Many areas in Alaska offer opportunities to take multiple species on the same hunt. If you are interested in multiple species on the same hunt, Alaska is your best choice because it has more available big-game species than any other state in the country.  Plan your multi-species hunts around one primary species and determine what other species are available to hunt during this time.  Work with a hunting guide who is familiar with the available species and can give insight to overlapping ranges of hunts, lodging availability and reputation of outfitters.  Top End Adventures has an outfitter who offers premium hunting for more than one species.

Hunting In Alaska Species Selection:  Picking A Primary Species 

Most hunters know which species they primarily want to hunt.   Become familiar with the available species you are interested in hunting.

Alaska Moose

The Alaskan-Yukon moose stands seven feet high at the shoulder and weighs 1500 + lbs and the meat will last at least a year.  Moose antlers are a memento of a once in a lifetime experience to a trophy hunter.  Moose are found in river basins and boggy areas but hunting them is not difficult because bulls can be called out of these areas by simulating sounds of antler scraping and other tactics.  They are easy to spot while glassing for them and hunters get excited seeing how majestic these animals really are.  Bulls are also found in low mountain valleys, rolling hills and tundra meadows.  Hunting season for moose in Alaska is the month of September.  Top End Adventures offers a fully guided moose hunt with opportunities to combine a brown bear, grizzly and/or black bear hunt with it.

Alaska Inland Grizzly Bear

Hunters tend to choose the Alaska Grizzly Bear as another primary species.  Spring hunts are typically in April – May while fall hunts are generally in September – October.  True inland grizzly bears have dark legs and the classic “silver tips”.  A “silvertip” grizzly bear has a dark underfur with guard hairs that bleach out and become nearly white at the tips. A grizzly bear claw color will change from brown to nearly white as the bear matures.  Shooter size of a grizzly bear in one of Top End Adventures guided grizzly bear hunt areas of Alaska is 7.5 to 8.5 feet.  The skulls are big and hides are nice and dark with the true inland grizzly bear look of “silver tips”.  You can read here “How to Score Alaskan Brown Bears and Grizzly Bears”.    “What is the Difference Between Brown Bears and Grizzly Bears?”

Alaska Coastal Brown Bear

Coastal Brown Bear hunts are extremely successful along the shores of Prince William Sound.  Spring bears can be found in shoreline areas, large openings above tree line and tidal flats.  They feed on kelp, vegetation and other edible plants and animal life that come in with the tide.  These bears are larger than grizzly bears and can be seen in low tide digging up clam beds or near salmon streams and feeding in berry patches.

Hunting Tactics for Coastal Brown Bear

Hunting tactics include “spot and stalk” and “still hunting” for coastal brown bears.   Salmon are a primary food source in streams dense with vegetation allowing a hunter to sit and watch bears.  Hunters can sit in a boat and glass the coastal tide area too.  Top End Adventures has a guided coastal bear hunt outfitted by a family for over 30 years. They offer hunting in tidal flats or valley floors where these big coastal brown bears reside.  Brown bears average 9ft with an opportunity rate of near 90% in the last 10 years.  Hunters can combine this hunt with a giant black bear hunt in which black bears average 6.5 to 7.5 feet in length.  Read here to know How to Field Judge a Brown Bear.

Alaska Mountain Goat

The Rocky Mountain Goat relies on the protection of steep mountainous terrain.  Billies can be found high and nannies are usually found lower and accompanied by kids.  Hunting season is October and November when their winter coat is long and most desirable.  Goat hair is not shallow like sheep hair so if you shoot a goat off a cliff into the water, it will sink.  Trust a hunting guide familiar with the area to help you make a clean shot and kill the goat quickly.  We offer an Alaska Mountain Goat Hunt where hunters are flown into the Prince William Sound area and tags are guaranteed “over the counter” with success rates and trophy quality second to none.

Alaska Dall Sheep

Alaska Dall Sheep live in the remotest parts of Alaska on ridges and rocky steep slopes.  This requires hunters to be in great physical shape to pursue them.  These sheep are notable for their massive curled horns, yellow eyes and black feet.  Dall sheep ram horns reach a half circle in two or three years and a full circle in seven to eight years.  Hunters are restricted to taking only full-curl horns and out of state hunters are required to have a hunting guide.  Top End Adventures offers a guided Alaska Dall Sheep Hunt where clients fly into Anchorage, Alaska to a remote area.  The outfitter only takes 4 to 5 hunters a year to allow for constant good shooter rams.   For more information on hunting in Alaska, please contact us at 208-867-6675.