Alaska combo hunt recommendations

[Tundra Tiger]

@justin wiles ... That's why I moved up here a long time ago.

 

[Philip Glass]

Looking at these Alaska hunt prices. Man. I should have found a way to go back in my high school or college days. I remember when the hunts were half what they are now.

My good friend was a master guide in the 1990’s and I could have gone every year and killed everything for what one animal costs now!

 

[Deleted member 40394]

My good friend was a master guide in the 1990’s and I could have gone every year and killed everything for what one animal costs now!

A guy I played softball league with in 06’. I remember he had 2 caribou on his wall and I asked him how much the hunt was and I wanted to say he got both in the same trip for less than 5k.

 

[Philip Glass]

A guy I played softball league with in 06’. I remember he had 2 caribou on his wall and I asked him how much the hunt was and I wanted to say he got both in the same trip for less than 5k.

Back in the ‘90’s there was an ad in outdoor life for a Quebec caribou hunt for 2 caribou for $2995! (Maybe it was $3995 but either way it was cheap!) man why didn’t I go?

 

[WAB]

My good friend was a master guide in the 1990’s and I could have gone every year and killed everything for what one animal costs now!

A good friend was the first master guide in Alaska. He was in a video “this is my Alaska”. If you can get your hands on it, watch it. It shows you what Alaska used to be.

 

[Milo]

@justin wiles ... That's why I moved up here a long time ago.

Agreed. I've been here over 20 years, but I should have come here sooner.
Downside is that costs for Alaska residents have been going up just as fast

 

[Tundra Tiger]

@Milo Yeah, it is. But it still beats coming here from the outside. Goats on Kodiak this fall? Just the cost to get there... no guides to worry about.

 

[Milo]

@Milo Yeah, it is. But it still beats coming here from the outside. Goats on Kodiak this fall? Just the cost to get there... no guides to worry about.

Agreed. That Kodiak hunt is one of the best things going for residents. I've got no complaints.

 

[fourfive8]

Whew! 4-5 out of a lodge for those three animals with no interest in spike camps or ability or desire to walk much? Seems a tall order to me. I've been there a bunch, usually just me or with my nephew (a resident). There have been a few occasions where maybe two of those three animals you mention were quite possible or even likely with some effort and some walking during one trip. We usually went on DIY super cub fly outs with our own supplies, tents and gear. I just don't see a lodge hunt for that many for those animals working out so well with the group you describe. Sorry, that may seem blunt- just my opinion for what it's worth. The only possibility would maybe be a coastal hunt out of a self-contained boat for coastal brown or black bear, possibly deer, along with some fishing? The other possibly of course would be Russia- seriously... with enough dough for machines and choppers and all with no legal impediments.

 

[R eight]

Agreed. I've been here over 20 years, but I should have come here sooner.
Downside is that costs for Alaska residents have been going up just as fast

bloody hell mate…….resident costs the cost of the beer I’d spill on a Saturday night is worth more than what it costs a resident in licensing fees for an Alaskan grand slam.
if you really want to see serious money for a license and tag try buying one as a nonresident alien …..anyway I should not complain
From memory my first Alaskan hunt 2014 (16 days hunting) a combination hunt (grizz, moose, Dall, caribou, cost about USD $24k plus tags. (about $3k)

last hunt 2018 (10 days) for Brown bear my hunting license and the bear tag was very close to USD $2k.

long story short…if anyone wants to hunt Alaska do it now. The price is only going one way and that’s the wrong way and trust me on this…..those hills get steeper every day.

3 hunts to Alaska and I still want another.

 

[Milo]

Then move. We all have choices.
To put it in perspective, I see a guy right now advertising $13000 to take 2 guys for a flyout moose hunt. Just an airplane ride.

 

[R eight]

Then move. We all have choices.
To put it in perspective, I see a guy right now advertising $13000 to take 2 guys for a flyout moose hunt. Just an airplane ride.

Or I could drink less

 

[Milo]

Or I could drink less

Now that's just crazy talk.

 

[Philip Glass]

Then move. We all have choices.
To put it in perspective, I see a guy right now advertising $13000 to take 2 guys for a flyout moose hunt. Just an airplane ride.

That’s about right. The drop camp hunt where we (3 of us) saw no moose in 10 days was $6500 each plus a $1000 trophy fee. An expensive sightseeing tour if you ask me.

 

[Milo]

That’s about right. The drop camp hunt where we (3 of us) saw no moose in 10 days was $6500 each plus a $1000 trophy fee. An expensive sightseeing tour if you ask me.

Yeah that's brutal. Drop me a message on who that was if you don't mind.

 

[Philip Glass]

Yeah that's brutal. Drop me a message on who that was if you don't mind.

Nushagak Guides Service. Do not recommend them.

 

[WAB]

We had an ‘outfitter’ dropping guys along the coast for black bear. One every mile or so. Some of them were across a bay from where there was decent bear hunting. I doubt that one in ten shot a bear.

 

[fourfive8]

The term caveat emptor I believe was introduced into common vernacular because of experiences endured by many hunters venturing to AK for the first time. Hard to describe the differences with few words but guided/outfitted hunting in Africa and guided//outiftted hunting in Alaska (or most any big game destination state) are about as different as can be imagined.

Interesting the Dillingham/Nushagak area was brought up. Several years ago I witnessed a real head shaker in progress involving some first time out of state moose hunters (from Michigan IIRC) and a local guide from Dillingham/Ekwok- the story is stuff of legend really and fits perfectly into this discussion about what to avoid- been long enough ago won't mention the guide/outfitter. Dillingham is a very popular jumping off point for many Alaska adventures given its strategic location. Along with that popularity of hunting and fishing resource access, come the propensity for shady operations. True also in similar western states/locations where there's so much non-resident demand for hunting game like elk.

There are of course lodges in Alaska but most remote hunting "lodges" I've been around are nothing more than seasonally used basic buildings/tent camps for cooking and shelter for use in between outings to more remote spike camps. Sure enough type modern lodges as envisioned in Alaska by the OP seem more commonly associated with vacation get aways or fishing, not necessarily hunting.
caveat emptor

 

[WAB]

There’s a reason it’s called the last frontier!

 

[fourfive8]

I don't know why but this one of my favorite pictures of hunting AK. Shot of my nephew with last caribou load out. Looking down toward our DIY tent camp on a ridge top. Area is up river and to the west of the portion of the Nushagak known as the Big Bend- not far from the headwater tributaries. Great hunt, but extreme weather for a couple of days!