Planning a Caribou Hunt

Witnessing a caribou migration

Planning a Caribou Hunt Witnessing a caribou migration should be listed as one of the natural wonders of the world. A herd can travel a few thousand miles per year moving from their summer to winter range and back, finding new food sources and avoiding predation. In fact, many scientists believe that people first crossed the now-submerged Bering Land Bridge into northwest Alaska following the caribou. 

So not only is it amazing to witness the migration, should you be so lucky, it’s also amazing to get a chance to hunt these nomadic animals, should you be so lucky. Here’s what planning a caribou looks like, including figuring out what and who to take with you on the adventure.

Planning a Caribou Hunt

A quick note on planning a caribou hunt. If you’re an experienced hunter with a slightly above average sense of adventure, a DIY hunt may be for you. On the other hand, there are reputable guides who can help you safely get in and out while allowing you to have an incredible experience during the hunt. Whether to go it alone with a few hunting buddies or hire someone who knows the land and the animals is totally dependent on your comfort level. For the sake of this article, we’re going to talk about planning a caribou hunt for yourself and a few friends, without a guide.

Let the Research Begin

A caribou hunt, especially a DIY hunt out into Interior Alaska, takes a lot of research. Even though we won’t use a guide, we’ll still need to rely on someone to provide transportation in and out of the Interior. That’s after figuring out where to go. And a budget. So, let the research begin.

The Budget

Obviously, we must figure out our budget and what we’re willing to spend on the entire excursion. This includes traveling to Alaska, purchasing licenses, getting shuttled out onto the tundra, unexpected, weather-related hotel stays and meals, ensuring there’s enough food and the right gear to live comfortably for a week, getting out of the Interior, and safely home. If successful, we must transport and process meat, which can get pretty expensive. Then, there could be a taxidermy bill. 

Who to Take

Perhaps what’s not so obvious is deciding who to take on this adventure. Your best friends and closest hunting buddies are probably the first choice. But consider what the trip will entail. Between hunting and maintaining a camp, there’s going to be a fair amount of physical labor involved. Conditions can get cold, windy, and rainy in a hurry. The last person we want in camp is a lazy whiner.  Everyone must be willing to endure whatever Alaska throws their way.

Around camp, food must be prepared and properly stored. Your entire hunting party needs to be privy to the possible dangers of hunting in Alaska where grizzlies live. Laziness would be a deal breaker. As would inattention to detail. 

Even if it’s a best buddy who has the potential to ruin a trip for any of the above reasons, cross him off the list. Having to shoulder somebody else’s workload for seven straight days can strain even the strongest friendships.

So don’t be afraid to approach mutual friends and acquaintances who you know are tough and hard working. Everybody on the trip should be willing to put in the effort to ensure the safety and well being of the entire hunting party. You’ll have a better time because of it and walk away from the trip with great memories and strong bonds. 

Getting There

Figuring out where to go and how to get there go hand in hand. There are several distinct caribou herds of varying sizes in Alaska, any of which you may choose to hunt. Then there’s the outfit you hire to fly you into and out of the bush, which is another part of the equation that can help influence this decision on where to go and how to get there.

One thing to note is that bush pilots fly not only hunters and anglers into the Interior, many of these outfits provide sight seeing trips as well. So a reputable bush pilot outfit is going to know migration patterns and cycles. Most will require that a hunting party is at least two people. Then we’ll need to know what to take based on their weight requirements.

What to Take

From boots to optics, all gear needs to be rugged for whatever the extremes of the Alaskan weather and landscape. If we didn’t mention gear in the “Budget” section we’re doing so here because purchasing the best money can buy will be worth it. 

A great pair of broken-in boots is paramount. As is your clothing, knowing that it could be sunny one minute and a torrential downpour the next. Take a tent that doesn’t leak and has enough room for you to comfortably sleep and hang out. On some days when the rain won’t quit, you may find yourself spending time in the tent rather than hunting. 

If the bush pilot is scheduled to pick up seven days after drop off, take enough food and fuel (for the cook stove) for 10. Depending on weight requirements, getting creative with meals never hurts. So practice beforehand. Who knows, perhaps we should be so lucky to have fresh caribou meat while we’re out there. 

As for all the big game animals in North America, none are as nomadic as the caribou. They’re built for travel with hooves that keep moving across the soft ground in summer and deep snows of winter. Some hunters have witnessed a heavily populated tundra one day and total absence of life the next; that’s how quickly they can pass through. Like anything involving hunting, timing is everything. Should you choose to go, may your timing be perfect.