When is an Alaska Hunting Combo trip too much?

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Trying to combine brown bear, elk, moose and mule deer all into one hunt is practically impossible.  Brown bear, by definition, live in a very limited area along/adjacent to coastal areas on mainland Alaska along with the various islands including the ABC islands (Admiralty, Baranof, and Queen Charlotte) as well as Kodiak and Unimak Islands.   With some exceptions including the Kenai and Katmai Peninsulas of Alaska, moose are generally not available in occupied brown bear habitat.  Likewise, mule deer are non-existent in Alaska.  Roosevelt elk are available on some of the Alaskan islands but I believe that they are on a limited quota and tags are hard to come by.  So, the brown bear combination is not practical – most folks that hunt brown bear do so stand alone, although Sitka blacktail deer are available in some areas in conjunction with the fall hunting seasons.

Elk and mule deer are available in a combination hunt in many areas of the western US and southern Canada.  Specific areas of British Columbia may also be able to offer grizzly bear in conjunction with antlered game including elk and/or mule deer – but grizzlies in BC are very expensive.  Insofar as Alberta is concerned, I believe that the grizzly bear season is closed for non-resident alien hunters, but would have to double check that to be sure.

All in all, there are a number of factors to consider in planning your hunt.  If you are looking for a six-point bull elk in excess of say 320 B&C and a mule deer buck in excess of say 170 B&C then it is altogether a different ball game as males of this size just don’t grow on trees and it becomes a function of time.  Moreover, the more animals that you try to combine on one North American hunt, the more likely you are to fail on one or more species – the days of unlimited game populations are over, weather often can be a factor during the fall, etc.  The more animals you try to combine on one northern hunt, the more that these factors come into play and the more limited the areas that we have to choose from.   

My recommendation would be to look at either an elk/mule deer hunt or moose hunt.  You will need to decide if you want Canada moose or Alaska-Yukon, which will then dictate where we need to look and what other species might be available.  An Alaska-Yukon moose would also give an opportunity for black/grizzly bear and/or caribou depending on where you go – keep in mind that Alaska-Yukon moose hunts will run well over $10K/hunter depending on the area and the outfitter and trophy fees will be required for grizzly bear/caribou so you could be looking at $20K each by the time it is all said and done. Canada moose hunts are cheaper, but the moose are smaller and the opportunities for other big game species will be limited depending on where you hunt.  Western Canada moose are generally only available in southwestern Canada.

Brown bear hunts in Alaska are currently running anywhere from $10,800 to over 20K per hunter plus air charters.  Grizzly bear hunts in AK are currently running from about 8K to well over 13K depending on the area and outfitter.

Bob Anderson
Worldwide Hunting Consultant
Global Sporting Safaris, Inc.

Global Sporting Safaris’ Bear Hunting Blog is based in Casper, Wyoming.  Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. is a Full-Service Booking Agency established in 1991. We have a staff of Bear Hunting Consultants and Fishing Travel Agents with a combined 175 years of experience. We hold Integrity, Ethics and Honesty in high regard and deal with each client in a one on one basis

Tags: alaska brown bear hunt, Alaska Brown Bear Hunting, Alaska Grizzly Bear Hunt, alaska grizzly bear hunting, alaska hunting, alaskan bear hunt, alaskan bear hunting, alaskan hunting, Bear Hunting, big game hunt, big game hunting, brown bear hunt, canada bear hunting, canada hunting, canada moose hunt, canada moose hunting, dangerous game hunt, dangerous game hunting, Global Sporting Safaris, GSSafaris, Hunting, hunting alaska, hunting consultant, hunting consultants, Moose Hunting, saskatchewan moose hunting
Posted in Alaska, Bear Hunting, Canada, Dangerous Game, Deer Hunting, Elk Hunting, Hunting, Hunting Destination, Moose Hunting |

Duck Hunter’s Top-10 List

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

A lot of folks keep “to do” lists for their adult lives. For some, the list is studded with sincere goals or accomplishments and may feature such endeavors as “finish master’s degree” or “bicycle through Italy.” Others compile lists that are more adrenaline charged; they want to check the box next to “scuba dive with sharks” or “bungee jump.”

But if you are the kind of person who would rather be in a duck blind on a bright November morning than anywhere else, you don’t want to jump off a perfectly good bridge anyway. In your world, bungee cords are meant to hold duck boats in pickup beds. So when the editors of Ducks Unlimited asked me which items I might include on a duck hunter’s “life list,” I compiled the following summary of 10 defining tasks and unique destinations for waterfowlers. Perhaps my suggestions, presented here in no particular order, will inspire you to create and pursue a list of your own.

1. Hunt the Canadian Prairie in Early Fall

Whether you choose Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta, an early-season trip to Canada will change your perspective on ducks and duck hunting forever. Hunting seemingly endless prairie dotted with sapphire potholes is truly magical. And this isn’t like duck hunting at home; you can’t just put out your decoys and wait. In Canada, you must go to the birds. That means driving the countryside to find them and then making plans to be under them before they return the next morning.

You can hunt ducks on big water or small potholes, but what defines prairie waterfowling is dry-land hunting in immense agricultural fields. Once you have been under the milling vortex of hundreds or even thousands of mallards pouring into a pea field or have seen the golden sun set across a sweeping horizon of cut barley, then you can say you’ve experienced the prairie in the fall, the place where the migration begins.

Read Number 2-10 of Duck Hunters Top 10 List, by Doug Larsen, on the Ducks Unlimited website by clicking here

About Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. 
Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. is a Full-Service Hunting Booking Agency located in Casper, Wyoming and established in 1991. We have a staff of 7 Hunting Consultants and Fishing Travel Agents with a combined 175 years of experience.   We specialize in Duck Hunting, Africa Hunting Safaris, New Zealand Hunting and Argentina Hunting.   Global Sporting Safaris invests time, effort and financial resources in developing our hunting trips with a constant eye on the quality and professional services they offer.

Tags: du, Duck Hunting, duck hunting lodge, duck hunting outfitters, duck hunting trip, duck hunting trips, Ducks Unlimited, Global Sporting Safaris, GSSafaris, guided duck hunting, Hunting, hunting consultant, hunting consultants
Posted in Duck Hunting, Goose Hunting, Hunting, Hunting Tips, Miscellaneous, Wingshooting |

Hunting Ducks on a Budget

Friday, September 17th, 2010

Big bucks! No, not the kind that grow antlers, but what many duck hunters spend to fund their sport: private clubs, fancy blinds, pricey shotguns, super-sized decoy spreads, and more. This is one undertaking that can suck up money like a bowling ball in quicksand.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Hunters can experience quality duck hunting while sticking to a budget. Penny-pinching hunters may have to hunt a little harder and smarter, but they can still find high-quality waterfowling.

So, if the recession has left a lasting impression, your credit card is maxed out, your kid’s college tuition has skyrocketed, and you can’t afford 24-carat duck hunting, don’t despair. The quality of a hunt doesn’t always rate proportionally to its cost. Here’s how to cut corners to hold duck hunting expenses down and still enjoy great shooting.  Here more of the story….

• Low-Cost Decoy Spreads
• Saving Dollars on Equipment
• Strategies for Hunting Ducks on a Budget
• Have the Right Mindset
• Hunting Spots for Budget-Minded Hunters
• Budget Blinds

Read the rest of Hunting Ducks on a Budget, by Wade Bourne, on the Ducks Unlimited website by clicking here

About Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. 
Global Sporting Safaris, Inc. is a Full-Service Hunting Booking Agency located in Casper, Wyoming and established in 1991. We have a staff of 7 Hunting Consultants and Fishing Travel Agents with a combined 175 years of experience.   We specialize in Duck Hunting, Africa Hunting Safaris, New Zealand Hunting and Argentina Hunting.   Global Sporting Safaris invests time, effort and financial resources in developing our hunting trips with a constant eye on the quality and professional services they offer.

Tags: Duck Hunting, duck hunting outfitters, duck hunting trips, Ducks Unlimited, Global Sporting Safaris, GSSafaris, guided duck hunting, Hunting, hunting booking agent, hunting consultant, hunting consultants
Posted in Duck Hunting, Goose Hunting, Hunting, Hunting Tips |