What Really Sets Us Apart

World-Class Hunting Areas with Proven Longevity

Many things go into a great hunt, and of course, the first that comes to mind for most people is the area you are hunting. That is extremely important. Not all areas are the same. Some are great, others are just ok. What is true for some areas may not be for others. Each area has its nuances. Some areas are exclusive federal concessions (1 guide per area), others are not.

All of the areas I operate in are exclusive federal guide concessions (1 guide areas), where I hold refuge special use permits (Kodiak, Arctic, and AK Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge) or a park concession contract (Aniakchak National Preserve).

Longevity in those areas is also critical, and the knowledge and experience conducting operations in them. We have been operating in all of our respective areas for many years, whether it is the Brooks Range, where we have been outfitting for over a decade and guiding for over 15 years, Kodiak, where we have been for over 2 decades, or the Alaska Peninsula, where we have been operating in the same areas for 5 decades.

The areas have and do consistently produce top quality animals and sustain healthy populations with harvestable surpluses. To be sure, there are other great areas to hunt, but we know ours are top-notch, and we have the knowledge, experience, and longevity in those areas to get the job done.

Professional-Grade Gear & Equipment

Gear and equipment used by a guide operation are an important variable in a hunt. You spend a lot of money on your gear and equipment, and so should your outfitter and guides. Having the best quality new and well-maintained gear and equipment not only makes your hunt more comfortable and leads to greater success, but more importantly, it helps ensure greater levels of safety.

We have only the best gear & equipment, whether it is our brand new meticulously maintained Super Cub on the Alaska Peninsula, our numerous extremely sea-worthy custom-built ocean skiffs on Kodiak Island, or any of the other countless pieces of gear and equipment, from tents and cots, to generators and stoves.

Each piece of gear and equipment is gone through yearly, replaced as needed, and maintained throughout the season. The motors on the boats and aircraft are especially given careful maintenance. There are backups for nearly everything to ensure the hunts can continue should an unexpected issue arise, from tents to boats, generators to optics.

Guides have top-notch equipment in their kits, especially optics, usually Swarovski or Leica. Guides replace gear regularly instead of trying to nurse junk through another season. We are all professionals and take great pride in having the best of the best, doing all we can to ensure you have the best hunt possible. There is no excuse for anything less.

An Elite Crew

After doing this for as long as I have, I can say without question that the biggest factor in our success is the quality of the people working with me. I can’t say enough good things about these guys—from the guides to the packers, pilot, and cook… Especially the lead guides in the operation. I get countless questions from prospective clients about this caliber vs that, gear company X vs gear company Y, spring vs fall, Kodiak vs the AK Peninsula, these dates vs those dates, etc. etc. etc. These are all good questions to ask, but the most important thing anyone can ask about is the skill, experience and dedication of the guides working with me.

After all, your guide is the single most determining factor in the success and outcome of a hunt, aside from your mental and physical preparation. That is for you to control, and is up to you alone, but you count on us to ensure that you will be hunting with the best of the best.

True, I guide hunts myself, as many as I can, which is a significant percentage of the overall hunts I book. It is what I love to do, and of all the aspects of this business, it is what I am best at. After growing up in the guiding business and learning from some of the best, and having guided for over 2 decades, I am extremely good at guiding and am passionate about it. But I am one person, and I have numerous clients, so there is a decent chance that you, as the client, won’t be hunting with me as your personal guide. That is why I go through such lengths to ensure that the lead guides in my operation are the best possible, on par with me.

The people who work alongside me are truly Tier 1 and have that certain intangible factor, which I just call “the killer instinct.”  They are the best of the best and are highly driven to succeed. I am very proud to have such an elite team of people who are as dedicated to the mission as I am, and whom I never need to question their judgment, decisions, or skill.

My dad always said, “Put the mission first.” That is these guys. He also said, “Come to me with solutions, not problems.” Again, that is this group of people.

Many of the individuals working with me are people I spent years in the field with, helping hone their hunting skills, teaching them what I know, and personally signing off on their guide licenses. Other guides in my operation are people who I literally grew up with, hunting together since we were kids. Others go back many years and have been with me since I started my operation, or even farther back, having worked for my dad before working for me. All of them have the same passion and drive to see you succeed that I do, and all of them have the skill and killer instinct to back it up.