By
Robert R. Fithian
Alaska derives its name from Aleut
language translation meaning The Great Land. It is a place
like no other. A place so spellbinding in greatness that once you
have tasted of her fruit, your entire person will never be able to
leave; a place of which comparisons will always be made, but will
never be matched.
Imagine the state
of Colorado. The center of the state is approximately 1,500 miles
west of the eastern coast of the United States, 800 miles east of
the western coast, 650 miles south of the northern border with
Canada and 475 miles north of the southern border with Mexico. Now
enlarge its total area by nearly six times. Next we will stretch its
borders so that the furthest most East and West points of the
landscape reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific seacoasts, then the
North and South points into Canada and Mexico. Surround eighty
percent of this land mass with two oceans and two seas, eighteen
hundred islands and nearly fifty thousand miles of salt water
shoreline. Install over three million lakes, three thousand rivers,
thirty-nine mountain ranges and five thousand glaciers.
Include into this
picture eighty active volcanoes, one hundred thirty million acres of
forest, seemingly endless millions of acres of rolling tundra
covered hills, plains and Arctic desert. Fourteen species of big
game, over four hundred species of birds, nineteen species of
furbearers, twenty species of sport fish and at least twenty
species of marine mammals. Next, take Colorado’s human population of
nearly four and a half million and reduce it to six hundred twenty
thousand and spread it thinly over this land mass. Now you will
start to perceive an image of what Alaska is like.
Almost a virtual
sub continent in itself, the vast habitats of this great land offer
sportsmen what many feel as the greatest hunting opportunities in
the world. Alaska’s first hunters probably migrated from Asia and
crossed a land bridge that connected Siberia to Alaska. Today,
Alaska is separated from Siberia’s Chukchi Peninsula by the Shallow
Bering Strait, fifty six miles wide at its narrowest point. Alaska’s
three main native groups, Aleut, Eskimo and Indian are descendents
of those early Asian hunters.
There is much to
be said and respected of these people’s prowess to live and often
prosper in such an extreme climatic environment. Sometime during the
1740’s Russian fur merchants began to arrive to The Great
Land. With them came the maladies of disease and alcohol for
which the Natives had little immunity. Their prowess as hunters
also betrayed them, as in the case of the coastal Aleuts. The
Siberian fur traders would hold the families as hostages while the
men were forced to hunt sea otters for ransom. Estimates during the
mid 1700’s by the Russians indicated that the Aleut population in
Alaska was between twelve and fifteen thousand. By 1800 it had
dwindled to two thousand or less.
On July 16, 1741,
the Russian explorer Vitus Bering claimed Alaska for Russia. Russia
capitalized on the bountiful harvest opportunity that existed in
Alaska for valuable furs, especially sea otters. To the Chinese,
who provided the strong market for fur, the sea otter was the most
sought after because its dense and luxurious qualities. By the end
of the 1700’s, a single prime sea otter skin could be worth three
years income for the average sailor. The secret of The Great Land
eventually leaked out. By the early 1800’s, Alaska had undergone at
least 200 exploratory and commercial voyages conducted by American,
British, French Spanish and Russian based vessels.
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Russian settlement
and interest in Alaska waned as the sea otter became more and more
scarce. There were few explorations made into the interior regions
and those that took place were fraught with disaster or showed
little promise of valuable resources. The Crimean war of 1853-1855,
left Russia humiliated and unable to efficiently fund a
non-resourceful continuation of settlements in Russian America.
Subsequently, in 1866, Tsar Alexander II sent an ambassador to
Washington DC to negotiate the sale of Russian America to the United
States. Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase
and on March 30th 1867, under the terms of the Treaty of
Cession, the United States purchased Alaska for 7.2 million dollars
or about two cents per acre. Little did anyone realize at that time
what treasures lay hidden within the confines of The Great Land.
Today, the
populations of most wildlife species are much greater than they were
a century ago. The natural predator prey ratio had held the moose
caribou and sheep populations over much of Alaska at very low
levels. It was not until the discovery of gold in the interior,
western and arctic regions of Alaska and the subsequent knowledge of
predator control that the moose, caribou and sheep populations were
able to expand prolifically into all of the regions that provide
prime habitat for them. Few moose inhabited the major interior
portion of the state during the 1800’s. When the rare tracks of a
moose were found during wintertime, they often were followed for
days until the moose was harvested. After the harvest, the whole
village would sometimes move to the harvest site for subsistence.
The prolific
populations of Alaska’s wildlife resources that we have seen for the
past several decades have been the direct result of man influencing
management of them on the sustained yield principle.
Multitudes of
geographical eco systems provide a wide variety of habitats for
Alaska’s wildlife. Species include Alaskan brown bear, polar bear,
grizzly bear, black bear, Dall’s sheep, Alaska-Yukon moose, barren
ground caribou, Rocky Mountain goat, American bison, musk ox,
Roosevelt elk, Sitka black-tailed deer, Pacific walrus, wolf and
wolverine. Hunting is allowed for all species except the polar bear
and walrus due to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which
stopped all sport hunting of these animals in Alaska.
It is a
misconception that hunters coming to Alaska should focus on one
particular species per hunt. There are habitats that offer
outstanding opportunity for one or two species. There are also
habitats that provide great opportunity for up to seven species of
big game. Each guide specializes in what his area can produce for
the best rewards to his clients. Whether you are interested in a
single species trophy hunt or a unique multiple species safari, this
great land holds the unanswered dreams of generations of hunters
deep within her rugged confines.
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The most recent
official records of North American big game available from the Boone
and Crockett Club show that Alaska hosts the largest brown bears in
the world. Six of the top ten grizzlies ever recorded, including the
world record, came from Alaska. Eight of the ten largest Dall’s
sheep ever recorded including the world record came from Alaska. All
of the top ten Alaska Yukon moose and the top ten barren ground
caribou came from Alaska. Five of the top ten Rocky Mountain Goats
recorded and nine of the top ten Sitka black-tailed deer came from
Alaska. Further review of these records indicates that during the
past ten years there have been numerous changes to these standings
with new animals being entered in several species. There was quite
possibly a new world record Alaska-Yukon moose harvested this past
fall on the Alaska Peninsula. With a spread of eighty inches, it is
pending an official panel measuring which is to be conducted during
April of 2004.
All of this is
not to say that if you hunt in Alaska you will see world record big
game. What it does indicate is that Alaska is a premier hunting
destination with outstanding superlative characteristics. Alaska is
nearly equidistant from Europe, Japan and the east coast of the US
and is easily accessed by a multitude of commercial carriers.
The State or
Federal Government own eighty-eight percent of Alaska’s three
hundred sixty five million acre land base. Alaska Native
Corporations own nearly twelve percent while less than one third of
one percent of Alaska is owned by individuals. The various federal
and state government land owners manage the land and habitats while
the wildlife is managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game or
the Federal Subsistence Board.
In a unique
state constitutional mandate, the fish and wildlife populations of
Alaska belong to the people of the state. Regulations are developed
from one of the most democratic public processes of wildlife
management of any state or country. The Alaska Board of Game
consists of seven members appointed by the governor and approved by
the legislature. There are eighty-one local fish and game advisory
committees each of which represent a different geographical area.
Any individual or group can propose a change to a hunting
regulation. The Department of Fish and Game provides the biology
and the Board of Game considers every proposal in a rotating
geographical circuit of meetings. The public and the advisory
committees have the ability to comment to the Board of Game on any
proposal.
Alaska hunting
regulations are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game at
http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/wildmain.htm or may be
requested by phone at 907-257-2137.
Alaska has a
guide-required law that requires non-resident hunters to secure the
services of a licensed big game guide to hunt brown bear, grizzly
bear, Dall’s sheep and mountain goat. There is an allowance that
provides for any non-resident US citizen within the second degree of
kinship of an eighteen year old or older
Alaska resident to hunt these
species without a guide as long as the relative accompanies them in
the field. Non-US citizens must secure a licensed registered or
master guide to hunt any species. A guide is not required for
non-residents to hunt moose, caribou, black bear, bison, musk ox,
deer and elk
Self guided and
drop off hunts in Alaska usually include the services of a licensed
transporter to provide transportation to the desired hunting area.
It is important to understand that a licensed transporter can only
provide transportation services. A transporter may not provide ATVs,
boats, pack animals, fuel, camping, hunting, game processing
equipment, bear bait or stations, or any hunting services such as
glassing, guiding, packing or cleaning of game.
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Guided hunts for
any species offer a much higher success rate than transported or
do-it-yourself hunts. Alaska is full of geographical and climatical
conditions that challenge even the most capable of hunters. In
addition Alaska has complex hunting, land use authorization, and
meat salvage regulations that are strictly enforced. Wanton waste of
big game meat is a serious offence. One hundred percent of the
edible portions of the meat of any meat animal must be retrieved
from the field prior to the antlers or horns leaving the kill site.
Harvest of a moose or bison, miles from an access point will
require several days of backbreaking labor to retrieve the meat and
trophy from the field. It is not possible for everyone to afford a
guided hunt. If you do come to Alaska on an unguided hunt taking
extra time for research and planning will improve your opportunity
for success.
A list of
licensed big game guides and transporters is available from the
State Department of Occupational Licensing at
http://www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/GuiUseReg.cfm or phone
907-465-2543. You can also contact The Alaska Professional Hunter’s
Association Inc. and request a list of their professional members.
This venerable organization has been the voice of the professional
guide industry in Alaska for over 30 years. For the most part when a
guide becomes a member of the APHA he does so because he is
concerned enough about the quality of experience and conservation
aspects of his business that he is willing to spend money to help
promote those concerns. A list of their Professional Members can be
obtained at
http://www.alaskaprohunter.org or by phone at 907-522-3221.
If you are
considering hunting in Alaska, there is a three-part adage that
represents the primary aspects of having a successful hunt. The
first of these requires you to have a heartfelt level of
appreciation, respect and patience for the people, the country and
the wildlife that you will be spending time with. The second
requires you to be physically able to access the habitat the animals
live in. The third requires you to be well familiarized with your
weapon of choice and to be able to shoot efficiently.
There has been
a steady deterioration of the physical ability of sportsmen
worldwide. This factor, probably more than any other, will influence
the outcome of your hunt. We have to face the fact that in many
cases our jobs and lifestyle have made our lives more comfortable
which results in our inability to access the habitats as we should
be able to. The hills, mountains, brush and tundra have not gotten
any easier to access and Alaska provides some of the toughest
terrain in the world to negotiate. It is every hunter’s
responsibility to be in as good of shape as he or she can be for any
Alaskan hunt. Most hunts utilize a spot and stalk approach to each
day of hunting. The actual work comes when you are accessing
vantage points to glass from, the stalks and retrieval of the
successes of your efforts.
Choosing your
professional guide is nearly as important as the three points just
discussed. One of the most important steps is for you to search
yourself to find what it is that you are realistically looking for
from your hunt. Then search for a guide who offers services that
provide for your goals. Ask him if your goals are realistic.
Hopefully,
your goal is to enjoy the quality of experience factors, in a fair
chase environment that offers the chance to harvest a mature animal
of the species you are seeking.
The best way to
find out about a guide or transporter service is to do a thorough
job of contacting his client references. Several should be from the
previous season and can provide you with the highlights and
lowlights of their experience with the guide. A few good questions
to ask are, how many years has he been operating from the same
location he plans on hosting you and what has been his success over
those years. How many clients were in the same camp before, during
and after the recommended hunt dates the previous year as well as
how many is he booking for the period you are interested in. How
many of last years clients were successful in their hunt? How many
were unsuccessful? Are they on his reference list? Compare the
results of these inquiries with what the guide advocated.
Understand that a guide can not please every hunter with his
services. People’s desires and abilities vary tremendously.
Remember that a successful hunt does not always include the harvest
of an animal. There are many factors that relate to having a
successful hunt, and they should not be limited to just the harvest
equation. Quality of the experience, animals seen but not
harvested, camaraderie in the field, new friendships gained and a
greater reverence for conservation are just a few of those factors.
This is why we
use the term hunting and not killing.
. Be sure to
ask your potential host how physically demanding his hunts are. Ask
how far you will have to walk daily and in what kind of terrain. If
it sounds like a hunt you can handle then develop a conditioning
program and schedule that will accommodate your ability to access
the country when you arrive for your hunt. Nearly all of the
opportune habitats for visiting hunters require fly in or boat
access. The road system in Alaska is limited and habitats that lie
within its reach are generally impacted by resident hunters.
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Mountain ranges
in Alaska vary significantly in geographical dimension. For the
mountain hunter this may be a important consideration. Some ranges
such as the Chugach and the Wrangells are much more rugged than the
Brooks or Alaska Range. If you are getting up in years or pounds
this may be an important consideration.
For management
purposes Alaska is divided up into twenty six Game Management Units
or GMUs. In reality there are six major geographical areas that
provide habitats and climate unique to those areas independently.
These are Southeast, Southcentral/Gulf Coast, Interior, Northern
Arctic, Western/Bering Sea coast and the Alaska Peninsula. The
following descriptions will give you some insight into each of these
areas
Southeast
includes the Coastal Range Mountains and affiliated archipelago
known as the Alaska Panhandle. Over five hundred miles long, hosting
tall glacier scarred peaks and rugged valleys, massive ice fields
and more than one thousand islands this is some of the most
incredible land and seascapes in the world. GMUs one through five
are represented in this area. Brown bear, black bear, mountain
goat, Sitka black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk and wolf reside in this coastal rainforest environment. Most hunts
are accessed by some form of boat transportation. Hubs for
commercial travel to and from this area include
Juneau,
Sitka, Ketchikan,
Petersburg and Wrangell and
Yakutat.
This area is
well known for its boat based brown bear, black bear and mountain
goat hunting. There are many guides who offer quality hunts for
even the most discriminate sportsmen. At nearly seventeen million
acres Tongass National Forest is the largest forest under the
authority of the US Forest Service and lies within this area.
Black bear
hunting is exceptional here and there are healthy populations found
throughout the region with the exception of Admiralty, Baranof,
Chichagof and Kruzof islands. The Yakutat district (GMU5) is well
known for its population of the rare glacier bear which is a blue
colored phase of the black bear. This area also has a huntable
population of moose.
Southcentral/Gulf
Coast region curves 650
miles north and west of southeast Alaska including the Kodiak
archipelago and Kenai Peninsula. It encompasses the coastal
maritime climate of the Gulf Coast, Kodiak,
Prince William Sound and the
Kenai Peninsula as well as the beginning of the colder climate of
the interior regions. Major mountain ranges include the mighty
Chugach Mountains of the coastal area, the Talkeetna Mountains of
Southcentral, the Eastern flanks of the Alaska Range and the mighty
Wrangell St. Elias Range that separates Alaska from Canada. This
rugged region provides the Wrangell St. Elias National Park and
Preserve with well over thirteen million acres. It is five and a
half times larger than Yellowstone and represents the largest
National Park in North America. The Chugach, Wrangell, and St. Elias
ranges all meet here in what is often referred to as the “mountain
kingdom of North America”. All of Alaska’s
huntable big game species are well represented in this area with the
exception of musk ox. This region includes GMUs
6,7,8,11,12,13,14,15 and 16.
Only rivaled by
the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak and Afognak Islands (GMU8) have what
all other bear habitats hope for; the largest bears in the world.
These rugged brush and timber clad hills entwined with numerous long
fiords and bountiful salmon bearing rivers truly represent the best
brown bear hunting to be found anywhere. Reports of over one hundred
different bears sighted during one hunt are not uncommon over the
past several years. Development and implementation of a long term
brown bear management plan with an affiliated drawing permit process
has provided for record population densities, with numerous record
book candidate bears harvested annually. Kodiak and affiliated
islands also offer some of Alaska’s best Sitka black tailed deer
hunting with a three deer limit for most of the area. Additionally,
Afognak Island offers Roosevelt elk hunting opportunities through
both drawing and registration permit hunts.
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Other
outstanding brown bear populations and hunting opportunities exist
on the West side of Cook Inlet in GMU16 as well as the Gulf Coast in
GMU6. The Boone and Crockett Club uses a geographical line to
separate the Alaska brown bear, Ursus arctos middendorffi
from its counterpart the grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis. The
theory of this design is to distinguish brown bears from the smaller
sized grizzly bear by their access to anadromous fish which provide
a high protein rich diet and larger growth opportunity. Except for
the Eastern slope of the Wrangell Mountains all of the brown bears
in this region are classified as brown bears.
Hunting
opportunities vary greatly according to the habitats. Much of the
coastal and portions of the interior of this region lends itself
well to brown bear hunts. Except for the Kodiak archipelago, black
bear is opportune in all of the brown bear habitats. Dall’s sheep,
mountain goat, moose, wolf and wolverine are prevalent in much of
this region. Caribou hunting is open to non-residents by over the
counter tag only in GMU 16 and through a drawing permit program in
GMU15. The entire region offers spring brown bear hunting. During
the fall hunting seasons, sportsmen can choose according to their
personal interest a single species hunt for any one of the resident
animals or a multiple species hunt in numerous habitats that
provides for that opportunity as well.
Anchorage sits
as the center hub of access to this region. Commercial and charter
flights from Anchorage are available to all maintained airfield
destinations in this region.
Interior
Alaska represents the heartbeat
or central portion of The Great Land including the majestic
northern reaches of the Alaska Range and the eastern
flanks of the Brooks Range. North America’s highest mountain,
“Denali” and the majestic Denali National Park and Preserve lie
within this region. Much of the interior is represented by major
river systems which include the mid Yukon, upper Kuskokwim, Tanana,
Porcupine and Koyukuk to name a few. In the northern and western portions of the interior,
immense boreal and taiga forests of spruce, birch and cottonwood
gives way to shrubs, grasses and the treeless tundra. The
Arctic Circle which is the latitude
where the sun does not set for one day at the summer solstice and
does not rise for one day at the winter solstice passes through the
northern part of the interior. The climate is semi-arid and
receives about twelve inches of precipitation annually.
Significant
populations of grizzly, moose, caribou, black bear, wolf and
wolverine reside throughout this region. Dall’s sheep are found in
the Alaska and Brooks mountain ranges and huntable populations of
bison are found in the Delta Junction and Farewell sub-regions. GMUs
19,20,21,24 and 25 are found within the Interior region of Alaska.
The alpine portions of the Interior lend themselves well to spring
grizzly and black bear hunts. Fall hunting habitats include river,
tundra or mountains and not uncommonly all three. Once again, the
eco systems vary significantly and each provide for huntable
populations of one to seven species of big game. Some of the common
jumping off points for the Interior includes Fairbanks, McGrath,
Bettles, and Delta Junction.
Northern/Arctic
Alaska holds the vision we
have for the homeland of the Inupiat Eskimo. A region of unsurpassed
mountainous beauty and arid arctic desert; a land of climatic
challenges that allow only the strong and the sane to reap of her
bounty; a place of unmatched solitude and idyll beauty. The
northern portion of the Brook’s Range provides a very unique
opportunity to hunt and experience this beautiful region. Hunting
opportunities exists for grizzly, Dall’s sheep, moose, caribou, wolf
and wolverine. Winter comes early in this region and termination
dust starts accumulating usually by late August. For hunting in
September, be sure to be prepared to stay extra time until the
weather will allow for transportation. The grizzlies of this region
are one of North America’s most unknown trophies, the tundra
grizzly. Not recognized as a sub species but an uncommon and
beautiful specimen of the Ursus arctos horribilis family. These
bears are small in size for grizzlies and color phases vary somewhat
but are usually blond with shades of brown. GMUs 23 and 26 are found
here. A significant portion of the four hundred fifty thousand
caribou of the Western Arctic herd as well as the Porcupine herd
inhabit this region. The bag limits on caribou in this region can
vary from two to six animals depending on the sub unit. Access
points for the Northern Arctic include Barrow, Kotzebue, Deadhorse,
Fairbanks and Bettles.
Western/Bering
Sea Coast region is that
area south of the Arctic Circle to the Alaska Peninsula. It
includes the Seward Peninsula, Norton Sound, the Yukon–Kuskokwim
River Delta as well as the northwest portion of Bristol Bay. South of Norton Sound lies the homeland of the Yupik Eskimo or
“Koniag” people, whose culture is closely related to the coastal
Aleuts. Huge expanses of tundra covered hills and plains encompass
this land of landscapes like no other. Also the city of
Nome, which is known for its colorful
gold mining heritage as well as the final destination point of the
Iditarod dog sled race, is found here. Hunting opportunities exist
for moose, caribou, grizzly, brown bear, muskox, black bear, wolf
and wolverine in this region which includes GMUs 17, 18 and 22. The
62nd parallel of latitude lies within this area which is
used to distinguish brown bears from grizzly bears and subsequently
you will find that many of the grizzlies listed in the record books
come from the portion of this region north of that line. North of
the Yukon River the caribou bag limits are very liberal and further south you will find
the well known Mulchatna River herd. This
entire region lends itself well to spring bear hunts. Excellent
opportunities exist here as well for fall single or multiple species
hunts for moose, caribou and brown bear. A very unique hunt for
muskox on Nunivak Island is allowed through a drawing permit system.
Nome, Bethel and Dillingham represent
the main access hubs.
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The
Alaska Peninsula separates the Pacific Ocean from the Bering
sea for nearly five hundred miles before turning into the Aleutian
Island chain which continues for another one thousand miles. Some
of the most breathtaking scenery in the world exists in this region
sometimes referred to as the “Arc of Fire” for its substantial
volcanic activity. Over fifty volcanoes are found here and least
forty of them have erupted since 1700. Primarily a mountainous
region, the entire Pacific side rises right up from salt water while
the Bering side has tundra covered foothills and steppes. This
region is truly a sportsman’s paradise. Some of the best hunting and
fishing opportunities in the world are harbored here. Brown bear,
moose, caribou, wolf and wolverine inhabit this habitat rich region
which includes most of GMU 9 and all of GMU 10. Katmai National Park and Preserve is
found here as well as the famous McNeil River Sanctuary where the
largest concentration of brown bears in the world congregate to
fish. Over one hundred brown bears have been viewed at this
incredible place in one day. Transportation hubs for the Alaska
Peninsula include King Salmon, Cold Bay, and Illiamna.
On a
conservation side note, the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and
Denali National Park and Preserve were
both established by the lobbying efforts of hunters. McNeil River by the former Alaskan
guide Slim Moore, who petitioned the Alaska Board of Game for many
years for the establishment of this unique place. His work paid off
in 1975 with the establishment of the now famous sanctuary. Slim
was also the first recipient of the coveted Simon–Waugh Award which
is an award presented occasionally to outstanding professional
guides by the Alaska Professional Hunters Association. It was
Charles Sheldon, hunter, naturalist, author and the Chairman of the
Boone and Crockett Club’s Records Committee that led the effort to
convince the US Congress to establish McKinley National Park in
1917. The point here is that it was hunter’s efforts that created
two of North America’s greatest
conservation treasures for all user groups to enjoy.
One of the
jewels of Alaska’s big game is the golden horned Dall’s sheep (Ovis
dalli dalli). While watching a band of sheep moving across a
green or gold mountain side one can not help but to be reminded of
the image of a necklace of pearls. These beautiful animals are
reflected in the dreams of many sportsmen. For visiting hunters,
harvest is limited to a full curl ram, or a ram that is eight years
old by annular growth ring count, or a ram that has both horns
broken. Rams usually attain a full curl at the age of seven to
eight years and occasionally live to 12. Most of the sheep habitats
in Alaska that offer hunting to non-residents are open by over the
counter license. There are also several areas that require a drawing
permit for management purposes which are; the Tok and Delta
Management Areas in GMUs 13 and 20, and a portion of the Western
Chugach Range in GMU 14C. Any sheep hunt will leave you with
memories of the country and the animals that will never fade.
The
Alaska-Yukon moose (Alces alces gigas) represents the largest
member of the deer family in the world. In Europe moose are called
“elk”. In Alaska moose are called huge and hard work for the
successful hunter, guide or packer. They are found northwest of the
Stikine River in Southeast Alaska throughout the rest of the state
in suitable habitats. The same species is also found in the Yukon
and Northwest Territories. Adult bulls in prime condition average
1400 pounds in weight with the largest bulls reaching upwards of
1700 pounds. For the majority of the state that is open to moose
hunting by non-residents, tags can be purchased over the counter.
Almost the entire state has antler restrictions that require
non-resident hunters to harvest a bull with an antler width of fifty
inches or greater, or a certain number of brow tines. Bulls can
start to produce fifty inch antlers at six or seven years of age and
will grow larger antlers until fully mature at ten to twelve years.
The mating season runs from September through early October. There
are few sights in the hunting world that compare to a large bull
moose in his normal habitat. The drama that occurs during the rut
provides the hunter with much more opportunity to see and enjoy
these unique animals than during the off season when they are much
more sedentary in nature. The excitement factor of watching a large
rut crazed bull moose coming into the call can only be described by
being there and seeing for yourself.
In Alaska there
are approximately one million caribou distributed into thirty-two
herds. The world population is about five million and they are found
in Russia, Scandinavia and North America. There are seven
sub-species. The barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti)
is the only subspecies found in Alaska. An adult bull will weigh
from four to seven hundred pounds. When hunting caribou, visiting
hunters are advised to be selective with their harvest. To a person
who is used to hunting deer or elk any mid aged bull caribou will
look impressive. What you should look for in a trophy class bull is
the high, wide and handsome look. When defined, this means that the
height of the antlers should be comparable to the shoulder height,
that he should be heavy antlered over his nose with both brow palm
and bez, and should be wide and heavy antlered on top with at least
six points.
Probably the
least comprehended of the big game animals in Alaska are the wolf
and wolverine. Most any professional guides in the state will tell
you that these two animals are the rarest of all of Alaska’s big
game species to see or harvest. The cost of purchasing tags for
these species is minimal. To be successful on either animal takes
fine shooting skills and the off chance that you will be prepared
and in the right place at the right time. If you do have the rare
opportunity to harvest one you should consider it one of your
greatest trophies.
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What
to Bring
Clothing
As Alaska is
actually a land of many places it also is a land of many climates.
Record high and low temperature extremes are separated by one
hundred eighty degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest recorded annual
precipitation of anywhere in Alaska is 1.6 inches while the most
precipitation recorded anywhere in Alaska for one year was nearly 28
feet. When you consider these factors, gearing up takes some
homework. But in general if you follow a few sensible guidelines
you can easily and comfortably accommodate your Alaskan hunt within
the limits of commercial airlines allowable baggage. If you are
coming on a guided hunt pay particular attention to your guide’s
recommendations. Read the fine print and follow his advice. He
knows what to expect and how you and your gear are going to have to
travel and how for you to best prepare for it.
With today’s
selection of quality outdoor clothing being prepared for inclement
weather is much easier than ever before. Most hunting requires
exertion to access vantage points followed by sedentary glassing.
Subsequently you need to be able to layer up or layer down
depending on your activity level to keep from overheating and to
stay warm and dry. Your outer layer should be water proof or you
should have waterproof outer gear with you. Today’s breathable and
waterproof fabrics allow you to utilize your outer layers as main
layers for more days of use without changing. Wickable
undergarments and mid layers which take up much less room as baggage
become much more important.
Personally, I
recommend that you bring two sets of waterproof outerwear. One set
of the best quality available and one set of whatever packs small
and easy. This allows you to have a second set of outerwear to rely
on if your first one is wet and drying. Combined with several sets
of modern wickable inner and mid layers, and your travel clothing,
you are set for most hunts. A balaclava style of hat or a
traditional warm hat and a neck warmer as well as a cap with a visor
will round out your headgear. Several pairs of warm gloves will be
needed as well. Remember that you can always layer down to cool
down, but if you do not have the layers to stay warm you will be
uncomfortable and cold. Always pack to be warm.
For foot gear,
again pay close attention to your guide’s recommendations. Each
region is different and may require special gear. Most hunts in
Alaska require waterproof footgear and many require hip boots.
Often times you will be expected to hunt in them daily, not just to
use them for stream crossings or getting out of a boat. There are
many kinds of hip boots available today with most of them having
some positive and some negative features. Ankle fit versus non
ankle fit, breathable versus non breathable, stocking foot versus
boot foot, insulated versus non-insulated, airbob sole versus
cleated sole, etc. There is a lot to be said about getting what
you pay for in water proof boots. The best plan is to go to where
you can try on your options and see what is the most comfortable for
you to spend considerable time in the field with. For mountain
hunting top quality and broken in footgear is vital. Good socks are
required to be comfortable and wool/polypropylene makes the best
combination. A set of good insoles provide for a much more
comfortable boot. This all said, it is imperative that you are used
to the footgear that you will be hunting in.
Calibers
of choice
There are
decades of debate about what calibers, makes and models of firearms
will work the best for what species. Most Alaskan professional
guides would prefer that you bring a tried and proven firearm rather
than a new gun for your hunt. Care of your firearm and your ability
to shoot efficiently are the more important factors. Caliber
recommendations generally fall out as follows. For deer, caribou,
sheep, black bear and wolf .243 Win. minimum. For goat and elk, 284
Win. with 150 grain loads, minimum. For grizzly, moose, bison and
muskox, 30.06 with 180 grain loads, minimum. And for brown bear 300
Win. Mag with 200 grain loads, minimum. If you are on a multiple
specie hunt that includes opportunity for grizzly the 300 Win. Mag
or comparables make a good all around choice. If you are on a brown
bear only hunt the 338 Win. Mag to 378 Weatherby or comparables
presents a good range of selections.
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Do not bring
more gun than you are comfortable with. You would be much more
welcome on a brown bear hunt with a tried and proven 300 Win. Mag
than a 375 Ultra Mag that you are afraid to shoot. You should know
where your rifle is shooting from seventy five to three hundred
yards. Bullet selection has never been what it is today. Numerous
excellent bullets for the factory load or hand loader enthusiast are
available.
Remember that
the bullet that performs the best on paper may not be the best
bullet for hunting. Use a bullet that is recommended by your guide
or one that is designed for your intended use.
If you are an
archery hunter you should automatically know that you have entered
the harvest success equation for archers. If you are hunting
grizzly, sheep or goat the old equation average of seven stalks to
be successful holds true. Alaskan hunts are not cheap and seven
stalks on a ten day hunt is not realistic. Often times it would
make sense to ask your guide if he would allow you to hunt with your
bow while he carries your rifle. If you can not close the gap to
bow range you may still be able to take your trophy home by using
your rifle. It takes a special guide to enter into this situation
with brown or grizzly bears as once you put down your bow and take
the rifle your guide is without backup or protection. In dense bear
habitat this is not a good situation.
In regards to
optics selection for riflescopes or binoculars, again fall back on
the old adage of using the best you can afford. A once in a
lifetime hunt is not the time to pull your scope covers off to find
a fogged scope, and a fogged or dysfunctional binocular will find no
game. Good quality cameras will return the quality service in your
photo memorabilia. Bring plenty of film or space for digital photos
and always take the time to catch the photo opportunities that come
your way.
In closing let
me recommend this, if you come to Alaska to hunt do not come just to
harvest and go home. Alaska is a place that respects those that
respect her. She pours her bounty on those that seek her soul and
unleashes her fury on those that come only to reap and take. Slow
down, get in shape, smell, see, taste, feel and listen and
appreciate what she has to offer you. If you can do this you better
have your shooting skills polished. In her own unparalleled
richness of natural resources combined with the constitutional
mandates for wildlife management on the sustained yield basis
Alaska will continue to make
The Great Land one of the world’s greatest hunting destinations.
This
story appeared in the Winter 2003-04 Issue of
Big Game
Adventures Magazine
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