I'd definitely check on hunting regs before I started hunting in AK. You said you were thinking about June. Not sure what you can hunt in June. I'd go with the 12 gauge - more versatile. If you are backpacking - kinda hard to carry two guns.
I'd definitely check on hunting regs before I started hunting in AK. You said you were thinking about June. Not sure what you can hunt in June. I'd go with the 12 gauge - more versatile. If you are backpacking - kinda hard to carry two guns.
Raised By Bears
Bear Clan
This might help:
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About the only reason to carry a gun in most of the Alaska bush in June is for protection. You can still hunt bear and rabbit in allot of places. But almost everything else is closed to hunting. Better off carrying a fishing pole to provide food with.Originally Posted by RBB
1. If it's in your kit and you don't know how to use it....It's useless.
2. If you can't reach your kit when you need it....Its useless.
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Hemingway,
I'd be interested in discussing the trip with you. I was also thinking of taking a trip out to Alaska this summer...I've got time after I graduate from college before I start my job. I was initially thinking somewhere between Denali and Anchorage but would like to find a place with decent fishing for food.
Welcome saluki (Carbondale?). Why not race over to the Introductions section and tell us something about yourself?
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
Saluki, I look forward to talking with you more about this.
normal, decent people eh. ...and you're looking here for that...
well, i suppose it's as good a place as any.
my first thought, if you are to be visiting alaska in the summer is that all the DEET you can carry would be a good start. a bear might try to eat you, but the flies and mosquitoes will.
alaska is a big state, big by any country's standards, and pretty diverse. forgive me if i missed it somewhere, but is there a region or area you had in mind?
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he said, " I was initially thinking somewhere between Denali and Anchorage but would like to find a place with decent fishing for food".
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
Saluki, if you are serious about the trip, please message me and we can discuss this in greater detail.
Sounds interesting, but a bit of advice. Never head out on a trip with someone you don't know - haven't camped with before.
After 20 plus years in a fairly sedentary job, I'm no longer in peak physical condition, but I've been amazed at how much poorer shape some folks are. In the last ten years I've done trips with a number of people who could barely manage an 85 rod portage, got the shakes from being out of sight of a building, and wanted to go home after three days. Physically and psychologically there are a great many people out there who can't handle themselves in the woods. If you are in any kind of situation where your only assets are you and the people who are with you - you don't want them along.
Go with people you've camped with before, people that you have some idea of their abilities and mental health.
Raised By Bears
Bear Clan
That's one of the reasons I shy away from the "Hey, grab your bag and let's go hiking, Mr. Person I just met on the Internet."
Uh, no thanks. I don't know you and don't need to put my life in your hands. But thanks for the offer.
Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.
RBB, you make an excellent point and I appreciate it. It was not my ideal to search for a partner for Alaska online. Unfortunately, none of my friends are interested in this undertaking. If I can find someone who is serious about this, I will definitely meet the person and hopefully do some mini trips together before Alaska, so we can feel confident in each other's abilities.
Well, I guess Saluki was not that serious about an Alaska trip, as I haven't heard anything... oh well.
This will start a firestorm: I think the people who visit this and similar forums, have a hard time shifting from inaction to action. Why be cold, wet, and sore from physical exertion, if you can just read about it and pretend.
This is where "the three" people who did a three month wilderness hike'about this year get indigent.
Most people won't go for a walk in the rain, if they can watch TV.
So my advise Mr. Hemingway is: "Just Do It".....people have been hiking'about Alaska "SOLO" for thousands of years. And if you are on the trail system. You will meet lots of nice people from "AMERICA".........
What is the worst that could happen....? You could be the one........."For Whom the Bell Tolls". If you have never read it, it is a great read about, believing in something, enough to take action.
Last edited by Sourdough; 10-31-2008 at 01:31 PM.
Hopeak, your message is very encouraging. You're absolutely right. What I want to do is by no means unique. Although I don't think I am going to be strictly on trails though. I will need to be hunting, etc. for food..
So far, I've received 3 responses, one from facebook, Saluki, and another member here who messaged me, all of which I felt excited about, but simply went no where. It's become clear that it will be unlikely I will find someone as motivated as myself for this. Certainly, I don't want to "sell" the idea and convince someone that it will be great, as he wouldn't be able to handle it once conditions became less than ideal. I was hoping to find someone as excited about this sort of thing as I am, but it doesn't look like that will happen.
Regardless, this summer I will be backpacking in Alaska, with or without a partner.
There is lots of food on the trail system. All the Game Birds, and Fish, Wabbits. Look at it this way. Most Alaskans are lazy also. They mostly hunt on the trails and river beds, open country.
One very good Idea is get a summer job at one of the Remote Lodges, and hike on your days off, and after your employment is over.
Since it is very likely that I will do this alone, I am not quite concerned about the food situation. Let's say I am out there for 2 months. Pretty much, I need to bring my Mossberg 12 gauge because of bears... That being said... enough 12 gauge shells for 2 months worth of hunting, that's a lot of space. I am not experienced in preparing and preserving meat of large game, so it's not like hunting a big animal and making it last 3 weeks is an option.
A.) You can not shoot any game without a NON-RESIDENT hunting license.
B.) Small Game Lic.$20.- Hunting Lic.$85.- Hunting and Trapping $250.- Each Black Bear Tag $225.- Moose $400.- etc.
So I would think Small game Lic. and Fishing Lic. carry fishing gear, and "AGUILA" minishells, they are dwarf .12 Gauge shotshells and/or slugs. They do not cycle in all pump action shotguns, but you can carry regular 2 3/4" or 3" when hiking. And put a minishell in to shoot a spruce hen, or wabbit.
I still think you need to FIRST choose WHERE to go. And WHEN you are going to go. Many locations will cost more to get to from Anchorage, than you will pay to get to Alaska from America. It could easily cost you $1,500 or more to get dropped off in the bush and picked up later.
I would start with lots of books on hiking in Alaska.
Hopeak, I greatly appreciate your info. I think I better get a Hunting and Trapping license as well as fishing then. I want to use snares as on part of my food gathering. Although, price wise, I'm tempted to just get the 20 dollar small game one...
I will look into the Dwarf rounds. Do you know off hand if the Mossberg 500 can use those? I know I can use 2 3/4 and 3 inch. I will bring a few 3 inch slugs for bear purposes (not hunting bear, but if an unfortunate situation happened). I've never been to Alaska, so this might sound stupid, but I was thinking, as a standard, I'd leave 2 slugs in the shotgun for hiking, just in case. Then if I ran across something to hunt, I'd cycle those 2 shells out for smaller shot.
I know I haven't talked in great detail about location. I will be researching that more heavily in the next couple weeks. Off hand, I am thinking the greater Mt. McKinley area, but am by no means set on that. I have not adequately researched it enough. Time wise though, I am leaning towards starting May or June. I am not counting on it, but am still holding small hope that I might be able to find a partner for the trip in Alaska. I understand that the southern California culture is not keen on this sort of thing and I have virtually received no serious response on the subject.
Additionally, I plan on driving up. This also provides another issue that I have not found a solution of. I know I can't simply leave my car at some place for a month or two. I don't want to get it towed, but not sure yet where I'd be able to leave it. Unfortunately, I don't have family in Alaska to help me out on this.
Hemingway - driving up will give you another logistical concern. You may have to ship your weapons in advance, or purchase them in AK and ship them home when you are finished.
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