my wife and i will be moving to alaska within the next 2 years or so. so i'm looking at starting to aquire an alaska battery now. so wick are the best calibers, actions, finishes, and models for up in alaska. i currently hunt in florida with a marlin 336 in 30-30. my wife has been looking at properties in willow and working in anchorage if that makes a difference. probably no big bears in the near future. thanks for the advice....dave

There has been quite a bit of discussion about hunting firearms for Alaska in a few of the previous threads here at Beartooth. Just scroll through some of the other posts, and if you have questions or concerns, please don't be afraid to ask.

One thing you may want to consider, though, if your jobs are going to be in Anchorage, Willow may not be a good idea for a commute. Our winters can be pretty tough at times and the storms, ice, darkness, and moose can make those long commutes pretty hazardous. You probably should consider something a little closer. A morning commute from Wasilla or Palmer to the hospitals in Anchorage will run about an hour and a half in the winter, sometimes more. If you don't want to live in Anchorage, check out Eagle River, Chugiak, Palmer, or Wasilla. Girdwood is also an option. I've made the commute from Girdwood for several years and it can be like playing Russian Roulette.

thanks for the quick reply 338. we're still in the planning stages so advice is very welcome. we both work in medicine and were thinking of a cabin in one of the smaller towns, and a condo in anchorage to use for the days we work. any merrit to that on no? thanks dave

I can't see anything wrong with that plan. If you are going to do that, I'd check out Hope, Montana Creek, or Talkeetna out as well.

Send me an email or PM from this website if you want to discuss the particular areas a little more. Just depends on what you are looking for.

Alyeska338 has a point about the commute. I traveled 150 miles a day, year round for 14 years. Gas was cheaper, as were vehicles. Many I have had/have with over 240,000+ miles. That's an oil change every two weeks! Get the condo in Eagle River/Peters creek and you have a 15-20 minute commute. Dangerous enough for fair weather drivers. Lots of remote road/non-road connected possibilities for cabins. My personal preference for guns doesn't mean it will meet your needs. I like a .338-06/.338 Win mag. An ultralite .375 HH will kill everything in the state and its easy on the body. Many other calibers will do the job as well, but recoil, quarry, location, your skills/abilities. The big bangers won't help if you flinch. 165gr to 250g bullets should more than cover the range for whatever you choose. There should be a new hospital in Palmer/Wasilla area in 2006. Not sure of completion date, but do have smaller facilities in both cities now. Good luck and welcome to Alaska!

Have you moved here yet? I commute from Big Lake to ANC, but only about 10-15 days amonth. Thats enough though. The new hospital in Wasilla/Palmer would be the place to work.