Alaska Guide Report

Welcome to the Alaska Guide Report!

The Alaska Guide Report is the journal of the Alaska and Kodiak Guides Association. The Guide Report is published online and quarterly.

Whether you're looking to finally make that dream trip to Alaska a reality, enjoy classic and soon to be classic stories from the Greatland, stay informed about new developments on Fish and Game laws and seasons or just read us for our Guide Jokes: you'll find something of interest and always a good read.

Here's a sample.

Guide Quotes

" No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort against tyranny in government." Thomas Jefferson

Classic stories like:

"Your right to own a gun."
by L. Cary

The Greatest Hunting Stories Ever Told
by Gene Bryner

Mr. Bryner picks his top twenty four titles, including; To Far Western Alaska for Big Game by Hubback, Hunting the Alaska Brown Bear by Eddy, In The Shadow of Mt. McKinley by Beach, Summer and Fall in Western Alaska by Cane, Sheep and Bear Trails by Holman, The Cruise of the Northern Light by Borden. These are just a few of Gene's picks. Give us a call for the complete list.

"Alaskan Guide in Africa" by Hal Waugh

Chapter XXIII "Promise Fulfilled"
Alaskan Yukon Trophies Won and Lost by G.O. Young:

"There's a land where the mountains are nameless,
And the rivers all run God knows where:
There are that are erring and aimless'
And deaths that just hang by a hair:
There are hardships that nobody reckons:
There are valleys unpeopled and still:
There's a land-oh, it beckons and beckons,
And I want to go back -- and I will."Robert Service

This Funny Life

Enjoy our collection of humor, we'll have you laughing at our collection. Here's a sample.

" Old Bill had been selling bait in this small fishing community for years--never purchasing a permit, which cost One dollar. A newly elected constable vowed that he would arrest the old man.

A friend heard of this, hurried Bill downtown to buy the permit and got him back home before the constable arrived. "The Law" ordered a dollar's worth of worms; Bill replied that he only had them in five-dollar lots. "Give me five-dollars' worth then," the Law agreed.

Thereupon Old Bill was told he was under arrest, for selling bait without a license. Bill showed his newly acquired permit and the stunned officer found he had $5 in worms he couldn't use. "I'll buy them back for four dollars," Bill said. It was done.

Next day Old Bill swore out a warrant against his tormentor. The charge --the constable had sold him bait without a license.

Guide Jokes

Letter from School

Dear Dad,

$chool I$ really great. I am making lot$ of friend$ and $tudying very hard. With all my $tuff, I $imply can't think of anything I need, $o if you like, you can ju$t $end me a card, a$ I would love to hear from you.

Lovc,

Your $on

Dear Son,

I kNOw that astrNOmy, ecoNOmics, and oceaNOgraphy are eNOugh to keep even an hoNOr student busy. Do NOt forget that the pursuit of kNOwledge is a NOble task, and you can never study eNOugh.

Love,

Dad

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Check out all the current info on Alaska hunting and fishing on our online magazine.

AGR is a publication for those who want to stay informed about Alaska hunting and fishing. Our goal is five-fold: 1.) promote and market our member's services, 2.) educate the public about the important role of sport hunting in Alaska, 3.) encourage the wise and sustainable use of our abundant resources, 4.) offer rare & out of print classic Alaska hunting stories, and 5.) inform our readers about the latest in Alaska hunting and fishing, both sport and commercial.

At the Alaska Guide Report we try to give our readers the most up to date information to help make their Alaska trip special. The reality of Alaska hunting and fishing is that timing is everything. Here are a few tips that will help you make informed decisions regarding your next Alaska Adventure.

Besides a hunters physical condition, the weather will be the biggest factor in determining your success, whether hunting or fishing.

Informed fishermen know that the best time for Salmon, Rainbow and Halibut fishing in Alaska is July and August. Of course June, September, and October produce good fish and November can offer some of the finest steelhead fishing on the globe. These off peak times can be productive, but heavy rains and cold temperatures are sure to spoil a few trips as rivers turn dark and muddy and winds make fishing a real chore. Halibut fishermen will have less chance of being blown off the grounds during these two peak months. Our advice is fish July for kings, reds, and halibut and August for silvers, halibut and rainbows.

Dall Sheep hunters , especially in the Arctic, will find that as the season progresses, the hunting gets tougher as ice and snow start to show at higher elevations. We recommend you book for the opening week of the season, regardless of what region or outfitter you choose. Goat hunters also decrease the risk of slips and falls by hunting before the snow and ice hit.

Brown bear hunters on Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula should be aware that late fall hunts are marginal at best. Again, weather, snow and rains can make the November hunts on Kodiak tough and the late October hunts on the Peninsula a crap shoot. Some of your biggest bears are still killed during these periods, but you up your odds for nasty weather spoiling your hunt. We recommend May hunts on Kodiak and the Alaskan Peninsula and advise that all fall time hunters get in before opening day to hunt the start of the seasons. Bow hunters will have their best luck hunting early August and September Bruins over salmon runs.

Caribou hunting in Alaska has been on a downward spiral for five years. Even the upstart Northwest Alaska Arctic herd appears to be in trouble. Canadian herds are also down. With this said, Alaska still has plenty of trophy bulls scattered down the Peninsula all the way to the Arctic. Your best bet for caribou across the state is to hunt the last ten days of September and first week of October. Hunt the river bottoms and river crossings for best results during the peak and up high in the glaciers and snow in August.

Moose hunters and especially those hunting non-resident Alaska seasons have a short time span to hunt these large deer. Ten and fifteen day seasons are normally timed to miss the rut, ensuring the states policy of maximum revenue from tag sales while keeping harvest objectives. The biggest thing moose hunters can do to ensure a decent chance of connecting with these tasty deer is to allow enough time for your hunt, so that hot weather, typhoons, and poor visibility aren't the only memories you take home. Many an animal is taken the last one or two days of a trip, so don't quit. Every outfitter in Alaska will tell you that moose hunting in Alaska is getting tougher every year. The days of seeing and passing on dozens of trophy bulls are over except in areas were predator control has been allowed. With new regulations limiting the use of planes for spotting game, success rates for guided moose hunters are sure to plunge in 2007.

Deer hunters in Alaska will find that the last two weeks in November hold the best odds for a trophy buck. Late snows, coupled with the rut push the deer lower in search of food and affection. We try to avoid villages and opt to fly in remote, away from the crowds and pressure. Boat hunting is popular and affective, however this time of year it can be hard to access remote exposed beaches were hunters will encounter the best hunting.

Alaska still offers isolated remote areas where a hunter can get away from the crowds. However, even hunters on exclusive guide areas will still see hunters and planes. The only truly exclusive guide areas are private land hunts. Federal land is public land. Just because an outfitter advertises an exclusive guide area, the reality is this; ANY air taxi with a hundred dollar refuge or preserve permit can drop hunters ( residents and nonresidents) in these exclusive areas from Katmai to the Arctic, Kodiak and the Alaskan Peninsula. Chances are you will see other hunters , no matter where you choose to hunt in Alaska. The new buffer zones, when clarified, should decrease in field run ins with other hunters.