Questions before booking a Caribou hunt

[coleslaw]

I know there are old threads on here and they have been of tremendous help, and rather than resurrect them, I will just start another "Alaska Caribou Thread"- lol, sorry guys...

Really I just have a few specific questions, mostly regarding logistics, hunting area and transport. First off, the initial flight from the lower 48 is not an issue, I have plenty of airline miles and am lucky to have a boss who also hunts and gives me a very flexible work schedule come fall which is nice if I end up being grounded due to weather. I also understand the extra cost in baggage and know some of the tricks to getting meat home (Rubbermaid containers and newspaper, etc) and I would prefer to bring my own gear which should be under most charter weight limits.
My first question though, is how does the rental car option work? Say I was flying into Fairbanks and have to rent a car and drive 8-10 hours north to get to my charter, am I paying for the all the time that the rental vehicle sits at the charter airstrip for 7-10 days? It seems very steep, especially considering the cost of rentals up there. Is there another option for this area- say a charter out of Fairbanks that anybody would recommend, or a car carousel or taxi sort of option to get up the Haul Road?

I should also add that I am really wanting to get to the North Slope, (26B, 26C, 25A), but I am also looking more and more into a hunt out of Kotzebue after reading various threads. The logistics seem much better due to the fact that I can fly commercially straight to Kotz' and catch a charter right away without having to worry about renting a vehicle of finding other transportation to some far away charter. Does anybody know what the herd out near Kotz is like as far as numbers, health and quality? I am not a trophy hunter, but would definitely enjoy putting a nice bull on the wall- this is, after all, the hunt I've been wanting to do since I was a kid.
Any info, recommendations and tips are greatly appreciated. This hunt will likely be for two people and I am planning to start calling charters very soon and get this thing set up. Looking for a '21 or '22 hunt, I know the "good ones" book up fast and far out. Thanks in advance!

 

[Gary]

Car rentals here are the same as in the lower US - rent by the day. Even though you may only use the vehicle for 2 days (driving up and back) the unit is in your care and you are going to pay for it. Have you checked into a used rental - there is at least one company that rents used vehicles in FBX. Most of the rental companies have a rider in the agreement that restricts their vehicles being driven on the Haul Road so that's something to be aware of. You might ask your transporter if he can give you a contact number for other hunters that will be coming up at the same time as you. Maybe something could be worked out. The problem with getting a ride to meet your air taxi could leave you stranded on your return trip. Matching schedules coming and going seems daunting. Check with Wright's Air (in Fbx) for a charter to meet your air taxi. They might be an option for a transporter too.
The hunting areas around Kotz have had added restrictions for non-residents recently; check with F&G or wildlife troopers before setting your sights on Kotz.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

If I was going to meet a transporter in Coldfoot I would look into flying with one of the air carers that does regular flights. Still might be $840 ($440 person + 400 baggage on your way out with meat)... I think there is also a bus, when I looked into it I was ball parking $300 round trip. Your transporter might have some other ideas.

I think the rental car is probably the most expensive route. Alaska, to some extent works on "island time" so give yourself cushion on everything (I'm super type A so maybe others don't feel the sameway).

 

[coleslaw]

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to call a couple transporters and see what they recommend.
In regards to hunting out of Kotzebue, I think that non-residents may only hunt during the general season for Caribou only.

 

[Bambistew]

There is no cheap option to get to Cold Foot... like many places in Alaska, you pay what it costs or you stay home. With a rental car you are not at the mercy of the weather, or scheduled flight. The charter will cost you the same as the rental pending how many guys go. Rental cars may not be allowed on the Haul Road, so you may have to get creative on the rental, and book a Uhaul, or United Rentals, etc.

Its going to be an interesting spring I think. Snow is ass deep to moose in many areas, winter kill is going to be awful in many places. I don't think the Brooks has been hammered as bad as other places though. The Alaska Range, Talkeetnas, and south central will be really bad, moose, caribou and sheep are screwed. This includes the 40 mile country...

Personally, I would contact Jared with Golden Eagle out of Kotz, and book a slot the first or second week of September and be done with it. Logistics are a snap, and don't get any easier, IMO. His hanger is right next to the public terminal, and you can fly commercial in and out of Kotz via Anchorage. The caribou are doing fine up that way, and its doubtful the locals will lock down the non-local hunting in the next year or two... but its possible. Just like a terrible winter is possible every year. Even if they do lock it down, they can't lock anyone out of state land, only federal land have subsistence preference.

 

[coleslaw]

Personally, I would contact Jared with Golden Eagle out of Kotz, and book a slot the first or second week of September and be done with it. Logistics are a snap, and don't get any easier, IMO. His hanger is right next to the public terminal, and you can fly commercial in and out of Kotz via Anchorage. The caribou are doing fine up that way, and its doubtful the locals will lock down the non-local hunting in the next year or two... but its possible. Just like a terrible winter is possible every year. Even if they do lock it down, they can't lock anyone out of state land, only federal land have subsistence preference.

I have been weighing this option more and more simply because of the easier logistics. I know there are/ where issues of meat spoilage and waste reported on the past few years out that way because of no freezers supposedly. Any idea if there are any places that can freeze or at least get the meat cold enough to check as baggage and make the flight back home? Any meat shippers?
Would Alaska airlines be able to help, possibly trying the known shipper route?

 

[mmazour]

It has been awhile since I hunted out of Kotz (maybe 10-12 years). Brad Saalsa was a great transported to deal with. I went one of the last years that non-res could shoot two caribou. Back then, meat was the issue with nowhere to freeze in Kotz. If you donated, Northern Air Cargo would take it, but only if donated. Hunting was awesome and Brad and pilots were solid setting you up. Don't know if the freezing situation has changed. The Kotz community isn't real friendly to non-residents...

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

I hunted the north slope for caribou in 2017. I rented a 4x4 F150 from GoNorth in Fairbanks to drive to Happy Valley. If I were to go up there again, that's what I would do...driving the haul road was one of the highlights of the trip!!

 

[brownbear932008]

I have done the Haul road hunt the drive to Happy Valley is half as much fun as the hunt I think. We simply rented from a common car rental at Fairbanks and took our time and enjoyed the drive. Nothing is cheap in AK. And everything is on AK time so it is what it is on such remote hunts. We had a couple of delays both going in and coming out, so plan for that and expect it. It's still probably the best trip I've ever done and you won't regret it I think.
I didn't like all the issues with a trip to Kotz. Yeah the logistics may be easier but a lot of issues out there unless it's changed. I'm not going somewhere and spending my money where I don't feel welcomed. AK hunting forums is a good place to get the latest and greatest info on those areas. They use to have a haul road thread every year on there.