1993 Caribou Adventure!

[Stringwacker]

Looking back, the Alaskan trips I made in '93,'95, and '96 are without  doubt my most favorite hunts. I don't think I've ever dedicated a story to somebody, but this one goes to "Bob" our bush pilot. Being an old salt in his profession, his opinion on whether weather conditions allowed for safe travel through the treacherous Lake Clark mountain pass was sought by all his pilot peers. He was the first to tell me that in the Alaskan bush flying business that there is a saying, "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots...but there are no old, bold pilots". Ironically, Bob was killed tragically along with his hunters when his bush plane flew into a mountain; three days before I could make the next hunting trip with him. This is Alaska...it's not for the timid. I hope you enjoy the story which will be posted over several days

Alaska is the last frontier....
Alaska is over twice as large as Texas and would have land mass stretching from Florida all the way to California if placed over a US mainland map. It has the lowest population density of any state and well over 70% of the state is public land...most of it available for hunting for the cost of transportation and a license. The old west had its cowboys and modern Alaska has its bush pilots. The only real difference is one rode a horse and one flies a plane of rusted bolts....most being built over 40 years ago. Fresh paint and duct tape keeps the plane looking good and in the air.....at least that was my impression when I saw them. Bush pilots seem to live life like every day is the last one.


I'm not sure how I got the idea that I wanted to undertake a 'do it yourself' Alaskan hunt. In reality, it really hadn't started out that way. I had hunted caribou with bow and arrow in '91 out of Schefferville, Quebec with some great friends and killed a decent bull. The Quebec hunt was semi-outfitted in that the bush flight and the sleeping quarters were provided. A caretaker was also provided in the hunt package to cook and to provide assistance as needed. I suppose with this Quebec experience under my belt, I was intrigued to see if something similar could be done in Alaska.  In '93, I was looking through a hunt catalogue from a hunting consultant and saw something that perked my interest. The recommended outfitter would provide the bush plane, a tent, all food/gear for the hunt, and fly us out of their base operation in Soldotna Alaska. Basically, all the hunter had to do was to show up with a bow, clothing, pack, and sleeping bag. I called the consultant and booked the hunt for that coming fall.  We would hunt the Mulchatna caribou herd in south central Alaska which was at an all-time high during that time period. Non-residents were allowed two caribou tags and the outfitter fee was $1600 (including the flight in the bush plane) and I remember thinking that seemed to be a very good deal at the time.


I needed a hunting partner to go with and when I didn't exactly find anybody willing to do that sort of thing around Brandon MS where I lived. I decided to call my old bear hunting buddy, Gibbs, from Beaufort SC that I had met earlier on the Alberta bear hunt. I didn't get the question completely out before he said...count me in. The phrase "fools go where angels fear to tread" was in my mind as we made preparations for the hunt. Gibbs had also went with me on the Quebec hunt so we knew each other well and I looked forward to the hunt; though I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into. Gibbs traveled to my house in Brandon and we both boarded the plane in Jackson together


It was a beautiful flight that travelled just off the pacific coastline all the way into Anchorage Alaska. As we got closer to Anchorage (our last stop before departing the plane for a ride in a "puddle jumper" for the last leg of our journey into Kenai), the clouds has thickened from the air. I got my first dose of Alaska as the plane broke clear of the pea soup of the clouds and I saw the horizontal rain driven by a vicious north wind. The large Alaskan Airlines plane was being side-slipped by the wind and had a hard time staying straight for the landing. I thought about the fact that I had just left the hot summer days of Mississippi a few hours earlier and was about to be thrust perhaps into a pretty hostile environment. For the first time, I felt some uneasiness about the trip. I remember thinking that I hoped the entire trip's weather wasn't like I was witnessing as I boarded the next plane for the final leg into Kenai.

(Story to be continued)

[Iowabowhunter]

Off to an awesome start, I'm tuned in!

[acolobowhunter]

I was up there about the same time, but in BC.  Had a good time, got a Caribou and Grizzly. Went back 3 years later and got a moose.  Glad I went not as the Caribou herds have dropped off the the prices are through the roof.

[Nomadstalker]

Can't wait to hear the story.  I so regret not being able to take advantage of the great eastern Canada 'bou hunts before they disappeared.  I remember seeing two-animal hunts advertised for 3K, what a bargain.  That hunt was described as the best big game trad hunt to be had when the migration was right.