How do you get there?

[Michael Strahan]

How do you hunt Alaska? The road system is limited, but so are most of our budgets. The purpose of this poll is to find out how most of us are accessing our favorite hunting areas.

The rules for this one are simple;

1. One vote per customer.

2. You have to have been on at least one Alaska hunt.

3. You have to choose the method you've actually done most often.

-Mike

 

[AlleninAlaska]

We run upriver by boat from Bethel. Try to do at least one fly-in hunt for Caribou a year. Snowmachine for winter Caribou. Just purchased some State property NW of Fairbanks on Deadman Lake and will be flying in there this fall to get things set up for building a cabin there next summer.

 

[Brian M]

The majority of my hunting is walk-in from the road system. I've taken all my sheep this way and a couple caribou, though I do go different routes from time to time. I took my moose last fall with the aid of a family member's 6-wheeler, though it was close enough to the road that it could have been a walk-in hunt. I'm also a pilot, so I'm sure I'll do some fly-in hunts in the future, but I really do like the challenge and the solitude of walk-in hunts. There's a lot more chance for success using this method than people may think, as you're not bound to trails or good landing areas and because you move slowly and quietly, thus you're more aware of every little movement in the woods. I love it!

-Brian

 

[martentrapper]

Majority of fall hunting has been from motorized boat.

 

[twodux]

Here in Cordova I use a boat to access the islands for deer and hike up from sea level. For moose we also use boats to access two of the three local areas, and they are even used some in the area on the road system. Same with goats and bears, much of the access is by boat. Some auto on the road system and some fly in hunting. The only hunting I access mostly by auto is for grouse and hare. A lot of the ptarmigan hunting here is accessed by sno machine.

 

[Matt]

My most recent hunt (spring brown bear) was a boat-based hunt. However, I use my atv most of the time. I'll probably be using it in the TMA as well this fall.

 

[Michael Strahan]

Power Boats- my bad

Power Boats- my bad

Sorry, gentlemen. I completely overlooked power boats when I set this one up! My fault! Thanks for posting on it.

-Mike

 

[bushrat]

simple, cheap, but time consuming

simple, cheap, but time consuming

Vast majority of my moose hunting in fall has been lining a canoe upstream, floating back down. Glassing, calling, floating. A 17' canoe with 120' of lining rope is a simple and cheap way to get around anywhere in Alaska. Few do it because it's so time-consuming. Average upstream pace lining and poling is 1 mph. Snowshoes and dogteam in winter for caribou hunting when the Porcupine herd is around (every six years or so). I only sheep hunted once, lined a canoe as close as we could get, hiked in 15 miles, hiked out, floated out...lost 12lbs, was mucho sore but the high country is a magical place and those memories will last forever. I guess this is all fits in the "other" category.

Something of note that I just got in: In the lower 48, there is an inverse relationship to "ease of access" and "hunter opportunity." As ease of access increased, hunter opportunity (in terms of seasons and bag limit and permits/tags etc) went down. Interesting to think on as it pertains to Alaska.
Best, Mark