Caribou hunting in Adak Alaska

Adak is an awesome place with some little known history. It is the westernmost city in the United States and the Southernmost in Alaska.  The city has a resident population of approximately 120 residents, with 40-100 transients or other visitors on island at any given time.  Adak Island is approximately 1200 air miles southwest of Anchorage and is accessible commercially only by air.  It was about a 3 hour flight in the Boeing 737.  Hard to believe with a flight that long you're still in Alaska.  It is after all our nation's biggest state!  I've included a little Adak history for those interested. 

Arrival with our stuff at the airport in anchorage 

Adak airport

Adak History

Adak Island has been the home to Aleut peoples since ancient times. Russian explorers in the 18th century also visited the island but made no permanent settlements. During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army took control of two of the westernmost Aleutian Islands - Attu and Kiska. The Japanese also attacked the American base at Dutch Harbor by air. The Japanese campaign coincided with the more well-known Battle of Midway. In response, the United States military began a campaign to oust the invaders. Since the nearest U.S. military presence was in Cold Bay, Alaska, the U.S. began to construct bases in the western Aleutian Islands from which to launch operations against the Japanese. Adak Island was chosen as the site of an airfield, and flight operations began in September 1942. On May 11, 1943, four days after the initial invasion date was delayed by bad weather, American soldiers landed on Attu Island and defeated the Japanese garrison there, at the cost of 2,300 Japanese and 550 American lives. Expecting a similar battle for Kiska Island, U.S. soldiers landing there August 15, 1943, found the occupiers had been stealthily evacuated by Japanese naval forces since the end of May, 1943.^[3] Even so, over 313 American soldiers died from friendly fire, mines, and other anti-personnel devices during U.S. operations to recover Kiska into U.S. territory. In 1953, remains of 236 Japanese dead who had been buried in Adak Cemetery were reburied in Japan's Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery.
After the war was over, the approximately 6,000 American military men who served on Adak during World War II recalled Adak's cold, foggy, windy weather; mud; Quonset huts; few women and no trees; and a volcano that from time to time would issue puffs of smoke.^{[citation needed]} Fresh food was a rarity.

Adak Naval Air Station continued to be a military base during the Cold War but was designated a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) site in 1995 and closed in March 1997.^[4] Shortly thereafter, the town of Adak was incorporated at the site of the former base. Down from a peak population of 6,000, the island recorded a 2010 census population of 326 residents, all in the city of Adak, in the northern part of the island. In 1980, the Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge was created and much of Adak Island lies within its boundaries.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game introduced approximately 200 caribou to the island to help prevent emergency famine. The now large caribou herd is a popular hunting destination.^[5]
 (Wikipedia)


We arrived on a typical Adak weather day.  High winds and rain.  Our group was picked up by our gracious local host and brought us to his home.  I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to stay with and get information from a local.  It's the way to go if you can.  Here's a picture of our group in the Adak airport.

L-R Todd, April, Wayne, Mary and Troy

Day 1 we got there and after dropping our gear at the house we took off to spot in the trucks.  We brought rifles along just in case we saw something.  Didn't see a thing that night!  Our host made us a caribou steak for dinner and we hit the sack ready for our hunting adventure the next day. Here are a few pictures from day 1. 

Perfect day for a hike

April Enjoying the view

April & Mary

April & Todd scouting a valley

One of the many waterfalls

the group checking things out in another valley

Wayne surveying the land

A little note about the city.  It was a very post-apocalyptic feel to the town.  No cars on the road, abandoned buildings and homes.  The population went from 6,000 to 100 and things were just left as they were.  I didn't get a picture of the old McDonalds building, but it was definitely a typical McDonalds.  A little surreal.

one of the few streets in Akak with abandoned homes

Day 2 woke up and got going after lunch time really.  Had to get ourselves organized and all that jazz.  The weather was absolutely beautiful.  It was around 40 degrees, sunny and no wind.  Not what we expected at all.  Like I said before a typical day in Adak it's blowing 40 and 40 degrees and raining.  Although no one in our party saw any game that day it was an epic hiking day with b3autiful weather.  Alaska never disappoints! This area was on x trail around mountxxx.

Day 3 we opted for an earlier start to have a full day of hunting.  We took the truck and ATVs out as far as we could and split up from there.  Todd and I hiked one direction, Mary and troy another and Wayne another. We all agreed to meet back up at 5pm.  The weather was still pretty decent with no rain.  The winds were probably sustained around 20 and it was partly cloudy. So not bad at all.  We hiked around for a few hours stopping to spot for animals along the way and just enjoying the scenery.  We decided that even if we didn't get anything on our hunt that the beauty of this place was enough.  We were enjoying the moment.  At one point Todd and I were just moving from the spot we were in and he says what's they way up there.  I get out the binoculars and see a caribou!  It was about 300 yards away up the mountain.  Todd starts heading that way.  I start moving to another location for a different angle on the shot in case he couldn't get it. Todd takes his animal down and as I start walking back to the spot where I left our bag I see 3 caribou running right at me.  I yell for Todd and then I set up to shoot.  The largest is in the front.  I line up on her and take the head shot and she went down.  The other 2 begin running off and Todd shoots another.  I'm thinking great we got 3, but now great we gotta take care of them.

Happy hunting

The guys getting ready to go out

April

Spotting for the boo

I'll pause here to say that this was my first real hunting trip. It was mostly what I expected.   I was unsure if I'd be able to shoot an animal but when the time came there was no hesitation.  It was with gratitude and with the utmost respect for the creature that we took those lives.  We honor the animals by taking all the meat we can and filling our freezer.  We take meticulous care of each piece of meat.  It's really an honor to have harvested one of God's creatures for food.  Very humbling and thought provoking.  I don't believe in hunting for trophys...only to supply meat.  It was a lot of hard work but worth it to know exactly where the meat on my table is coming from and to know you're helping to manage herd size on the island.

We got the animals back to the house and quartered and deboned them.  Only in Alaska do you quarter your animal then throw a tarp over the kitchen table to debone in the house.   A little funny.

The only flight of the week was the next day so we were able to make that flight without a problem and get home.  Hung the meat in the garage to begin cleaning and processing it the next day.  We started processing on Sunday and were done by Wednesday. This is hard work and where a true respect for the animal comes in.  It's a process, but glad to have a few friends come over and help as well.  Here's a picture of the meat hanging in the garage behind Todd as he's working on one piece of meat.

Todd being supervised closely by the dogs

This was an amazing experience and I hope that you will enjoy hearing a little about it.  I look forward to visiting the island again and exploring it's history even more.