ALASKA 2024

[CamoDup]

Yesterday I got an opportunity that I just can not pass up. I was invited to do a float trip for Caribou on the North Slope. This is my #1 bucket list hunt and I could not be more excited about it. 

I will be going with my father in law and his cousin. His cousin lives in Anchorage and has done this trip 3 times. He has 2 rafts with jet pump motors and most of the gear needed. We will be flying to Anchorage to meet up with the cousin and then driving north. We're planning on August 23rd-Sept 4th.

This will be my 1st trip to Alaska. My father in law has been a few times but just for fishing.

I'm planning on upgrading some of my gear (sleeping bag/pad), waterproofing EVERYTHING, getting some hip boots or lightweight fishing waders.

For those of you that have been there and hunted, what are some tips, tricks, do's and don'ts or anything else I should be thinking about?   

[Houndhunter]

Good choice not passing up the opportunity, that'll be a fun hunt! It can get cold that late in the Brooks so a warm sleeping bag is my advice and make sure to have a couple wolf tags in your pocket.

[C-Money]

Awesome! That will be a great time!! What cartridge are you going to trust the job to? Hope you get to fish as well.

[CamoDup]

I just ordered a 0 degree bag today. I'm absolutely going to get a wolf tag and fishing license. I'll be shooting my Tikka 6.5 PRC. It did the trick on my Washington Moose so I'm confident it will do the trick on a caribou.

[fishngamereaper]

I did a big caribou gear write up a couple years ago over in the out of state section..I think it's still there


The basic mandatory thing's that you don't skimp on..
Good tent, sleeping bag, clothes , boots and bug spray...

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,264065.0.html

[AK2WA]

I've worked/hunted up there before. I did archery closer to the road and still probably one of the best hunts I've ever done, so much opportunity to get stalks in and the brooks range and northern slopes will take your breath away with how small they make you feel.

Things I noticed doing my archery hunt:

stalking on hands knees and chest through the open tundra thats wet will soak through even the yukon or stormfront tier waterproof gear. If you really want to stay dry, helly hansen impertech or grundens equivalent. Don't worry about it not being camo. Obviously not breathable, but the impertech jackets the only rain jacket I hunt in alaska with anymore, weighs same as the yukon too. The pants would have been nice to have. Since you're rifle hunting, I think you'd be fine with yukon or katana from kuiu.

I brought with me a pair of Xtra toughs and when my leather boots were soaked through after two days I used them a lot on the wet tundra. Id consider a pair or you could bring wading pants with boots since youll be in and out of a boat.

Head nets for bugs.
Trekking poles for hiking in tundra.

When you're going to be there, youll have snow, my guess is the scattered herd will have moved south of pump house 2 by then. Id make sure your cousin has extra tire and patch kit, probably already does. Puffy jacket and pants along with the 0 degree bag will be a good idea. I keep my down in a lightweight dry sack in my pack, sea to summit I think makes it, along with a rain shell for my pack.

Caribou are an odd animal. Not really spooked easily, often curious of what you are, but tasty. I belly crawled to 80 yards with my bow on a river bank stalking an okay bull, and sat there for two hours watching him stand on the gravel bar and stare at the water. For 2 hours. Another time I put my trekking poles on my head like antlers and walked from 150 yards to 50 yards on two young bulls who watched me the whole way, then finally they slowly trotted off.

Don't even think about trying to catch moving caribou out on the tundra if theyre moving away from you or past you, they cover ground quick and as youll see its hard to get anywhere fast on the spongy tundra. I've found them swimming across lakes, up near mountain tops, roaming the flat tundra - they seem to go wherever.

Enjoy!

[CamoDup]

Great write up fishngame and thanks for the tips AK2WA. I think have most of my gear ready. I upgraded a lot of my gear for this hunt.

My biggest obstacle right now is trying to fit it all in one bag that I'll check and my EXO pack that I will be using as my carry on. I really hope I can get by with my EXO K3 4800 pack as a carry on. I've been reading a lot of different threads on Rokslide about of guys using their packs with no issues. Fingers crossed

[Feathernfurr]

My exo has flown with me all over the country and world as a carry on bag. With a k2 3500 and k3 4200 bag on it. You should be good to go, just cinch those straps down tight.

[CamoDup]

My exo had flown with me all over the country and world as a checked bag. With a k2 3500 and k3 4200 bag on it. You should be good to go, just cinch those straps down tight.

As a checked bag or carry on? I'm wanting to use mine as a carry on.

[Karl Blanchard]

No issues as a carry on to Alaska. I've done it multiple times and you'll see an endless stream of dudes in the airport doing the same. Carry on your sleeping bag as your second item as well. Saves a lot of bag space and makes for a good pillow.

[Feathernfurr]

Carry on** sorry

[Jason]

I would suggest wader pants, a good pair of wading boots and a good rubberized jacket. As mentioned already your normal hunting gear will not stop the rain after multiple days especially with the wind and brush. I know my Yukon jacket didn't last long against the sideways rain, maybe 5hrs. I would take your hunting jacket to stalk in. You're going to be sitting a lot so you might as well be comfortable.

[Karl Blanchard]

I've never done caribou but I know one of my big regrets on my dall sheep hunt was taking a HH rubber rain top. Once it got sweat in it, it stayed wet the entire trip. I'd put it on and in short order all my base layers were wet. I took it because all the Alaska guys said breathable would fail and kill me   My brother had breathable top and bottom and was able to dry sweat. My bottoms were breathables and dried fine.  If I went again I'd 1,000% take a breathable top as well. Used breathable top and bottom on very wet conditions on kodiak multiple times with no issues. I've concluded that your darned if you do and darned if you don't 

[actionshooter]

This year will be my 9th trip to AK several float trips and a couple late season trips, I now run strictly Gortex raingear and depending on the trip I bring 1 heavy set and one lite packable gear set. If it looks like nasty weather, I take or wear the heavy set, otherwise I carry the packable set, that way I can alternate and dry the other set if needed. I HATE rubberized gear and only use it for fishing.   Just my opinion...

 Also my buddies who live there swear by Kuiu gear...

[JoeE]

On all my Alaska hunts I use breathable rain gear like my KUIU chugach. I have HH rubber gear but I use that for fishing or when I’m out working on my tractor on the property in the rain. I wouldn’t do anything physical in the rubber gear. I live on the Kenai now so we get a fair amount of rain but most of my hunting is the interior. I’d go breathable rain gear for sure.