# Alaska Caribou 2021



## III (Dec 6, 2011)

Few pics from our Alaska Caribou hunt. Flew out of Kotzebue Sept 1 got back to civilization Sept 9, 3 extra days in the backcountry due to weather. Our group went 6 for 6.
. Alaska will test you/ touch you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Tundra is no joke to traverse.
Would definitely go back.


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## TheMAIT (Nov 7, 2005)

III said:


> Few pics from our Alaska Caribou hunt. Flew out of Kotzebue Sept 1 got back to civilization Sept 9, 3 extra days in the backcountry due to weather. Our group went 6 for 6.
> . Alaska will test you/ touch you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Tundra is no joke to traverse.
> Would definitely go back.


6 for 6?!?!? Congrats! That's awesome! What kind of trip was this? Guided, dropped in and picked up? Archery, gun?


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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

III said:


> Few pics from our Alaska Caribou hunt. Flew out of Kotzebue Sept 1 got back to civilization Sept 9, 3 extra days in the backcountry due to weather. Our group went 6 for 6.
> . Alaska will test you/ touch you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Tundra is no joke to traverse.
> Would definitely go back.


Great work! Which air service did you use?


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

TheMAIT said:


> 6 for 6?!?!? Congrats! That's awesome! What kind of trip was this? Guided, dropped in and picked up? Archery, gun?


Drop camp. 5 rifles 1 bow. I used the bow had cow and calves within bow range but no shooter bulls. I did take this one with a rifle, but was set up on a different set of bulls with the bow and they winded us.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

steelyspeed said:


> Great work! Which air service did you use?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


We used Ram Aviation. Would not recommend them.


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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

III said:


> We used Ram Aviation. Would not recommend them.


Haha, why’s that?


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## MallardMaster (Nov 17, 2003)

Fantastic photos. That picture of the brown rodent that you had wandering through camp couldn't have been the easiest of situations when you have (6) critters in the area. Congrats on the success though.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

steelyspeed said:


> Haha, why’s that?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Orginally they were going too put us on a river where a camp was already set up. Couldn't do it because of the wind.
Took us up to where we were, which was fine with us.
However we were short equpment.
4 cots, 3 lanterns, cooking oil, coffee, 4 chairs. potatoes ,onions.
The cots would have kept 4 of us off the rocky ground. The lanterns would have allowed us to warm the tents somewhat and get some of the dampness out of everything.


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## steelyspeed (Apr 10, 2016)

III said:


> Orginally they were going too put us on a river where a camp was already set up. Couldn't do it because of the wind.
> Took us up to where we were, which was fine with us.
> However we were short equpment.
> 4 cots, 3 lanterns, cooking oil, coffee, 4 chairs. potatoes ,onions.
> The cots would have kept 4 of us off the rocky ground. The lanterns would have allowed us to warm the tents somewhat and get some of the dampness out of everything.


Gotcha. Did they communicate well with no hidden fees?


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Congrats. Sorry about the gear issues. We're going next year. Should be fun.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

steelyspeed said:


> Gotcha. Did they communicate well with no hidden fees?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Communication was good up until we were dropped off. There were no hidden fees.


shaffe48b said:


> Congrats. Sorry about the gear issues. We're going next year. Should


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I usually hear good things about ram. Golden eagle is the guy I was thinking of going with. I flew with Jared once for a fishing trip and he was excellent.
At least they put you into animals.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

III said:


> Orginally they were going too put us on a river where a camp was already set up. Couldn't do it because of the wind.
> Took us up to where we were, which was fine with us.
> However we were short equpment.
> 4 cots, 3 lanterns, cooking oil, coffee, 4 chairs. potatoes ,onions.
> The cots would have kept 4 of us off the rocky ground. The lanterns would have allowed us to warm the tents somewhat and get some of the dampness out of everything.


That's not entirely his fault. You cant depend on weather and plans change often up there because of it. That can happen if you don't have a plan b sounds like he he had a option for you and if you had brought your own gear you would have been alright.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Did you guys have a means to communicate and he just not reply?


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> That's not entirely his fault. You cant depend on weather and plans change often up there because of it. That can happen if you don't have a plan b sounds like he he had a option for you and if you had brought your own gear you would have been alright.


I agree it was not his fault that we couldn't be placed where originally planned. It was Rams responsibility to ensure we had all the equipment that was rented from them for our 5 days in the backcountry. I am not angry with them, we had a great time and had a helluva an adventure. After contacting the booking agent one of our party received a phone call from Ram apologizing basically say they f-upped.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> Did you guys have a means to communicate and he just not reply?





brushbuster said:


> Did you guys have a means to communicate and he just not reply?


Had a satellite phone. That's a requirement


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I can see both ways with the rent-a-gear. You might save a lot of money and have more comfort than what you can fit in a pack. But I'm always leary of counting on others for anything I don't have to. If I have a 1p tent, an insulated sleeping pad, and a sleeping bag I know I'll be fine for a week. Basic food and tiny stove.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

shaffe48b said:


> I can see both ways with the rent-a-gear. You might save a lot of money and have more comfort than what you can fit in a pack. But I'm always leary of counting on others for anything I don't have to. If I have a 1p tent, an insulated sleeping pad, and a sleeping bag I know I'll be fine for a week. Basic food and tiny stove.


I agree 100%. We rented a entire camp set up for our upcoming Kodiak trip in November, but I'm also bringing my tipi stove charcoal and sleeping pad as a backup and possible spike camp ( without stove and charcoal).


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

brushbuster said:


> I agree 100%. We rented a entire camp set up for our upcoming Kodiak trip in November, but I'm also bringing my tipi stove charcoal and sleeping pad as a backup and possible spike camp ( without stove and charcoal).


In theory if one was going on a once in a lifetime hunt, renting gear would make sense for just about everything. But when I hear people not having any gear, I begin to wonder if they have any outdoors experience beyond car camping, if that. I mean it's not a goat hunt by far, but you're far enough from help to make it real.

As far as us I'm sure we will end up renting the additional gear just for additional comfort. If it was just me id say screw it because I don't like setting up and putting down unnecessary gear especially when I'm not used to it. Just me.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

shaffe48b said:


> In theory if one was going on a once in a lifetime hunt, renting gear would make sense for just about everything. But when I hear people not having any gear, I begin to wonder if they have any outdoors experience beyond car camping, if that. I mean it's not a goat hunt by far, but you're far enough from help to make it real.
> 
> As far as us I'm sure we will end up renting the additional gear just for additional comfort. If it was just me id say screw it because I don't like setting up and putting down unnecessary gear especially when I'm not used to it. Just me.


We rented the gear because of the extreme conditions and 4 old guys might just want a few comforts. When i did kuiu island this spring we brought our own gear. We had a pretty comfortable warm dry camp, but we also brought over 300lbs of gear from Detroit.Some times it makes sense to rent. Alaska is a pretty unforgiving place it helps having a warm dry camp.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

shaffe48b said:


> In theory if one was going on a once in a lifetime hunt, renting gear would make sense for just about everything. But when I hear people not having any gear, I begin to wonder if they have any outdoors experience beyond car camping, if that. I mean it's not a goat hunt by far, but you're far enough from help to make it real.
> 
> As far as us I'm sure we will end up renting the additional gear just for additional comfort. If it was just me id say screw it because I don't like setting up and putting down unnecessary gear especially when I'm not used to it. Just me.


This wasn't our first rodeo. 5 of the 6 people in the group have extensive back country experience. We had 2 jet boils that we brought with us as well as a small amount of food and coffee, everyone had a water filter. We managed our resources and supplies and had a great time. When you pay for something like equipment for a hunt you would hope the service would verify the equipment delivered to camp before taking off. And that was the suggestion made to the owner of the company.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

III said:


> This wasn't our first rodeo. 5 of the 6 people in the group have extensive back country experience. We had 2 jet boils that we brought with us as well as a small amount of food and coffee, everyone had a water filter. We managed our resources and supplies and had a great time. When you pay for something like equipment for a hunt you would hope the service would verify the equipment delivered to camp before taking off. And that was the suggestion made to the owner of the company.


I was discussing the hypothetical plus and minus of renting gear.

Them not doing what they are supposed to is part of my hypothetical calculations.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

"Flew out of Kotzebue" to where?? Cant go much farther that that.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

22 Chuck said:


> "Flew out of Kotzebue" to where?? Cant go much farther that that.


North East between 100-130 miles. In the vicinity of Daisy Creek


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

III said:


> Few pics from our Alaska Caribou hunt. Flew out of Kotzebue Sept 1 got back to civilization Sept 9, 3 extra days in the backcountry due to weather. Our group went 6 for 6.
> . Alaska will test you/ touch you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Tundra is no joke to traverse.
> Would definitely go back.


Its awesome country isnt it? I want to go back to the wulik river really bad.


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## III (Dec 6, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> Its awesome country isnt it? I want to go back to the wulik river really bad.


It certainly is. Wild and beautiful


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