Hunting in Alaska (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Soldotna: transporting, crime, salvaged)

[onthamove]

alaska is vast you get up on the dalton and go into the brooks range you arnt likely to meet up with many human beings go there shoot what you want and if the government poops its pants let them

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by onthamove

alaska is vast you get up on the dalton and go into the brooks range you arnt likely to meet up with many human beings go there shoot what you want and if the government poops its pants let them

That kind of thinking will cost you dearly.

Alaska is indeed a huge place... but it is also a very small tight knit community too. Strangers stand out, and determining who did something is often quite easy. When you get hauled into court... rest assured the typical reaction to an outsider who blatantly violates our games laws is to throw the book at 'em.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by onthamove

alaska is vast you get up on the dalton and go into the brooks range you arnt likely to meet up with many human beings go there shoot what you want and if the government poops its pants let them

You go around acting like an idjit and it won't be the government you have to worry about.

[texheat00]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

You go around acting like an idjit and it won't be the government you have to worry about.

What you mean by that? I know by the comments on here from alot of people, native Alaskans have this machismo about them.Be careful on who you decided to confront.Just because they are not from Alaska does not mean that they will lay down and take you're crap! If I were from Alaska and knew of GOOD people that were new, I would do my best to educate them on the laws and different ways there are to do things. Not stay in my "social click" and point at the new guy, and then get angry when he does something wrong. I've encountered on this forum some very very nice people, and I've run into a couple who seem to think that they own Alaska, and don't want to be bothered by us who live in the lower 48. I don't understand it, but I guess thats just the way it is!

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by texheat00

What you mean by that? I know by the comments on here from alot of people, native Alaskans have this machismo about them.Be careful on who you decided to confront.Just because they are not from Alaska does not mean that they will lay down and take you're crap! If I were from Alaska and knew of GOOD people that were new, I would do my best to educate them on the laws and different ways there are to do things. Not stay in my "social click" and point at the new guy, and then get angry when he does something wrong. I've encountered on this forum some very very nice people, and I've run into a couple who seem to think that they own Alaska, and don't want to be bothered by us who live in the lower 48. I don't understand it, but I guess thats just the way it is!

Tex...I don't normally go around defending Met and Floyd but the statement by onthemove deserved a slap down. They did a good job of it.

onthemove may just be uneducated about things in Alaska, but that is the type of attitude that most Alaskans will go out of their way to fight...and fight hard.

To say a person should just go out in the vast wilderness and shoot what they want is both wrong and wrong-headed.

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by texheat00

What you mean by that? I know by the comments on here from alot of people, native Alaskans have this machismo about them.Be careful on who you decided to confront.Just because they are not from Alaska does not mean that they will lay down and take you're crap! If I were from Alaska and knew of GOOD people that were new, I would do my best to educate them on the laws and different ways there are to do things. Not stay in my "social click" and point at the new guy, and then get angry when he does something wrong. I've encountered on this forum some very very nice people, and I've run into a couple who seem to think that they own Alaska, and don't want to be bothered by us who live in the lower 48. I don't understand it, but I guess thats just the way it is!

I don't usually back Floyd either but he gave you good and true advice as did Met. People on the forum and here in AK. will help educate you. It's not wise to take the attitude "I'm going to AK and now I can do whatever I want." There are people who come here with that attitude.

You'll need to learn all of the rules and regulations of when and where you can hunt. Did you know if you kill a moose you better darn well have a good reason and can basically prove it, otherwise there is a nice big fine and possible jail time? Just because AK is vast does not mean there are "not" laws up here to be followed. Any State you go to, especially in the rural areas, people will set you straight real quick when you think you can do as you please.

And I'm sure you get people moving to Texas with the same attitude.

[Alaskapat528]

Originally Posted by onthamove

alaska is vast you get up on the dalton and go into the brooks range you arnt likely to meet up with many human beings go there shoot what you want and if the government poops its pants let them

Wrong! Bad advice.

[onthamove]

no one can do anything about it i doubt there are many patrol cars at 10,000 feet in northern alaska, thats why alaska is so appealing

[onthamove]

unfortunately the goverment is all i ever have orwill have to worry about, womanizing drinkin drug addicted washington dc sons of !@#$%!

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by texheat00

I know I'm becoming a pain in the *** with all my questions, i just can't seem to find a website that shoots me straight! The question I have about the hunting is: Do you have to lease land to hunt on, like here in Texas or is it a permit draw to see where u can hunt? I don't really understand where u can hunt. I know it goes by season like anywhere elsi in the U.S. I just don't understand the the location part? Where can u hunt, do u just pulloff the side of the road and take off? I myself am going to hire a guide my first few years, I 'm just curious on hoe it works. I mean I have knuckle head friends here in Texas that seem to think you can just bag a moose off your back porch and be legal doing it( if you have liscense and tag) is this accurate.

No, you do not have to lease the land you hunt on. However, if it is private property you should obtain the permission of the owner before trespassing on their land. I hunt grouse and ptarmigan in the Petersville Road, Trapper Creek, and Talkeetna areas, and I have never been told that I could not hunt on their property when I ask. Of course, there are also properties where there is no owner present to ask, or clearly marked "No Hunting". In such cases, I just find some place else to hunt. On public lands it is a different story, you do not need permission. But make sure you know where those public lands begin and end so you don't accidentally wander on to someone's private property.

For larger game you have to obtain a tag or permit for the specific critter you intend to shoot. It is like arctichomesteader said, certain Game Management Units and certain types of game require drawings or lotteries to be held when the number of hunters desiring a tag/permit exceeds the number of critters allowed to be taken in a season.

The entire state is broken down into Game Management Units (GMU). each GMU has a specific number of critters that can be taken, and the dates they can be taken. In some cases, like Musk Ox, you can only hunt them in certain areas. However, with moose and caribou you can hunt them anywhere. Just remember that there are certain minimum requirements that must be met before you shoot your game. Those requirements could also change from GMU to GMU, which does make it a bit complicated. So read the Hunting Regulations carefully for the GMU where you will be hunting. Once you take your game you will have to fill out your tag/permit to indicate where you took it, when, it's size, etc., etc. and then mail it in to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game.

If it is in season (Sep. 1st through Sep. 20th) and you have a valid hunting license and tag, if a moose happens to wander on to your back porch (and you don't live within city limits) then yes, you can legally bag the moose. Good luck with that. It has been my experience that moose suddenly vanish from sight during the month of September. Which means you will probably have to go out looking for them.

Alaskans enjoy hunting and fishing, and the vast majority understand the purpose of the Fishing & Hunting Regulations. If we spot anyone who is deliberately violating those regulations we have absolutely no problem turning them in to the authorities. Poachers ruin it for everyone and they will not be tolerated.

Oh, one more thing. Yes, you can just pull over by the side of the road, but it is illegal to hunt within half mile of any highway, so you will be hiking for awhile. There is also a one mile shooting prohibition on either side of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. So it is important to know exactly where you are at all times.