All hunts start from Anchorage where I or a representative will meet you for a last check ride of gear and licenses prior to the hunt. From there we depart by bush plane from either Wasilla or Birchwood, two small airports less than an hour from Anchorage. Bush flights are all included in the hunt but weight restriction on gear do apply. I strongly encourage a relationship with your personal guide before the hunt start, to build a strong rapport. All employees are hand selected as the finest there is to offer and there are are some as good, but none better. At the conclusion of the hunt we will return to Anchorage where meat and trophy are squared away and the post hunt celebration begins.
Dall Sheep... The Mountain Monarch and pinnacle of North American big game animals. A test of personal fortitude and endurance, they are the definition of "earned not given". Alaska's sheep season opens August tenth and runs through late September. We are not a high volume outfitter, only doing a few sheep hunts a year, so as to keep a high standard of quality and maturity in the rams we harvest. Sheep hunts are ten days of spike camping, often moving locations to follow groups of rams. More often than not, the guide will have a target ram picked out before the season opener, waiting for that magic day to arrive. Legal rams are full curl or eight years of age. Our sheep hunts are all one on one guided, with a packer to assist in transport of gear, food and the trophy. Our guides are all highly experienced sheep hunters with deep knowledge of sheep trophy quality and animal behavior. As a bonus sheep can also be combined with a caribou, grizzly, or black bear trophy. Our sheep hunts are a general harvest tag with no draw required.
Sheep hunting is not a hunt to jump into unprepared. Success largely depends on the personal physical ability of the hunter, and you should have the ability to carry all of your gear for the duration of the hunt. While it is a very physical hunt, it's not unattainable by the average hunter with dedicated preparation and planning. Over the years we've guided numerous hunters with a myriad of physical disabilities, of all age groups. If you're concerned about your physical ability, feel free to contact us about preseason physical preparation.
Sheep hunting takes you to the most beautiful mountain environs Alaska has to offer, and for good reason can become an addictive pursuit. A passion for high alpine hunting is what drives us to chase these majestic creatures and what has us dreaming about seasons to come.
Caribou…With the largest Antler to body ratio of any deer species in the world, Caribou embody the essence of the far North. They are an iconic animal that are a thrill to pursue in the vastness that Alaska has to offer.
The caribou season runs from August tenth to end of September with a one bull harvest limit. While considered a Barren Ground Caribou our herd inhabits the mountain terrain of the Alaska Range. A healthy resident heard produces some outstanding trophy quality with many bulls reaching the 370 to 400 inch mark. Early season hunts pre rut, when bulls are in velvet, are more physically demanding. Bulls that time of year tend to inhabit the higher alpine ecosystem and are not in pursuit of cows. Early season bulls are largely found in bachelor groups of two to five animals. Being more sedentary that time of year lends to better opportunity for archery hunters. Early hunts are more spike camp style. traveling through drainages and glassing to find the right bull. Later season into September bulls shed their velvet and begin the seasonal rut, gathering cows in preparation for the breeding season. These hunts tend to be more stationary as long hours glassing and waiting for a bull to appear is more productive than moving camp.
All guides are well seasoned in judging caribou trophy quality, and maturity. All caribou only hunts are seven days and can be either one on one or two on one guided and include a packer. Caribou can also be combined with grizzly, black bear or on later season hunts a moose.
Alaska/Yukon Moose...The largest of the moose species and the largest deer species in the world, no trophy collection is complete without one.
In the Alaska Range Moose are available from August 20th to September 25th. Early season bulls are in velvet and very stationary often moving less that 200 yards in a couple weeks time. This means guides often spot a good animal during a sheep hunt for harvest when the season opens. While a legal bull only needs to have a spread of 50 inches our goal is to take bulls 60 inch or wider. We take bulls of that caliber and larger every year. Our hunts are not a "call and pray" style undertaking, hunting flat land and relying on calling in densely wooded areas, with limited visibility. Our hunts are more akin to a western elk hunt. Positioned in large valleys with productive willow bottoms and using the elevation to our advantage, we are able to see an expansive amount of terrain, often miles in every direction. As the rut progresses calling in these large valleys allows you to see the bull you are calling to and draw them closer to good location. Years of honing a moose calling strategy has led to a system of calling based on animal observation that is tried and true, and iIve called bulls to within a stones throw of camp. Moose hunts are either one on one or two on one guided with a packer. We don't expect a client to pack meat, unless you are one of the brave few who wants to give it a try. Hind quarters of moose often weigh in excess of 160 lbs. You will also have an excellent opportunity to take other animals on your moose hunt. Bear, caribou, sheep, wolf, and wolverine are all available depending on dates and location.
While not a physical hunt, it does require long hours of glassing in inclement weather, but the reward of harvesting such an incredible animal is unparalleled.
Interior Grizzly Bear …Ursos Arctos Horribilis an animal worthy of dedicated pursuit. A apex predator of unrivaled strength and ferocity. Grizzlys set themselves apart as a dangerous and challenging game animal. With a variety of coat color from near jet black to brilliant blonde, from silver tipped to marbled toklat. Interior bears live a hard scrabble life with a short window of opportunity to pack on weight for a long enduring winter season. This makes them hyper aggressive and extremely food oriented. We target only mature boars with an average squared measurement of eight foot plus, but exceptional bears in the Alaska Range can reach up to nine and a half feet in measurement. Not plagued with the "rubbed" nature of near coastal brown bears, grizzlys maintain pristine hides in spring and fall. In fact they often retain den hair throughout the year.
Grizzly season is either spring or fall, with a generous harvest season, our hunts run mid May into June and again from early August to late September. Spring hunts focus on large river beds that offer amazing visibility. These hunts coincide with the rut making big boars less weary and more love drunk. Early fall hunts focus on salmon producing watersheds with bears transitioning to berries in the latter season. Hunts are tent based, but stationary, not requiring a high level of physicality. Its best not to spread scent while hunting these animals, as big males tend to be cautious of hunters. Enduring patience is rewarded with the chance of a world class trophy. Bear hunts are ten days one on one guided. All guides are well versed in bear judgment and behavior with a steady nerve if things get hairy.
Black Bear…Reclusive and wary most black bear hunts are an additional add on to another hunt, but this doesn't make them any less rewarding. Like most things in Alaska we grow em big with some trophies squaring up to eight foot. On average mature boars run into the six and a half to seven foot range. Because of they're prolific numbers the limit in our area is three bears per season. These are a western style spot and stalk hunt, conducted in mountainous terrain that offers excellent visibility over long distances. Opportunities are prevalent because bears are so numerous. Things really pick up as the berries begin ripening in early fall and bears will spend hours in a stationary spot gorging themselves for the long winter ahead. Theirs no sitting on a bait can for endless hours being eaten alive by hordes of ravenous bugs. Black bear hunts start in early May and run through Late September. Its always good to have a black bear tag in your pocket incase a bruin shows up.