General Outdoors
Alaska Hunting and Fishing - Land of the Midnight Sun
By Greg Farrar
Jul 19, 2004, 20:37

Alaska...North America’s last frontier! The Aleuts call her A-ly-as-ka, "The Great Country". The Far North is a land where tradition and legends are passed from generation to generation, and yet where man and modern industry coexist with wildlife and the ancestral survival traditions. From the volcanic terrain of Katmai National Park, to the windy grasslands of the Aleutian Islands, to the spectacular wildernesses, glaciers and fjords, to the inland passage shaped by glaciers millions of years ago..few places on earth can compare to this vast, mystic space.

Alaska offers without a doubt the most captivating, heart-pounding big game hunting and world-class fishing opportunities found anywhere on the North American continent. Abundant wildlife such as moose, caribou, brown/grizzly bear, mountain goat and Dall sheep are the main choices of sportsmen traveling to this vast territory each hunting season. The trophy potential is phenomenal for these chosen animals, but these pursuits take you well off the beaten path and the services of a professional outfitter are a necessity for even the most experienced outdoorsman.

Despite an individuals hunting techniques and knowledge of the outdoors, Alaskan terrain is vast and extremely dangerous. Master guides supply the hunter with every essential to make their Alaskan experience exciting and safe. Using a Master guide can assure a hunter that every aspect of safety and hunting has been looked after.

Having first-hand experience in this magnificent "Land of the Midnight Sun," it has always been difficult describing the magnitude and overwhelming, haunting beauty of Alaska. Nor is it easy to convey the size of our largest state, which is one-fifth that of the continental United States, and approximately 2 1/2 times larger than the State of Texas. It is no wonder it’s been called the "Eighth Continent".

The terrain of Alaska is as awesome as it’s immense size. Approximately one-third of the state lies at low elevation and is flat enough to slow down the pace of the Yukon and other great Alaskan rivers. Here they meander and unwind through the vast expanses of tundra, and on these flats in high summer, tens of thousands of seasonal "thaw" lakes sparkle in the sunshine. The remainder of Alaska is mountainous, ranging from rolling foothills to sheer, grandeur peaks. Within Alaska’s borders are the highest mountains and the largest ice fields found on the North American Continent.

Alaska includes approximately 1,800 named islands, and many others that have yet to be officially named. The largest island of all is world-renowned Kodiak Island, which is home to the largest bears found on this continent. Perhaps more than its remoteness and ruggedness, Alaska’s climate has kept this great land in relative wilderness, a climate that ranges from temperate to frigid, and from extreme localized dryness to virtually continuous rain or snowfall. A land so far north of the equator, so cold on the average, could not possibly contain the genetic diversity of warmer wilderness areas. Yet, Alaska flourishes with rich, abundant vegetation and wildlife.

Gearing up for Alaskan big game hunting requires the best equipment that is available. Superior optics are an absolute must! Any quality full-size binocular from 7x through 10x will be acceptable to assure that you miss none of the excitement of the Alaskan terrain.

Another essential piece of gear for the Alaskan bush is a good spotting scope. Being able to determine whether the animals seen at a great distance are worthy of a stalk will save you and your guide a lot of physical and emotional anguish. A lightweight spotting scope such as a 15x45x-60mm model is adequate for the job.

Clothing requirements are much the same as for any cool or cold climate hunts, with the exception of rain gear. This is absolutely necessary gear in Alaska, especially during the August through September caribou and moose hunts. You’ll also need sturdy weather-proof leather boots with lug soles for mountainous terrain and ankle-fit hip boots for wet conditions.

What type and caliber gun should be used? This question has probably stirred up more heated discussion and controversy over time than my fiance trying to decide what to wear out! First and foremost, always bear in mind the first law of mountain hunting..."the higher the altitude, the heavier an object". So, keep your bolt-action "mountain rifle" and a trim scope to around seven pounds if possible. Go light, and make your stalks much less agonizing.

Some basic criterion to consider - caribou are generally not hard to bring down. Accordingly, flat-shooting cartridges such as the .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, and 7mm Remington Magnum are excellent choices. These calibers are also adequate for sheep and goats.

Moose, on the other hand, are huge animals generally weighing 1500-1800 pounds. To harvest this impressive brute quicker and cleaner, resort to the magnum calibers. The .300 and .338 Winchester Magnums are matchless. If you’re planning a mixed bag hunt, either of these calibers are sufficient to get the job done. Bowhunters should be drawing 65-70+ pounds, but most importantly, use a quality fixed-blade broadhead, such as a Muzzy!

Contrary to popular belief, you do not necessarily need a large "canon" to effectively hunt grizzlies and browns. Cartridges in the .30-06/7mm magnum class are competent minimums, but the .300 magnums are better suited and the .338 Winchester Magnum is an outstanding caliber. The key to any successful harvest, though, lies in a rifle and cartridge combination that you can shoot well, and to place the first shot clean.

Big game opportunities run from late-April through May, and from early August through mid-October. By late October, the weather conditions have all but eliminated any chances for a favorable hunt. The spring hunt is devoted primarily to the grizzly and brown bear, while August finds caribou in velvet at the higher elevation summering grounds. Black bear hunting is also favorable, especially if the wild berries are ripe. It is a common practice to hunt both species on the same mountain-side. August also finds Dall sheep hunting in it’s prime.

September finds most outfitters focusing on combination hunts, including dissimilar species, such as grizzly/brown bear, moose, caribou, mountain goat, and Dall sheep. Moose hunting is at it’s peak, and the rut and migration of caribou are in full swing. The tundra and willow bottoms are ignited with color, and fishing for salmon, grayling, and trout is spectacular. It’s Alaska at it’s finest.

No animal in the history of man has captured our imagination with respect, fear, and awe as the grizzly bear. This creature has overwhelmed and intimidated man with it’s incredible strength and agility for ages. Many believe that grizzlies and browns are altogether different species. However, we now know that they are actually the same species, and that the brown and Kodiak bear are little more than overfed grizzlies. The most obvious differences between browns and grizzlies is simply in their choice of habitat.

Alaska’s Kodiak Island and Cold Bay region will forever dominate the quest for trophy brown/grizzly bear. The Cordova area has also been proven for big browns and high success. Interior mountain grizzly hunting demands the ultimate in physical conditioning. The Wrangell Mountains of south-eastern Alaska and the Talkeetnas Mountains of south-central Alaska are the world’s top grizzly areas.

Alaska is a moose hunters paradise. A 60-inch moose is a good trophy anywhere, although spread isn’t everything when assessing a trophy bull. But there are more 60"+ heads in Alaska than anywhere else. However, the larger bulls prevail in southern Alaska. The Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska Peninsula, the Talkeetnas, just north of Anchorage, the Chugach region, east of Anchorage, and the southwestern expanses of the Alaska Range, all produce enormous trophy-sized moose.

Ranging throughout Alaska and the northern half of the Yukon Territory, the barren-ground caribou are the largest and the most majestic of all the caribou sub-species. Presently, the best caribou hunting is found in western Alaska and on the Alaskan Peninsula. The growing Mulchatna herd in the western region seems to have no indication of decline. Traditional migrations have shifted farther west, so look for excellent results in the McGrath area. The Peninsula herds are still healthy and still producing quality trophy bulls.

To many, the world’s wild sheep rank at the top of big game trophies. Sheep horns are magnificent physical trophies, and, by ratio, no other animal in the world carries such a massive indicator of their maleness and predominance. Alaska’s largest Dall populations are found in the enormous Alaska and Brooks ranges, but the largest heads are taken in Alaska’s steeper, harder to hunt Chugach and Wrangell mountain ranges of the southeastern region.

Mountain goat are, perhaps, one of the most underrated big game animals on the North American continent. They are a unique animal, and have never been given the proper respect as a trophy animal, mainly due to the constant comparison to its more glamorous high-country neighbor, the mountain sheep. The big solitary billies favor the steepest in terrain and a fair chase for these trophies can be the most challenging of hunting. Southeast Alaska and western British Columbia reign superior for trophy goats, with Alaska the real sleeper. Alaska’s best goat hunting is focused near the coastal range out of Cordova or Valdez, and throughout the southeastern panhandle.

Alaska is an array of massive antlered, horned, and fanged creatures that still entice us to endure rigorous wilderness safaris. Indisputably the "Land of the Midnight Sun," with its aurora borealis, or "northern lights", staging an ethereal nightly dance, will forever haunt your dreams, constantly calling for your return.

For more information on hunting Alaska and other big game destinations, contact Ultimate Xpeditions, Inc. at 1-800-2GO-HUNT or visit their website at www.ultimatexpeditions.com

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