Flying to Alaska "First Time"

[AkDan]

Aggie, I am in Fairbanks (north pole).  

You wont find 2 free bags on Ak air...google club 49 (or look it up on ak airs site).   Its done by Ak Air and its free!  If you fly ak air and are club 49 you get two free bags.  I will admit its not always the cheapest rates on AK Air!   It may however work in your favor on the way home at least.    

Right now my fall is changing, but I have no hunts planned that will keep me out for more than 3-4 days at a crack due to a job change.  I do have company coming in early august through around the 25th those plans are in the works as we speak but right now its a low key trip.  None of that raft rolling crap early winter stuff from last fall.   Thankfully she didn't flog me over that one, or worse, trade me up for a less extreme  model haha!

Another thing to think about, if you DONT have meat to mess with, which hopefully its a problem you do have LOL, is a fishing rod or two.  If not holler.  Though the drive over from palmer to tok is pretty slim pickins for salmon there is however great grayling fishing over near paxson.   There is good salmon fishing right in down town anchorage, go north of Wasilla a bit and you have a pile of rivers to pick, or down on the kenai penn.  Of course that's if you have the time.

I'd assume youre cubbing it and not doing a float?

[Aggieland]

Yes Dan, We are flying in via Cub plane. Good to see you Bisch, I think I will use the Big Azz Skb case I have and carry two take down bows and just pack it as full as I can. It might end up weighing 99 pounds and cost me the $75.00 over weight charge but I do believe as long as my case shows up in Alaska ... Everything inside will be protected.  Also Wingnut I have two soft sided ice chest from polar bear I bought that are pretty sweet and waterproof  http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/product/48_pack_soft_coolers/PB540.html
 I plan to take them with me for meat on the trip home.

[Aggieland]

Keep the thoughts coming guys, I gotta run and pick out flooring with the wife for our new house we are building.. "I would much rather be here reading Trip advice thought"  God Bless!

[AkDan]

If you do fly into the banks let me know if I can help.  I can round up any loose ends before you get here as well.

[Preston Lay]

AkDan, I will be going to Canada this spring to bear hunt, so I wont be coming up that soon. Always ready for Alaskan gifts!

[akdd]

Keep in mind that if you are flying out in a cub you need some medium size dry bags to pack stuff in for you flight out. A few small bags fit in a cub a lot better than one big one.

[Aggieland]

Well time to update a little. About to book our flight tomorrow, flying out of Dallas to Anchorage and plan to rent a car, truck or van for the drive to Tok.  I'm still on the fence on how to get my gear to AK. Got some great advice on how to ship gear up and also some great gear on how to pack for the flight up..  Guess I have a few months to decide what's best.

[Aggieland]

One other question. How much meat/cape weight should a guy expect to fly home with on a bull Caribou?

[LKH]

You should always carry your optics in your carryon.  AKAIR does NOT have free luggage.  They have free luggage for AK Residents who join the 49 club.  Come up with a cooler if you need a second bag.  Great for taking cape/meat home.
Thought you might be going for sheep but didn't see your name on the draws.

[Kevin Dill]

I'm not sure of weight of cape/antlers/meat. It all depends on how much of everything you want to bring home. Shipping or flying stuff home is rather costly no matter how you do it.

I'm going up for a solo caribou hunt next August. If I kill, my plan is to USPS all my baggage stuff home in totes. I'll pay the airlines to fly with 150 or so pounds of meat. Later, I'll have a friend split the rack and ship it to me along with the frozen cape...or I might fly it with me. In any event I will spend hundreds to get everything home, but that's just part of the deal. It still beats the heck out of a guided hunt.

[Aggieland]

Sounds good. I think We have a plan lined out now!

[AkDan]

Theres a tractor trailer outfit that's hauling meat/antlers south in sept if that's something you're interested in I'll look up the info.   I think it was 600 to ship everything and had a pile of pickup stops on the way.  

I'm not up on the best shipping method, it changes faster than I burn through TP.  This one is a worthy option.   You'd have to figure out weight per pound to see if its worth it.

Really if its a bou, you can mail everything home, get your 2 free bags on AK air, and pay the extra for 2 more boxes.  You'll have to freight antlers home.  I'd contact Larry Bartlett on the best current method on this, he deals with an awful lot of guys, (pristine ventures), or mike strahan out of anchorage).

[DaveT1963]

For you guys that ship things ahead - where do you ship it to your outfitter?  I have always been able to get everything into two checked bags and one carry on.  But I usually pack pretty essential only.  If I was doing a DIY hunt I have always drove to the location.

[Aggieland]

Thanks Kevin, I'm going to bring my two big 48 can polar bear soft sided coolers. They are leakproof and water proof, we plan to load them both to 99lbs with meat and capes then probably give away or do the fish box cooler for what other meat we want to bring home.  We are also going to load one SKB case with my dad and cousins compound bows and a little gear. And load my big SKB case with gear both to 99lbs. The rest of the gear we will put in our two carry on bags. As long as the airline gets our gear to Anchorage this will be the cheapest method. Plans could change but glad to finally start having my head straight on all this.. This is half the fun of the trip ha.

[Preston Lay]

Dave yes on shipping the gear ahead to the flight service. I always let them know its coming and they will store it until arrival. When going on a DIY hunt you have to get your camp there and its really the only practical alterative. This wouldn't be of concern on a guided hunt.