WHAT TO HUNT AND WHERE

Alaska is a hunter's paradise. Hunting in Alaska can provide the full scope of experiences- from caribou to deer and moose, from grizzly and brown bears to wolves, from Dall sheep and mountain goats to muskox, from waterfowl to ptarmigan and several grouse species. Diverse Alaska geographic areas offer hunting adventure for everyone, give us various choices:
INTERIOR ALASKA. From mountains and rolling hills, river valleys covered with forests to the vast spaces of treeless tundra at higher altitudes and in the far north. Temperature varies greatly throughout the year, from -50 Celsius (-58 Fahrenheit) in the winter months to +30 Celsius (+86 Fahrenheit) during summers. There are just a few highways in the interior part of Alaska. Most of the area can only be reached by plane, boat or by foot. Summer is warm but short. Climate and landscape conditions of interior Alaska region provide variety of big hunting game: moose and cariboo, Dall sheep in the mountains, some wild bison, muskox in the arctic Alaska, wolves, black and grizzly bears, waterfowl, some grouse and ptarmigan.
SOUTHEAST (the narrow and long part between the Pacific ocean and Canada). Consists of Alaska mainland and many treed mountainous islands along the coast. The main hunting trophies in the Alaska Southeast are brown and black bears, moose and mountain goats, black-tailed deer and wolves. Guided hunting is done mostly by boat, the most popular hunting spots are on the islands in the central part of the area.
SOUTH and SOUTHWEST (to the south and west of the Yukon river). Mountainous inland with many rivers and lakes, ragged coastal line dotted with numerous islands. South and Southwest of Alaska offer a wide variety of hunting game: deer, Dall sheep, caribou, moose, wolves, wolverine, brown and black bear, waterfowl, grouse species.

ALASKA HUNTING REGULATIONS

If you hunt in a general season, which is open to an unlimited number of hunters, you will need a harvest ticket. Harvest tickets are available at no cost where Alaska hunting licenses are sold. Non-residents are required to have a big game tag for the species they are hunting. Some remote rural areas may not have licenses available or the vendor may run out of harvest tickets. Be sure to purchase your license, game tags, and pick up harvest tickets before you leave home. When a population of animals is too small and/or the potential number of hunters too large to allow a general season or a registration hunt, the Department may offer drawing permits. A Drawing Permit Hunt Supplement is published every May. The drawing for permit hunts is held in early summer, and everyone who applies will be notified of the results by mail or can locate the results on the website of Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Supplement contains all of the drawing hunts by number for all big game species. Most of the drawing permit hunts are open to both resident and nonresident hunters. A hunter may apply for three drawing permit hunts for each species. A fee is charged for each separate hunt. You can pick up a Supplement at any Fish and Game office, on the website, or at license vendors. Alaska Hunting Guide recommends you to download necessary hunting permit applications and forms off the Internet and print them out. You can also purchase Alaska hunting licenses, duck stamps, big game tags online, print them at home and you may go hunting or trapping right away. Complete Alaska Hunting Regulations Guide is also available online. The basic non-resident hunting license costs $85 plus some extra fees for big game tags.

ALASKA HUNTING LODGES

Non-residents may hunt moose, caribou, deer, and black bear without a guide. Hunters who are not Alaska residents must be accompanied by a registered Alaskan guide or they must hunt with close relatives within the second-degree of kindred who are Alaska residents when hunting brown or grizzly bears, Dall sheep or mountain goats. You can search online for licensed big game hunting guides in your area. The best guides deliver 80-100 percent for most big game species. In addition, guides are familiar with their areas and possess equipment that the average hunter might not care to purchase for one time use. However, a guide's knowledge, experience and equipment do not come cheaply. Although figures vary from guide to guide, expect to spend $8,000-$12,000 for a brown/grizzly bear hunt, $4,000-$6,000 for a sheep hunt and $1,500-$3,000 for a goat hunt. Moose and caribou are often part of a mixed-bag hunt and prices vary considerably. The best way to find a reliable guide is by references. You can find some useful links to forums at the bottom of this page.

AIRCRAFT CHARTERS

Many hunters choose an air charter service to fly in to prime Alaska hunting areas to hunt these species. The air charter operator is licensed by the state to charge for flying hunters and their game meat. The drop-off hunt is less expensive than a guided or outfitted hunt because the air charter takes care of transportation and may throw in some planning tips. The hunter provides all of the camp gear and performs all other functions on his own. Before you contract with an Alaska air charter operator, you should have a clear understanding of the costs of services and know exactly which services to expect. Prices and services vary considerably. Air charter operators may charge a flat rate or by the hour for flight time. When calculating costs on an hourly rate, you have to take into account “dead-head” time, the time a pilot spends flying back to base after dropping you off and the time spent flying out to pick you up. Again, be sure to ask whether the package includes flying out the meat and antlers. Some package deals also include being checked on at least once during the hunt to bring out game or move you if you haven’t been successful.
The cost of Alaska air charters also depends on the size of the plane and the number of hunters sharing the cost. Make sure you explain the number of hunters in your group and the amount of gear you will have. There are two ways to go — you can pick a specific site and ask the pilot to take you there, or you can choose a general area and ask the pilot for a good hunting spot within that area.
When planning your trip, keep the weather condition in mind. Besides making your hunting miserable, poor weather may disrupt your flying plans. Allow time on both ends of your schedule for weather disruptions — how much time depends on the normal frequency of bad weather for the area at that time of year. Ask the air charter operator for references. You can search online for licensed transporters in your area. Also check this extensive list of Alaska Aircraft Charters, Bush Pilots, Air Taxis.

FIREARM REGULATIONS

Alaska state law prohibits hunting with the following weapons:
Fully automatic firearms
Rifles with a barrel less than 16"
Shotguns with a barrel less than 18",
Rifles or shotguns less than 26" in total length
Rifles, shotguns and handguns are legal for hunting in Alaska. Rimfire cartridges generally maybe used only for small game. You can read this informative article on how to choose a Firearm, Cartridge and Bullet.

CLIMATE IN ALASKA

Alaskan summers are cool, the average temperature is +14 deg.C (58 F) in summer and -12 deg.C (11 F) in winter but it can vary greatly between different regions of the state. Winters are cold and dark. Early spring in Alaska can be cold, but often days warm to above freezing with a lot of sunshine. Alaska receives midnight sunshine during the part of summer and goes into 24-hour darkness during the part of winter. Summers are the wettest time of the year, south regions are well known for their dampness. Check next week's weather forecast for Anchorage.

GETTING TO ALASKA

You can fly to Anchorage direct or one-stop from most major US cities. From there Alaska Aircraft Charters, Bush Pilots, Air Taxis will help you to explore America's greatest playground. Many small villages and towns in Alaska have all weather airports and served daily by small air carriers.

LODGING

Depending on your preferences it can be a small camping tent or a luxurious hunting lodge with all modern conveniences and comfort. There are also some primitive hunting cabins for private use maintained by government. These can accomodate 4 to 8 people, cost from $20 to $50 (USD) per night and have to be reserved in advance, ususally- a month. You need to contact the proper agency directly to book a cabin.

TRAVEL TIPS

Northern weather can be unpredictable. Alaska Hunting Guide recommends you taking with you and wearing multiple layers of clothes in response to a wide variety of temperatures and weather conditions. Obtain detailed maps of the Alaska area beforehand. Do not forget to pack first-aid and survival kits as well as bear repellents. Be sure you check available information, understand all the guidelines for Alaska hunting before you leave home. Do not forget to obtain detailed maps of the area you plan to visit. TravelMake.com offers you a wide selection of travel books, destination guides, information booklets, atlases available at our online travel store.

USEFUL LINKS

Wildlife Notebook - detailed descriptions of more than 100 of Alaska’s wild fish and game.
Alaskan Wildlife Notebook - detailed descriptions of more than 100 of Alaska’s wild fish and game.
First-Aid and Survival Skills - specialized for hunters.
Alaska hunting forum - place to share your thoughts, ideas, plans.
Alaska hunting forum - another forum link.
Big Game Hunting - a source of useful information on hunting BIG GAME.