Anyone hunt with Unguided Alaska/Arctic Air this year?

[Magnum Sherpa]

I paid a deposit on a transporter hunt with Unguided Alaska for caribou in September of 2025. Has anyone hunted with them this season? I understand that mid-season they changed their base from Kotzebue to Fairbanks. I’ve read a few less than encouraging trip reports on other forums regarding this season. It seems they were very overbooked and the communication between the pilots and owner wasn’t the greatest. I don’t know if I have any options anyway since my deposit was not refundable. I’m just trying to figure out what I might be getting myself into.

 

[beardbuster]

I paid a deposit on a transporter hunt with Unguided Alaska for caribou in September of 2025. Has anyone hunted with them this season? I understand that mid-season they changed their base from Kotzebue to Fairbanks. I’ve read a few less than encouraging trip reports on other forums regarding this season. It seems they were very overbooked and the communication between the pilots and owner wasn’t the greatest. I don’t know if I have any options anyway since my deposit was not refundable. I’m just trying to figure out what I might be getting myself into.

I would be very curious as well. We booked this same trip before the closure and have been pushed to next year. Based on what I have seen I am considering backing out.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

I would be very curious as well. We booked this same trip before the closure and have been pushed to next year. Based on what I have seen I am considering backing out.

I contacted Russ with Outdoors International (the booking agent we used for the hunt) and he said they are making decisions for 2025 and will be emailing all of the booked hunters this month. If I could get my 50% deposit back I would probably do so and give up on this hunt. The reports I read were not encouraging.

 

[Gellar]

One of our sheriff deputies had a caribou hunt booked but the outfitter bailed on him and won’t give back any deposits. I’ll ask him who it was next time I see him.

 

[kiwi hunter]

that's lousy, I can book a couple in Australia on hog deer, April. Get your juices flowing for the autumn.

 

[Pwr]

Joined just to reply to this discussion as I have been watching for reviews. I was in Kotz Aug 2024 with transporter - RAM Aviation. It was a great experience and going back in 2025. We did not have a lot of opportunities but went 4-4 on decent bulls. Bears were everywhere and stole any food not in our tents. Also got some of our meat.
When we arrived at motel in Kotz we found that ArcticAir had 8-10 groups backed up waiting to get out in the field. They also had guys that were left in the field 3-5extra days. It sounds like to make as much money as possible Arctic books as many trips as a perfect schedule will allow without accounting for the 2-4 weather days every week that they cannot fly. It was a crappy week weather wise and even our transporter was behind by a couple days, but we did make it into the field on the scheduled day.
The day we left for our hunt 15arctic guys got fed up and left without ever hunting. Another 10-15 flew to another location with Arctic to fly into the field from another village.
We were picked up from the field our scheduled day and when we made it back to Kotz we learned that Arctic had left that area altogether. Rumor was some of their hunters had to be picked by the coast guard.

 

[Tmullen1]

Joined just to comment on this. Me my dad and two buddies went this august. Can confirm everything mentioned above. We did end up making it into the field. Got 3 caribou. Hunting was awesome. But I would never go with this outfit in my life ever again. 6 guys including my buddy got flown out by the coast guard. This operation is really ran by outdoor international by Gary runs the day to day. Gary is absolutely a nut job and going to get people killed. You wanna know what the local pilots and other guides think of Gary and Alaska unguided just call around. If you do go bring your own gear and food and don’t listen to anything Gary says. I’d do what I could to try and go with ram. Ram didn’t have any hunters leave and had way bigger caribou. Always open to talking 1 on 1.

 

[Tmullen1]

Joined just to reply to this discussion as I have been watching for reviews. I was in Kotz Aug 2024 with transporter - RAM Aviation. It was a great experience and going back in 2025. We did not have a lot of opportunities but went 4-4 on decent bulls. Bears were everywhere and stole any food not in our tents. Also got some of our meat.
When we arrived at motel in Kotz we found that ArcticAir had 8-10 groups backed up waiting to get out in the field. They also had guys that were left in the field 3-5extra days. It sounds like to make as much money as possible Arctic books as many trips as a perfect schedule will allow without accounting for the 2-4 weather days every week that they cannot fly. It was a crappy week weather wise and even our transporter was behind by a couple days, but we did make it into the field on the scheduled day.
The day we left for our hunt 15arctic guys got fed up and left without ever hunting. Another 10-15 flew to another location with Arctic to fly into the field from another village.
We were picked up from the field our scheduled day and when we made it back to Kotz we learned that Arctic had left that area altogether. Rumor was some of their hunters had to be picked by the coast guard.

Not a rumor. My buddy was picked up by coast guard and flown to the North Pole lol. We had to meet back in anchorage and he had to sell his gun to a local cuz his gun case was still in Kotz.

 

[Tmullen1]

Joined just to comment on this. Me my dad and two buddies went this august. Can confirm everything mentioned above. We did end up making it into the field. Got 3 caribou. Hunting was awesome. But I would never go with this outfit in my life ever again. 6 guys including my buddy got flown out by the coast guard. This operation is really ran by outdoor international by Gary runs the day to day. Gary is absolutely a nut job and going to get people killed. You wanna know what the local pilots and other guides think of Gary and Alaska unguided just call around. If you do go bring your own gear and food and don’t listen to anything Gary says. I’d do what I could to try and go with ram. Ram didn’t have any hunters leave and had way bigger caribou. Always open to talking 1 on 1.

To be 100% fair. Gary did go back and get our antlers that we couldn’t get on the helicopter afterwards and did ship them to us. Which he didn’t have to do especially with how bad he was getting picked on from everyone’s reviews. Just wanted to mention that.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

Joined just to comment on this. Me my dad and two buddies went this august. Can confirm everything mentioned above. We did end up making it into the field. Got 3 caribou. Hunting was awesome. But I would never go with this outfit in my life ever again. 6 guys including my buddy got flown out by the coast guard. This operation is really ran by outdoor international by Gary runs the day to day. Gary is absolutely a nut job and going to get people killed. You wanna know what the local pilots and other guides think of Gary and Alaska unguided just call around. If you do go bring your own gear and food and don’t listen to anything Gary says. I’d do what I could to try and go with ram. Ram didn’t have any hunters leave and had way bigger caribou. Always open to talking 1 on 1.

Thanks for the honest report. I’m unfortunately in it for the long haul because I paid deposits for 2 people that they won’t refund. We did pay for and rent the gear package including tents and cooking gear, but will be bringing our own food. Would you also recommend bringing our own tent when you said to bring your own gear?

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

Not a rumor. My buddy was picked up by coast guard and flown to the North Pole lol. We had to meet back in anchorage and he had to sell his gun to a local cuz his gun case was still in Kotz.

I was curious how your friend was unfortunate enough to get evacuated by the Coast Guard but you guys managed to get out? Tight weather window? It’s crazy that Unguided Alaska just left the area with hunters still in the field. It seems like that should be grounds to lose their license.

 

[Tmullen1]

Thanks for the honest report. I’m unfortunately in it for the long haul because I paid deposits for 2 people that they won’t refund. We did pay for and rent the gear package including tents and cooking gear, but will be bringing our own food. Would you also recommend bringing our own tent when you said to bring your own gear?

The tent was fine. If you have a jet boil or something I’d bring that to make hot water faster. Their stove is big and slow and burns a lot of fuel. You’ll last longer if you have a jet boil to do water quick. The reason I said gear was because the first aid kid was nothing and a lot of the food was old as shit lol. The tent was fine and actually a nice tent but I wouldn’t be shocked if they put someone out their with a bad tent at some point. They don’t appear to check their gear much. My buddy was one who stayed 3 nights pass our pick up date and he did run out of fuel. Luckily when they picked 2 of us up they dropped 2 more off in our spot (that’s how many hunters they have) and they ended up sharing fuel with my buddy until he got out. I don’t want to shit on the trip cuz it’s once in a lifetime. Just be prepared to have your own stuff and stay longer than expected. Just watch how many ram guys are in the hotel compared to Arctic. It’s hilarious how overbooked they were. Bring your own lighter and fire starters too.

 

[Tmullen1]

Also another thing. It’s like 200-300 a night for the hotel. And they offer no discount. I think insurance covers it. But we ended up spending like 2k more on hotel rooms.

 

[Tmullen1]

I was curious how your friend was unfortunate enough to get evacuated by the Coast Guard but you guys managed to get out? Tight weather window? It’s crazy that Unguided Alaska just left the area with hunters still in the field. It seems like that should be grounds to lose their license

They told us they’d message us when they were coming. They never did. Caribou came into camp and one of the older guys we had with us (70) shot it. Not a second after the caribou hit the ground one plane came in and the pilot was yelling at us to get moving. So two of us went. Were supposed to come back that day for the other 2 but weather got bad. Pilot and Gary didnt communicate well at all. Gary only has 2 planes and puts out 20+ hunters.

 

[Pwr]

From what I hear 2024 was a terrible year for flying weather. Out of the 6days we were in the field only 2-3 were clear enough to fly the area we were in. I would assume that on average weather years Arctic is not quite so backed up. Regardless who you go with don’t be surprised to be delayed a couple days getting in and/or out of the field. We scheduled extra days at the hotel thinking we might be delayed a day getting into the field and possibly picked up a day early depending on forecasts. The hotel let us cancel an insurance day last year with no penalty but can’t say they will do that all the time.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

From what I hear 2024 was a terrible year for flying weather. Out of the 6days we were in the field only 2-3 were clear enough to fly the area we were in. I would assume that on average weather years Arctic is not quite so backed up. Regardless who you go with don’t be surprised to be delayed a couple days getting in and/or out of the field. We scheduled extra days at the hotel thinking we might be delayed a day getting into the field and possibly picked up a day early depending on forecasts. The hotel let us cancel an insurance day last year with no penalty but can’t say they will do that all the time.

I totally understand the unpredictability of flying in the bush. I’ve fished and flown in Ontario for 20+ years in float planes, and almost every week there were “no fly” days due to weather/visibility. It seems like the problem with Artic Air is magnified by their habit of overbooking. Did you find the hotel was usually full, or do you think they normally have some vacancies if you need to add a night at either end of the trip?

 

[Tmullen1]

I totally understand the unpredictability of flying in the bush. I’ve fished and flown in Ontario for 20+ years in float planes, and almost every week there were “no fly” days due to weather/visibility. It seems like the problem with Artic Air is magnified by their habit of overbooking. Did you find the hotel was usually full, or do you think they normally have some vacancies if you need to add a night at either end of the trip?

The biggest problem is they have 20* hunters they were trying to get out and 2 planes with 3 seats. So when they did have a window it wasn’t doable. The hotel always accommodated us.

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

They told us they’d message us when they were coming. They never did. Caribou came into camp and one of the older guys we had with us (70) shot it. Not a second after the caribou hit the ground one plane came in and the pilot was yelling at us to get moving. So two of us went. Were supposed to come back that day for the other 2 but weather got bad. Pilot and Gary didnt communicate well at all. Gary only has 2 planes and puts out 20+ hunters.

I was going to send you a private message, but I think you need 10 posts before you can send/receive them. I had a few questions if you don’t mind answering. Did you have any fishing opportunities where you were camped? Any ability to fish in Kotzebue while you waited for the weather to clear? Did you bring a saw to split your skull caps, or did the pilot have one? Did you rent or bring a bear fence? I’m assuming you can buy Jetboil fuel in Kotzebue? Did you bring waders? Anything gear you didn’t bring that you wish you had? Thanks!

 

[Tmullen1]

I was going to send you a private message, but I think you need 10 posts before you can send/receive them. I had a few questions if you don’t mind answering. Did you have any fishing opportunities where you were camped? Any ability to fish in Kotzebue while you waited for the weather to clear? Did you bring a saw to split your skull caps, or did the pilot have one? Did you rent or bring a bear fence? I’m assuming you can buy Jetboil fuel in Kotzebue? Did you bring waders? Anything gear you didn’t bring that you wish you had? Thanks!

You can fish in kotz for sure. We caught some. Every drop point in the field is different. We weren’t close to a river bed so we didn’t find or need waders. I think you’d for sure want gators anywhere though. I’d bring something to split the caps. Gary said the pilots would have something but they didn’t and also didn’t have time. We only saw one bear and had no fence. Some of the other guys reports would make me want a fence. Especially if you were near water I’d think. I didn’t go into any stories in Kotzebue but it might be hard to find fuel in Kotzs. Only like one small hardware store.