2007 Newsletter
Hello fellow hunters…..
A lot of things have happened since the 2006 season…..good things. First of all, our 2007 Spring bear season was 100% successful, with the biggest bear measuring 9 ˝ feet. Historically we’ve hunted out of Stony River Lodge, which was great on amenities. However, over the last several years I’ve had to fly more than 120 miles one way to even see bears. That’s a lot of flying and not much hunting. To make a long story short, I applied for and got permission from the Dept. of Fish & Game to set up a new spring bear camp. And, you know what? Living out of that camp for 6 weeks we saw more bears on the ground within a few miles of camp than I ever did from the air. They seemed to be everywhere! This really has the makings of a great spring bear camp and we are very excited about the 2008 spring season.
Next, over the summer I happened to be in the right place at the right time and bought another outfitting business from an outfitter who recently got out of the business. This camp is our Nuyakuk camp and you can get more info about it at www.alaskabiggamehunting.com. It is located north of Dillingham and is about 60 air miles from my existing main camp. The hunting is a bit different with less hilly terrain, a higher moose population and a lot fewer bears. This is a great moose camp, with success hovering around 95% and 1 out of 4 moose making the record book. The only down side is if you want a combo moose/grizzly hunt we will have to move to a different area where there are better bear numbers. From our Titnuk camp you can still hunt moose and grizzly without moving locations.
Record Weather
The weather this past fall was one for the record books. There were 4-5 consecutive storm systems that roared in off the Bearing Sea and lasted for several days with about a day or two in between storms. Some of the hunters had 70-80 mph winds and sideways rain. This really took its toll on the number of quality hunting days for our guests.
But despite the lousy weather our hunters managed to have good success, including a monster 70” moose along with some 9 nice grizzlies. And while I haven’t publicized it very much we also took some great Dall sheep. A fellow outfitter and friend in New Zealand took a full curl ram that measured 36 inches and was 11 years old” along with an 8 ˝” grizzly with beautiful long hair. Our other hunter took a 42 inch ram that just missed the record book.
Caribou Hunt Status
For the near future I’m not offering any more caribou hunts. There very few decent shooter bulls in the Mulchatna herd. Plus, their migratory patterns have shifted. So, if and until the herd rebounds, I’d suggest you look north to the Western Arctic region around Kotzebue. The animals are slightly smaller because they just don’t have the genetics of the Mulchatna herd, but there are over 400,000 of them.
Well, those are the high spots of the ’07 season. We’re looking forward to another great spring bear season in 2008 and a great fall season with many more options for moose than ever before. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in camp in 2008.
Best personal regards,
Tony Lee
Owner/Operator