More Adak questions, trying to go next month

[WIsam]

I mentioned a while ago that I was planning on hunting Adak. Looks like I have a string of days off in May and was thinking of going to see if I can't do a quick meat hunt. A few more questiones come to mind.

1. First,is there any rental cars on the airport? I would be kind of surprised if there was, but being able to drive to the end of finger bay road and park would make the haul a bit shorter.

2. Do most people just hike strait from the airport to the field to hunt? If so, I suppose I could toss my gun case off to the side of the road out of sight once I got out of town and hope it's still there when I get back. Is there a better way than this? If any one has done this trip before, what did you do with the gun case when you got there?

3. How full is this flight typically? Since I work for an airline, I'll try to go standby as I can get there for free. If I get bumped off, it's not the end of the world as I can always go next month or get someone to cover for me till I get back.

4. Is there any cell phone coverage in town?

5. If I picked an area 8 miles south of the airport to hunt, how long would you think it would take to make the hike with a load of meat?

 

[Lowe & Slow]

just sent you a pm

just sent you a pm

Give me a call

 

[OATS]

Flights are typically not full. Vehicle rentals are available but you need to set it up in advance. No real rental counters at the airport. Lots of decent reasonable rental housing also. You definitely need a vehicle and boat to hunt caribou effectively. You would have top be EXTREMELY lucky to hike from the airport and get into a caribou. Good luck.

 

[shphtr]

If have not done so already check archives - multiple prior threads with numerous recommendations, insights, and prior personal hunting experiences with illustrative photos.

 

[WIsam]

Looks like because of the timing of the flights in and out of Adak, I'll be spending the night in Anchorage going both ways.

Since I'm trying to do this trip cheap, I was thinking of pitching a tent at Eagle river campground (1 mile south of Eagle river) or somewhere similar to save a few dollars. They only want $15 a night and rental cars are cheap this time of year. If I remember correctly, last time I spent $250 a night for the Motel 6! I'm doing this trip alone, so I definately don't want to take a $500 hit. There's another one I found south of Anchorage called bird creek too.

Anyone ever been to the Eagle river campground or have suggestions as to a better place to put a tent that is close enough to Anchorage to catch a flight out the next day? Near home we have a few campsites that actually have showers! If there's anything like that, the poor guy sitting next to me on the flight home would probably prefer I found one.

 

[AK Ray]

Bird creek is a nice spot and fills up fast on the weekends. No facilities to speak of.

In town there is Centenial Park which is part of the Anchorage Parks and Rec system. They have a lot of snow right now, but by next month might be open for camping. Because they are in town they get a lot of "homeless" folks - those that have jobs but can't afford rent/mortgages. They have a central building that may have showers.

 

[wildwilderness]

don't stink it up

don't stink it up

you can bathe the last day you leave adak. have a clean set of clothes to change into. you can keep the clothes with your luggage that you aren't packing into the hunt. flying from adak to ancorage shouldn't get you too stinky with clean clothes on and should be fine the next day as long as you don't plan too much activity over night!

 

[Chisana]

A quick google search turned up this:

http://alaskamaritime.fws.gov/visitors-educators/caribhunting/adak.htm

As mentioned in an earlier post check the archives. This question has only come up about 150 times previously.

 

[unbwoodsmen]

cell coverage

cell coverage

They now have GCI cell phone coverage, was there last august and they did not but I am told by a friend in GCI that it is now set up. We saw the dish when we were there. Marge and will tillion rent vehicles, Depending on the truck 80 to 100 a day. not new vehicles.

 

[Michael Strahan]

Calving season?

Calving season?

I mentioned a while ago that I was planning on hunting Adak. Looks like I have a string of days off in May and was thinking of going to see if I can't do a quick meat hunt. A few more questiones come to mind.

1. First,is there any rental cars on the airport? I would be kind of surprised if there was, but being able to drive to the end of finger bay road and park would make the haul a bit shorter.

2. Do most people just hike strait from the airport to the field to hunt? If so, I suppose I could toss my gun case off to the side of the road out of sight once I got out of town and hope it's still there when I get back. Is there a better way than this? If any one has done this trip before, what did you do with the gun case when you got there?

3. How full is this flight typically? Since I work for an airline, I'll try to go standby as I can get there for free. If I get bumped off, it's not the end of the world as I can always go next month or get someone to cover for me till I get back.

4. Is there any cell phone coverage in town?

5. If I picked an area 8 miles south of the airport to hunt, how long would you think it would take to make the hike with a load of meat?

WIsam,

I just noticed this post, so please forgive me for not chiming in sooner.

Calving season is late May to early June. Are you sure you want to be hunting caribou during the calving season? Yes, it is legal, but.... well, it's something to think about. I don't think the locals would be real overjoyed about that, but it's your call. I don't know if calving even happens close to town. You should ask around about that, as your timing could be completely off. It's feast or famine with caribou, and they're either there or they're not. They could be far out of reach from town by May. The general migration pattern is that the critters move closer to town during the fall, but move far away from town in late winter... but they're caribou, so you never know.

Most of the folks hunting Adak rent a vehicle at the airport, but you need to make advance arrangements. Will Tillion is the guy to talk to. Basically you rent a vehicle and drive the road system. You can drive in a ways and park, then hunt on foot from there. Be advised that there are still areas where you should not walk around, due to unexploded ordnance or Rommel Spikes that are obscured by high grass (be sure to listen to the audio on that link). You don't want to find one of those through the sole of your boot, so pay close attention to the maps. These areas (the ones that have been discovered) are marked on the maps. I would forget trying to hike out of the airport. It's just too far to walk, and there's really no need to do that anyway. Say you walk to the area you selected "eight miles south of the airport" and there is no game. You just did a long walk for nothing.

Failing the appearance of caribou during May, you could opt for birding instead!

If you're serious about Adak caribou, you want to be there in early September (if the critters have moved close to town by then) or late October, after the rut.

Don't forget that the weather out there can be absolutely, mind-bogglingly atrocious. You have no idea until you've experienced it.

-Mike