Alaska

Famous for its oil, the midnight sun and Alaskan King Crab, Alaska is mostly wild and unspoiled wilderness stretching for miles upon miles in the interior. Although the largest state in the United States it is the least densely populated with an average of 1 person per square mile. With all this uninhabited territory, it would come to no surprise that hunting in this state is a robust and satisfying experience. The teeming wildlife is considered one of the healthiest in the nation and 123 species are available for hunting during their respective seasons. With large herds of game animals roaming across the vast landscape, a well-planned hunt can often become a source of many great stories for friends and family.

Alaska is composed of 586,412 square miles (1,518,800 km²) which are divided into 16 boroughs rather than counties. Though no borders define them, it is also divided into 6 separate regions namely the South-central, which contains its most populated cities, the Southeast region, closest to the lower 48 and includes its capital of Juno, the Interior, which is the largest region composed primarily of uninhabited wilderness, the Southwest, a coastal region stretching 500 miles inland from the Bearing sea, The North Slope, which is mostly tundra and the location of Alaska's oil reserves and the Aleutian Islands, made famous as the site of Dutch Harbor in Unalaska, the setting for the hit documentary series, Deadliest Catch.

With this vast area, climate in Alaska differs between the regions, with the Southeast being the wettest and warmest and the only region whose average daytime high is above freezing during winter months while the interior has subarctic temperatures that can reach 90°F during summer and dip to -60°F during winter. The northern part of the state is arctic in climate and can have average low temperatures of barely above freezing even during summer months. It is advised to wear clothes in layers when out hunting as sudden dips in temperature can be expected.

Alaskan terrain feature extensive forests, tundra and mountainous areas. It is also home to 3.5 million lakes ranging from 20 acres or larger in size. Wetland permafrost and marshlands cover 188,320 square miles and glacier ice covers 16,000 square miles of land and 1,200 square miles of tidal zone. It is important to bring appropriate gear for the terrain you venture into. The highest point of elevation in Alaska is Mount McKinley at 20,320 feet above sea level while the lowest is at sea level among Alaska's wide coastal areas.

People have been hunting here for thousands of years and with good reason, the sheer amount of game, let alone the diversity in species, is astounding. Texas may be the epicenter of hunting in the US, but Alaska is the Holy Grail. If you’re planning a trip to Alaska, do it right and plan a week or more. There is no other place like it and you are guaranteed to have a trip of a lifetime. 

 

 

This article is a part of an ongoing series describing all of the 50 states from a hunter's perspective. These will be continually updated to supply readers with accurate and knowledgeable information.