Tok Air Canceling trips for 2021?

[Bambistew]

I got a letter from Zach at Tok Air stating that the NPS pulled his permit to fly hunters into the preserve for 2021. I'd especially be worried if I had a sheep hunt booked, because you're now going to be hunting somewhere else, likey with someone else. He'll likely just blame the other transporters/outfitters for dropping people off before you.

The letter is pretty funny, blaming the NPS for his situation. The hunters who "didn't even press charges" and a rouge young trooper who are all out to get him for obstructing a hunt. The NPS has the capacity to pull a permit pending a criminal trial, but they also state he has, and I quote "most complaints of any transporter since 2015" in the park and preserve. But his letter states that everyone is out to get him and are attacking hunters using the preserve.

Good luck on your hunts if you have one booked with him, you'll need it.

 

[AKBorn]

I was wondering if anything was happening with this....thanks for the update Ivan.

 

[wildwilderness]

I know a guy who has a flight booked with him, but I don’t think it’s in the preserve. Interesting to see what happens this season.

 

[Nick Muche]

You can still go bird watching with him in the preserve.

 

[VernAK]

Long expected!

 

[Panhandler80]

 

[mooster]

thx 4 the update

 

[Beendare]

You can still go bird watching with him in the preserve.

Nick, I like the way you think-

-

 

[Broomd]

Don't know anything about 'Zach' or TA, and I wouldn't even begin to defend whats going on there, but many (not all) of the NPS are Creeps with a capital "C"....ask me how I know. As a former property owner down on the Nebesna Road and many trips in the Wrangels I became very aware of their playbook.

I'll never forget when they took tracked equipment/backhoe many miles into the sensitive Suslota Creek trail area to literally BURY a dead cow moose. Why?
Suspect that it was to discourage bear and wolf hunting near that site.

My family had several hunts blown by the NPS pilot out harassing hunters and sheep. If we would have had smartphones back then I would recorded and sought legal remedy, their bullsh t was epic.

Sorry for the sidetrack, but it may have merit in any case....

 

[Kevin Dill]

The only preserve(ing) I’m interested in is my relationship with a good pilot who is emotionally stable and avoids conflict.

 

[Salmonchaser]

What Kevin said.

 

[Clarktar]

The only preserve(ing) I’m interested in is my relationship with a good pilot who is emotionally stable and avoids conflict.

Well said Kevin. To be honest I have found selecting a pilot to be one of the biggest challenges in planning out my AK life.

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[Salmonchaser]

I’m on floats or tundra tires a couple days a week. Been very happy over the last twenty years with the three pilots I’ve used. Been a couple of “interesting” landings over the years but those were related to factors other than the guy on the stick.

 

[alaska_bou]

I know he blocked a remote landing strip last fall for his own use. Very unethical to say the least.

 

[USMC-40]

I was the hunter he harassed this last season. Lines were crossed. PM me for further details, I posted in the other thread on this topic.

 

[Thunder]

I was the hunter he harassed this last season. Lines were crossed. PM me for further details, I posted in the other thread on this topic.

You're not the only one that's for sure.

Where's all the Tok Air Fan Boyz at? Dexter? Will? Stid? Crickets....

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I’m around, but it’s hiking season and been out so not as active in here. And I guess I could be called a fanboy as I did say, if I am recalling correct, that I had no idea what did or didn’t happen, wasn’t there and only heard what folks said in this forum, but saddened me and sure hoped it was a mistake since he’d never been anything but stellar in my dealings with him.

Quiet as a cricket or loud as thunder, I’m always through here at least every once and a while and never scared to share an opinion. That said, the kind of behavior described is absolutely unacceptable. Bad behaviors afield affect us all too. Commercial guys/gals and hunters alike, we should all be respectful toward one another, and do our best to avoid conflicts as these type of events help no one but those wanting more regulations, tree hugging antis, and whatever category folks are that want to ban land usage except by those who live within certain boundaries.

***And in no way insinuating the hunter and folks in their party did anything wrong whatsoever—again, wasn’t there and know nothing about the incident—only saying what folks do, if sensational enough to make the news and repeated forums discussions, affects more than just the culprits and aggrieved parties. Our various forum boards are both a blessing and a curse at times. They provide such a great sounding board to share information, help those looking for it, give us all plenty of opportunity to geek out over gear and gun lists during long parts of the year waiting for hunting seasons to open. Great opportunities for brothers to help fellow brothers and share in the fellowship that stems from shared passions. Sadly, they also provide an opportunity for those just looking for a chance to tell someone off or try to show the world just how specially-smart there are by telling off folks that might ask What appears a silly or already asked question.

End of the day, absolutely call out assholz for the bullshit, but be decent human beings to fellow brothers.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

You're not the only one that's for sure.

Where's all the Tok Air Fan Boyz at? Dexter? Will? Stid? Crickets....

Which one of the Tok air haters created a burner account just to stir shit up?

lots of haters, but very few of them have even flown with the man!

I report on the interactions I’ve had with Tok air and they’ve been nothing but spectacular!

Tok air says they will not be cancelling any hunts for 2021.

Just booked with them for bou 2022!

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Dexter, I second that. I have personal hunts planned with Zack for 2023 and 2024. He's always done what he's promised for me and people I've referred. Hell his situation is only known by the few who were involved. Frankly they are the only ones qualified to make any statement.

You can also bet that he'll learn, adapt or fail trying as a result of this issue. But he's a qualified bush pilot who knows the Wrangells and the Fortymile country well and has demonstrated safe skillsets and decision making in my presence. I'm still trusting.

 

[alaskanparret]

Well being a long time observer here, I feel I have enough to voice an opinion here.

Having flown with both outfits I can say they both run solid operations. Both have their quirks but nothing bad here or there. The feud between the two is apparent and in my opinion is just dragging them both through the mud.

Flying with 40 mile I overheard the muttering so of the crew talking about having seen Zak and nothing good. Zak has voiced some of the conflict but has never expanded upon it which says something. When shuttling us back to Tok one time, Zak had his 185 parked at Northway only to come back in the cub to find dog crap atop his wings. Two sides to every story. Like I said. Both names are getting dragged through the mud.

40mile is always booked so Zak doing his own thing not a bad thing. Wether he uses 40 miles strips is unknown to me. I knows they share a few major airstrips. Everywhere Zak has dropped me off, I have never seen another plane so who knows.

The downside is this allows prices to sky rocket, which I’m not happy about. When I first flew out with Zak it was 1800 for your out and back for moose and an extra 995 if you shot one. Sub 3k for moose heaven. Now at 10k a trip, well I’ll be buying my own cub and learning ha.

One other downside I see is the competition for resources. Between these two outfits, guides, etc the 40 mile country gets real small.

I would not hesitate to get in a cub with zak. Being a pilot myself, I am amazed where and what he does with a cub. Fan boy? Call it what you want, but Zak has had nothing but good personable interactions with me.


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