Self guided of course, lived up there for 10 years and just a reunion trip of sorts for a few old friends to get together and shoot some Caribou and have a g double o d time.
But seriously, when you start adding the cost up- depending upon what you want to do, Alaska is quite reasonable for sure.. Caribou and Black Bear opportunities are abundant, when you start adding Moose and other animals is when you get to the need of a guide or atleast friend that lives there for guidance. Yea -a few do the DYI hunting, but most are really under 20% in success. There is so much land in AK is unbelievable to Stateside thinking. Anywhere near Anchorage and Fairbanks will be localized with of course locals, so the DYI without knowledge of the state will need to plan ahead of time and make a lot of calls for and research information. Take Caribou for example, yea you can or could fly out to a herd and do well, but adding the drop off flights to the cost of airline tickets and tags and your going to be in the realm of $2500 each person, figure 500 for round trip commercial, 400 for tag and license and 1500-1600 for drop flight, not counting extra stuff that comes up... Or there are drive option like the haul road, 40 mile, Steese and Taylor Hwy, but you got to be able to go when it opens as it closes quickly most years... Haul road is my personal favorite as it is only gas to get there and foot work after that, 14 hours from Anchorage...... If you can hike then rifle is good for the 5 mile corridor that is established, archery is tough as your not only going against the animals but the large volume of idiots and good hunters too along the road within the 5 mile cordoor... The hike is like walking on a water bed with bowling balls and watermelons throw in randomly to keep you off balanced....... (Tundra walking sucks).... But the cost is hugely different than a fly out and I have never seen another person ever in eight trips for Caribou past the five mile mark.... You will have solitude for sure and high probability of success in harvesting a Caribou or two.... If you need information give me a PM as I know the areas up there very well, and am not secretive about the areas I hunted as Caribou are hard core migratory and maybe they'll be then again maybe not....................
