I leave for Anchorage in 9 days for 2 weeks of fishing and Caribou hunting. Pant, pant...can't wait! My fishing rod and hip boots are so polished you can use them to comb your hair, if your into that sort of thing

Tomorrow morning I go to the 300yd range one last time and put a few more rounds in just to make sure.

Best of luck to you on your hunting and fishing trip.

Have a great trip and take plenty of pictures!!

Doug

scw: Where are you going? Caribou hunting is just weeks away. Where are you hunting caribou and how is your hunt organized? Where are you fishing? You will love it.

rwj-

I a hunting near Chicken, starting on opening day, Aug 10. I will spend severl days (open ended) after caribou, then turn to fish in Seward Bay and other areas.

My dad lives in Achorage, and is organizing the hunt, but I'm not sure what that means. I've never hunted caribou, but I hear once you find them, you found them all. I hunt elk here in Utah every year, and it is similar in the winter, but I'm not sure if you hunt them the same way.

Any advise? (just 8 days now...)

Thanks,

Bring LOTS of bug spray!!!!

Good luck. Caribou are fun to hunt. You'll be hunting in my backyard.

I don't want to dampen your excitement but keep in mind that the chicken still has active fires in the area. How this will affect the hunting still remains to be seen. The season opener tends to be a bust as usually that caribou herd is still far west of chicken. It usually starts its movements towards chicken the end of aug & early sept. But there were fires in that range too. There are some local bou but odds are the fires and activity associated with has driven them off. But you never know. If your dad hasn't already I'd suggest that he look at the state site under division of natural resources, forestry, current fire situation and look at the current fire map for the Taylor Complex to see if or how the fires have affected the exact area that he plans to hunt. Also there was/is a fire around american summit towards eagle.

I will be talking to F&G about it this week as I have to go pick up my sheep tag and will let you know what their thoughts are on whats going on. Also a friend flies that herd weekly. If I run into him I'll see what he says.

John,

Please keep us all updated, there is a chance I will up that way as well in September.

Doug

don't forget to pack the survival and first aid kits.



have a wonderful and safe trip. post us when u return.

scw: It sounds like you have been given some good advice here already. I personally do not hunt caribou in that part of Alaska (Unit 20E, Forty Mile herd), but a couple of my friends go up there every year..they have ties with or have lived in Tok and they have the gear (4 wheelers) and know the lay of the land to hunt caribou off the Taylor Highway. These are registration hunts. But it is always fun. As already stated, there has been a rash of huge fires burning across a central band of the state. It is hard to tell how that will affect the caribou. I do most of hunting in the western Brooks Range and the western and sw part of the state...but your trip sounds great and I bet you will have an excellent time. Think positive and show up!