Haul Road Caribou

[honeydew]

Hi All,

FNG to this forum but established on some others. Been in Anchorage for a couple years now but have never hunted the haul road. Wanted to try my luck at caribou this year and thinking of making the 5 mile death hike. I've looked here and other places but something I've never been able to find is feedback on the parking situation. We'd probably be hiking in and then staying 3-5 nights. I've never been that far north so I'm looking for some feedback on parking and vehicle security. Are pullouts the only place you can park or can you park on the shoulder? Anything to know to protect the vehicle from damage from other vehicles or theft? Appreciate the guidance.

 

[AKducks]

I wouldn't park on the shoulder if you were doing a multi day hike out. might be a bit upsetting to the truckers using the road. but I would say if you truck is locked you shouldn't have any issues. and there are lots of pull outs/parking spots along the road.

 

[Daveinthebush]

I wouldn't park on the shoulder if you were doing a multi day hike out. might be a bit upsetting to the truckers using the road. but I would say if you truck is locked you shouldn't have any issues. and there are lots of pull outs/parking spots along the road.

AK is correct if you park on the highway, it is not going to end well. Mud, rocks and angry truckers are not your friend. There are pull outs. Many are access to the pipeline which you cannot block access to. Usually, you can see where others have parked near the gates. Never had an issue with theft but you never know.

Hiking five miles out use OnX maps and it gives you the boundary. Many times, as you leave the road, you might think your 5-miles out, but you actually walked closer to a bend in the road. The troopers will mark your kill from the air and fly straight to the road to see if you are legal.

 

[4merguide]

Never had an issue with theft but you never know.

These days it's hard to take that chance. When a person can't even leave his/her vehicle to go x-country skiing in the middle of the winter without coming back and finding it broken into, well, things have gotten bad as far as that goes. Hopefully up the haul road may be different, but like I say, it's hard to take that chance.....unfortunately. It's not the Alaska it was years ago.

 

[honeydew]

Hiking five miles out use OnX maps and it gives you the boundary. Many times, as you leave the road, you might think you’re 5-miles out, but you actually walked closer to a bend in the road. The troopers will mark your kill from the air and fly straight to the road to see if you are legal.

Don’t think I could hunt just about anywhere these days without OnX. Your comment on the troopers did make me wonder. Anyone ever have an issue or know of a situation where the animal is shot past the five mile corridor but continues to travel and gets within the corridor? I assume a finishing shot within the corridor is a violation. Also anyone had an issue where the animal expires inside the corridor but was legally shot beyond the five mile mark? Guess pictures and screenshots from OnX would help in the discussion with the trooper if it becomes an issue. Probably more hypothetical than real but I’ve heard some stranger things happen. Thanks everyone for the feedback so far!

 

[iofthetaiga]

Anyone ever have an issue or know of a situation where the animal is shot past the five mile corridor but continues to travel and gets within the corridor?

I think if you're cutting it that close, you're cutting it too close.

 

[Daveinthebush]

Pictures and document. Mark the start of the blood and where it ended. Document! It even helps to take picture of the remains after removing all meat. At least you have your own evidence.

 

[honeydew]

I think if you're cutting it that close, you're cutting it too close.

Not the plan. But my buddy double lung shot an elk once and the damn thing went 0.6 miles and crossed a stream before it collapsed. Once we cut it open we saw that the arrow sealed the wounds enough where only one lung had collapsed in the end. Just sayin even with good shots critters can be damn tough when they want to be.

 

[south dakota]

Hi All,

FNG to this forum but established on some others. Been in Anchorage for a couple years now but have never hunted the haul road. Wanted to try my luck at caribou this year and thinking of making the 5 mile death hike. I've looked here and other places but something I've never been able to find is feedback on the parking situation. We'd probably be hiking in and then staying 3-5 nights. I've never been that far north so I'm looking for some feedback on parking and vehicle security. Are pullouts the only place you can park or can you park on the shoulder? Anything to know to protect the vehicle from damage from other vehicles or theft? Appreciate the guidance.

There are tons of places to pull of and park. As some stated the access roads are good but mostly it is relative to where you want to walk the 5 miles from the road. A map or OnX are the best and a standard Garmin GPS will solve the issues of how far and where you are in relation to the road. Next there are places, like the weather station, to get a couple miles in and make that just a hike. So deciding where you are to go in makes a difference. If you are able and willing to cross the Sag going east, you now increased your chances of zero hunters bothering you. Some of my favorite spots are going west from South Mt., the weather station east and pump station 2 going east. Having said that, there are any number of places to go if you glass and locate caribou on the move going out. Remember you can't follow and catch them, you need to intercept them. Good luck and maybe try a base camp out for a night or two. Also I never had any issue with someone bothering our vehicle. Just don't leave money, wallets, rifles or the such for anyone to see and be tempted. Finally, be concerned that the small un-marked private looking air craft is actually the warden watching you. Be legal always.

 

[honeydew]

All I hear about this year is the Sag’s record water level and the washout it’s causing. Under normal conditions does it braid out enough somewhere to be safely waded if you’re careful? Or is a pack raft the only real way to manage it?

 

[Festus500]

There are tons of places to pull off and park. As some stated the access roads are good but mostly it is relative to where you want to walk the 5 miles from the road. A map or OnX are the best and a standard Garmin GPS will solve the issues of how far and where you are in relation to the road. Next there are places, like the weather station, to get a couple miles in and make that just a hike. So deciding where you are to go in makes a difference. If you are able and willing to cross the Sag going east, you now increased your chances of zero hunters bothering you. Some of my favorite spots are going west from South Mt., the weather station east and pump station 2 going east. Having said that, there are any number of places to go if you glass and locate caribou on the move going out. Remember you can't follow and catch them, you need to intercept them. Good luck and maybe try a base camp out for a night or two. Also I never had any issue with someone bothering our vehicle. Just don't leave money, wallets, rifles or the such for anyone to see and be tempted. Finally, be concerned that the small un-marked private looking air craft is actually the warden watching you. Be legal always.

 

[Festus500]

Solid post with good info

 

[Festus500]

Solid post with good info

 

[honeydew]

My next question is regarding shelter choice. I’ve heard both work but any strong preference between a free standing vs tipi style tent? I have a SG skyscraper and seek outside cimarron. This would be for my father and I for 3-5 nights. Pros and cons to both. Freestanding being structural and bug control. Tipi being space and ventilation. I have liners and a half nest for the cimarron. Feedback from guys who have hunting 26B?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

With the liners and half nest for the cimarron is it getting close to the same weight as the SG? You wont be burning anything i am sure so the stove is out for weight in the tipi. If it was me i would probably take the SG and split the weight between 2 people

 

[honeydew]

With the liners and half nest for the cimarron is it getting close to the same weight as the SG? You wont be burning anything i am sure so the stove is out for weight in the tipi. If it was me i would probably take the SG and split the weight between 2 people

All in they’re about the same weight. The cimarron might be a couple (2-4) ounces heavier counting the canopy, pole, 1/2 nest, 1/2 liner and cone. The trade is usable ground space vs freestanding/bug control. We can use packable cots to get off the ground in the cimarron. Can’t use cots in the SG, can’t stand up, and isn’t much space inside the tent around the pads.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

i havent had my redcliff in a buggy situation yet. word on the street is that its not to bad and the bugs hang out at the top. I could see that for flys but i feel like mosquitos will get ya. What i do have is first hand experience of the bugs that are on the slope. Have seen it where you almost have an exact shadow of your self behind you when walking and its a hoard of skeeters waiting for you to stop. Only downside to the SG i see is that if you get some weather you will be stuck in there, other then that i am guessing you will be out hunting or hanging outside the tent glassing for animals. If it was me i would bring the SG and deal with tight skeeterless quarters. Can both of you fit in the half nest? I belive its the same nest i use in the redcliff and i think that would be pretty tight for 2 dudes. Maybe someone who has stayed up on the slope or high skeeter situations will chime in.