Homesteading in a Good Hunting Area

[DR B]

I been think abut moving to alaska. Is it still possible to homestead in Alaska? What areas are open are their any within a 1-2 hour flight to a Major Town with a hospital. I also intersted in a are that has a diversity of hunting and Fishing.
Thanks
Dr B

[caribou-man]

If you are talking about an actual Homestead program, like 160 ac. and prove up than no, there is no program like that anymore. The two disposal programs the state has now are subdivision sales and remote recreation land, a stake your own deal. It is a lottery and if drawn you can go out within a designated area and stake your lot up to 20 acres depending on the area. Both programs are a sale programs in that if you get the oppurtunity you just buy iy like any other land, no proving up. I think these programs are for Alaskans only. If land does not sell during the intial offering than it goes over the counter for anyone to buy. Look up DNR's web site for more info.

[Chisana]

land in Alaska

Caribou man's got it right about the two current state programs. I'd look real hard at any land in these programs before I bid on it. There hasn't been much in the recreational land program that has appealed to me in the last few years. If you're new to Alaska one thing to be aware of is that owning land really is of little benefit to the big game hunter. The vast majority of game is taken on public land in Alaska. A private cabin near public land might be of some utility as a base, but I wouldn't expect to kill much on your own land. Certainly there are some other great benefits of owning remote property in Alaska, but in my opinion hunting is not chief among them.

The last homesteading program was in the 1980s in Slana if I recall correctly.

[DR B]

If their is no longer home steading is it possible to buy land in a remote area or is it all gov land?
I have looked at the realestate that is listed by various realestate agents, most of it is in town or a subdivision. I really want a little more privacy. I also would like to be near year round good fishing, I don't mind traveling for hunting, but being able to fish after work or when you have a day off would be great.

Dr B

[Casper50]

Dr. B, unless you want to ice fish there will be no year round fishing anywhere in Alaska but the southeast.


www.mikesbritishguns.us

[Blink]

check out www.landinalaska.com

[martentrapper]

The non profit arms of the native corps all have a reality dept. They usually have a list of native allotments for sale. These range from 40 to 160 acres. Asking price is generally around 1000 bucks per acre. There are several currently for sale around Nome.

[martyv]

Like someone else said. If you want to fish year around, you better go to South East Alaska. And the fishing you will be doing will be ocean fishing.

Another website is www.remoteproperties.com

Here is one from that website http://www.remoteproperties.com/southeast/weeping.html

[Brian M]

Dr. B - You mention fishing after a day of work, but also mention privacy and remote locations. Is this combination possible with what you do for a living? There are some jobs like that, but there is very little in the way of employment in rural Alaska, unless you do something internet based. Wouldn't be feasible for many of us, but it's great if it would work out for you! I might add that ice fishing is a blast and can be very good in certain areas of the state. Take a look at Western Alaska...some good lake trout and grayling in the winter, salmon, rainbows, etc. in the summer.

-Brian

[DR B]

Kodiac

BM
I was watching Jim Zumbo tonight on Kodiac, he was catching catching Black Bass, Ling Cod, and Halibut as fast as you would want to. They also hunted ducks and Black tail. I'm looking for that kind of variety with out having to travel two or three hours to hunt and fish.

Kodiack is one of the places I'm looking into, i think a ocean view home on a fresh water stream 5-10 maybe 20 miles out of town might be nice. As long as I can drive into the hospital for work.

One of the problems I have with most of what I have looked at is the high price of housing. Which is why I asked about Homesteading. I guess I'm having sticker shock. from what I can tell the houses listed on MLS in AK are three to five times as expensive as Mississippi.

What is the down side of living on Kodiac or south east AK near the ocean.
Thanks
Baylor

[Brian M]

Baylor - Well, for most folks the downside would be the wet, windy weather that is common to both areas. Both are spectacularly beautiful and offer great hunting and fishing, but both are prone to rainstorms that can last for weeks. I think the trade-off would be worth it, but some people just can't handle dreary weather.

As for home prices, they're high - but most jobs also pay comparably high wages. Additionally, both SE and Kodiak have relatively small populations. I know that medicine is always an in-demand field up here, but finding the right position could be tricky, depending on your area of practice. The major hospitals are mainly located in Southcentral (Anchorage, etc.), though there are a few facilities in SE and Kodiak.

-Brian

[AkHunter45]

I think that you'll find the cost of food, gas, and other amenities a little higher on Kodiak then on the mainland, but Kodiak is beautiful and would be worth it I think.

[Paul H]

Alaska is expensive to live in, but that's because it's worth it. Not just housing is more expensive, but food, and heating costs.

Basically you'll find in Alaska, if land is cheap, there are no jobs, and it'll cost you alot to get anything to the land. So, the cheapest land is really the most expensive place to live due to the costs of transporting building materials out there, and the equipment you need to access the land.

Water front property is expensive as well, because it is desireable.

Generally, unless you work a 2 and 2 schedule in the oil fields, your home will be a compromise of access to hunting/fishing, and access to work.

To me Kodiak would be an ideal place to live, but it is an island and accessing anyting off the island is going to cost you.

[375ultramag]

Call the University of ALaska land management division. They have some sweet land out there for long term lease or purchase