#16 learn what overflow is...

I want to move to Alaska, but I know most of these things. But I also go fishing in Northern Canada every summer and the bugs are awful. Where I live in ND, mosquitoes are worse then most of the region. But what about transportation? That's always been my #1 worry. I can't drive everywhere like we can here...

You'll need "tools." 4 wheelers, snow machines, boats.

I have never and will never get used to Bugs of any kind. I choose to outfit myself against them. Not into Deet application other than on my clothes.
And I will take mosquitoes over noseeums any day.

This is my latest in combat attire. Having a simple bug net over your head makes a world of difference and this setup is even better.
http://www.bugshirt.com/products/elite/

From there website.


As fun as it is to shoot moose and caribou I always felt I had better access to hunting in Montana. From where I lived I could hunt mule deer, whitetail deer, and Elk and Bighorn sheep in an open hunt on the Yellowstone Park border. Bighorn, goats, moose by drawing if you were lucky. In a few hours I could drive and hunt turkey and antelope. Many different species of upland game birds and waterfowl. But times have changed there too I am sure.

Alaska has opportunity but you need to be prepared to work for it. And other times it falls into your lap. Finding yourself where it is good hunting for more than one big game species is an exception not the rule.
I have put over 500 miles on a three day weekend to hunt caribou by snowmachine. Over 400 miles on a trip with a 6 year old between my front legs. Most people could not even fathom that.
It makes for some memories and it takes a little different perspective on life to take advantage of what Alaska can offer up.

Most Alaskans aren't from Alaska! Nearly everyone moved up at some point, very few were born and stayed. For everyone that did come up and stay more than a year or two I would be willing to say at least ten never lasted that long. What this means is you will have a lot of short term friends from every corner of the US. You will also get invited to birthdays, Christmas, and other special occasions by people you barely know. Folks want to rebuild that family frame work and do it by assembling a bunch of folks in the same boat as them 3000 miles away from familiar.

Should I ask the obvious ?

You are certainly right about Montana changing FT. Montana has a ton of misconceptions just like AK. Much of the good hunting here has been leased up by out of staters or they are even buying up farms and literally paying someone to stay year 'round to make sure you don't set foot on there land. I have heard that the cost of living is much higher in AK, do the wages reflect this? Or do things like not having a vehicle payment and insurance payment make up for this in areas where there is limited vehicle access? Are there things that are cheaper in AK then the lower 48?

#17- You will almost certainly NOT strike it rich!

FT is right about the hunting. I wrote an article for bowhunter about that a few years ago. In Alaska as well as northern Canada big game densities are much lower than most lower 48 states. Non resident hunters have a tendency to get frustrated very quickly because they dont see the amount of game they expect. I deal with that every year. Hard for guys who are used to seeing 100 deer a day wrap their head around the idea that they might only see two or three bulls in their entire hunt.

#18. You were born with A brain use it! If it looks risky , dangerous or deadly it probably is and can and will kill you. Learn to make good choices and know your limitations. Every year people die because they made poor choices, This applies everywhere

#19 extra days Be prepared for the worst weather and to stay out extra days

I guess the not so obvious, for people with a skewed sense of humor (:D). It is much easier to deal with a Sleepy child on a snowmobile when they are in front of you rather then when behind you falling to the ground rather than into your arms when they can't stay awake any longer. Sometimes my writing leaves too much room for interpretation. Sorry.

#20 Day to day living is a lot cheaper in the bush than on the road system. A lot competing for the green In your billfold living in town. I would go a long time without taking my wallet out of my pocket in the bush. Isn't a day in the city that it doesn't happen. Not saying it isn't expensive as there are tradeoffs in expenses. But that availability makes it a lot easier to spend money.

You are partially right....at least about density in the Yukon. Wyoming does have fewer people.....by ~160K, but it is much smaller( 97,000 vs 663,000 sq miles). Wyoming has 5.8 people per square mile vs 1.26 in Alaska.

And you will need a truck and trailers to haul it all around if you live on the road system.

#21 Everything you could possibly ever want is either not here or broken and being used for something other than its intended purpose.

650,000 square miles is indeed a very large land mass and if all 650,000 square miles were habitible Alaska indeed could have a very large population and not be very noticible. But when it comes down to it how much of that 650,000 square miles is frozen lakes,rivers,mountain peaks,glaicers, areas that people are not going to build towns, citys, subburbs on. When you look at it that way that vast 650,000 square miles gets dwindled down in size. With the worlds population currently at 8 billion people and steadly growing even Americas last frontier the great state of Alaska will get plenty crowed and i would bet it will be that way with in the next 50 years. Most of the lower 48 is in trouble with the economy the way it is now. There is only so many jobs to be had and people are looking for other ways to make a living. I know for the average family it is not realistic to think they could move to a place like Alaska and live mostly off of the land alone. But alot of them will and do try it. The more that do it, the more business & industry follow along behind them. Urbanization is taking over all over the world.

You can fly for several hours here and cross over no one depending on your heading. The road system will get more crowded than it is but I suspect there will be vacant areas the size of some states for a very long time to come.

When we travel to Anchorage from here it is a one hour flight. During that time we fly over probably 100 people or less until just prior to landing in Anchorage. The Alaska Range is between us and Anchorage (thank God !). At 250 mph it takes about 30 minutes just to cross the mountains. There are a couple peaks over 20,000 and several hills over 8000 feet. Pretty vertical country. Nobody living out there.

Fly a little lower and you can see all the recreational cabins in the Armpit.

Yeah that's true but at that point you're over the outer marker, just about.

A friend owns a gas station on the Alcan......over the last few years he has seen an increase in familys heading north......many of them are broke or close to it.....sometimes they trade stuff for fuel. Most are middle aged and have families ......very tough position to be in and I really feel for those folks but I look at it like this, America wanted change and they got it......voting that guy in once I can understand.....everyone makes mistakes. But twice! Yea the population of AK will grow......those people have no-where else to go....

I don't see Alaska growing very much without some new industry to bring people long term. You have to have some income to live whether in the bush or on the road system. Those broke folks yukon mentioned won't last. We have a bunch of dreamers here in Nome the last couple years and very few will be here long term, evan with the lure of "easy" gold.