A month in Alaska - Caribou, Sheep, Moose

AvidIndoorsman

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Whelp I guess I should kick this thread off… sitting at Sea-Tac waiting to catch my ride up to what will no doubt be a month I won’t soon forget.

Back in December when I was applying, and looking at draw odds I didn’t think I had a chance at a tag, but then that 1 in 100,000 event happened and I found myself with not just 1 but 3 hard to draw tags. Ecstatic I called my in-laws in Alaska, before I could even tell them my news they were telling me “we’re going sheep and bison hunting.”

“Oh you looked up my results?… wait bison”

“Sheep, did you look at her?…”

Nope, they hadn’t, my SIL and I had drawn the same sheep tag, and she was hunting bison as well.

In someways ways my draws were a bit poorly planned as the tags had similar/overlapping dates. With a trove of tags, work obligations, kids, etc we came up with a bit of a daunting schedule for the fall.

I hope I can do these tags justice as I know lots of people applied for them, I’m not using a guide (sheep with second degree kin), and won’t be flying in for anything, though I did cave a bit on my plan for my on-foot moose hunt and 🤞 will be getting a ride in on horses.

Last couple weeks as I’ve been dreaming of this month I’ve tried to set my expectations, I’m doing this the hard way and the cheap way… so there is a lot of potential for coming up short in terms of antlers and horns but I hope not in memories/experiences.
 
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I guess like tarantino I’ll throw in a flashback.

Last month my wife managed to finagle working a stint in Anchorage. It took a lot to put together, and wasn’t related to hunting. Her job is crazy and it was about the only way she could figure out getting to see her family for a long stretch.

I had aspirations about scouting all three units for critters in a greenhorn esk epic fashion…

Fail lol…

I did get into 2 of the units, and put eyes on moose and I did figure out how I’m getting into the units… but by did that country make me feel like a chump.

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This is great! You will have fun doing the tough/cheap way. I've done all my hunts that way in AK and have some great memories and stories. I'm just so thankful I have the relatives up there to open doors on hunting that I thought would always just be dreams! I am following closely and hope to draw the bison tag someday myself. I can't wait to see your adventure unfold, good luck on a great year of hunting!
 
Idk what to say! From the draw odds, the time management aspect; for both you and the in-laws, the picturesque landscape, the baby on the way… I’d probably be stressing a LOT harder than you appear to be!! Very excited for you, that moose is UUUUGE I can’t wait to see what you get!! How’s the corgi do when it comes down to the important moments like stalking or shooting?

A thread for the ages, so excited to follow along
 
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