Hunting Outfitters

Hunting outfitters come in nearly every shade and size, just like Alaska's bears. Hunters seeking their "dream" guided hunting trip should be aware of the differences, ask a lot of questions from the hunting outfits they are interviewing, and make an educated decision about where to spend their money.

Some hunting outfitters specialize in drop-off, unguided hunts. Others are luxury outfitters, zooming you around in jet-boats, serving 7 course feasts and tucking you into bed in a five star hunting lodge. Many Alaska hunting guides use four-wheelers and/or snow machines to get to their quarry, and have a network of tree stands to hunt from.

Other variations include charging a minimal fee for the hunt itself- and then tacking on a trophy fee for a successful kill. A few hunting outfitters even guarantee that you WILL get your animal, although this is against Alaska state hunting laws.

Then there is the very important spectrum of hunting experience. Let's just say that many up-and-coming hunting outfitters are more than a little wet behind the ears. It takes decades of experience to provide a quality guided hunt under the endlessly varied weather and terrain that Alaska has to offer.

Alaska guided hunting trips have as much variation as the hunting outfitters who provide them. In some parts of Alaska, same-day airborne caribou hunting trips are the specialty. Other hunting guides prefer to focus on musk-ox. A few places even boast hunts for bison and elk. Hunts on Alaska's South-central coast often include trophies of Sitka blacktail deer.

When booking a guided hunting trip with Alaska Frontier Guides, there are many things you can count on. First and foremost, know that our business is based on half a century of family knowledge in the areas that we hunt. Ben is the second son of renowned hunting outfitter Ed Stevenson (Sheep River Hunting Camps) who has been living and guiding in this wild Alaskan country since 1960. Ben grew up in the business, first working as a packer and then starting to guide at age 16. And now with nearly 20 years of full-time guiding under his belt, you can rest assured that your hunting outfitter has already seen most conditions and situations that could arise on your guided hunting trip.

Secondly, depend on the fact that our prices are fair- and all costs are included in the listed hunt price. The short list of extras costs that you cover includes transportation to Anchorage or Valdez, depending on the dates of your guided hunting trip. If you get weathered in before departure for one of our remote base camps (or if your arrival into Alaska is too late in the day) then you will need to book a room and feed yourself until we can get out to the bush. And when it's time to expedite your trophy and meat, then those costs must be covered by you.

Oh, and you need to buy your own hunting license and tags. Otherwise, everything is paid for in the price of your hunt.

The third thing you can count on when booking a guided hunting trip with Alaska Frontier Guides, is that the remote areas where we conduct our hunts have extremely low hunting pressure by other hunting outfitters.

Our areas are remote and not accessible by road or by four-wheeler. We own and operate our own 180-hp Piper Super Cub bush plane to get into areas that other pilots and hunting guides only dream about. Because the places we hunt include a lot of rugged terrain, they are not suited for less experienced operators- and this helps keep game populations from being over-hunted.

By now, we're sure that you can envision some of the multitudes of differences among Alaska guided hunting trips and the hunting outfitters that provide them. Know what you're looking for, before you book a hunt.

Then search for the guides who will be able to make your hunt the experience of a lifetime. And don't forget to ask for references from hunters who have met your guides firsthand and witnessed how hunts are conducted.

Give us a call today. We'll be happy to answer all of your questions, provide you with a recommended gear list and some references, and we'll even point you in another direction if our hunting style isn't what you're looking for. We hope to hear from you soon!