North American Big 29 - average success rates?

[Milo]

Well ya need a tag, it’s just that it’s free!

I guess its just semantics, but I assume you are referring to "harvest tickets," which are required for both residents and non-residents and are always free. Purchase of a separate tag is almost always required for non-residents and usually not required for residents. Even then, I can hunt grizzly in many units without harvest ticket or tag.

All that said - I do not support the free pass that Alaska residents get, but that is a different rabbit hole to go down.

 

[R eight]

I’ll give you an example of success rates and local knowledge. King salmon on the Kenai river averaged 16 rod hours per fish when I lived on the Kenai. My boat averaged under 4. I wasn’t a better fisherman, I just watched the fish counts, new the time from tide to each hole for the fish, and only fished when I knew there was a good count of fresh fish in the holes I liked to fish. As a local I had the flexibility to do that. Fly in to Kenai for a week of guided fishing, 16 rod hours per fish.

I’ve been fortunate to live in great areas. If you have the capability and flexibility, DIY in-state
beats guided hunts every time. I never hunted big game with a guide in NA until I started hunting Coues deer. I just don’t have the local knowledge for that game.

About 2018 I went fishing for half a day on the Kenai. I only booked the trip at the last minute to kill some time after my Spring bear hunt.

I was the one and only client on the boat. Apparently the other clients just failed to show. Anyway, about 4 hours freezing my arse off chasing a salmon. Never got a touch from a fish. Couldn’t even catch a snag.
Anyway it was an experience. I can even boast that I have fished the hole where the largest salmon was caught

I was surprised by how many houses there are on that section of river and at just how commercial that fishing is there.

 

[WAB]

I guess its just semantics, but I assume you are referring to "harvest tickets," which are required for both residents and non-residents and are always free. Purchase of a separate tag is almost always required for non-residents and usually not required for residents. Even then, I can hunt grizzly in many units without harvest ticket or tag.

All that said - I do not support the free pass that Alaska residents get, but that is a different rabbit hole to go down.

Yep, just pop over to Fred’s and get what you want. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else.

 

[WAB]

About 2018 I went fishing for half a day on the Kenai. I only booked the trip at the last minute to kill some time after my Spring bear hunt.

I was the one and only client on the boat. Apparently the other clients just failed to show. Anyway, about 4 hours freezing my arse off chasing a salmon. Never got a touch from a fish. Couldn’t even catch a snag.
Anyway it was an experience. I can even boast that I have fished the hole where the largest salmon was caught

I was surprised by how many houses there are on that section of river and at just how commercial that fishing is there.

Yep, fished that hole many times. The real trick is to fish outside guide hours if the tides work out. Hit the river at 4, get the boat bloody, and be at Louie’s for breakfast when the guides hit the river at 6.

Two things I advise visitors against, kings and halibut. We had a salt boat rigged for halibut, but we just went out in June when the chickens were close to fill the freezer. If you want to have some serious fun, go up over Labor Day, fish silvers and trout and hunt ptarmigan.

 

[R eight]

Yep, fished that hole many times. The real trick is to fish outside guide hours if the tides work out. Hit the river at 4, get the boat bloody, and be at Louie’s for breakfast when the guides hit the river at 6.

Two things I advise visitors against, kings and halibut. We had a salt boat rigged for halibut, but we just went out in June when the chickens were close to fill the freezer. If you want to have some serious fun, go up over Labor Day, fish silvers and trout and hunt ptarmigan.

Small world mate I’ve had a few feeds at Louie’s too. Loved their meat loaf for dinner. Stayed in the hotel there for almost a week.

 

[WAB]

Small world mate I’ve had a few feeds at Louie’s too. Loved their meat loaf for dinner. Stayed in the hotel there for almost a week.

We lived about a half mile from Louie’s. It was a pretty regular hangout, along with the back door after work.

 

[HankBuck]

12 year old Inupiat girl in Northwest Alaska.

The difficulty in your journey depends on where you start it.

Well not sure the OP will benefit from 50 year old information or be able to replicate the hunting feats of a 12 yr old Inuit girl — think he wants to plan something that he can execute in a reasonable timeline (10-20 years)

 

[R eight]

We lived about a half mile from Louie’s. It was a pretty regular hangout, along with the back door after work.

Did you ever get down to this fine establishment?

 

[WAB]

Did you ever get down to this fine establishment?

Double
Musky?

 

[R eight]

Double
Musky?

 

[WAB]

Gotcha. Double
musky is in Girdwood. Nice place to stop on the way to the Kenai.

 

[WAB]

Gotcha. Double
musky is in Girdwood. Nice place to stop on the way to the Kenai.

We would go to Lands End when in Homer. Amazing fish and chips.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Did you ever get down to this fine establishment?

I was about to say, that looks like the Salty Dog. Had a drink or two there while in Homer in 2020.

 

[R eight]

I am soo glad that I’ve been and hunted Alaska.

 

[WAB]

That’s a great hunting story! Post a picture of that cheap Dall.

@JES Adventures here is a better angle on that dall ram. I did a little re-arranging when I realized how high I had it mounted!

 

[WAB]

@JES Adventures here is a better angle on that dall ram. I did a little re-arranging when I realized how high I had it mounted!

View attachment 571419

And here is a pic from the hunt. Dang I was young! Anyway, to the point of this thread, this was a DIY hunt. My buddy is a pretty dang good sheep hunter. Success is pretty much 100%.

 

[LivingTheDream]

And here is a pic from the hunt. Dang I was young! Anyway, to the point of this thread, this was a DIY hunt. My buddy is a pretty dang good sheep hunter. Success is pretty much 100%.

View attachment 571433

That is an awesome sheep. Really carries the mass well. Any idea what the bases measure?

 

[WAB]

That is an awesome sheep. Really carries the mass well. Any idea what the bases measure?

It’s been years since we measured it. I want to say 14x39 aged at 12 1/2 years. Still had its lamb tips. It was a heck of a tough hunt.