matt Snyder for one. He and Mom are permitted for three good areas.

 

[VernAK]

I'd also be talking to Will Kohler at Wrangell Outfitters.

 

[bates]

Jonah Stewart runs a first class operation. No tags to draw.

He now has cabins, lodge, hot shower and sauna at his new base camp. Great food, and outstanding guides.

I’ve had 2 amazing hunts with them. Won’t find a better set up

 

[wildwilderness]

Ultima Thule probably has a better set up than anyone else….

 

[Nick Muche]

Ultima Thule probably has a better set up than anyone else….

And also the longest waiting list in the state! For good reason, though.

 

[mdoolin]

I'll put a vote in for Kokanee Guide Services! My wife and I just returned from a hunt with him this year and we couldn't be more happy with our decision to hunt with him. He only runs a handful of hunters each year and guides all of them himself which was a huge deciding factor for us.

One thing I will mention is we heard a lot of horror stories this fall of a few outfits in the Alaska Range over promising what they were seeing and overbooking. At the same time there were multiple that were extremely transparent and professional canceling their second round of hunters due to low sheep numbers. In those cases hunters were refunded or rescheduled.

I would definitely do your homework calling references and maybe even calling some of the local Air Taxis and troopers to get their opinions. The air taxi guys all seems to know who the good and bad outfitters in the area were.

 

[wind gypsy]

Lots of good info on sheep outfitters in the archives of this forum if you search.

I had a great experience with Jonah Stewart in '19. He runs a tight ship with some great guides and his hunters have been very successful.

 

[wildwilderness]

And also the longest waiting list in the state! For good reason, though.

Probably the highest price tag as well

 

[fatbacks]

Personally I would choose one with a concession in one of the national wildlife refuges (ANWR or Wrangell St Elias Preserve). They will not be competing with other guides in those areas

 

[Fullcry]

Max schwab is now AAO
You won’t go wrong!

 

[Ariettabob]

I’ll second Ryan Augustine, owner of Alaska Adventure Outfitters, Max Schwab’s former outfit. Great people, great area with lots of sheep. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[VernAK]

I'd certainly wait until harvest results for this year are compiled in order to get an idea of where the herds are a bit more robust.

A preliminary look at DCUA is dismal.

 

[DHoover]

I can't speak highly enough of Luke Tyrrell and Tyrrells Trails in the Brooks Range. They are a family operation with a nice lodge and they own 5 airplanes including a float plane. They can also use boats, pack rafts and even 4 wheelers to access different areas. No draw required and they have very little outside pressure. Several on this forum have hunted with them.

 

[Fullcry]

No offense
Personally,I would not rely on harvest reports.
Especially for sheep.Everyone wants to over analyze and beat numbers etc. to death.
You still gotta show up.If it was documented there was a die off or something then I get it.
I never heard anything about COVID killing sheep.
But I do know several guys who canceled or postponed hunts
You can pretty much throw out anything from
2020 as a statistical anomaly.

 

[Nick Muche]

If you are considering the Alaska Range, I'd absolutely be interested in this years Harvest Reports...

 

[KU_Geo]

Couple reports I am hearing from central/west AK range are pretty dismal. Outfitters going sub 25% success.

 

[oenanthe]

No offense
Personally,I would not rely on harvest reports.
Especially for sheep.Everyone wants to over analyze and beat numbers etc. to death.
You still gotta show up.If it was documented there was a die off or something then I get it.
I never heard anything about COVID killing sheep.
But I do know several guys who canceled or postponed hunts
You can pretty much throw out anything from
2020 as a statistical anomaly.

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss harvest reports from 2020. While it is true that a lot of nonresident hunters cancelled trips to Alaska, there were a lot more resident hunters getting out there. I've spoken with several biologists, land managers, pilots, and guides who saw a lot more pressure from resident hunters in 2020 in a number of different mountain ranges.

 

[Heath Hansen]

I went with Mark Rowenhorst and was extremely happy with my hunt. We killed a ram opening morning after going in 5 days early to cover ground and find sheep. He is a small outfit and doesn’t take many clients. This year he went 2 for 2 on sheep.

 

[Thunder]

I can't speak highly enough of Luke Tyrrell and Tyrrells Trails in the Brooks Range. They are a family operation with a nice lodge and they own 5 airplanes including a float plane. They can also use boats, pack rafts and even 4 wheelers to access different areas. No draw required and they have very little outside pressure. Several on this forum have hunted with them.

Very little outside pressure? See ya next year Luke!

- resident hunter