24 Million Dollar Question.. Best place to live in Alaska for big game and river fishing.

Joined
Oct 24, 2020
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15
Calling all Alaska residents or past residents where is the Best place to live in Alaska for big game and river fishing.
We have 3 kids and are considering homesteading / semi off grid. Have been looking hard at SE maybe Haines area for its milder climate and better growing season for garden.
Thanks,
Chad
 

Catchfish

WKR
Joined
Jan 21, 2019
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375
If you haven’t lived here before not sure where you live now but secluding down in southeast Alaska might not be the best location. Plenty of people do gardens farther north I would say the agricultural centers for the state are in the Matsu and in Delta. Not sure what you plan on doing for work? I haven’t lived down there but most people compare it to living on an Island and most of it is. Plus if you want to benefit from all things in Alaska you have to be able to travel and that’s hard to do down there. Hard to answer your question but can maybe give some more insights with more details I live up in Kenai.
 
OP
Northwoods Drifter
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
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15
If you haven’t lived here before not sure where you live now but secluding down in southeast Alaska might not be the best location. Plenty of people do gardens farther north I would say the agricultural centers for the state are in the Matsu and in Delta. Not sure what you plan on doing for work? I haven’t lived down there but most people compare it to living on an Island and most of it is. Plus if you want to benefit from all things in Alaska you have to be able to travel and that’s hard to do down there. Hard to answer your question but can maybe give some more insights with more details I live up in Kenai.
I grew up in Northern MN so used to cold winters -20,-60 stuff want to stay south of the Alaskan range for warmer winters. I live in west Michigan now and love to salmon and steelhead fish. I like the Kenai peninsula allot as well from what I have watched and researched anyway haha never put boots on the ground. No sure on the work front yet.. automation engineer by trade.
 
Joined
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Fishhook, Alaska
For what it's worth... countless thousands of people have moved up here looking for the "homesteading" lifestyle. A few people, including some of my relatives, have even pulled it off. What essentially all find out is that you need a reliable source of income or be happy living in poverty. For many, I'm talking real dirt poor type poverty. You get behind the power curve out there, and things tend to rapidly snowball towards hard living. You can't catch that fish or shoot that moose if your used outboard is broken and you can't afford the money for a new one in town.

Off grid living is straight up expensive to do well. I won't discourage you, but get that source of income lined up.
 
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Throw a dart at the map, you can't go wrong....only extremely lazy people live in poverty in AK, the wages are high and we have a massive labor shortage....
 
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Eagle River, AK
Salmon runs always do better closer to the Ocean. Have you looked at Kodiak? milder climate and lots of fish. Deer would be the main big game. haven't been to Dillingham/king Salmon or Bethel yet but they have salmon and more diverse big game with Moose and Caribou, and bears.
 

AKducks

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Oct 9, 2017
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Fairbanks, AK
What interests you the most? I mean Southeast would be a great place to fish and live. but you won't be hunting moose/Caribou/sheep. but you can hunt deer from August to December! and plenty of bear in the spring. plus salmon fishing that happens 12 months out of the year, Crab, halibut, shrimp are all readily available depending on where you live.

I would say your initial plan should be just move to AK and live in the city with the plan to move to a homestead.
 
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
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Based on the above only, I'd find work on the north slope first - before moving.. If you like the on/off shift work and it works for your family, then move where you want, because you won't need to work where you live.

Outta be plenty of automation work and testing on the north slope...
Bingo. Unless you are financially independent, this is real hard to beat. Living up here is expensive and the oil industry pays well. There are smaller communities still on the road system that you can qualify for subsistence hunting permits. And with the on/off work schedule, you will actually have good chunks of time to get out for hunting/fishing trips. Trying to fit them in on 3-day weekends may fill your freezer but they are definitely anything but enjoyable.
 

Weavergm

FNG
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Jan 31, 2021
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37
Aren't we all trying to find that? Look for a good jumping off point for your activities. I personally think that a homestead would get in the way of hunting and fishing around the state. Too many chores on the home front will keep you on your property rather than chasing game.
 

JohnnyR

FNG
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Aug 27, 2017
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Location
AK, ME - what time of year is it?
For what it's worth... countless thousands of people have moved up here looking for the "homesteading" lifestyle. A few people, including some of my relatives, have even pulled it off. What essentially all find out is that you need a reliable source of income or be happy living in poverty. For many, I'm talking real dirt poor type poverty. You get behind the power curve out there, and things tend to rapidly snowball towards hard living. You can't catch that fish or shoot that moose if your used outboard is broken and you can't afford the money for a new one in town.

Off grid living is straight up expensive to do well. I won't discourage you, but get that source of income lined up.
I’ll second the above, and add that there are lots of single guys up here that didn’t start that way. Their wives up and left their husband’s dream and went back to the lower 48 where life isn’t as consistently challenging and they have family, support structure, etc. Don’t minimize what a sense of community can do to help keep happy (church, etc?) unless you’re really cut from the remote homesteader cloth.

Wifey better be all in and of similar passion/mindset or it could be a trying endeavor.

For the guy who said you’d have to be lazy to be living in poverty due to all the high paying jobs in Alaska - that’s a totally different lifestyle than homesteading. I grew up on a farm, and have lived off the land for months at a time. There’s little money to be had in either way of life. If you’re talking about rotational work on the Slope or out in Cold Bay or something similar, then coming home to a house in town on the road system somewhere, well “yeah,” it’s easy to make money. Tough for marriages with small children though, unless you’ve an understanding spouse.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
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Jul 2, 2016
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Alaska
I don't know about homesteading but I'd say anywhere on the road system is going to be good for hunting because you can drive to other places and have more opportunities. I mean you could live in some remote village and hunt sheep all the time too but you would have to travel a lot more to get to other places.
 

sniper61

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 20, 2016
Messages
192
If you have to fly ,boat or ferry your supplies the cost of things get out of hand. look at the road system and use it to get off the grid. Sterling or Whitter sounds more like the area i would be looking at.
 

gbflyer

WKR
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Feb 20, 2017
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1,577
Gardening in Alaska is an interesting prospect. Here people spend $10/lb to grow things that cost $5/lb at the store. No joke. It’s more a hobby with most, a social statement with others. The country is littered with broken dreams, so be careful.

SE is where I live. We are the red-headed step child of Alaska because of the way we generally vote down here and every town being likened to being “Juneau”, where our legislators hide from their constituents. I’m about 60 miles or so S of Haines. They are a little drier than we are but have the potential for a lot more snow. It’s a pretty decent place to live. Lots and lots of construction going on there. Housing is difficult. They have a good school, airport, and what’s left of the state ferry system service.

Good luck. It’s a serious decision. We did it in 1995 with 4 generations of my family. I can’t say that it was wise or foolish, but we’re here and doing OK.
 

WesCAtoll

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
106
For what it's worth... countless thousands of people have moved up here looking for the "homesteading" lifestyle. A few people, including some of my relatives, have even pulled it off. What essentially all find out is that you need a reliable source of income or be happy living in poverty. For many, I'm talking real dirt poor type poverty. You get behind the power curve out there, and things tend to rapidly snowball towards hard living. You can't catch that fish or shoot that moose if your used outboard is broken and you can't afford the money for a new one in town.

Off grid living is straight up expensive to do well. I won't discourage you, but get that source of income lined up.
Still dealing with the consequences of trying to move there from WA during the recession. Ended up in Trapper Creek like you said. Dirt poor and bo prospect for work. As an electrician it was real stupid to let the ex move us out there with her folks. Hard to do that work for anyone when 75% of the town has no power and a hand pump well in the middle of the floor
 
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