lol re:texas...<grin>

good post.

Mac, no offense intended, just poking some fun at my friends from the 2nd largest state! I just meant to contrast the open wild areas up here with some other hunting options that folks don't bat an eye at dropping serious cash on.

Alaska can be expensive, but as you've pointed out you can find great value too, and we certainly have our share of home grown jerks just like anywhere else.

Not to hijack, but several years ago I spent a few months working in India. One of my associates was explaining the regional differences within that huge land one day and remarked how the residents of one particular province (can't recall the name)considered themselves better them everyone else. "We call'em Texans," he explained.

-Bob

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
At the same day in the same airport there was a drunk Native Alaskan woman in the lobby who became abusive because, as she stated, we were "HOONKIES, and would be Bear food if we didn't get out of Alaska".

That is hilarious! A native American confronted me in a grocery store one time and said the grocery was built on 'Indian land'. But that did not interfere with my grocery purchases.

one of my biggest dreams was to hunt brown bear in alaska.after eight major back surgerys and tree surgical procedures ive had to admit its something ill never be able to do.i wouldnt mind being on either side of this pissing contest just to have had the chance to say,been there done that.i guess i expected something different than david and ackley,like isnt it great to be alive an experience this.

lv6757lv,

Don't give up on your dream brother, check out the boat hunts for Brownies in S.E AK. Some of them are steep on the $ side but with a little searching you might find the right outfit to fit your needs.

-Ron

lv6757lv,

It is great to be alive and to wake up every morning in Alaska.....believe me when I say ,"there are no terrible hunts in Alaska, some are just a bit better than others.".....this hasn't been a pissin' contest......the laws have to be enforced so that when you get here, Alaska will still be what your dreams are made of......

I only wish you the best of luck in realizing your dreams......

Joe

Well, my black and white 12" Philco TV is broke and I can't watch Oprah or Jerry Springer to see what is happening in the "Lower Forty Eight" so I think I will comment.
I have to sorta/kinda agree with Ackley.
Moose and Goose cops are a pain in the butt. The new ones want to make a name for them selves. They will write a ticket if you leave 5#s of meat on a Caribou. I've killed hundreds of Caribou and my opinion, if you are not going to eat the ribs in a day or two, it's a waste of time to bring them home. It has no fat to protect it and will dry out so much the dog won't eat it. You are required to salvage it.
The law was written to keep folks from the Lower Forty Eight from coming to Ak and shooting animals for the horns only. Who cares? They bought the tag, they own the animal after it is shot. They should be allowed to do what ever they want with the meat. The Foxes, Ravens, Bears and other scavengers have to make a living too. It does not go to "waste."
After bring it home, most of it winds up in the dump. Locals usually strip ALL the meat from the ribs and throw it in the brush for the Ravens. I would, of course, never stoop to such a sneeky trick.
Having said that, if your unhappy with ALASKA stay home. We won't miss you. That's what I do if I'm unhappy with a hunt.
After reading my above comments, I see that I have probably insulted most of the other posters. Must be a good post.

I have to agree with TJ about his statement about the overzealous fish cops we now have with their "down south" good ol bubba speed trap mentality. All they accomplish is to leave a bad taste and and a police state fear in honest citizens, and waste effort that would be better put into real police work on the few bad guys, which should keep them busy. they forget that their job is to protect and serve, not to run up and arrest quota score.

The salvge of black bear meat is real stupid, and I wonder how many people have the trichinosis bug in their system because of it. A black bear is a furbearer, and not much else. they don't make us eat skunk and salvage mink meat do they?

Most real trophy animals, you have to hunt during the rut, and aren't really fit to eat at any time, and just ask any landfill (garbage dump) operator or worker how much game meat and fish ends up there. and spring clean out the freezer time is when they are overloaded with the stuff, over shelf life and freezer burned meat and fish.

There's been lot's of talk of one agent here that spends a lot of time going through hunters camps and their boats and personal gear looking for "evidence" to try to find the smallest excuse to run up his ticket book score. also complaints that he is using his power to even old scores in the village he grew up in.

Given the nature of small towns and villages, that's a real sure formula for police abuse.

This guy has a small plane and watching him fly around last week doing stunts and acrobatics and coming close to clipping anntennas and heavy steel mast tops, doing the most reckless flying I have ever seen in 57 yrs in SE Alaska, he's going to kill himself and solve the problem in short order any way.

Any way, no one in the ADF&G protection division seems to have read the latest in community policeing manuals.

My take is that when some one spouts off the old platitude "My country, Right or Wrong" we should all ask " Why in the Hell should my great country ever be wrong?
Wayne

As I stated before, I had a great time when I went to Alaska on my Caribou hunt. We did a self guided hunt and my total cost was a little over $4000.00. But in my opinion it was well worth it. I was out in the Arctic Circle for 10 days and did not see one Game and Fish person. We ate some of our meat while out hunting, but donated it to the locals in Bettles when we returned, and they appreciated the meat we donated. How they choose to use it was totally up to them. The people of Alaska that I encountered were great. I am booking another hunt for next year to the same place. We need to respect the ways of Alaska, just remember we chose to go on that hunt.

redhawk, thanks, I really wish everyone who comes up here has a good time and comes to love this land, inhospitable as it is, some time every one who lives here should take a moment to look around and dwell a moment on it's beauty and greatness, as we get busy going about our lives and tend to forget once in a while.

I guess I resent some of this cops and robbers stuff that turns people off. I question the value of rummageing through peoples personal things in their boats and camps when they are abscent, without just cause. Just looking for something to hang on them. Or buzzing and maybe endangering working citizens on fishing boats or hunting, at the worst, seriously disturbing them at the least.

I guess I just don't see any good reason for all that crap. For 67 years they been telling me this ain't a police state, and we have protections against that stuff. We can never be like Hitlers Germany.

Well I compare what I heard with what I see, and it don't quite add up. Wayne

Since very few actual details have been posted, I am left to speculate, along with everyone else.
The only way I can see spending 7K on a caribou hunt is if you figure in the cost of fines for violating the law. It is easy to hit 7K when you get in trouble with the law. And I can understand how that would affect someone's attitude, as well.(Earned or not). I guess you are a "prisoner" once the law catches you.
Bill

I have a friend from here in Kentucky who usually hunts Alaska every 1 or 2 years and he loves it.
There are greedy assholes everywhere in the world not just Alaska.

For me I would love to get the chance to hunt Alaska

I can only say that you have to see the costs of living and doing business, and traveling around in remote
Artic and western Alaska and experience for yourself the expense. I wouldn't think that $7000.00 is really that much and depending on the fly in to remote areas, one would have to be a skinflint to get by much cheaper. I could have joined some friends on a Moose hunt up there somewhere for "Only" ten grand last fall.

As for branding some one that we don't know, and know nothing at all of the facts of their hunt, suppliers, outfitters, guides local natives and their dogs, "greedy assholes" game violators, lawbreakers, or whatever, doesn't that say much, much more about our character, and what kind of people we are, than it does about some un-known people,
who for all we know are totally honest and above board.

Why does a person want to just "speculate" some one figures in fines in the cost of their hunt, just to put him down. why are some people compelled to put some one down on this forum in the first place.

I was taught that hunters were supposed to be sportsmen and decent honorable men, at least that was the old Alaskan way. I kind of liked that idea. wayne

I would like to second what Wayne has to say about the cost of operating in bush Alaska. Folks from the outside simply can't relate to the prices. It isn't out and out greed by and large, but the fact that flying everything in via small aircraft is very expensive. Even as a resident, a cheap fly out hunt will cost me $1200-2000 just for airfair.

Alaska isn't what it used to be concerning getting out in the middle of nowhere and seeing or hearing nobody. Other then areas that have no game in them.

I would say that anyone who is coming up from the lower 48 and wants to do a drop camp for two caribou, and take the meat with them, should factor on spending $4k for the hunt. If it's a moose hunt, you could nearly double that.

There is a two fold reason for the overzelous F&G. The primary reason is historic problems with wanton waste, ie a hunter coming out with tenderloins and the rack. Yes, the few a-holes that do that have made life misserable for the rest of us. Just as the few a-holes that blew up the twin towers have made air travel a nightmare for all of us.

The other problems is the occasional jerk that makes it into law enforcment or semi-law enforcment that is on a power trip. That isn't a problem solely with Alaska, a friend related his misserable experience hunting antelope in Wyoming being hassled by the fur cops, repeatedly asked to be shown their license and tags.

I have hunted the Kotzebue / Selawik for years. I can vouch for the daily flights by the feds not State game wardens. It does border on harassment! Especially if you moose hunt in the Selawik. The feds will flight over your camp every morning and evening. They will land and go through your camp when you are not there looking for any infringement of the law! They are polite, but the make it known you are hunting in THEIR secret spot . One of them last year told me not to tell anybody about the area!

quote:

Originally posted by lv6757lv:
one of my biggest dreams was to hunt brown bear in alaska.after eight major back surgerys and tree surgical procedures ive had to admit its something ill never be able to do.i wouldnt mind being on either side of this pissing contest just to have had the chance to say,been there done that.i guess i expected something different than david and ackley,like isnt it great to be alive an experience this.

lv,

It kills me to hear when someone can't make their dreams come true. I don't know if you would interested, but I know of a great trip on a float boat that usually doesn't require to much of a stalk. I don't know your exact situation, but I was just wanted you to know that there are some options.

AIU,

I have found Alaska overpriced for what you get also.

Look into a hunt in Yukon or British Columbia, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

If enough of us take our hunting business elsewhere, it will change.

Garrett

Yeah, it will get better for those that remain.

The caribou herds are getting out of control and from what I understand the locals can take up to 5 a day.This is a scary quote nothing is out of control Mother Nature will handle it.The oil companies want to drill up there and they can't because of all the caribou.Be very careful or they will go the way of the Bison

Jack,

Please don't take this the wrong way, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever read about caribou and the oil companies.

To explain why, would only be stupider (of that's a word.)

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Sullivan:
The caribou herds are getting out of control and from what I understand the locals can take up to 5 a day.This is a scary quote nothing is out of control Mother Nature will handle it.The oil companies want to drill up there and they can't because of all the caribou.Be very careful or they will go the way of the Bison

Your not serious are you? I have to agree with BW.

I have been watching this thread from the very first post.
FWIW my observations.

I have a soon to be ex-brother-in-law that has lived in Palmer, AK for almost 20 years.
He as a typical Alaskan sportsman and he hunts and fishes pretty much year round.

He has invited and guided several friends from the lower 48 and also has helped out a friend who is a local guide on caribou and bear hunts and has these observations from his experiences.

1) Most hunters come to Alaska with unreasonable expectations of success, forgetting that Alaska is HUGE and while there are lots of animals, they are located in many thousands of square miles of land.

2) Most of the hunters are not anywhere near in shape enough to do the required miles of hunting it takes to be successful. Then they blame the guide when they aren’t successful.

3) Most hunters are not respectful of the people, the land and the culture of Alaska. And they show no gratitude for anything.

These are three of the biggest things he told me about people getting pissed off on their hunts. Needless to say his list of people he invites has been trimmed down over the years to just a few. His friend the guide has told a few past clients that he is booked up also.

LOL

Good one Jack...been watching PBS?

Flippy: pretty good post!

FLIPPY--I don't doubt your summary of the quality of hunters that come to be "guided" or helped. But, I don't think its unique to people coming to Alaska--I think its pretty much what happens "the world around".

quote:

Originally posted by Jack Sullivan:
The caribou herds are getting out of control and from what I understand the locals can take up to 5 a day.This is a scary quote nothing is out of control Mother Nature will handle it.The oil companies want to drill up there and they can't because of all the caribou.Be very careful or they will go the way of the Bison

RIGHT!

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
FLIPPY--I don't doubt your summary of the quality of hunters that come to be "guided" or helped. But, I don't think its unique to people coming to Alaska--I think its pretty much what happens "the world around".

You are probably right about this being not exclusive to AK. I have no input from other regions, except what was posted on this thread.

As far as I know, there is nothing special in the water in AK that would cause this type of behavior, cause I've drank their water, and I'm not affected (yet?).

quote:

Originally posted by DavidAk:
LOL

Good one Jack...been watching PBS?

Flippy: pretty good post!

Thanks.

I tells it as I sees it...

I have one question , if you order food in a resturant in Alaska do they make sure you eat if all ? if not do you have to take the left overs with you ?
Once you pay for somethiing , you ought to be able to do what you want with it.

quote:

Originally posted by JOEYBONES:
I have one question , if you order food in a resturant in Alaska do they make sure you eat if all ? if not do you have to take the left overs with you ?
Once you pay for somethiing , you ought to be able to do what you want with it.

Show me any state where wanton waste of game meat is allowed - even if you "paid for it."

Whats the old saying "a terrible day hunting beats the hell out of a great day at work"

I have long held the opinion that to truly understand an area, you must live there and be part of the ebb and flow of life there. While living in Alaska, I met people who took a trip to Alaska, it seemed for the purpose of shooting a XXXXX and as a result, having a lifetime supply of XXXXXXX. When faced with the reality of the cost per pound or ounce for transportation of even a small part of the XXXXX, Alaska became the land of the rip-off artist to them, incorrectly.

A trip to Alaska to shoot XXXX, take only what parts you want, leave the rest is not in the purvue of the management of the resource, I don't believe Alaska has ANY "pest reduction" season for boo that I know of. Some years there are more, some years there are less, ebb and flow.

So what is a reasonable expectation for Alaska? Have a good time, meet some nice folks, maybe take a memorable game animal, contribute to the area in some small way, and go home.

Of course, this is JMHO.

JOEYBONES, how is the hunting on your planet, anyway?

Well 8mm , here in NJ we have lots and lots of dangerous animals , none of which is one allowed to shoot.

For the price this yahoo paid, he could have gone to Africa for a real hunt - taken 6 animals, left the meat there and been treated like royalty.
What a moron.

I'm planning a caribou hunt in 2006, probably out of Bethel and I've thown together some rough figures. I do not count equipment, as that is an investment, nor food, or ammo, or taxidermy, etc. Someone tell me if I'm missing $3,500.00, somewhere. I know there may some dollars missing, but I don't think it would add up to an additional $3.5K.

Flight: Dallas to Anchorage $400
Alaska Airlines: Anchorage to Bethel
with two oversize checked bags $500
Bush flight (Piper cub) $1400
a float plane flight will be the
same $, but split 3 ways which is
how I'll probably do it to save $$
H&F License & Tag $460
3 nights hotel before/after hunt $450
Shipping of meat,hide, anlters $300
(I think antlers can be mailed,
along with my Tuffpak, back home to
save some $$)

Rough Total $3,510

Spending 7-10 in The Last Frontier - Priceless
though I do reserve the right to change my mind after my return.

BTW, I've some friends that went in a big group (6 people) several years ago and about half were unhappy and the other half can't stop going back - all in the same camp. I think is comes down to proper preparations, proper expectations, and fortunate execution/outcome (weather, game, etc.).

quote:

Originally posted by JOEYBONES:
I have one question , if you order food in a resturant in Alaska do they make sure you eat if all ? if not do you have to take the left overs with you ?
Once you pay for somethiing , you ought to be able to do what you want with it.

Maybe you should quit hunting and just eat in those New Jersey resteraunts.

Hunting is about personal experience.

I had some problems with my PH and outfitter on my last guided hunt, a lot of problems, but I took all the animals I aimed to take, and enjoyed (in this case Africa) the place as a first timer and it was amazing.

You leave home to go on hunts so you can hunt someplace else. Don't expect it to be like home!

This reminds me of a local guy that bought an African safari at a banquet for $1000. After taking the hunt, all he did was complain about:

1. The costs:totaled over $15,000 including RT air; trophy fees; dipping, crating, shipping trophies; tips; sightseeing; and taxidermy
2. Hunting where there were fences.
3. hunting from a vehicle.

He did not have a clue what he was getting into and blamed all of South Africa, SCI and the safari industry as a whole for his own ignorance.

Do your homework. Talk to someone that has done it before. Have realistic expectations.

I have been living in and hunting Alaska for 25 years. The importance of doing your homework cannot be overstated. Hunting in Alaska is not like going hunting in lower 48. You don't buy a tag, stay in a local motel, eat in the town cafe, drive out every day to hunt and throw your buck into the pickup to drop it off at a local butcher.

The vast majority of lower 48 hunters would be better off booking a guided hunt. Let an outfitter or booking agent work out the details so you can just go along for the ride.

Dude at least you didnt just about get eaten by bears or free to death.My first alaska hunt was a train wreck.The guy flying the plane had a brain tumor and didnt know it yet.He first bitched how much stuff I had.You are supose to have 100 pounds but they forgot to tell me.I narrowed down my stuff in about 5 mintues.I grabbed mostly the wrong stuff including hardly any cold weather stuff.My trip over the river inclued crashing into the willows which tore some nice holes in the wings.Then i asked where to camp he just pointed over there.I was dropped off in a place which every tree I saw was rubbed and had bear hair on it.I was supose to stay with the owner of the outfit for a month and help him out.He left saying the weather was too rough for him to stay and left for his cabin.I left in 75 degree weather and it was 25 and snowing when I arrived.I had an unproved new tent and a sleeping bag I borrowed that when I took out would only zip to my knees.I hunted 10 days and saw nothing but caribou I could not shoot and a ton of grizzley bears.I kept a fire going about every night because the bears got closer every night.I got soaked more and more every day.I found the guy who owned the outfit dropping more people off.I asked him when he was taking me back.He said he was not going to come pick me up.I should have just shot his plane then so he could stay too.I stayed 10 days and nights till the last night the bears tried to get into the tent.I shot down into the ground with my 338 win mag.They just jumped up and down.I saw 7 different bears the last night I was there.The guy who camped there the year before me cross the uncrossible river when a sow and two cubs tried to attack him.I heard a plane the next morning and flagged him down.I asked if he could take me back across the river.He said no but radioed the ffa to have the guy come get me because I was getting hypothermia.The guy finally came but it was snowing like crazy when he did come.We had to fly about 75 foot above the river.He had screamed we are gonna crash both ways on our trip.The army told us to pull up because we were on the bombing range.We pulled up into migtating sand hill cranes.They were wacking the plane all over.I just knew we would go down.We finally made it back .The guy who flew me quit flying soon after that.He died about a year later due to the tumor.I had a ton of other things go wrong on that trip also.I made sure after that I knew all the equipment I took and people I flew with.I have not flown on a hunting trip after that.One of my friends said he would never return to Alaska after a guy flew him out for two weeks then forgot to get him.He walked 35 miles till someone saw him.You gotta watch for shady people every where.

Okay, now that were a bad hunt!

I felt like I should have not have to pay the guy for what he had done.Its kinda scary when the guy flying the plane screams we are gonna crash the whole time.I had to pay $600 for that wonderful trip.It wasted my first moose season and tag $400 and trip up $685.I talked to a friend who had flown with the same guys.They had crashed and he walked back to town.There were also the dip wads who loaded the 70"moose on the float plane on a lake that was too short to land on in the first place.They crashed trying to take off.I was supose to fly with another guy when I took my trip.He crashed and everyone on board died.I guess my trip could have been worse.

dgr416,

Who are these guys, what is their Company name?

DB