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HUNTS
Dall
Sheep Hunts:
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Many
hunters consider the Dall Sheep to be the ultimate North American trophy.
Our Brooks Range hunting areas offer breathtaking scenery and unsurpassed
wilderness qualities along with high densities of trophy class Dall Rams.
Due to its remote nature the Brooks receives much less hunting pressure
than other mountain ranges in Alaska, which has resulted in most of the
state's largest rams taken in recent years. Typical horn lengths of the
rams in our area range from 35"-39" with some reaching 40" and beyond. These
are backpack style hunts originating from remote drop off locations near
prime sheep habitat. Occasionally, rams can be taken right from these initial
base camps. However, in most cases we travel throughout the surrounding
country, camping at various locations along the way until rams are located.
Despite utilizing the highest quality lightweight gear and freeze dried
foods, packs can still be quite heavy. Hunters must be willing and able
to share part of this load in addition to their own personal gear. This
of course applies to the meat, cape, and horns on the return trip as well.
Having personally guided Sheep hunters for over 20 years I cannot overemphasize
the importance of limiting your personal gear and clothing to the bare essentials.
Equally important is being in the best physical condition possible and able
to shoot well under a variety of circumstances. Most shots are around 200
yards or so but we have taken many rams much closer. Nevertheless, you should
be able to hit consistently out to 300 yards and occasionally even longer
shots are required due to lack of cover and the extreme wariness of sheep.
These hunts can be both physically and mentally demanding and are certainly
not for everyone. However, hunters who are prepared to do what it takes
will truly be rewarded with the experience of a lifetime.
Grizzly
Bear Hunts:
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Our Fall
Grizzly Bear hunt takes place in the Alaska Range and is one of the best
in all of Alaska. Large numbers of Grizzlies travel to our area during late
fall to take advantage of a run of spawning Chum salmon. At times the numbers
can be staggering. In 2003, we saw 21 different bears the first day of our
hunt, all concentrated on a stretch of river less than 2 miles long! Admittedly,
this is very unusual even for us but it demonstrates the potential of the
area and hunters can expect to see several trophy bears within the first
few days of their hunt. We have taken numerous bears that qualify for the
SCI and Boone Crockett record books.
Hides will generally square between 7'-8 ½'. We have taken 3 bears with
hides squaring over 9'. I have 2 comfortable and safe 8x12 frame cabins
in this area, one on each side of the main fish spawning activity. The largest
Grizzly bear ever recorded was taken less than ½ mile from one of these
cabins in 1998. These bears are extremely wary and may become nocturnal
or leave the area completely if pressured. Therefore, in an effort to keep
human scent to a minimum, we hunt only the most productive hours of the
day. The oldest and largest bears tend to come out just before dark and
this is when we try to anticipate their movements. We have had some success
hunting early morning as well. Anyone in reasonably good health can participate
in these hunts, as the walking is all relatively flat and distances less
than 1 mile. Magnum calibers of .300 or larger are ideal for Grizzly, with
bigger being better, provided hunters are comfortable with the recoil and
can shoot them well. Quality partition bullets such as Nosler or Swift A-Frame
are also strongly recommended. Most shots are less than 150 yards.
Grizzly Bear Spring Hunts / Combination Hunts:
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Each
Spring we return to the Alaska Range Camp previously described. There are
usually several good bears roaming the area looking for salmon scraps left
over from the previous fall. This is also a great time and place to take
a prime Wolf. The remainder of our spring Grizzly hunts, as well as all
of our Grizzly combination hunts take place in the Arctic region near the
central Brooks Range. These bears are sometimes referred to as "barren ground"
Grizzlies. Due to genetics and environmental conditions, they do not typically
attain the massive size of some of the bears to the South. However, hide
quality and color is excellent, and the country is spectacular.
Moose Hunts:
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Float
hunting for Moose on one of Alaska's remote rivers can be a fantastic opportunity
to take a trophy class bull. The solitude, constantly changing scenery,
and excellent camping conditions make these some of the most enjoyable trips
we offer. Excellent fishing for Arctic Grayling is usually available as
an added bonus. Moose hunting tends to pick up toward the middle of September
when the larger bulls become active and are more responsive to calling efforts.
Aside from getting charged by an irate Grizzly, there are few hunting situations
that can offer the heart pounding excitement of a 1500 pound bull Moose
crashing through the timber in response to one of our calls! Most Moose
are taken very close to the river, which minimizes the grueling chore of
packing these massive animals back to the raft. Over the many years we have
hunted this species, most bulls taken have exceeded 60 inches in antler
width, with a few reaching 70 inches and over. The same magnum calibers
and partition type bullets recommended for Grizzly bear will work well on
Moose. Again, shots are almost always under 150 yards.
Caribou / Wolf Combo Hunts:
We offer
Caribou and Wolf in combination with our primary species hunts. Caribou
can be combined with Dall sheep, Moose, or Grizzly. We hunt the Porcupine
Caribou herd, which has a population of approximately 120,000 animals. At
times, they can be quite numerous. Wolf can be taken on most of our standard
hunts. The spring Grizzly hunt in our salmon spawning area can be an excellent
opportunity to take a Wolf. They are encountered on nearly every trip and
we have had hunters take 1-3 Wolves most years.
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