Alaska Hunt Help!!!

[1hornhunter]

Ok guys,  I am getting ready for my first Alaska hunt.  My brother and I will be hunting the North Slope on a caribou drop hunt August 12-22. My question is for those who have been there and done that.  Honestly, how bad are the bugs during this time.   I have heard horror stories and want some honest answers.  Figured I would come to the place where people have treated me good in the past.  Any insight would help.

[Bud B.]

A friend and I shot a moose near Denali. We packed it out in three trips each. We did not plan on the little black flies and their aggressive demeanor of getting blood from you. I guess the blood from gutting the moose attracted even more. We were dotted with bite marks for months afterwards.

However bad you hear it is, prepare for worse. We were not on the north slope but several hundred miles to the south. Roughly half way between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The tundra is beautiful but unforgiving.

Wear long sleeves no matter how hot you may get from walking. We rolled up our sleeves for the gutting and that's where we were the most eaten up.

[JimB]

Bud B,do you think a couple Therma Cells would have helped at the carcass site?

[rolltidehunter]

I have heard the same horror stories that's why I'm going the later part of sept. hey man get you some bug gear and have fun. I talked with a guy who went to Alaska a few years back and he was there for a month the 1st 15 days it rained buckets non stop he said he felt like he was in jail sitting in that tent and couldn't hunt. The only time he got out of the tent for 15 days was to take a ...... U know. And trying to wipe  your back end in the pouring down rain is impossible! The weather cleared up and he filled his tag! Man try not to think about the bad stuff but prepare for them! Have fun bring some bug gear! A good head net and go kill a big one

[centaur]

I didn't get to hunt, but the wife and I spent 65 days camping in Alaska last summer. We were prepared for hordes of mosquitos, but we only saw really bad bugs a couple of times. Since it poured rain for most of our trip, we guessed that all the bugs drowned. We only got as far north as Fairbanks, so the north slope might be a different story, but our worst bugs were in Denali, and for a couple of days there it was headnets, long sleeves, and Therma Cell, which made it somewhat bearable. We saw frost in central Alaska in late July and early August, so by the time you are going, the bugs may be down.
An Alaska hunt is most definitely on my bucket list; you will see some awesome country. Be prepared that hiking the muskeg and alder country is grueling, even on fairly flat ground. If you are successful in getting a caribou, know that it will probably be hard earned. Alaska is truly the Great Land; enjoy it in all its' glory.

[John Havard]

If you are going to be hunting on the north slope of the Brooks Range the answer depends partially on what elevation you will be hunting and where along the range.  The range runs almost 700 miles east-west and is anywhere from sea level to over 6300'.  Will you be flying out of Kaktovik/Barter Island or Prudhoe or??  If flying out of Arctic Village or FBKS you'll probably be hunting on the south slope of the Brooks and the bugs will be different.

In mid August in the higher elevations you can have blizzards.  In mid August along the river bottoms you can have mosquitos so bad you literally cannot believe it.

I have hunted the north slope, the south slope, and anywhere else in Alaska you can name since 1975.  I worked on the North Slope for many years (oil fields).  The two worst bug/gnat/white sock/mosquito experiences I have ever had were on the Alaska Peninsula during a lull in the wind (rare but it does occur) and along the Sagavanirktok River (north slope) in mid-August.  The mosquitos along the Sag were THE WORST I have ever seen anywhere at any time.  100% coverage including a head net is absolutely necessary if caught in a situation like that.  Otherwise you'd be tempted to kill yourself.  It can be that bad.  A headnet weighs practically nothing and is a must.

[calgarychef]

I never go North without a headnet, biteproof gloves and duct tape to tape my pants and shirt cuffs.  Put the deet on your clothes not your skin and cover your precious skin with clothes.  

I talked to an "old feller" who has worked all over the world in the outdoors and I asked "what's the worst place in the world for bugs" and he said Northern Canada without a doubt.  I'd think alaska must be equally as bad.  I always bring a spare headnet when I go hunting with buddies and you'd be surprised how much beer you can trade one for!

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by JimB:
Bud B,do you think a couple Therma Cells would have helped at the carcass site?

That was 1986...not sure if Thermacells were around then. But I do not think it would have helped, but I can't be positive on that. They were terrible, flying around and landing in our eyes, flying into our mouths, crawling into our ears, IT WAS BAD!

Not sure what those little flies are really called, but they are persistent little devils.

[Archie]

I have a bit of experience with being on the North slope in Alaska, having lived in AK from 1979 to 2000.  Be prepared for the worst.  I would recommend some nets among other things.  Remember, the bugs literally drive caribou crazy up there.  You may have seen videos of how they run and take to water, like they are out of their mind, to get away from bugs.  

I don't remember ever feeling hopeless against the bugs, or even overwhelmed... but good bug dope is a life-saver, and headnets really help to keep from breathing them in, getting them in your ears, etc.

[Bow Ben AK]

Calgarychef and Archie have it down, combine their advice and you'll be fine. I've hunted there many times over the years but only went once early in Aug. the bugs were so bad I never went back again until the last week of Aug. 1st. week of Sept. when the bugs are nearly all gone.  Good Hunting  Ben

[Chromebuck]

Field notes:

Butchering animals for packing out is always a bug magnet up here.  The only thing additional that I would add from my personal experience is to take two headnets per person.  Buddy lost his in the field last year and kinda went nuts on me...I ended up doing extra trips for his lack of having a headnet.  Cheap and weigh nothing.

~CB

[AKCrazyhorse]

You are getting all good advice here.  I also take two headnets everywhere I go. A thermacell is a good idea and WILL have a positive effect (within reason.

[Bowwild]

I have never hunted Alaska. However, I've dealt with Black Flies in Ontario twice. They are DEMONS!  

One year we had two teenagers with us. One of the teens insisted on neglecting his headnet from time to time when he left the camper. When we arrived home to Indiana from that trip the young man had to go to the emergency room because he had been bitten so much.

Make sure you show no bare skin and all seams are thoroughly taped; ankles, waist, neck, wrists, and of course the headnet must be complete. If you leave in a gap in your armor these beasties will find it and they'll get inside your clothes and bite, and bite, and bite.

I found the black flies bother you while it is daylight. As soon as the sun goes down (Ontario) the blackflies go somewhere (to ground, leaves?) and the mosquitoes take over. The mosquito won't find the seams but if the clothing is too thin or the headnet touches the face they will of course get you.

I wouldn't have any problem hunting in black fly country again I'd just be sure to cover up.

[Ted Fry]

THERMACELL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[calgarychef]

I'll add that black flies/no-seeums are so small you almost can't see them but they have jaws like a pirannah and I react quite badly to the bites.  They leave me looking like a piece of hamburger for weeks afterwards.

[Anaconda12]

a Frind and I went a few years ago to the Moose John River and did the float, we spent 18 days there and by the 4th day i was mincemeat them things chewed me up something fierce I WILL NEVER go back without proper gear as mentioned above in this thread!  Go prepared or risk not enjoying your trip at all!!

[Looper]

Yeah, they can get pretty bad. The absolutely most miserable experience I ever had was when I lost my headnet at the beginning of a 2 week moose hunt. A couple of times, I coated myself with mud to keep them off and had to breathe through a bandana to keep from sucking them into my lungs.

Spray your clothes down with permethrin before hand. That will kill the mosquitos and flies that land on you.  

Use a Thermocell, one for each man, and 2 extras for when you're butchering. Take plenty of extra pads and fuel cells. They weren't invented until after I moved from Alaska, but I go back, I'll be using Thermocells, no doubt about it.

Take several extra headnets for each man, not just one extra. And take a roll of duct tape. Make sure your shirtails are long enough to stay tucked in when you crouch.

At night, hang some dryer sheets around your sleeping area and stuff a couple in your pillowcase.

Finally, about a week before you go, start taking a shot of vinegar every day (or add a couple of tablespoons to a glass of water).

Overkill? Not if you went through the hell I did.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by looper:
Overkill? Not if you went through the hell I did.

AMEN brother!!

[Bill Sant]

I hunt the slope every year for the entire month of August and yes the bugs CAN be bad.  BUT, as with anything there are variables.  As was mentioned earlier, elevation, wind, temp, can and do make huge differences in day to day bug activity.  Everybody thinks mosquitos are your main problem but they aren't as bad as the small biting blackflies and whitesox.  Regular bug dope with heavy DEET percents work if you aren't freaked out with the "chemical in my body" thing.  Permethrin doesn't touch them as far as my experience.  Most guys from non buggy areas are freaked out by the sheer numbers of flying insects that are attracted to a warm body. and yes kill sites can be bad with the black flies.

Now with all that said, let me interject a little knowledge from experience.  Bugs are a state of mind.  If you let them get to you on a mental level, they can drive you crazy, (as mentioned above).  Just don't let them in your head.  As soon as you start "freaking out" you're on your way to having a bad experience.  You can take measures to prevent bites (and you should) but the sooner you accept that they are there, the better.  Walk on ridges with little vegitation, find windy or breezy spots to stop and glass, do your walking in the heat of the day if it is sunny, the bugs will lay low during hot days.  Just use your head and you'll be fine.  Give me a shout if you wish.  I'll be up there from the 4th to the 30th.  Don't know where I'll be camped as I'll just follow the herd.  I assume you will be flying out of happy valley??

[1hornhunter]

Thanks for all the info.  This is why I respect the trad archery community.  People are willing to share info.  It may not seem like much to worry about the little things (bugs) but never having been on an out of state hunt before I want things to go smoothly.  Thanks again for all the info it the thread, PM's and emails.