I understand you don't need a guide but if I go by myself,being a first timer,the logistics of the hunt seem overwhelming. Is it worth paying the extra money to have a guided Alaska caribou hunt considering I've never done it?

I would get a guide if I was going on my first trip. Too far to go and too much money to risk messing something up or being unsuccessful IMO. Plus, they will know any local rules, laws and the areas better than you will be able to research on your own. Good luck

Contact Kodiak on here and get his feedback, he lives in Alaska.

X's3. I have never been, but that is too much too far, to chance it 1st time around. After that, would depend on my confidence level from the 1st hunt.

I've always thought that there are sOOO many ways for a Texan to die in Alaska that I would get a guide for just about anything up there.

I've been on two caribou hunts. First one was to Quebec where it was called a semi guided hunt. There where five of us in camp and one guide/camp manager. He took us out in the boat, dropped us off and then picked us up at the end of the day or when you scheduled with him He helped pack meat and cooked all the meals. It was half the cost of a guided hunt and there where lots of animals to choose from. I liked it a lot!!!

Second was a drop camp in Alaska. Outfitter provided tents, gear and food. They dropped me and my buddy off at a pond and flew over us several times to check the camp to see if we had anything. I like not having to drag all the gear up there and everything the outfitter provided was brand new Cabela's stuff.

I also went on an unguided moose hunt that was very similar, except we brought our own food. Me shipped it up there a month before the hunt and it was waiting for us when we got there. All brand new equipment.

I've hunted with guides on other trips and like it when they know the area and have had a lot of success. I've also hunted with guides with no experience in that area and that have never been successful in getting an animal. With the right guide, it's awesome. Can't say the same the rookie guides. On the worse hunt, we just walked out of the outfitters camp and got a hotel in town, then hunted the same exact national forest and got a small 6 point bull elk the next day in an area the rookie guide said there was no animals. It took us all day to get him out of there and we drove home the next day. One elk on our own was enough after that experience.

My wife and I are wanting to go on an unguided moose/black bear hunt in 2016. It really depends on how far we get on our house remodel and building the trophy room.

I would recommend going through Larry Bartlett at Pristine Ventures - He is not a guide, he is a trip planner and gear rental. He will line up everything for you - location, air taxi, and quality gear. Save you a lot of research and you don't have to dick with shipping and hauling gear. He is not cheap, but he is a hell of a lot cheaper than a guide.