| WHAT TO HUNT AND WHERE: Alaska is a
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| | best way to find a reliable guide is by
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| hunter's paradise. Hunting here can
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| | references.
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| provide the full scope of experiences-
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| | AIRCRAFT CHARTERS:
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| from caribou to deer and moose, from
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| | Many hunters choose an air charter
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| grizzly and brown bears to wolves, from
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| | service to fly in to prime hunting areas
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| Dall sheep and mountain goats to muskox,
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| | to hunt these species. The air charter
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| from waterfowl to ptarmigan and several
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| | operator is licensed by the state to
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| grouse species.
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| | charge for flying hunters and their game
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| Diverse Alaska geographic areas offer
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| | meat. The drop-off hunt is less expensive
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| adventure for everyone, give us various
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| | than a guided or outfitted hunt because
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| choices:
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| | the air charter takes care of
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| Interior Alaska. From mountains and
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| | transportation and may throw in some
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| rolling hills, river valleys covered with
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| | planning tips. The hunter provides all of
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| forests to the vast spaces of treeless
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| | the camp gear and performs all other
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| tundra at higher altitudes and in the far
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| | functions on his own. Before you contract
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| north. Temperaure varies greatly
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| | with an air charter operator, you should
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| throughout the year, from -50 Celsius
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| | have a clear understanding of the costs
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| (-58 Fahrenheit) in the winter months to
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| | of services and know exactly which
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| +30 Celsius (+86 Fahrenheit) during
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| | services to expect. Prices and services
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| summers. There are just a few highways in
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| | vary considerably. Air charter operators
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| the interior part of Alaska. Most of the
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| | may charge a flat rate or by the hour for
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| area can only be reached by plane, boat
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| | flight time. When calculating costs on an
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| or by foot. Summer is warm but short.
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| | hourly rate, you have to take into
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| Climate and landscape conditions provide
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| | account "dead-head" time, the time a
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| variety of big game: moose and cariboo,
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| | pilot spends flying back to base after
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| Dall sheep in the mountains, some wild
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| | dropping you off and the time spent
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| bison, muskox in the arctic Alaska,
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| | flying out to pick you up. Again, be sure
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| wolves, black and grizzly bears,
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| | to ask whether the package includes
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| waterfowl, some grouse and ptarmigan .
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| | flying out the meat and antlers. Some
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| Southeast (the narrow and long part
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| | package deals also include being checked
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| between the Pacific ocean and Canada).
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| | on at least once during the hunt to bring
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| Consists of mainland and many treed
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| | out game or move you if you haven't been
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| mountainous islands along the coast. The
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| | successful. The cost of air charters also
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| main hunting trophies here are brown and
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| | depends on the size of the plane and the
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| black bears, moose and mountain goats,
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| | number of hunters sharing the cost. Make
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| black-tailed deer and wolves . Guided
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| | sure you explain the number of hunters in
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| hunting is done mostly by boat, the most
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| | your group and the amount of gear you
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| popular hunting spots are on the islands
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| | will have. There are two ways to go - you
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| in the central part of the area.
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| | can pick a specific site and ask the
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| South and Southwest (to the south and
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| | pilot to take you there, or you can
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| west of the Yukon river). Mountainous
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| | choose a general area and ask the pilot
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| inland with many rivers and lakes, ragged
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| | for a good hunting spot within that area.
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| coastal line dotted with numerous
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| | When planning your trip, keep the weather
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| islands. The region offers a wide variety
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| | condition in mind. Besides making your
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| of game: deer, Dall sheep, caribou,
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| | hunting miserable, poor weather may
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| moose, wolves, wolverine, brown and black
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| | disrupt your flying plans. Allow time on
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| bear, waterfowl, grouse species.
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| | both ends of your schedule for weather
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| ALASKA GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS:
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| | disruptions - how much time depends on
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| If you hunt in a general season, which is
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| | the normal frequency of bad weather for
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| open to an unlimited number of hunters,
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| | the area at that time of year. Ask the
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| you will need a harvest ticket. Harvest
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| | air charter operator for references. You
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| tickets are available at no cost where
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| | can search online for licenced
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| hunting licenses are sold. Non-residents
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| | transporters in your area. Check also
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| are required to have a big game tag for
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| | this extensive list of Alaska Aircraft
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| the species they are hunting. Some remote
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| | Charters, Bush Pilots, Air Taxis.
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| rural areas may not have licenses
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| | FIREARMS: State law prohibits the
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| available or the vendor may run out of
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| | following:
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| harvest tickets. Be sure to purchase your
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| | Fully automatic firearms
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| license, game tags, and pick up harvest
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| | Rifles with a barrel less than 16"
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| tickets before you leave home or a
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| | Shotguns with a barrel less than 18",
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| population center. When a population of
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| | Rifles or shotguns less than 26" in total
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| animals is too small and/or the potential
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| | length
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| number of hunters too large to allow a
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| | Rifles, shotguns and handguns are legal
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| general season or a registration hunt,
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| | for hunting in Alaska. Rimfire cartridges
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| the Department may offer drawing permits.
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| | generally maybe used only for small game.
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| A Drawing Permit Hunt Supplement is
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| | You can read this informative article on
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| published every May. The drawing for
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| | how to choose a Firearm, Cartridge and
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| permit hunts is held in early summer, and
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| | Bullet.
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| everyone who applies will be notified of
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| | WEATHER: Alaskan summers are cool, the
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| the results by mail or can locate the
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| | average temperature is +14 deg.C (58 F)
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| results on the Alaska Department of Fish
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| | in summer and -12 deg.C (11 F) in winter
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| and Game's website. The Supplement
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| | but it can vary greatly between different
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| contains all of the drawing hunts by
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| | regions of the state. Winters are cold
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| number for all big game species. Most of
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| | and dark. Early spring can be cold, but
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| the drawing permit hunts are open to both
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| | often days warm to above freezing with a
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| resident and nonresident hunters. A
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| | lot of sunshine. It receives midnight
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| hunter may apply for three drawing permit
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| | sunshine during the part of summer and
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| hunts for each species. A fee is charged
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| | goes into 24-hour darkness during the
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| for each separate hunt. You can pick up a
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| | part of winter. Summers are the wettest
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| Supplement at any Fish and Game office,
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| | time of the year, south regions are well
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| on the website, or at license vendors.
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| | known for their dampness. You can check
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| Hunting permit applications and forms can
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| | next week weather forecast for Anchorage
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| be downloaded off the Internet and
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| | here.
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| printed out. You can also purchase
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| | GETTING THERE: You can fly to Anchorage
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| hunting licences, duck stamps, big game
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| | direct or one-stop from most major US
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| tags online, print them at home and you
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| | cities. From there Alaska Aircraft
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| may go hunting or trapping right away.
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| | Charters, Bush Pilots, Air Taxis will
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| Complete Alaska Hunting Regulations Guide
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| | help you to explore America's greatest
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| can be found here. The basic non-resident
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| | playground. Many small villages and towns
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| hunting licence costs $85 plus some extra
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| | have all weather airports and served
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| fees for big game tags.
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| | daily by small air carriers.
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| HUNTING GUIDES:
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| | LODGING: Depending on your preferences it
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| Nonresidents may hunt moose, caribou,
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| | can be a small camping tent or a
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| deer, and black bear without a guide.
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| | luxurious hunting lodge with all modern
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| Hunters who are not Alaska residents must
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| | conveniences and comfort. There are also
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| beaccompanied by a registered Alaskan
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| | some primitive cabins for private use
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| guide or they must hunt with close
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| | maintained by government. These can
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| relatives within the second-degree of
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| | accomodate 4 to 8 people, cost from $20
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| kindred who are Alaska residents when
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| | to $50 (USD) per night and have to be
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| hunting brown or grizzly bears, Dall
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| | reserved in advance, ususally- a month.
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| sheep or mountain goats. You can search
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| | You need to contact the proper agency
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| online for licenced big game guides in
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| | directly to book a cabin.
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| your area. The best guides deliver 80-100
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| | TRAVEL TIPS: Northern weather can be
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| percent for most big game species. In
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| | unpredictable. Consider taking with you
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| addition, guides are familiar with their
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| | and wearing multiple layers of clothes in
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| areas and possess equipment that the
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| | response to a wide variety of
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| average hunter might not care to purchase
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| | temperatures and weather conditions.
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| for one time use. However, a guide's
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| | Obtain detailed maps of the area
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| knowledge, experience and equipment do
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| | beforehand. Do not forget to pack
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| not come cheaply. Although figures vary
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| | first-aid and survival kits as well as
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| from guide to guide, expect to spend
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| | bear repellents. Be sure you check
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| $8,000-$12,000 for a brown/grizzly bear
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| | available information, understand all the
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| hunt, $4,000-$6,000 for a sheep hunt and
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| | guidelines for hunting in Alaska before
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| $1,500-$3,000 for a goat hunt. Moose and
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| | you leave home.
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| caribou are often part of a mixed-bag
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| | We wish you a successful and safe trip!
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| hunt and prices vary considerably. The
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