Myself and a friend are looking at a unguided drop camp caribou hunt this September and both of these outfitters have openings. Their websites are:

http://www.aniakairguides.com
http://www.stoneyriverlodge.com

Aniak is located in the Yukon-Kuskokwim River drainages or the Illiamna area Western and Southwestern Alaska. Stoney is in GMU #19.

Does anyone here have experience with either outfit. Both are comparably priced and include black bear, wolf, and wolverine. I have not been to Alaska before so this is a new adventure for me. I also don't know what the likelihood is of seeing these other animals in addition to the caribou. Which area would you recommed to hunt for a first timer. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know anything about either outfit you mentioned, but I do know that GMU 17 and 19, hell, really anything around this area should be avoided if you are hunting caribou.

The Mulchatna caribou herd has crashed, and last I knew numbered around 30k, down from just over 200k.

South west AK has good moose numbers, the same for brown bear, wolf, and other small game, but the caribou hunt is going to end up a camping trip with lots of time to take in the breath taking views.

I just resently booked with an outfit out of coldfoot, drop hunt just like you're looking at, seems like a fair price is $2000-$2500 so both you're looking at are in the ballpark. If you haven't checked out outdoorsdirectory.com, do so, also pristineventures.com has good info as well. Better hurry, I'm sure the good ones don't have many openings left. Good luck!

Prewar,

Did you call the game biologist from either the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM, Forest Service, or State fish and Game, and ask about caribou numbers in the prospective areas?

Your a taxpayer, call the fed biologist and ask for the information. You have a right to do so.

I would hunt in 26 flying out of Kaktovik, Barrow, Prudhoe, or Fairbanks.

Little bit more remote, but 700,000 caribou in 26 alone.

Seth (D99) is on the right track....the Mulchatna region (Kuskokwim/Aniak)is WAY overhunted...many, many, many outfitters and piles of aircharter services dropping hunters into areas that have been pounded for years.

You should either A) Save your money for a fully guided hunt (do you think the outfitters are going to put drop camp hunters into their best areas?) B) go north...area 26 has a much stronger caribou population and less pressure.

I don't recommend drop camp hunts. I have seen some turn out great, but I have seen many more have disappointed (unsuccessful) hunters return. If you are up for an adventure, but don't mind dealing with lower success, go. If you are success oriented...you would be wise to save your money and go on a fully guided hunt.

Curly Warren is a good outfitter and has a pretty solid track record, but again that region of Alaska has had a major change in migration and the caribou numbers are way down from what they were 10 years ago. One of my top caribou outfitters who use to operate on the Nushagak River, pulled out of there 5 years ago due to lack of caribou in the area and multiple outfitters hunting on top of him, with drop camps popping up like ant hills.

Good luck! Let me know if I can assist or offer any further input.

Cheers,

Clark Jeffs
Safari Outfitters, Inc.