Elk hunting question
- Thread starter Chez
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I believe the elk hunting in Alaska is just by drawing permit, but I am not 100% sure of that.
In general (this goes for any big game animal), if you are looking to see what options there are for hunting an animal, look to the big game hunting regulations (http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildliferegulations.hunting). Look through each hunting unit/area. As you scroll down, you will see a section for each type of big game that is eligible for hunting in that unit. If you find a listing for the type of animal you are looking for, look through the options. If it is listed with a HT, then it is available via a harvest ticket. If it has a drawing hunt number, than it is a permit only hunt. It is actually pretty easy to skim through to look for a specific species. You will only find elk in maybe a couple spots total, so it will be a fast skim through.
In general (this goes for any big game animal), if you are looking to see what options there are for hunting an animal, look to the big game hunting regulations (http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildliferegulations.hunting). Look through each hunting unit/area. As you scroll down, you will see a section for each type of big game that is eligible for hunting in that unit. If you find a listing for the type of animal you are looking for, look through the options. If it is listed with a HT, then it is available via a harvest ticket. If it has a drawing hunt number, than it is a permit only hunt. It is actually pretty easy to skim through to look for a specific species. You will only find elk in maybe a couple spots total, so it will be a fast skim through.
Another, and maybe even a better, way would be to go to the ADF&G website and look up under the "game species" tab under the "hunting" category. You can select whatever you want, such as elk, and it will have lots of information specific to hunting that species in Alaska including the hunting opportunities. Here is a link to the Elk page specifically: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=elkhunting.main
chumsnagger
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According to the adf&g harvest reports, no elk have been taken on a HT in at least 10 years
Bushwhack Jack
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I've never hunted them up here myself, but I've always dreamed of going. I've talked to a lot of guys who have done it though and I've come to the conclusion that elk hunting up here is not for the faint of heart. If you are expecting it to be anything like what you are used to in NM, you'll probably be sorely disappointed. I've heard that once you get an elk down on the ground, it is a battle to keep the bears off of it. You have a very limited window of time to get 500 lbs+ of meat hauled out of a remote location or else you will be dealing with bears. So plan on bringing lots of friends with you to pack it all out quickly. I've also heard stories that the high grass that they live in on Afognak/Raspberry Islands is a royal pain in the a^&% to walk through and hike through. And I was just talking to a friend of mine the other day and he was telling me a story about him and his brother hunting them one time and he is a hard hunter and he is not afraid to work. He said the both of them spent 6 hours hiking to where they glassed some elk. Once they got within shooting range of a somewhat large herd of about 30-40 animals, he said they decided to only shoot one bull because it would have been too difficult to try to pack both of them out in a reasonable amount of time. So they decided to both shoot the same elk at the same time, so that they could both say they shoot an elk. Most of the stories I have talked to guys about elk hunting up here sound similar to this one. It's definitely not an easy hunt. And it is why not a lot of guys go after them. It's probably a better bet to fly down to where you are from or someplace like montana, idaho, wyoming or colorado and shoot one down there.
4merguide
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Well, I've heard the same, but I've also heard it depends on where you find them. As I've said about a lot of hunts in AK.....there's hard hunts and then there's easier hard hunts.....lol. But on average being pretty hard is what a guy can almost count on....
I remember a group of guys that I know that used to go down there to hunt deer all the time. One year one guy drew an elk tag and killed one on the first day. By the end of the hunt the rest of the guys were cussing him pretty bad I guess because packing it out took almost all their time up to hunt deer.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've heard, if a guy is really wanting a good elk hunt then he should start putting in for Etolin Is. No...???
I came to the same conclusion plus the regs mention lots of private property which I would need permission to hunt on and/or pay a fee to the land owner.
What a shame since they are a lot of fun to hunt and call in. I'd be happy to help anyone with calling if they get picked or plan on heading south to hunt them
Trappnguns
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The hunt is completely different than down south. I got one on raspberry 5 or 6 years ago... Toughest hunt i've been on. I get to do it again this November. Going to start training now. I have never heard of people calling them. It is a spot and stalk deal. There are opportunities for registration on Afognak, if you are so inclined to take it on. There are some good threads on here to do some research. I wrote one , as did KodiakRain.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
You never heard of calling elk or never heard of it in Alaska? If you catch them at the right time they will come right to you and even at the not so good times they will respond with their own call and you can spot and stalk them.
Bushwhack Jack
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He's talking about Alaskan (Roosevelt) elk. Everyone knows you can call in a Rocky Mountain Elk. I'm sure we have all watched it on tv before. Not everyone here in Alaska has done it, but I'm sure we've all dreamed of it.
4merguide
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I'm pretty sure he was talking about calling them up here, as I was thinking about that too and don't ever recall hearing about them doing it up here. I would imagine most of us know how calling them in the lower 48 is THE way most everybody does it down there. I called a couple down in CO. myself and it sure was pretty cool. To me it wasn't as cool as a monster big bull moose grunting and waving his rack at you at a few feet, but cool nonetheless....
Trappnguns
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Yeah, I was talking about up here... I have to say it is pretty cool to have a conversation with an elk. Seen it done in the lower 48
