Youth Caribou Hunt DC851

[AKTodd]

My son has been drawn for this hunt this year. We have not spent any time in either of the Zone areas and are looking for any information that is available. We are coming from Eagle River and the first question is how much access with ATV's is there? Any links to maps and info would be great. I am thinking the Steese Highway area but have been reading that the Taylor may be a better bet, but a lot farther.

[AK Ray]

Read the EO and make a call to F&G before making plans. The youth hunt is not discussed in the EO, but you should confirm that it is not effected by the EO. Someone could have dropped the ball creating the EO.

[SkinnyD]

According to Google it's 381 miles and 8 hours to Chicken, while it's 465 miles and 9 hours to Central (measured from Eagle River). Also, Google says you should take a scouting trip before the season.

[AKTodd]

Thanks. I called about the EO and they said it did not apply to the youth drawing hunt, only to the registration hunt.

[BluNosDav]

Important update 8/8/2014:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...ighlight=DC851

[VernAK]

Todd,

I'm sitting here with two kids that hold tags but we are going to put it off for a week or two as the caribou are not near the Taylor Highway at this time. The herd is scattered throughout the interior of 40 Mile area from upper Goodpaster South. I'll have more info later today.

[AKTodd]

We ended up going out up on saturday night. Got to a trail head Sunday noonish. rode trails, hiked a couple of ridges and saw nothing. My son started to feel bad so called it a night and headed back. Woke up the next morning and he was really sick, hauled out and back to Fairbanks and he ended up having strepp throat. That was the extent of your trip. We only went in as far as davidson ditch, Nome creek trail

[BluNosDav]

Wanted to post an amendment to my earlier update:

Talked to a different guy at the ADF&G office in Tok today. He said that the caribou numbers are still low in Zone 3, but, that they were unable to fly over Zone 1, due to bad weather. He also said that the previous offer to give out guaranteed replacement tags for 2015, was only correct if she received notification of getting her tag "recently". There seems to have been a second round of Youth tags issued in late-summer for some reason, and it is only those tags that may be turned-in for a replacement 2015 tag. If your youngster was drawn in the regular winter lottery (like my daughter), then they must use it this year.

So, now we're packed and heading north tomorrow morning. Good luck to all the other young hunters!

[Kodiak Blacktails]

AKTodd,

Havn't been able to get up that way yet this summer, how are the trail and river conditions?