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