Adak Caribou

[CGSwimmer25]

Has anyone hunted caribou on Akak Island recently? I am planning a hunt later on this year and I am looking for any info I can get!

[outdoorswithdon]

No one goes there anymore - it's too crowded.

Check the archives - there are a number of past threads discoursing on Adak and caribou hunting.

[DoubleSHOVEL85]

hey

cg swimmer what unit you at?

[tdelarm]

ADAK worked for my friends

Has anyone hunted caribou on Akak Island recently? I am planning a hunt later on this year and I am looking for any info I can get!

I've had a few friends make separate trips in the past few months most recently as of last week. All were successful hunts. What is it you would like to know?

There's already plenty of information on this forum...search ADAK.

http://www.outdoorsdirectory.com/akf...ting/68640.htm

[Alaskacanoe]

Meat hunt

If you go to Adak, do it as a meat hunt.
Its the right thing to do for that herd.
The herd may or may not be near the town of Adak,
It can be an easy hunt, or extreme.
As mentioned before, tons of stuff on this in the archves, and calling the locals in Adak about what is going on may be the best bet.
We were there a week before Thanksgiving.
but every week is different.. its a big place.
Max

[wildwilderness]

No one goes there anymore - it's too crowded.

thats a good one

[Lowe & Slow]

crowded with caribou

alaskacanoe has it right, it can be a great meat hunt.

This years results from me and my groups of friends.

Nov 20th - 23rd 6 guys 2 caribou
Dec 11th - 14th 4 guys 9 caribou
Jan 8th - 11th 4 guys 13 caribou

They are very good eating after the rut:rolleyes:

[SperBear]

Meat Hunt

A few weeks ago I saw a Jim Shockey show, he was "reindeer" hunting on Adak. It was definitely a meat hunt...The guides made it pretty clear that meat was the emphasis

[Lowe & Slow]

Jim Shockey

A few weeks ago I saw a Jim Shockey show, he was "reindeer" hunting on Adak. It was definitely a meat hunt...The guides made it pretty clear that meat was the emphasis

I believe he went to Atka

http://www.jimshockey.com/Blog/news_detail.aspx?n=114

[Vince]

If you go to Adak, do it as a meat hunt.
Its the right thing to do for that herd.
The herd may or may not be near the town of Adak,
It can be an easy hunt, or extreme.
As mentioned before, tons of stuff on this in the archves, and calling the locals in Adak about what is going on may be the best bet.
We were there a week before Thanksgiving.
but every week is different.. its a big place.
Max

Having spent half my child hood on Adak. the bou were never near the town. we alway took a boat around the island. Adak (town) is backed up to the tallest point of the island against the water. the bou move none stop. and the terrain is hard... we lost my dad for 2 days down a glory hole (volcanic vent) sitting on his rifle. another trip he stepped on a bungee stake left over from the WWII and old ordnance is still around the island. The Bou are BIG. i have a rack from a 2yr old that will make rocky mt elk look small. the way to hunt them is to get ahead of the herd and wait them out for a day or so. we left in 79 and there were roads(trails) then that we could take the old IH truck out on and walk across the island. so i would imagine some have been improved and new ones made. the place is WET and WINDY.... we used to get days out of school and dad would come home because the sun was out and the wind was NOT blowing. (seriously) take a fishing pole you wont regret it. Dollys off the beaches. (sand) streams full of salmon and dollys. bring back photos i would love to see how it is changed

[Lowe & Slow]

Vince Times have changed

Having spent half my child hood on Adak. the bou were never near the town. we alway took a boat around the island. Adak (town) is backed up to the tallest point of the island against the water. the bou move none stop. and the terrain is hard... we lost my dad for 2 days down a glory hole (volcanic vent) sitting on his rifle. another trip he stepped on a bungee stake left over from the WWII and old ordnance is still around the island. The Bou are BIG. i have a rack from a 2yr old that will make rocky mt elk look small. the way to hunt them is to get ahead of the herd and wait them out for a day or so. we left in 79 and there were roads(trails) then that we could take the old IH truck out on and walk across the island. so i would imagine some have been improved and new ones made. the place is WET and WINDY.... we used to get days out of school and dad would come home because the sun was out and the wind was NOT blowing. (seriously) take a fishing pole you wont regret it. Dollys off the beaches. (sand) streams full of salmon and dollys. bring back photos i would love to see how it is changed

I would love to show you pictures of the island as it is today but I would also like to see pictures and hear stories from when you were there.
I have hunted there several years in a row always Nov, Dec or Jan and the caribou are on the town side accesable from the road system I think the big reason they now hang close to town is the lack of people compared to when you were there, now there are just over 100 compared to thousands back then, also the thousand people were busy all over the roads system now they are only busy in the main town down along the docks, I think the main town site has changed since you were therre also. (see attached pic) were these 4 plexes there back then?
Send me a PM if you would like me to forward some very informative links.

[CGSwimmer25]

Thanks for all the info. I have been out to Adak four times over the last 6 months on different search and rescue cases and I have seen many small herds from the air. I have not, however, seen any really big bulls and after the cases were over we returned home not really giving me a chance to look any further. After searching around abit on the archives and internet it seems like alot of people have different opinions. Some say it's not worth it to go, others say there are still alot of quality bulls but you have to work to get them. We are planning on going in september and while getting some meat for the freezer is the main goal, it would also be nice to have a shot at a really nice animal. Our plan is to get a ride to where the road ends then backpack in until our tags are filled. The main info I am looking for is has too much over-hunting by the wealthy trophy hunters messed up the herd, or is there still a good chance of taking a decent bull? Thanks

[CGSwimmer25]

Another thing I keep noticing is people posting comments about "reindeer". In the 50's barren ground "caribou" were transplanted to the island for sport hunting purposes for the military. So if the animal was a caribou back then, why refer to them as a reindeer now. They weren't kept in kennels in people's back yards, they were free to roam the island and breed!

[Lowe & Slow]

Trophy Bulls

A lot of the record book bulls have been taken but there are still wall hangers to be had, hiking in is a good way to find bulls but not the most productive meat hunt, as a meat hunt this can be one of the least expensive high productive hunts available, do you allready have a ride lined up or would you like some info on who to talk to?
As far as the reindeer question we should probably hear from a biologist but we would probably still get various answers.