Moving to AK

[AlaskaHunter]

I'm making the drive up to Fairbanks in June (moving there). It would be awesome if you posted a report of the trip! I'm semi nervous about it but very excited too!

Some nice things about being an Alaska resident:

1) Free fishing/hunting/trapping license if your 60 or older

2) Big discount in your property tax if your 65 or older

3) No sales or income tax

4) A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide (usually cost>$10,000) OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred" . So your father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, spouse, grandparent, grandchild, brother- or sister-in-law, son- or daughter-in-law, father- or mother-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepbrother, stepson, or stepdaughter could hunt sheep, goats or brown/griz bears without a guide as long as you accompany them on the hunt after you establish residency.

5) No cost resident tags for sheep, caribou, goats, deer, black bear, and in some units griz.

--Skeeter

 

[406Family]

Finally made it up last Wednesday. Been busy getting organized and started the new job last Monday.

The drive really wasn't that bad. Just 5 long days of driving. No flats or trouble with the pickup and trailer.

As others have said the Milepost book was invaluable.
Also travel on the top half of your tank. We had a close call trying to make it to the next fuel stop only to find out it was closed. Luckily I brought two extra 6 gallon gas cans.

We saw moose, caribou for the first time, and also a lynx. The lynx was awesome, saw him for a split second on the side of the road. Turned around to try and get a better look but he was long gone. The views were great. The mountains through Alaska are stunning. I've never seen anything like that in my life. Will post pictures soon.

 

[MJE2083]

Some nice things about being an Alaska resident:

1) Free fishing/hunting/trapping license if your 60 or older

2) Big discount in your property tax if your 65 or older

3) No sales or income tax

4) A nonresident who hunts brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, or mountain goat must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide (usually cost>$10,000) OR by an Alaska resident 19 years of age or older who is within the "second degree of kindred" . So your father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, spouse, grandparent, grandchild, brother- or sister-in-law, son- or daughter-in-law, father- or mother-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepbrother, stepson, or stepdaughter could hunt sheep, goats or brown/griz bears without a guide as long as you accompany them on the hunt after you establish residency.

5) No cost resident tags for sheep, caribou, goats, deer, black bear, and in some units griz.

--Skeeter

But everything costs 1 1/2 times as much hahaha

 

[Dave N]

The views were great. The mountains through Alaska are stunning. I've never seen anything like that in my life.

Yep, they sure are. Brought my wife to tears when she saw Alaska. Moving there as well, once we can... Wish I had a job offer to take!

 

[Tufrthnails]

Good luck! Best three weeks of my life when we went up for our ten year anniversary.

 

[Gary]

But everything costs 1 1/2 times as much hahaha

I'm not sure where that comes from, but not true. Costco, WalMart, Home Depot and all the other chains have prices that are comparable to those in the rest of the states. Some things are more costly (due to freight charges, mostly), but overall not all that different, from back in PA.
However, things are changing - I'll be surprised if we don't get saddled with both an income tax and state sales tax in the near future.

 

[MJE2083]

I'm not sure where that comes from, but not true. Costco, WalMart, Home Depot and all the other chains have prices that are comparable to those in the rest of the states. Some things are more costly (due to freight charges, mostly), but overall not all that different, from back in PA.
However, things are changing - I'll be surprised if we don't get saddled with both an income tax and state sales tax in the near future.

I have family in the Sitka area and anytime I go up there it seems like everything costs an arm and a leg. I guess maybe it's just more so that area since it's an island? Last time I was up in 2007, gasoline was nearly double what it is in the lower 48. Housing was terribly expensive too, and utilities were bad. Not to mention if you're in a more remote area you have to fly everything in and out.

 

[Gary]

I have family in the Sitka area and anytime I go up there it seems like everything costs an arm and a leg. I guess maybe it's just more so that area since it's an island? Last time I was up in 2007, gasoline was nearly double what it is in the lower 48. Housing was terribly expensive too, and utilities were bad. Not to mention if you're in a more remote area you have to fly everything in and out.

Sitka - that explains a lot. I live in south central (about 65 miles from Anchorage). To the best of my knowledge, Sitka doesn't have any of the chain stores and freight charges to the island are probably about doubled as for what they would be to Anchorage, Fairbanks or the Kenai Peninsula areas. The state just increased the fuel taxes and diesel is running around $2.60 - $2.75; gas is $2.75 - $2.85; just to compare with what you're paying at home.

 

[MJE2083]

Sitka - that explains a lot. I live in south central (about 65 miles from Anchorage). To the best of my knowledge, Sitka doesn't have any of the chain stores and freight charges to the island are probably about doubled as for what they would be to Anchorage, Fairbanks or the Kenai Peninsula areas. The state just increased the fuel taxes and diesel is running around $2.60 - $2.75; gas is $2.75 - $2.85; just to compare with what you're paying at home.

Yeah our fuel taxes just went up too 10 cents a gallon, we're about $2.50+ for gas right now. Our diesel is actually always more than gas, but I assume that due to higher taxes and more extensive trucking industry here. I think our fuel taxes are highest in the country last I heard.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Yeah our fuel taxes just went up too 10 cents a gallon, we're about $2.50+ for gas right now. Our diesel is actually always more than gas, but I assume that due to higher taxes and more extensive trucking industry here. I think our taxes are highest in the country last I heard.

Costs are also highly variable depending on size of house, whether you heat with firewood or oil, etc. If you shoot a bull moose and gillnet/fish wheel/dip net for salmon, and garden, food costs can be minimal. Alaska does have the highest health care costs in the nation and I think the highest electricity costs. One of my big expenses our family trips to North Dakota/Virginia every year as airline flights can be pretty pricey.

Fairbanks does have Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. so even interior Alaska has an economy of scale you would not experience in the small towns of southeast Alaska (Sitka, Petersburg, Craig,etc) or on Kodiak.

 

[Gary]

Yeah our fuel taxes just went up too 10 cents a gallon, we're about $2.50+ for gas right now. Our diesel is actually always more than gas, but I assume that due to higher taxes and more extensive trucking industry here. I think our fuel taxes are highest in the country last I heard.

For over a year now, diesel has been running cheaper than gas - not sure why - just what it is. Usually about 10 + cents cheaper. Every summer prices for both mysteriously rise then fall (somewhat) in the fall. Fuel companies can't explain it and politicians have investigated, to no avail. Of course there can't be any collusion between the fuel companies (can there?) or pay offs to the pols by the same, right?

 

[Dave N]

OK, this is an older thread but we are looking further into moving to Alaska in the near future ourselves. Pretty much understand the transporting of guns, I have MORE than several including handguns. Thinking about flying with the handguns on one trip just to skip any hassles. My mounts SEEM to be OK to cross through with. Our plan was to bring a chest freezer loaded with venison as well as the normal personal supply of store bought beef, pork, chicken, etc. plus processed garden veggies. Figured if we had it here it would be a supply of meats and stuff to help get by in Alaska until I could get hunting again and cut down on grocery costs for a while. No point in hauling a freezer that was half empty, right? Any thoughts or tips on this? It may be a couple years yet, but it helps to get those ducks lined up ahead of time. Also, I assume a clear title for my ATV and trailer will be good? Thanks. We're actually planning to head up over the Christmas holidays to look at a couple more houses and visit with friends!

 

[Dave N]

Need to clarify something. I process all of my game meat. It's all vacuum sealed. From what I can tell, I should be good if I have my permits for any deer that I would bring through Canada. So if I take 4 deer the season before we move and I have the 4 tags for each I should be good no matter how many packages are in the freezer? Roasts, burger, steaks, processed into salami? Store bought items SOMETIMES gets repackaged when buying bulk or to keep from getting freezer burned. If I repackage, say, a beef chuck roast, I normally put the label inside the vacuum bag to see the date and weight of the roast. Good enough for identifying the package? Would there be a limit before someone says I'm likely to be hauling for resale?

 

[Hudge76]

Need to clarify something. I process all of my game meat. It's all vacuum sealed. From what I can tell, I should be good if I have my permits for any deer that I would bring through Canada. So if I take 4 deer the season before we move and I have the 4 tags for each I should be good no matter how many packages are in the freezer? Roasts, burger, steaks, processed into salami? Store bought items SOMETIMES gets repackaged when buying bulk or to keep from getting freezer burned. If I repackage, say, a beef chuck roast, I normally put the label inside the vacuum bag to see the date and weight of the roast. Good enough for identifying the package? Would there be a limit before someone says I'm likely to be hauling for resale?

I don't really think anyone would think you were trying to resale the meat. What part of the state are you planning on moving to? I live just north of Anchorage by about 40 miles, and we shop at the commissary on base or Costco for the majority of our meats and groceries. I usually don't buy dairy at the commissary as it is higher than off base for the most part. I've been out of state for almost three months working a contract gig overseas, so now the wife doesn't go into Anchorage too much. She has told me since our oldest went off to college and I am out of the country working, the grocery bill has gone way down and she usually just hits the commissary and Costco once every 4-6 weeks now.

 

[Bambistew]

Unless something has changed recently it's no big deal to bring meat up. They didnt even look through my stuff, and were only interested in the guns.

Check on any migratory bird mounts or other mounts that are regulated. Other mounts should be no issue.

 

[Dave N]

OK, thanks. Figured, but thought I would try and double check. My mounts are just whitetails both shoulder and euro, a shoulder black bear, and a euro Roe deer from my trip to the U.K. Various antler lamps and chandeliers that can be bought anywhere.

WANT to be in the Willow area. Thought we had a place bought a year ago but the insurance company didn't like wood heat for the house and garage. Guess they didn't realize there was ALSO oil furnaces in both for the main heat source. Deal fell through. We're heading back up this Christmas to visit friends and look at a couple more. One NICE place that was tops on our list just got an offer pending. Bummer. We'll keep looking online and hope to add a couple to look at beyond the ones left on our list.

 

[Hudge76]

WANT to be in the Willow area. Thought we had a place bought a year ago but the insurance company didn't like wood heat for the house and garage. Guess they didn't realize there was ALSO oil furnaces in both for the main heat source. Deal fell through. We're heading back up this Christmas to visit friends and look at a couple more. One NICE place that was tops on our list just got an offer pending. Bummer. We'll keep looking online and hope to add a couple to look at beyond the ones left on our list.

I run a bear bait stand just north of Willow. Are you going to be retired? I ask as Willow is a drive and not much employment in the area worth a darn. I have a friend that drives from Big Lake to Anchorage M-F for work. That's a lot of driving. People thought I was crazy driving from Wasilla to JBER, and it was only 38 miles from my driveway to the front door of the unit I was in. I worked part time at Ted Stevens in the spring/summer, that drive sucked, as it was 50 miles one way. Pay was good, but the drive stunk.

 

[Dave N]

Yep, the plan is to use it as a vacation home until I retire HOPEFULLY in a couple more years. May need to pick up some work part time but no plans to drive all the way down to Anchorage for it! I have a 52 mile trip now one way to work. Been doing that for almost 25 years. Summer help during tourist season might just work for me. I've done lots of things over the years so I should be able to find something. Hopefully the new "number 1" choice to look at will still be available when we get up there in December!

May just be looking for a hunting and fishing partner as well!

 

[Bambistew]

If the initiative on the ballot passes, cheap houses will be abundant, and jobs non-existent. I'd wait to retire there before moving up.

 

[Bambistew]

If the initiative on the ballot passes, cheap houses will be abundant, and jobs non-existent. I'd wait to retire there before moving up.