WACH Kotzebue

[northwestalaska]

Hi guys:

Well it is Aug 29th and I just got the .270 and its new scope sighted in anticipating the arrival of the WACH and hopes of another moose again this fall. We are beginning to see the fall hunting crowd beginning to arrive in Kotz and that can only mean one thing, fall hunting is almost upon us.

We have seen 2 small groups of caribou south of Kotzebue and some guys have begun to take a few for early meat needs. No real trophy in those bunches but the condition of the animals is very good. I have seen more moose this summer in my travels up and down the Noatak and Kobuk rivers. I have my eye on a nice bull that is looking like he will be a 55 incher by the time the velvet is off and he is prime.

The word from the pilots is that there a fer scattered groups of animals coming over from the slope but no big numbers yet, 2 weeks is the guess.

Good luck and if you’re up out way look me up at 907-442-3944. We are your best source for float hunting in all of NW Alaska.

Walt
www.northwestalaska.com

 

[1_pointer]

Thanks for the updates. I know you have a bit of a bias, but what's your opinion of float hunts vs just a drop camp hunt? Also, how crowded are the rivers?

Thanks in advance....

 

[northwestalaska]

Float hunting vs. Spike camp (drop)

Me have a bias??? No way!

Yes I am bias because I own a rental/outfitting business. But what you need to know about this country is that the drop hunters are getting put into more and more crowded areas every year. When a transporter places you on/in a spike camp often times you are being dropped within close proximity of other hunting parties. The NPS only allows a small area for hunting by out of region hunters and it is getting tighter every year with more and more hunters finding out about WACH.

A float hunt allows you to cover 40- 60 miles of any given drainage and this opens up many square miles of hunting country that the drop hunter can not experience. If the caribou shift patterns like they have been doing in the past 4 years and your stuck in a drop camp you only have about 5 square miles at best to find animals and 5 might be a stretch because hunting tundra is very hard. The floater on the other hand can pack up and move if the hunting is poor and find a new location far away from the other hunters. Many times the floater will run into caribou swimming the rivers and there you are right in the middle of 200 animals! I have been it that situation many times right on the Noatak River.

The cost of a raft rental is minimal when you look at the cost of your total trip. My average hunter group spends less that $200-300 a piece for a 7 day rental. That is based upon a 14 foot Avon raft package at $600 per week, split between the group. There are lots of options with various raft sizes and packages to.

The % of hunters who are currently doing float trips is less that 15% and the number of rivers to choose from is almost endless! Our region is larger that Indiana (game management unit 23), so I guess it comes down to doing the math. So yes I am bias but when you look at the amount of money that the average out of state hunter will spend to hunt up here, a float hunt will up your odds, increase your chances of seeing a trophy animal and the cost is very small and you will see more of this beautiful country in your 7-10 days than the other guys who only have one option because they are stuck in 1 spot.

Call on me any time and I will be happy to assist you in any way that I can from outfitting your hunt to helping you narrow your drainage choices.

Walt
Northwest Alaska Backcountry Rentals
Kotzebue Alaska
33 miles north of the Arctic Circle
The Home to 3,000 people and 600,000 of the friendliest Caribou any where in the world!
www.northwestalaska.com
[email protected]

 

[northwestalaska]

The caribou have arrived!

Well guys the caribou have arrived in Noatak village and Kiana on the Kobuk River, and in huge numbers! A buddy of mine in Noatak called to lat me know that a group of well over 1000 animals walked almost through town yesterday with lots of big bulls. Most of the locals filled the freezer quickly. The same thing is going on in Kiana which is on the Kobuk River 70 miles from Kotzebue. This will be exciting as we have not seen concentrated numbers in about 3 years! Yee Ha! Picks to follow in a week! I have friends coming up from Colorado and these guys are in for a treat for sure!

 

[Tom]

Man, I hope you get some pictures too, thanks for the info.

 

[1_pointer]

NWA- I'll be in touch.

 

[northwestalaska]

I will be in the field from 9-15 to 9-20 hunting boos with some friends from Colorado but any time befor or after!

Walt
www.northwestalaska.com