Conundrum (Alaska 23)

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How does the Noatak drainage stack out?

I got a free flight to kotzebue and usage of a jet drive skiff out of noatak.

Is this worth it hunt wise with that 5 mile border?

How's first week of august compare to 2nd week in september

Or just get a flight to another drainage and use skiff for fishing?
 
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Hopefully someone can chime in and help you with timing and caribou in the drainage.

I just wanted to make sure you were aware that it looks like they will be closing GMU 23 federal lands to non-locals again. https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/wp18-46_47_rac.pdf Don't want you to book a flight with an outfitter expecting a certain kind of hunt and have that surprise. I've flown the Noatak River upstream from the village and it really braids out with tons of sand bars and ox bows. There should be plenty of land below the high water mark (state land) to hunt, usually about 0.5 mile on either side of the river or more. Hopefully someone can help you with timing.
 
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I guess guys didn't get them until the 25th last year. In the 8 years my best man's been there it seems random as heck.

I do know northern trophies pretty well. Actually ate at their house once kinda randomly.. Her brother used to be my pusher in the patch. That doesn't equate to a deal but don't think they'd screw me if The Feds kill it.
 

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Larry Bartlett

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It's a long haul up the Noatak from the salt in a jetboat to reach caribou, and here's why:

1. Native politics have resulted in Controlled Use Areas slowly extending upstream every decade or so, which makes it difficult to access federal public lands for hunting because the CUAs are intended to do just that...deter non-local hunters so that subsistence hunters' priority to game and fish are secured.

2. The caribou from the Western Arctic Herd cross the Noatak river at different points and elevation based on the pulse of the migration, which is largely temperature and time of year motivated. Now, the Noatak is a river that runs east to west and the caribou herd moves north to south and east to west. The timing as to when the caribou cross the noatak changes every year. The CUAs being extended upstream along the Noatak (i.e., farther east) is a strategic hope for Natives to catch their game in a timely manner come fall (before freeze up). This makes reaching the caribou more time and fuel costly the farther east (upstream) you have to travel to find 'bou and to exit beyond the CUA's upstream border.

3. Climate change extends summer weather and temperatures as of late, which extends the time caribou spend on the north side and in the mountains for cooler temperatures. The warmer the August the later this noatak crossing timing will be, historically.

If it were me and you have free miles to get to Kotz. Separate from your logic of Jetboat and focus on a bush flight to reach the migration before they cross the Noatak. This will evacuate any conflict with local hunters along the 200 miles of river you'll traverse, and it'll get you closer to game days ahead of schedule.

lb, out
 
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I would take Larry’s suggestion to heart. I’m glad someone like him who really knows what he’s talking about chimed in.

As for the federal land closure, the document you shared is for the 2017-2018 regulatory year closure. The AK regulatory year is from July 1 (2017) - June 30 (2018). From what I've heard, the timing given the current weather situation up there has become a guessing game. The only thing I can add as far is timing is that the last time I was hunting up there was 2016. It was warm, wet, and we didn’t see any caribou starting down the Squirrel until September 23rd.

Were you in the patch in ND? I spent my fair share of time rough necking in that cesspit once upon a time!
 
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William, I worked for wc as a hand and h&p as a crt hand.

Larry thanks:

Thinking of going fishing for a bit maybe on the wulik and then catching a flight into bou.

Am I fvcked of I'm stuck on early august?? He starts in-service in kotz on the 7th... not inclined to solo and feel bad making him burn vacation days...
 

Larry Bartlett

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No, you're not forked. But you'll have to spend more $$ to get farther north and east. Concentrate east and north of Howard Pass the first week of august. They'll be slow to show, but they'll be there in small groups moving southwest.
 
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Hey guys thanks for all the responses.

Gonna just do a fishing trip with das. Buddy has a moose and bear tag so we'll muck around a bit,

Probably burn my miles next year and do a rip down to Adak on a freezer filler mission.
 
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