trying to plan a first time diy archery drop hunt

[MightyWhitey]

first off, thanks for all the previous posts on here. So much information here.

Im from oklahoma and been bowhunting for 24yrs. All whitetail until last year when i did my first diy backpack elk hunt in the bob marshall wilderness and now im totally hooked on western hunting. Id like to think the majority of the gear i bought to start elk hunting should work for a trip like this? but beyond that this is as foreign to me as it can get. ive been going through alot of posts but i dont see much archery related. my main questions are:

What areas for bow? (from what ive seen so far 40 mile seems like better ambush country?, NWT?)
What time of year? (i now take 4-6 months off work to hunt, so time isnt a issue)
Who to fly with for the drop? (seems like the more popular outfits are tough for new clients to go with?)
How far in advance should i book?

I know theres more to it than that and im all ears to any suggestions and and welcome them. My only non negotiable is the weapon. Im a bow hunter. I greatly appreciate any input, i need all the help i can get!

 

[Voyageur]

Here is some of the best advice I ever got from this forum. I apologize I can't remember who to give credit to for the original post. Hopefully they will chime in and take credit for it. The original post:

https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/cbp/main/Search/Professional

Program: Big Game Guides and Transporters
License Type: Transporter

Dust off the keyboard and google the business names and start calling. That’s how I found my first moose drop off and we had an awesome trip. He was a guy that advertised remote fishing drop offs and air charters; but he had the license so I asked and he agreed to drop us off to hunt.

As previously mentioned, unless you wanna bank on one of the socialists being elected and nuking the economy, the glory days of affordable moose DIY hunts are closing in fast.

 

[Voyageur]

Also, scour every forum you can that has threads about AK hunting. Hidden among those threads you will find names of pilots who are excellent yet not on everyone's radar. They will most likely be full, but if you stay in touch something will eventually open up.

 

[AKBorn]

There are AK Caribou Hunting threads on this forum, on Hunttalk, and on the Alaska Outdoors Directory. Take your time and check out as many as you can.

I bring my rifle to AK and leave my bow at home, but I seem to recall that part or all of Alaska requires bowhunters to have their IBEP certification in order to hunt with a bow. Please check into that for sure.

Most of the gear you bought to hunt the West should work fine, check in here or on the other forums before plunking down any cash on gear purchases. Guys used to get it done in jeans and tee shirts, some probably still do.

Caribou are tough quarry with a bow because they are constantly moving and are typically in small groups, so many pairs of eyes. But, a lot of guys make it happen every year, it can be done.

Good luck and hope you are able to locate a transporter in the next couple of years.

Michael

 

[MightyWhitey]

Ohhh boy...there are 57 pages of big game transporters?!

 

[Wapiti1]

Ohhh boy...there are 57 pages of big game transporters?!

Not really. Many have let their license lapse or expire but are on the list still. There are only 5 pages if you sort by status. Click the status column header and it will sort them alphabetically.

Jeremy

 

[Jacob Chapman]

I'm bookmarking this post, as I'm interested in doing an AK bou hunt myself.

 

[Cowbell]

first off, thanks for all the previous posts on here. So much information here.

Im from oklahoma and been bowhunting for 24yrs. All whitetail until last year when i did my first diy backpack elk hunt in the bob marshall wilderness and now im totally hooked on western hunting. Id like to think the majority of the gear i bought to start elk hunting should work for a trip like this? but beyond that this is as foreign to me as it can get. ive been going through alot of posts but i dont see much archery related. my main questions are:

What areas for bow? (from what ive seen so far 40 mile seems like better ambush country?, NWT?)
What time of year? (i now take 4-6 months off work to hunt, so time isnt a issue)
Who to fly with for the drop? (seems like the more popular outfits are tough for new clients to go with?)
How far in advance should i book?

I know theres more to it than that and im all ears to any suggestions and and welcome them. My only non negotiable is the weapon. Im a bow hunter. I greatly appreciate any input, i need all the help i can get!

Where at in OK? Three of us from North TX are leaving next week to do a DIY archery hunt on the Haul Rd and I will be welling to share info when we get back. You can do the haul road 2-3 years in a row for what it costs to get dropped in via plane.

 

[MightyWhitey]

Where at in OK? Three of us from North TX are leaving next week to do a DIY archery hunt on the Haul Rd and I will be welling to share info when we get back. You can do the haul road 2-3 years in a row for what it costs to get dropped in via plane.

I’m just a little north of Tulsa. Man I was just listening to a new seek Outside Podcast with a dude from up there that’s said the exact same thing! He was saying come hunt the haul road for way less and get some experience before you lay down a lot more money on a drop. I’m very interested in this option and please let me know how it goes. Thanks and good luck to y’all!

 

[Cowbell]

I’m just a little north of Tulsa. Man I was just listening to a new seek Outside Podcast with a dude from up there that’s said the exact same thing! He was saying come hunt the haul road for way less and get some experience before you lay down a lot more money on a drop. I’m very interested in this option and please let me know how it goes. Thanks and good luck to y’all!

Thanks man! I ran a ranch in the Osage while I worked on my grad degree so I know that country well. Look up the haul toad hunt on YouTube. Tons of good insight. Go ahead and get an alaska airlines credit card. It paid for our flights.

 

[Voyageur]

Thanks man! I ran a ranch in the Osage while I worked on my grad degree so I know that country well. Look up the haul toad hunt on YouTube. Tons of good insight. Go ahead and get an alaska airlines credit card. It paid for our flights.

AK Airlines Credit Card is great advice

 

[Medicineman7]

Book marking this as well. Been reading a lot the last month or so on drop hunts for moose/caribou.

I'm in southern OK, so AK is definitely a bit different from our part of the world, but the whole Alaskan allure is starting to draw me in

 

[MightyWhitey]

I dont believe in credit cards, but I could probably make an exception on that one ha. I really appreciate all the tips guys. Stuff I would’ve never thought of.

 

[MightyWhitey]

Thanks man! I ran a ranch in the Osage while I worked on my grad degree so I know that country well. Look up the haul toad hunt on YouTube. Tons of good insight. Go ahead and get an alaska airlines credit card. It paid for our flights.

Oh right on. Was that ranch up around copan? +?

 

[Cowbell]

Oh right on. Was that ranch up around copan? +?

Credit cards make me $4k+ per year plus boost my credit score