40 mile country

Jaker_cc

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
611
Location
San Antonio, TX
I’ve been researching a hunt for 2023 in the 40 mile herd territory. After emailing one of the flight services out of Tok they are booked out until 2024 and are charging $9,500 a man to fly into and out of the field. Then on top of that they charge $500 per animal to get it out of the field. Seems to me quite ridiculous as I’ve read on here that it could be done way more affordable than that.

I’ve read a bunch of threads already about the area and hunting this herd, but I’ve got to ask. Aside from paying these absurd prices, trying to book the December before with 40 mile air, or not going at all, what are my options. Are there any other flight services that access the 40 mile herd other than 40 mile and Tok that I’ve missed? Does going further west to hunt the other herd cost as much as it does in eastern Alaska? I’ve kind of got a bad taste in my mouth about hunting caribou after hearing that number. I’d really love to go do it but I dang sure am not paying that for a flight in.
 

VernAK

WKR
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,009
Location
Delta Jct, Alaska
Demand far exceeds supply for 40 Mile hunts and most other hunts in Alaska.
Some of the operators in that area have legal issues so I'd be hesitant to deposit with them for fear of losing the deposit if not in business.

Golden Eagle Outfitters out of Delta Jct puts a few hunters on the western edge of the 40 Mile country and they are very reliable.
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2017
Messages
1,456
Location
AK
I don't know exactly where the guys operate over there; unfortunately I haven't been lucky enough to get in with them myself. But I'm guessing that most of what they access is in the preserve. The Feds keep a tight seal on who they let in and how many operations they let in. Make sure whoever takes you is in accordance with all agencies and land owners. (I'll edit to say 40 Mile Air and Golden Eagle are a couple who no doubt have all this in order) Most people are under the impression that public land is public land, but that doesn't mean people can operate commercially on it at their will.

Prices are insane. No doubt. And demand certainly outpaces supply, but I'm not convinced most of these guys (both guides and outfitters) love charging the pries they are. I know an outfitter who had a $15K increase just on his airplane insurance this year. That's after losing most his business last year to covid. And then all the trips he booked out two years ago thinking he would be paying $8/gallon for 100LL turned into $12. That's $1200 a day off the bottom line just in fuel. Insurance, fuel, and all operating costs could very well be double by next year. If you think prices are crazy now, wait 5 years.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
3,158
Anybody charging $9500 for a single man caribou drop-off and pickup in Fortymile country (excluding a caribou haul) is basically sending a message. What's the message? You don't need me to spell it out for you. That price is over 3x what I pay for a successful moose hunt with the meat/antler haul.
 

Larry Bartlett

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
1,502
I've not heard of prices that steep for the 40-mile country. Example from this year my hunters paid an average of $2900-$3300 per person for IN and OUT with all kinds of extra flights for meat hauls and gear loads.

Could it be your price quote is an estimate for 3 people and not per person?
 

VernAK

WKR
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,009
Location
Delta Jct, Alaska
I've not heard of prices that steep for the 40-mile country. Example from this year my hunters paid an average of $2900-$3300 per person for IN and OUT with all kinds of extra flights for meat hauls and gear loads.

Could it be your price quote is an estimate for 3 people and not per person?
That price was even on operator's web site. Yes!......one person!

The price of these hunts has beckoned some unscrupulous individuals to get into the business. We've discussed this several times on Rokslide so please do your research before committing. You may have to just realize that some hunts are just not achievable.

Some of these more recent air operators have pending court cases and some are under investigation by multiple agencies bot federal and state. Before sending a deposit check, I'd like to know if the various agencies will allow the operator to be in business next year.

There's one operator in there that doesn't have a current FAA health certificate .

I've said it before but it may be worth repeating; If the tail numbers on the planes are minimized or obscured, BEWARE!
 
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
777
Location
Tulsa, ok
There is a transporter out of Fairbanks that flys into 40 mile country. They have more availablility than one transporter in tok and cheaper than the other. Prices are going to continue to climb across the board unfortunately.
 

Broomd

WKR
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
4,210
Location
North Idaho
I’ve been researching a hunt for 2023 in the 40 mile herd territory. After emailing one of the flight services out of Tok they are booked out until 2024 and are charging $9,500 a man to fly into and out of the field. Then on top of that they charge $500 per animal to get it out of the field. Seems to me quite ridiculous as I’ve read on here that it could be done way more affordable than that.

I’ve read a bunch of threads already about the area and hunting this herd, but I’ve got to ask. Aside from paying these absurd prices, trying to book the December before with 40 mile air, or not going at all, what are my options. Are there any other flight services that access the 40 mile herd other than 40 mile and Tok that I’ve missed? Does going further west to hunt the other herd cost as much as it does in eastern Alaska? I’ve kind of got a bad taste in my mouth about hunting caribou after hearing that number. I’d really love to go do it but I dang sure am not paying that for a flight in.


Almost fell over when I read this, $9500 to simply fly a guy in and out?!? Unreal. No way in hell.

Hike in off of the Haul Rd. It's grueling but will be rewarding...speaking from experience on that.
Rent a beater, grab your bow, or rifle and boots and get it done.
 

z987k

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
1,425
Location
AK
That price was even on operator's web site. Yes!......one person!

The price of these hunts has beckoned some unscrupulous individuals to get into the business. We've discussed this several times on Rokslide so please do your research before committing. You may have to just realize that some hunts are just not achievable.

Some of these more recent air operators have pending court cases and some are under investigation by multiple agencies bot federal and state. Before sending a deposit check, I'd like to know if the various agencies will allow the operator to be in business next year.

There's one operator in there that doesn't have a current FAA health certificate .

I've said it before but it may be worth repeating; If the tail numbers on the planes are minimized or obscured, BEWARE!
Not saying the general message here is incorrect but it's worth stating there's no such thing as an FAA health certificate and certainly nothing health related for the air carrier. It's an entity not a person.
 

VernAK

WKR
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,009
Location
Delta Jct, Alaska
Not saying the general message here is incorrect but it's worth stating there's no such thing as an FAA health certificate and certainly nothing health related for the air carrier. It's an entity not a person.
You are correct in that the FAA is not a medical provider but I believe flight physicals are still a requirement and if the flight service has a sole pilot without a current health certificate, they have a problem.
 

z987k

WKR
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
1,425
Location
AK
You are correct in that the FAA is not a medical provider but I believe flight physicals are still a requirement and if the flight service has a sole pilot without a current health certificate, they have a problem.
Well he'd be required to do a checkride with the feds every 6 months to be PIC. And part of that checkride is having all your docs in order. Show up to that without a medical and you fail.
If it's all guided then they could operate under 91 with all but no oversight. Still need a medical there's just no real oversight to enforce it.
 
Top