Float hunt versus drop camp for caribou

[mtnbiker208]

Hello, looking for some opinions on float hunt vs drop camp for caribou. I have done 2 float hunts in the 90's for caribou. Fun times. We where in the mulchatna area. I have also done a drop camp for caribou out of wood titchick area(Dillingham). I also did a successful float hunt for moose in 2016.

I am leaning towards the southern brooks range area. I am a very competent river runner, lots of whitewater miles under my belt. I like floating, just not sure if it is the better method for caribou. What have others found?

thanks tim

 

[AKBorn]

If you hunted the Mulchatna area in the 90's, you were in a heyday of Alaska caribou hunting for sure. I'm too lazy to do float hunts, I like to set up camp after the plane drops us off and then not take camp down until the day we fly out.

You clearly have the physical capability to do the float hunt, not sure if it's any advantage for caribou these days. I recall reading about some Brooks Range bou hunts on here this year and last, can't recall if anyone floated. A guy did a nice float on the Charlie in 2018, it's posted on here. I hunted close to the Charley this year from a drop camp, we were seeing about 150 bou per day.

Best of luck, whichever method and area you choose.

 

[mtnbiker208]

If you hunted the Mulchatna area in the 90's, you were in a heyday of Alaska caribou hunting for sure. I'm too lazy to do float hunts, I like to set up camp after the plane drops us off and then not take camp down until the day we fly out.

yes it was the heyday. Looking back I was living in cooper landing at the time and some real good memories. I do know times have changed. I am a river runner at heart, and need to figure out which is more important, the float or the hunt. Or 2 separate trips. one a whitewater float and the other a drop camp for bou.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Ive done both, and both have their advantages and disadvantages. It really comes down to personal preference on if you want to add the float aspect of the hunt. I will do both again!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Float hunting is where it’s at. If it was up to me, I’d float. You’re probably a better rafter than me but over the past few years I spent a lot of time floating rivers and doing multi day river trips with my pack rafts, I got really into it and learned a bunch. Anyways, I think float hunting is where it’s at.

 

[Bakerthrive]

I want to know more about this too. The float hunt sounds awesome but I've heard some warnings about how on float hunts you can spend more time "camping" and less time hunting. Dinking with boats, setting up and tearing down camp every day, paddling. Is it as big a deal as it sounds? I don't want to short change my hunting time.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Appreciating this thread everyone contributing. I am also curious if float type hunts also overlap with areas that nonresidents can hunt on general tags, or if many are restricted to residents only and/or limited quota units.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I have done a couple of float hunts in Alaska with otc tags as a nonresident.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If you are in an area with no herds, your drop camp quickly becomes a prison. A float trip improves your chances but even if you still don't get on em...you're enjoying yourself and the landscape is constantly changing. There's always that hope of what lies beyond the next bend. Float trip for sure. I have almost all the necessary gear now...have to save some more coin and plan the area where I wanna be dropped of so I can float out.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

The float option adds variety of camps and scenery and requires a lot more efforts for breaking camp and floating, which some groups admire and others do not.

Floats add $500-$800 per person for raft rentals

drops allow you to really learn one area and ambush more strategically after a few stalks.

In the end it's about what each group member wants from their hunt. If i had one guy who wouldn't do well on a float plan, a drop would be more suitable for that group that year.

Ah, who am i trying to kid...a float's where it's at and I'd convince a cripple to do it if he could still grab a draggin handle! Make a man out of ya, IMO, harvest or not.

 

[mtnbiker208]

question for you folks.
Breathable waders : I understand simms waders are awesome, but for someone who does not fish and will only be using these for a couple of float trips, what are a good alternative to the simms waders.
I have used a pair of cabelas ones and they weren't bad except for the boots.

thanks
tim

 

[mcseal2]

Personally I bought Simms G3 waders thinking I might sell them after my moose hunt. They seemed to bring decent money on Ebay in that condition, I actually bought my G3 boots on Ebay that way, used on one AK bear hunt. After using the boots and waders on my hunt I decided to keep them. I plan to use them again in Alaska and on the river around home. I spent all my time away from camp in my waders last trip and having them fail would have really compromised my hunt.

I figured buying a good quality pair and re-selling them made it almost like renting new waders for the trip. It might be a good strategy for you.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

To tag on to the above posts, one of the things our group struggled with was "do we stay or do we go?"

We were spotting caribou every day, but no herds larger than 6 animals, and no real shooter bulls. Half of the group wanted to stay and see what the next day brought in that area, and the other half wanted to see what was around the next bend. We had 6 guys on the trip, so we decided that each boat of 2 guys needed to be a self sufficient camp. That way if 2 wanted to mosey on ahead, they could.

Several guys didn't want to stop and fish. Until I cooked up some fish that night, and then they all saw how important that fishing is.

 

[mcseal2]

Slightly off subject I was just weighing my fishing rod & reel for my caribou hunt. I picked up a little Lews LLS 75A and a Bass Pro Shops Microlight 5'6" pack rod. Spooled up with 6lb line it weighs a 16.6oz. Should be good for grayling size fish.

Were grayling all you caught, and what did you use for lures?

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Slightly off subject I was just weighing my fishing rod & reel for my caribou hunt. I picked up a little Lews LLS 75A and a Bass Pro Shops Microlight 5'6" pack rod. Spooled up with 6lb line it weighs a 16.6oz. Should be good for grayling size fish.

Were grayling all you caught, and what did you use for lures?

Grayling and Char. The Char will give you a run for your money on that setup.

 

[mcseal2]

Great pics thanks for sharing

If it sounds like we might be dropped where char are a possibility I’m going a little heavier on the set-up. I have the same rod in a 6’6” medium version and a larger shimano 2500 reel with 2 spools. One can have braided heavier line that way. That whole set-up is 28.5oz.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I much prefer float hunting, although a drop camp in a target rich environment can be very relaxing and enjoyable as well. For the most part when you're looking at floatable rivers in the Brooks range, having excessive white water experience is not at all a requirement. Being able to pull your raft up, and or down, shallow braids that you mistakenly choose is more often the case. I think that one of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing to float hunt a river up here, is biting off too much river for their allotted time. It's been my experience that just picking out a shorter section of a river system (like 30-50 miles max.), that has a good natural funneling/pinch point area, and having upwards of 10-14 days to spend on the river, works best. Planning on floating 100 miles of river in 10 days often turns into just that, floating. In the end you spend all your time breaking camp, floating/dragging, and setting up camp again, day in and day out, that you end up not hunting much at all. My favorite scenario is: fly into a gravel bar and set up camp, hang out and hunt around that area for a day or two depending on what the area offers. Then after a day or two, pack up and spend an afternoon/evening floating for a few hours, and say about 10-15 miles, or until coming on a good looking area to hunt. Set up camp there and spend the next day or two, or three hunting. Then pack up camp and do it all over again until you've reached your designated pick up spot. I think that by tackling it that way allows you to spend time in areas that can be very productive, as well as keeping things from feeling rushed. It also allows you to enjoy the entire experience to its fullest, and gives plenty of time for other activities like fishing, exploring, and maybe even gold panning, if you're into that sort of thing. Plus if you want to stay up late one night celebrating, and sleep in the next day, you don't feel like now you need to do double time to make up for time lost.

 

[Wapiti1]

On the wader question. DRYFT makes a really stout wader that I would put up against Simms. I've been very impressed with the ones that I have. You just have to be OK with black.

The other option is to get the Simms and sell them when you are done.

Jeremy

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I used the 8 lb test spider wire for the char and it worked great.

 

[Indian Summer]

I guess the answer to the original question is that depends on what you or your pilot knows about the caribou in his flying area. If he had a bit of experience with drainages where animals move I’d prefer a drop camp on a ridge where I could spot and stalk/ambush and spend 100% of my time hunting while having the entire area to myself and a partner.

To me streams that can be landed on and easily floated are roads. That means competition. I don’t want to feel pressure when I’m hunting. I wouldn’t mind that scenario for caribou so if I preferred floating for the “fun” of it I’d consider it. For moose though road hunting isn’t for me. I’d rather let the moose come to me.