Join Steve and Mark as they speak with their pilot, Nick from Nick’s Air Service, for their upcoming Caribou Hunt in Alaska. They discuss how to plan a fly-in hunt, how to find a pilot, how to pack for the hunt, what to know about weight limits, and much more…
Listen Now — Hit play in the header above, access the podcast on Spotify, or download the episode from SoundCloud.
Topics Discussed
- The life of an Alaskan bush pilot, and what they do outside of hunting season
- The best time of year for hunters to plan their flights or ask questions from flight services
- How much lead time is required to book a flight, and the pros/cons of booking years in advance
- The role and limitations of an air taxi service, versus a licensed transporter, or an outfitter/guide
- What hunters should do (and know) before calling a pilot to plan their hunt
- The 4 different planes used for backcountry flights in Alaska and the differences in their capabilities
- The weight capacity considerations of a hunter and their gear, and how it varies among different planes
- What planes Nick uses for hunters in Alaska, and how he decides which plane to take for which trip
- How air services determine charter flight rates, and why you don’t necessarily want to choose the cheapest option
- Why hunters need to plan for delays on every Alaska hunt
- How weather systems affect the ability to fly, even when it may look like clear flying weather where you are
- How hunters can communicate with pilots from the field, and what type of information is helpful to relay to the pilot
- How to fly meat and antlers out after a successful hunt, and how the flight cost and timeline can change based on how many animals were killed on the hunt
- Regulations about flying with meat and antlers and how to follow Alaska Fish & Game guidelines
- How hunters can make the pilot’s job as easy as possible, and the mistakes hunters need to avoid
- How to pack your gear for small planes, and why you don’t want large luggage or big cases
- The close calls that Nick has had with firearms on his flights, and how to transport your rifle or sidearm
- “Scouting” for game from the air on the flight into your hunt area
- Alaska’s different pace of life, and why hunters need to be ready for it
Header Photo: View from the airstrip on Steve & Tyler’s sheep hunt in 2022.
