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I must admit that even though I have always found Alaska beautiful I never truly thought about moving their until recently. While I was in the army I did however request to stationed there so I could get a feel for the state and see in person some of these wonderful sites I have seen either on T.V., in movies or even pictures. I admittedly have watched Yukon men, Gold rush Alaska and Ice Road truckers. Which have thoroughly increased my desire to move there. Currently I believe that I would Ideally like to live a subsistence lifestyle much like they do in Yukon men. However after some research I am beginning to see this as very problematic as I would not want to do so and be encroaching on any ones trap lines or disrespect the locals of the area in any way. Naturally I am well aware that we all would need help at one time or another so starting off by pissing off the people that are already a tight knit group does not sound like a good idea to me. Obviously the only way I am going to be able to determine if there is land worth trapping that I could trap is to get up there and talk to the locals of the area in which I would choose to live ( I am still undecided about this part.) I also realized that the things I would need to start off with is a rather long and expensive list just to make it through my first year before being able to make a profit and build up the things I own. So I was wondering if any one in Alaska might have any incite in how to go around doing these things in a manner that would ease the transition as well as give me a opportunity to get friendly with some of the types of people I am talking about living amongst.
On a final note I would like to say this is not some rash decision I have come to because I watched a few tv shows and suddenly thought "ohhh I could do that" or "That would be fun". I have done a lot of research and am doing more before I ever come close to a decision. If I decide to do it I will make at least on trip in advance to get a better feel for Alaska and the area I choose to live in.
Thank you very much for any and all advice from the lower 48
SimpleMan07
So I was wondering if any one in Alaska might have any incite in how to go around doing these things in a manner that would ease the transition as well as give me a opportunity to get friendly with some of the types of people I am talking about living amongst.
This has gotta be the best Freudian slip (or misuse of words) ever on this forum.
Are you rich? Because that's the only way you're gonna be able to live this particular dream. Doesn't mean that you can't do something similar, though, but I wouldn't advise going into trapping.
The funny thing about the type of subsistence living that you're wanting to do isn't the province of the financially challenged anymore. It's kind of sad that people who really want to live that way often can't do it but that wealthy people play at it.
I don't know how old you are or what your family situation is, but a lot of people who are interested in moving to AK take seasonal jobs as a way to get to know people and experience different communities. If you can do that, that's what I'd suggest. Alaska is big, and finding your spot in it can take some exploration.
Last edited by Metlakatla; 11-14-2013 at 08:59 PM..
The first thing you need to do is forget everything you saw on "Yukon Men", "Gold Rush Alaska" and "Ice Road Trucker." The scenery is far better looking and life in Alaska is more difficult that those so-called "reality" shows depict. It is better if you have no preconceived ideas about Alaska before coming up.
Do you have any experience hunting and fishing?
Do you have any experience building a cabin?
Do you have any experience living a subsistence lifestyle?
Do you have any experience trapping?
Have you ever lived off the grid?
One of the very first things you will need to get use to, and it is not something you should simply take for granted, is sunlight. During the summer the sun does not set until after midnight, and then it is back up again in just under four hours. During the winter the sun does not rise until late in the morning, and then sets again by early afternoon. Sunlight is so important to Alaskans that they buy or build homes with large south-facing windows in order to capture as much winter sunlight as possible. Other Alaskans use aluminum foil on their bedroom windows during the summer so they can sleep in psuedo-darkness.
My advice, to make your transition easier, would be to not bite off more than you can chew. There is a vast amount of knowledge that you will need to learn, and it is best if you do that in steps. Transition yourself, at a pace you feel comfortable with, into a subsistence lifestyle. Do not just throw yourself into an alien environment completely unprepared.
Move to either Juneau, Anchorage, or Fairbanks. Those are the three largest cities in Alaska, and your best opportunity to find work. This way you will have access to most of the things you are use to in the lower-48. While living and working in Alaska you can learn about the different geographical locations, weather conditions, the type of flora and fauna, and begin learning the skills you will need to live a subsistence life-style from the locals and natives.
It may sound "romantic" to live off the land, but it is very hard work and requires knowledge of various 19th century skills, that have largely been forgotten, to be successful.
Everything in Alaska is different than the lower-48. I was a very experienced hunter and avid outdoors man in lower-48. After moving to Alaska I came to realize that my lower-48 hunting skills were worthless. I had to relearn how to hunt from other Alaskans.
Shooting a moose is the easy part. Getting it field dressed and packed out before the bears and wolves move in gets a bit trickier. Then you will be spending the next few weeks preparing the moose. Have you ever preserved food before? If not, it is another skill set you will need before getting into a subsistence lifestyle.
If you get injured in the bush, there is no 911 or ambulance services. If you are incapable of treating yourself, you simply die. I would also recommend taking the Red Cross EMT-W course before moving into the bush. At least then you will know when a medical condition is serious enough to warrant getting help, if you can.
Your diet will suck living in the bush. You will not have access to fresh fruits or vegetables, making scurvy a real concern if you cannot get enough vitamin C. This is where a good understanding of the native flora has real advantages. There are all kinds of edible plants and berries in Alaska, and they are loaded with vitamin C. There are also all kinds of very poisonous plants in Alaska, like wolfsbane, so knowledge in this case could mean the difference between life and death.
Visiting the outhouse in the middle of winter when it is -30°F outside with hollowing wind and snow is not a pleasant experience.
You will need between 9 and 12 cords of wood just to heat a small 20' x 20' cabin throughout a single winter. You will want to cut as much of that wood as possible during the summer, because frozen trees can be very dangerous and difficult to cut during the winter.
If you do not know what a "draw blade" or an "adze" are, you will have to learn and become proficient in their use in order to build a cabin.
You will not need lights or candles during the summer, but the winters will get damn depressing if you do not have some source of light.
I am not trying to dissuade you from doing what you want. I am merely attempting to paint an accurate picture of what you can expect and what you should prepare for. The kind of knowledge you will need so that you do not end up like Chris McCandless or Timothy Tredwell.
This post only scratches the surface of what you will need to know before attempting what you have planned.
I am not trying to dissuade you from doing what you want. I am merely attempting to paint an accurate picture of what you can expect and what you should prepare for. The kind of knowledge you will need so that you do not end up like Chris McCandless or Timothy Tredwell.
This post only scratches the surface of what you will need to know before attempting what you have planned.
Thank you both for your responses. And as for the section I quoted here Glitch I wanted to say that I took it just as you meant it.
I do have an abundant amount of outdoor/survival/Hunting, trapping and fishing experience with in the lower 48 and I do suppose I was relying on a lot of that to get me through but after reading both your responses I dug a little deeper and much like you glitch found that most of my knowledge if of little use to me in AK. So I do think I will step on the brakes a bit more look much deeper into things and if I choose to make this a goal in my life of achieving then I will take your advice glitch about moving up there and essentially taking baby steps. Thanks for the honest responses.
Thank you both for your responses. And as for the section I quoted here Glitch I wanted to say that I took it just as you meant it.
I do have an abundant amount of outdoor/survival/Hunting, trapping and fishing experience with in the lower 48 and I do suppose I was relying on a lot of that to get me through but after reading both your responses I dug a little deeper and much like you glitch found that most of my knowledge if of little use to me in AK. So I do think I will step on the brakes a bit more look much deeper into things and if I choose to make this a goal in my life of achieving then I will take your advice glitch about moving up there and essentially taking baby steps. Thanks for the honest responses.
Were you aware that Alaska does not have any pan fish?
There are no crappie, blue gill, sun fish, or catfish in Alaska. The smallest fish in Alaska are Arctic Grayling (a white fish) and Dolly Varden (a relative of the trout). Most of them will fit in a 10" to 12" frying pan. Our trout and salmon are far too large for a frying pan.
With the exception of a few stocked lakes, the overwhelming majority of the fish you will catch will be in the rivers and creeks. There is also only a small window in which to catch those fish. Salmon and Rainbow/Steelhead Trout, as I am sure you are aware, are migratory and do not stay in Alaskan waters during the winter. You will have between June and September to catch your salmon/trout. Between October and May do not count on catching any fish.
Even with all the right equipment, and being on the river at the right time, it still takes some skill to catch salmon. When salmon return to spawn and hit fresh water for the first time, they stop eating. Where allowed by regulation, most Alaskans use salmon roe as bait. The salmon do not eat the roe. When the salmon sees a blob of salmon eggs floating in the river, they attempt to plant the batch of eggs in the gravel of the river bottom. It is when they suck the eggs into their mouth, and before they spit it out, that you must set the hook. In order to distinguish the difference between your weight bouncing off the bottom of the river and when a salmon takes your bait requires experience. You cannot teach this sort of thing via the Internet. It has to be experienced in order for you to feel the difference.
I know nothing about trapping, so I will not even go there. However, I do know something of hunting both in the lower-48 and in Alaska. Alaska does have deer (Sitka deer), but you have to be south of Seward to find any. There are Sitka deer on Montague Island, but the vast majority are located in the panhandle of (southeastern) Alaska. Sitka deer are one of the smallest deer. Even though they are related to mule deer, they are considerably smaller. Sitka deer are ~80 pounds for does, and ~120 pounds for bucks. The dressed weight is between 45 and 50 pounds.
Caribou, on the other hand, are much more like the deer you are use to in the lower-48. A 400 pound Caribou will dress out at ~240 pounds. Since Caribou also travel in herds, they are also much easier to find. Unless you happen to be in the migratory route for the Caribou, you will have to travel to get one.
Moose are the biggest of the deer family. They stand anywhere from 5 to 6.5 feet at the shoulder and can weigh up to 1,800 pounds. A 1,200 pound moose will dress out to ~900 pounds. It you are packing it out on foot, it will require more than four trips so it is advisable that you are not far away from your cabin or vehicle when you shoot the moose.
The first rule about hunting moose you should know: Never shoot a moose standing in water. Moose are so large that you are not going to be able to lift it into a nearby tree to clean like you can with other deer. You will have to dress the moose where it drops, and that is no fun when you are standing knee deep in water.
There are also duck, geese, grouse, ptarmigan, and hare. Duck and geese are seasonal, and not like hunting duck and geese in the lower-48. Most of the ducks and geese in Alaska are found in musk keg (bog/swamp) during the summer. This can be a dangerous area to hunt. Spruce and ptarmigan are numerous, and easily found throughout Alaska. Arctic and snowshoe hare are much larger than their lower-48 counterparts, and good eating.
Regardless of whether you are hunting or fishing, you will have to contend with bears. Alaska hunting regulations prohibit shooting a critter in defense of your game, so you need to pack out what you shoot quickly. To accomplish that goal Alaskans have devised a lot of different methods for packing their game out quickly. For example, I know of one Alaskan who uses a chainsaw with peanut oil instead of bar oil to quarter their game. Others have large "swamp buggies" and are able to lift the entire moose out in one haul. Yet other Alaskans use an ATV to transport their game out of the bush.
If I was going to live a subsistence lifestyle, my primary concern would be to locate where the fishing and the game were the most plentiful. Get yourself a copy of the Alaska Fish & Game Regulations and check out the Game Management Units to determine which allows the biggest bag limits with the longest seasons. That will give you some idea of where to find the most game in Alaska. Weather and where in Alaska I would be located would be secondary considerations.
Glitch - Are there clubs or organizations that can help a newbie learn the Alaskan way of hunting and fishing?
There are fishing charters and hunting guides who will gladly help you catch your limit or bag your game, teaching you as much as they can in the process. A more economical way might be to have an Alaskan friend show you the ropes after you arrive. The overwhelming majority of most Alaskans are open and friendly and will gladly show you what works best for them.
Thanks Glitch. When I look at commercial outfits they are pricey... Which was why I was asking.
Commercial outfits are indeed pricey, particularly for non-residents. Hunting and fishing licenses are also expensive for non-residents. A non-resident hunting and trapping license runs $250. A non-resident fishing license with a King salmon stamp runs $245. A non-resident tag for a moose is $500. Furthermore, non-residents are required by the State to obtain a guide before they hunt moose. So you are quite right, for a non-resident it can get very expensive indeed.
A resident hunting and trapping license is $35. A resident fishing license with a King salmon stamp runs $35. Furthermore, only Alaskan residents may qualify for subsistence permits. No guides are required for hunting bear or moose, if you are an Alaskan resident.
Therefore, if you wish to save a great deal of money, I would wait until you have lived in Alaska for a year and become a resident.
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So I do think I will step on the brakes a bit more look much deeper into things and if I choose to make this a goal in my life of achieving then I will take your advice glitch about moving up there and essentially taking baby steps. Thanks for the honest responses.
