Caribou unguided drop hunt suggestions?

Few guys are looking to do this in 2015. Would like to know if anyone has any good or bad information for me if they have done this sort of hunt before. Im looking for names of outfitters good experiences and bad and why?

I would like the option to be moved if we are not seeing animals. Dont really have a preference on a herd right now, but we are non-residents.

Thanks guys.

Travis

I used Ovis outfitters on the Brooks range this year and had a very positive experience. I would think that 2015 you should be able to book.

I liked how they are a small outfit that really took care of all the little things. I found them very easy to work with and felt like they actually bent over backwards to make every thing work.

We are going this year and are looking at Ram Air or Northern Air Trophy both out of Kotzebue. This will be my first hunt in Alaska.
Anyone have experience with either?
Would be glad to report back for your 2015 hunt after we get back this fall.

Thanks guys and good luck Nick. Id like to hear your experience too but we may already be booked somewhere by then.

Travis

Golden Eagle Outfitters in Kotz. Jared will put you in a great spot and help you line up everything you need to bring.

Good luck.

3 of us hunted with Northern Air Trophies out of Kotzebue and it ended up being a $5000 camping trip. We paid extra for additional days and for the option of being moved if we didn't see any caribou. We didn't see any caribou and we didn't get moved! That was my first trip to Alaska and it was nothing short of a nightmare!!! Don't waste your money!!!

3 of us hunted with Northern Air Trophy out of Kotzebue and it was nothing more than a $5000 camping trip. We paid extra for additional days out in the field and also extra to be moved if we didn't see any Caribou. Unorganized nightmare comes to mind!!! We had 3 camps of hunters within a mile of our camp and no caribou within miles. We called Northern Air Trophy in the Spring after we all cooled down and was completely blown off. I don't have a single good thing to say about them. Don't waste your money!!!

Check out Arrowhead up on the north slope.

LAST EDITED ON Jan-13-15 AT 06:52PM (MST)[p]Travis,
I went last fall on a diy drop camp on the north slope for barren ground caribou for 6 days. We had four in our group and all of us killed two caribou each. It was a top notch outfitter with great pilots. They have flown the area for 20 years and put us right into the migration paths. Saw tons of caribou and got a couple really nice ones. Call me or email me and I can give you more details.
208-716-0877
[email protected]

thanks for the reply. thats sounds very promising... Got your number so you may be hearing from me...

Travis

Orion,
Hopefully it helped, call me anytime

Arctic Backcountry Flying Service, would be my first choice then Golden Eagle out of Kotz based on the research I did... video to prove Eric delivered.....

https://vimeo.com/76353657

Be careful folks, caribou bag limits are changing in MANY (Kotz, etc.)areas for NR this coming fall. I can't see the fly out's being very cost effective anymore considering you can only take one bull...

So do ample research prior to settling on an area.

We hunted with NAT in 2005 and had a pretty good hunt. At that time, the owner and his brother were splitting up the business and parting ways. Matt Owen and his wife (I don't remember her name) run the business now. It seemed that Matt has a ton of flying experience and knows his stuff but communication was not good and we talked to some guys that did a guided hunt with them that went south. Matt doesn't do any guiding but offers guided hunts, has subguides. We did an outfitted camp where the tents, cots, camping gear, cooking gear, etc. are all set up when they drop you. We didn't see any caribou until the 4th day when we called Matt to see what the heck was going on and he said a large bunch was migrating our way and it was so, the next morning we awoke to a mass migration of animals all around us. At that time, we just told him we wanted to stay a couple more days to tag out, we all shot two.

We had a horrible time with a taxidermist that worked seasonally for NAT. He was at their hanger in Kotz and guided hunters for NAT. He promised us the moon on our taxidermy work so we left our capes and antlers with him. This proved to be a very bad choice, he completely blew us off, it took years to get our stuff back, terrible job, etc. I had a unique cape that was just beautiful but of course didn't get my cape on my mount. We called NAT several times and they couldn't care less.

Like I said, we had a pretty good hunt but some things were left to be desired. After our hunt, their prices have gone up, you can only shoot one bull, sounds like they charge you for more days, etc. I would do your homework, and sounds like you are. I would like to do this hunt again someday so would like to hear about how it went and from others that know other outfitters in Kotz.

Thanks