Welcome! This is a place to ask questions and post comments from my website at www.bucktrack.com
Friday, July 20, 2007
Alaska Hunting Adventure: 700 Miles Alone by Backpack and Raft
One fall I spent six weeks alone in the Alaska bush, hunting, fishing, backpacking and rafting. I have several web pages with many photos dedicated to this adventure, along with a link to the DVD. Questions or comments? Ask them here.
I'll be very happy to answer general questions about the trip featured in my dvd, or about Alaska hunting, but I will try to avoid mentioning specific spots, or answering specific "where-should-I-hunt?" questions. To put it simply, if I say "River X" is the best place I know to hunt moose, presumably we'd all be hunting there next fall!
I used a stainless Ruger 30-06 rifle. Stainless was nice with all that rain and dew, and that is plenty of gun in my opinion. I should have had better fishing gear, but got by with a breakdown rod and a spincasting reel along with a selection of Pixie spoons and Mepps spinners. I should have brought a spare rod and a spare spincasting reel and a casting bubble and a few more flies. For a camera I used a ZR-10, but last summer I used an Optura 600 which was an even better camera. Took better quality video, and very good still photos. Very hard to beat. I brought along a 2.2x telephoto lens last summer, too, which gave me 22 power optical zoom. For the 700 Miles Alone hunt the ZR-10 had 10 power optical that I used along with some digital zoom and some shots through the spotting scope.
Buck, I really enjoyed your video about your solo 700 mile Alaska hunt. What a fantastic hunt! My only criticism would be to put your name on the front cover of your DVD in LARGE letters. (and on your web pages.) I know you are a humble man, but you deserve the recognition.
Great job, I'm looking forward to your next adventure and DVD.
Thanks Mike, I'm glad you liked that video. I don't think many people would recognize my name if I put it on the front, though, but I appreciate the sentiment.
A buddy of mine and myself are planning a three week hunting trip to the Brooks Range in Aug/Sept 2010. We are Brits and it looks like we have to employ a guide in order to get the hunting license. We will be well researched and part of the fun of the trip for us is not to have a guide (cost would probably be severe too). Do we have to employ a guide or can we limit this to the embedding and extraction part of the trip?
Unfortunately you will actually need to hunt with a licensed guide: A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by a licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf*, and wolverine.
Thanks Buck, that's what I feared. Would it be possible for you to give me some direction on licensed guides. I know it's geographically dependent but we would be looking for an outward bound type of experience not an armchair one. Caribou and maybe Dall and we are more interested in culling and sustenance rather than going for trophies. Keeping the cost down would be good also!
Buck...watch your "700 miles" movie last night...absolutely loved it. Going caribou hunting up in unit 20D on one of the rivers. Any recommendations on raft rentals? What's a reasonable raft rental fee there? I too would be honored to possibly meet you when I'm up there. Buy you a beer!
Hi Capt Slambo. I'm glad you liked the movie! Planning an Alaska hunt is a whole lot of fun and a big challenge. I honestly don't know how much raft rentals are running these days. But I'd suggest contacting Larry Bartlett at Pristine Ventures and also Blue Moose Rafting (his site is down now, I see, don't know why) (907) 458-7758. Both very knowledgeable fellows who handle raft rentals in the Fairbanks area.
My name is Alex Grizzard! We are learning about the Mississippi River in our class, and our teacher reccomended us to look at your blog! We have to learn what it's like to ride down the Mississppi on a steamboat, tug boat, canoe, or a raft. If you have any information you could give, please let me know!
That sounds like a good teacher. If you haven't already, you'll want to check out my website, and look for the Mississippi River pages at www.bucktrack.com (see the site map) and also read through the Mississippi questions and answers right on this blog. Have fun!
Hey Buck. Houston guy again. I found a buddy that's going to drive me up there are I'm going to purchase a kayak in Minneapolis on the way up. Had another question for ya. Where did you technically end your trip? Looks to me like the last road ends just south of Venice. Did you take the small tributary right after Venice or did you go the extra 20/30 miles to the southern most tip of the mouth? Any tips on this?
As my website relates Mississippi Trip I paddled to the ocean via South Pass. There's a marina just short of the salt water, and I arranged to "hitch" a ride back to Venice from there. Many people end their Mississippi Trip at New Orleans to simplify logistics. If you have any more Mississippi questions, please ask them here: Mississippi blog page.
Buck, Purchased your DVD about your 700 mile hunting adventure. My kids and I have watched it twice. We all really enjoyed it. What year did you make that trip? Also, do you know if Vanticlese Creek and the Koness River are navigable by raft? Vanticlese Creek flows out of Old John Lake and into the Koness River. Thanks, Layne Wing
Buck, Thanks for the prompt reply. I'm planning a trip for 2012 and just wondered if you knew anything about that area. I hope there are still some areas in AK that aren't overrun.
Over-run is obviously a relative term as you know. Lewis and Clark explored through areas that were over-run with people, in a sense. I think you are on the right track in finding out-of-the-way places: minor drainages, inaccessible from the road.
I'll be very happy to answer general questions about the trip featured in my dvd, or about Alaska hunting, but I will try to avoid mentioning specific spots, or answering specific "where-should-I-hunt?" questions. To put it simply, if I say "River X" is the best place I know to hunt moose, presumably we'd all be hunting there next fall!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to check out my lists:
Dall Sheep Hunting List
Alaska Hunting List
Alaska Air Taxi List
I stock numerous
Alaska hunting books and videos.
And here's a very good
Alaska hunting forum.
Make sure you make use of the "search" feature to check out the archives.
Also check out
Larry Bartlett's Alaska forum.
I would be interested in what rifle and fishing gear you had with you on this hunt, and what type of camera equipment you had with you?
ReplyDeleteI used a stainless Ruger 30-06 rifle. Stainless was nice with all that rain and dew, and that is plenty of gun in my opinion. I should have had better fishing gear, but got by with a breakdown rod and a spincasting reel along with a selection of Pixie spoons and Mepps spinners. I should have brought a spare rod and a spare spincasting reel and a casting bubble and a few more flies. For a camera I used a ZR-10, but last summer I used an Optura 600 which was an even better camera. Took better quality video, and very good still photos. Very hard to beat. I brought along a 2.2x telephoto lens last summer, too, which gave me 22 power optical zoom. For the 700 Miles Alone hunt the ZR-10 had 10 power optical that I used along with some digital zoom and some shots through the spotting scope.
ReplyDeleteBuck, I really enjoyed your video about your solo 700 mile Alaska hunt. What a fantastic hunt!
ReplyDeleteMy only criticism would be to put your name on the front cover of your DVD in LARGE letters. (and on your web pages.) I know you are a humble man, but you deserve the recognition.
Great job, I'm looking forward to your next adventure and DVD.
Mike Dunn
NM
Thanks Mike, I'm glad you liked that video. I don't think many people would recognize my name if I put it on the front, though, but I appreciate the sentiment.
ReplyDeleteBuck,
ReplyDeleteA buddy of mine and myself are planning a three week hunting trip to the Brooks Range in Aug/Sept 2010. We are Brits and it looks like we have to employ a guide in order to get the hunting license. We will be well researched and part of the fun of the trip for us is not to have a guide (cost would probably be severe too). Do we have to employ a guide or can we limit this to the embedding and extraction part of the trip?
Thanks,
Hamish
Hi Hamish,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately you will actually need to hunt with a licensed guide: A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by a licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf*, and wolverine.
All the best,
Buck
Thanks Buck, that's what I feared. Would it be possible for you to give me some direction on licensed guides. I know it's geographically dependent but we would be looking for an outward bound type of experience not an armchair one. Caribou and maybe Dall and we are more interested in culling and sustenance rather than going for trophies. Keeping the cost down would be good also!
ReplyDeleteThanks again.
Hamish
I don't know much about guides in Alaska. I do know Rob Jones, though, and I'd suggest you contact him:
ReplyDeleteR&R Guide Service
Buck...watch your "700 miles" movie last night...absolutely loved it. Going caribou hunting up in unit 20D on one of the rivers. Any recommendations on raft rentals? What's a reasonable raft rental fee there? I too would be honored to possibly meet you when I'm up there. Buy you a beer!
ReplyDeleteHi Capt Slambo. I'm glad you liked the movie! Planning an Alaska hunt is a whole lot of fun and a big challenge. I honestly don't know how much raft rentals are running these days. But I'd suggest contacting Larry Bartlett at Pristine Ventures and also Blue Moose Rafting (his site is down now, I see, don't know why) (907) 458-7758. Both very knowledgeable fellows who handle raft rentals in the Fairbanks area.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Hi Mr. Buck!,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Alex Grizzard! We are learning about the Mississippi River in our class, and our teacher reccomended us to look at your blog! We have to learn what it's like to ride down the Mississppi on a steamboat, tug boat, canoe, or a raft. If you have any information you could give, please let me know!
Thank You So Much,
Alex Grizzard
CORRECTION: The Mississippi River!
Hi Alex,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good teacher. If you haven't already, you'll want to check out my website, and look for the Mississippi River pages at www.bucktrack.com (see the site map) and also read through the Mississippi questions and answers right on this blog. Have fun!
Hey Buck. Houston guy again. I found a buddy that's going to drive me up there are I'm going to purchase a kayak in Minneapolis on the way up. Had another question for ya. Where did you technically end your trip? Looks to me like the last road ends just south of Venice. Did you take the small tributary right after Venice or did you go the extra 20/30 miles to the southern most tip of the mouth? Any tips on this?
ReplyDeleteAs my website relates Mississippi Trip I paddled to the ocean via South Pass. There's a marina just short of the salt water, and I arranged to "hitch" a ride back to Venice from there. Many people end their Mississippi Trip at New Orleans to simplify logistics. If you have any more Mississippi questions, please ask them here: Mississippi blog page.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Buck
Buck,
ReplyDeletePurchased your DVD about your 700 mile hunting adventure. My kids and I have watched it twice. We all really enjoyed it. What year did you make that trip? Also, do you know if Vanticlese Creek and the Koness River are navigable by raft? Vanticlese Creek flows out of Old John Lake and into the Koness River. Thanks, Layne Wing
Hi Layne,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the video! I made that trip in 2000.
I honestly don't know if those two drainages are navigable or not. Sorry I don't have better information for you.
Happy Holidays!
Buck
Buck,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prompt reply. I'm planning a trip for 2012 and just wondered if you knew anything about that area. I hope there are still some areas in AK that aren't overrun.
Layne
Over-run is obviously a relative term as you know. Lewis and Clark explored through areas that were over-run with people, in a sense. I think you are on the right track in finding out-of-the-way places: minor drainages, inaccessible from the road.
ReplyDeletedid you take the jim bean ?
ReplyDeletedid you take the jim bean ?
ReplyDeleteI did, but believe it or not it made it all the way home unopened.