I've been guiding out of Kotzebue, AK for 18 years now. Outstanding hunting in that area for Grizzly, Moose and Caribou. The western arctic caribou herd is growing in numbers and seems to get better every year. Weather is suprisingly good (typically) in Sept.

 Not at all impressed with any of the natives that live around there. They are lazy, all they seem to want to do is drink and complain about the whites that are there. Yet they seem to forget about who it is that is paying for thier free houseing, food and medical.  I always thought the native eskimos where a hardy tough people living where they do, I was wrong.

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Sadly, a lot of Alaska natives would agree with that statement.  The elders have watched a proud, tough, resilient culture falling apart with the introduction of modern convenience, ease, and reliance on handouts.  In some ways, it's not so different from the days when people used to feed bears out of their cars at Yellowstone.  The bears were more than happy to take advantage of the easy calories, but by doing so corrupted themselves and became beggars.

You've got to remember that Alaskan natives went from essentially neolithic cultures to modern conveniences within a couple generations.  Imagine if an advanced culture moved in on us and introduced all sorts of conveniences and gadgets that made life far easier for our youth, along with addictive chemical substances to entertain them.  Imagine our youth abandoning culture we've shared for hundreds of years as they turn their backs on us to embrace a foreign lifestyle in a way that was destroying their souls.   If we came into contact with an advanced civilization that completely turned our culture on end overnight, we'd have the same cultural crisis as Alaska natives or, for that matter, most every other native culture in our country.

Their youth are torn between ancient culture and tradition and modern civilization they find attractive, but incredibly difficult to access from out in the Alaskan bush.  It's not an easy living, and it isn't easy to escape.  The opportunities of mainstream American life are awfully far away from Kotzebue.

Hi Guys:

My name is Walt and I have been opperating a outfitting service out of Kotzebue for 10 years. We do drop hunts and float hunts in Unit 23 which is home to the Western Arctic Caribou Herd at just at 400,000 animals. Out of state hunters can take 2 bou with a over the counter tag and needless to say everything is fly out hunts. Unit 23 is larger than the state of Indiana and has 100's of miles of rivers to hunt. You guys who are in state can bag 5 bou per year and those who live in unit 23 can bag 15 bou per DAY!!! Every DAY!! all year long. Moose hunting is  is also good but it is a draw hunt and the chances are 50-50. Bulls over 50 inches or 4 brow tines.

This is wonderful country up here and the hunting is good.

Keep the coments about the locals to yourself. There is truth to what your saying but words cut like a knife! 

Good to join the group. If you have any questions regaurding hunting unit 23 or fishing the Gulkana or Delta Rivers drop me a line.

Walt

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