Tok area compared to Brooks range area

[JD4455]

Looking to plan a hunt in 2018. Can those of you with experience detail the differences in the TOK area vs the North Brooks Range area. Differences such as topography, soil, water etc. just trying to decide where we would like to hunt in regard to things such as that. Thx

 

[Ray]

Tok - Hills with trees which makes bow hunting easier, water is typically lower in the valleys, maybe more scattered herd in the fall, or at least smaller groups that are spread out. Lots of tiaga ground cover (willows and grass). Wildfire smoke can make flying conditions difficult or even prevent access or move the animals out of an area. It can be stupid hot up through early September or dump a foot of snow on you.

Brooks - no trees to speak of away from river's edge, water can be all over due to ice melt from rock glacier pockets, rain miles away can cause local flooding which can prevent river crossings without boats, rocks all over the hills, low grass/moss on the slopes with tundra swamps in flatter areas in the valleys. Animals tend to group up earlier and may move through an area quicker. However, bulls are often stragglers to the larger groups so that can work out. Flying can stop due to fog and low cloud cover for days at a time.

 

[JD4455]

Perfect. Thanks.

 

[KJH]

I only hunt the WACH north side of the western Brooks range, so I don't have any comparison for you. I would say that Ray gave a perfect desrciption for the Brooks. Getting there is seriously half the fun. Animals are easy to locate with a little air time. The walking on that type of tundra is crap. A camp on the riverbank near a crossing is the preferred way to hunt it for me.