The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Alaska Hunting Forum Sitka Anyone?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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I am flying to Sitka via Minneapolis/Seattle/Juneau in May of this year to hunt Brown Bear with a buddy with Bruce Parker. With all of these connections I would like to ship our gear and rifles out early. Knowing rifles will need to go to a gunshop or does anyone have experince with this. Please PM me if you can Thanks, Larry York, SC | ||
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Not sure what your strategy is on shipping forward your gear but I've gone to AK many times with Rifles,Shotguns,Fly Rods and all the other gear associated with those things and have never had a Problem taking this stuff on the Airlines... One time I had to walk out 14 miles from camp to get picked up because of snow.. I had to leave gear to make the trip out.. The Outfitter shipped it UPS back to me sometime later and when I got it from him.. I would just say that the box took one Hell of a Beating... I've never had gear lost at picked in AK.. I've only had the usual Gun Case Dents,Scratches Etc.. Can Stuff come up missing.. Yes.. I think the ood's are in your favor... Take it with you.. If you go the other way.. Pack your Footwear and take it with you.. AK | |||
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BigBBear, You left out an important part - which airlines? I've been to Sitka 4 times from Texas and never had a problem. Legs were typically Austin - Dallas - Seattle (or someplace in CA) - Sitka. Juneau was one of the stops but you usually don't get off the plane as it's a quickie. I've flown American and Delta up to Seattle (or that place in CA) and then boarded Alaska Air all the way to Sitka. | |||
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I'm not sure if this Bruce Parker is a guide or not. If so, I can't quite see shipping gear ahead for a guided hunt and I certainly wouldn't ship a rifle ahead. If this is a guided hunt, everything is being provided except personal gear and your stuff should fit into a large duffle bag. Even your hip boots if you're taking them. I'd stuff all of my stuff into a large duffle bag and pack my rifle in a very sturdy gun case and go. Pay the extra charge for 2 bags & be done with it. I strongly suspect it'll cost more to ship in advance than to pay the extra for 2 pieces of luggage. The only time we've shipped gear ahead was for our 10 day elk hunts on Afognak and also for our sheep hunts on the north side of the Brooks. Fairbanks wasn't our jumping off point for those. For Afoganak, we had to have everything including tents and had to be prepared for inclement weather for extended periods of time. Just my thoughts. Bear in Fairbanks Unless you're the lead dog, the scenery never changes. I never thought that I'd live to see a President worse than Jimmy Carter. Well, I have. Gun control means using two hands. | |||
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I have flown Alaska Air 4 times on hunts, twice into Sitka. Northworst lost my gear bag for 24 hours; you should have seen me running around town buying clothes, etc. Bag arrived just as our float plane was loading for takeoff. Never a problemwith the good folks at AA. Sitka is a nice town; you will enjoy it./Chaz | |||
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Just take time to gong the bell in the P Bar! Love Sitka and it is a return visit on my future trips. Had no problem with gear/guns etc on brown bear hunt. Suppose you have some other reason for wanting to ship ahead. | |||
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I went up this year on a cruise ship and had to ship my handgun in advance. The Alaskan FFL dealer charged me $30.00 to accept it. I had quotes from other dealers as high as $100.00. It really wasn't a problem shipping ahead. If that's what you want to do go for it. velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever. | |||
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I've hunted out of Sitka many times and only had one firearm airline delay by 12 hours. They just didn't put it on the plane in Seattle to make room for something else on a full plane. It came the next morning. That happens. As for gear, pack light and take it with you on the plane is my suggestion. Most people take way too much gear and clothes, even in a wet environment which is the most gear intensive. I've hunted the bears in Spring and Fall with one duffle and one gun case and never needed more gear. Another option is to buy it there and ship it home UPS. Most outfitters do allow you to ship gear forward if you need to do so, but it is usually an indication of too much stuff. No offense meant in your case. | |||
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My wife and I did a bear hunt with Bruce Parker a couple years ago. I am assuming that you are hunting off of Parker's boat. On our hunt we flew into Sitka on commercial airlines and then got on a float plane to fly out to the hunting area and Bruce's boat. We had to leave our hard gun case at the air-charter place, as it wouldn't fit on the little float plane. You should be able to get everything you need into one bag. By the way, that is one beautiful place!! | |||
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Just fly all the way through with Alaska Airlines...your gear will arrive. Flown with them for years including Sitka many many tmes...never lost one, including guns. They do it all the time. Good luck on the hunt. I took a 91/2 foot bear on the east side of Baranof in 1990...great hunt!! 470EDDY | |||
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Personally, I think B.I.F. is ovedue for another Afognak Island Elk hunt, but what does he know.  . We'll see if I am invited on the next one. I'll check my PM's.Anyway, my first trip to Ak. I had a Swarovski scope damaged beyond repair, by the airline. I bought a cheap SKB plastic double rifle case from Cabelas's. To Cabela's credit, they did take back the case, when I returned. For the next nine Ak. trips I used a Weatherby diamond plate aluminum case and never had another problem. I bought one in double and another that looks like a mini coffin on wheels that hold 4 long guns, to use if I go with someone else. That way we cut down on one rifle case, that is good for all involved. If you are worried about your rifle, wrap it in diamond plate. There are some quality plastic cases that can be trusted, SKB is not among them. If you want plastic look at Starlight, Pelican or Hardigg. Hardigg is likely the best of them. Cold Zero | |||
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Yes; Bruce Parker is a guide, one of the very best. I hunted goat with him three years ago. Great time with a fine group. I assume you will hunt from his boat (his "base camp") via alum. skiff. I see no reason to ship guns/gear ahead. Having said that; something can always go awry. I have done six trips to AK & Can. and always had my gear when I arrived in camp. Once, AK Airlines did not get my stuff to me when I arrived in Anchorage. It arrived on next flight and I got it a few hours later. If you are determined to ship things ahead I would check with Bruce and get his input. | |||
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I've never shipped guns ahead, to Alaska or anywhere else, but I do use very sturdy high quality guncases. On another note, Bruce and Anne Marie Parker are first class people and excellent guides. I took an excellent bear hunting with him. | |||
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