Military Chaplain headed to Alaska soon

I'm an active duty chaplain with orders to Alaska in the near future. My wife and I just bought a 2022 SR5 Premium. We'll drive it to AK from the southeastern US. I'm an avid outdoorsman. I hope to hunt and fish a ton while stationed in AK. I've been told I'll be too busy to hunt and fish much. I said, "Challenge accepted!"

I love our new 4Runner. Now I'm trying to decide on a trailer. I'm probably just going to buy a small enclosed cargo trailer to haul some of our household goods up to AK and later convert it into an off road camping rig. I've never had a 4Runner before. Never been to Alaska before. But I'm very excited about the adventures ahead!

 

Check out things and plan carefully. My granddaughter's husband was stationed in Fairbanks and my ex-supervisor is now Chief of the Marine Mammal Regulatory Branch in Anchorage. We were going to make the drive to Fairbanks last year, but COVID interfered. When the gov. moved me, they would NOT ship firearms and taking them through Canada can/will be a major pain! Best bet is to ship them to yourself! Also, be careful about transporting pets. Have fun!! It was "suggested" bt the Chief of Refuges in Alaska that I apply for a job as Deputy Manager of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but I was in my 60s and didn't think my wife would enjoy living above the Arctic Circle for at least 6 mo. per year! Instead, we halibut fish out of Kenai/Homer every couple of years.

My boss said she got to fish for salmon after work each night during season=how much sleep do you need, after all?

 

Welcome from Alberta Canada and safe travels. Get sets of silk mountain climbers long underwear, LL Bean and others have them, poly is OK but don't work nearly as well as silk for -40 temperatures.

 

My friend is a school teacher in Alaska. A very remote place I don’t think I could survive a winter.

 

Welcome from Arizona! Enjoy your tour

 

welcome

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! Have a safe journey... that's quite a drive.

 

Yes, getting my firearms to AK is going to be a challenge. The Navy will pay (the lowest bidding moving company) to transport my firearms. But I've heard horror stories about things disappearing en route. I think you're right about shipping them. I don't have an address yet... But I think I can send them to an FFL dealer and pick them up when I arrive... I have a few months. I'm on deployment right now. So, plenty of time for researching online. I also think there's a way to get permission from the Canadian authority to transport certain firearms through Canada. More research needed on that.

And I understand about your wife not wanting to go so far north for so long. To be honest, I still can't hardly believe my wife didn't use her veto power on this move! We've always wanted to visit Alaska. I hope she falls in love with it and we stay there permanently.

 

Thanks for the advice!
I've done some cold weather hunting in Ohio. Arrowed a deer when it 8 degrees Fahrenheit once. But I may be about to experience something of a whole different magnitude! I'm very receptive to any other wisdom you care to share.

 

Where are you going to be stationed at?

 

My step-brother is an army chaplain currently stationed in Colorado Springs after tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. God bless you and your impact on those men and women!

 

Rifles can be done=be sure to get a fair market value from US Customs. Shipping sidearms is a big no-no! You might be able to get them sealed at the US border and keep them sealed until the Alaska border=I haven't checked lately and things change. DO NOT GET INFO EXCEPT FROM THE OFFICIAL SITES!!! I'm trying for a carry permit in OR and took a test and paid a fee for the "Official CHL Application" to submit only find out Multnomah County had an application online that would be submitted on completion. I'm waiting for an answer now.

You'll LOVE Alaska. I would have taken a position there if I had been younger and in better health.

FYI: Moose are much more dangerous than the bears and wolves are practically no danger at all.

 

JBER in Anchorage

 

welcome

 

Sounds like an awesome adventure, best of luck. Your in a capable vehicle for the job!

 

Welcome to the family

 

@Chaps Thank you for your service. My wife's grandfather was a Major General in the Air Force who was Cheif of Staff of the 11th Air Force at Elmendorf until 1945 before he took over the Alaskan Air Command in Adak. Wrote a book about it in his retirement.

 

Ahhhh...Elmendorf is nice. I have been there and Eielson down near North Pole/Fairbanks area.

 

Welcome from Florida

 

Thanks everybody!

 

This is surprising to me!
Is it mainly during the rut? I need to get educated about moose.
For bear, I’ve been advised to buy a 10mm automatic handgun. What do you think? I hope to do a lot of hunting.

 

Statistically, high percentage capsaicin pepper spray is more effective at deterring bear and other wildlife than a handgun and several canisters operated by a group is better. Local trappers tasked with problematic bear control in this area also often carry short barreled pump shotguns using 00 buck shot as their backup to a hunting rifle. A chemical fire extinguisher is often enough to chase off a nosy bear and we keep a couple or more handy at campsites and in vehicles mainly for fire control but also for animals.
Canadian Customs will allow the importations of U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) approved bear spray into Canada. Bear repellants, are not considered prohibited in Canada but the specifications state that bear spray must have USEPA on the label. Sep 9, 2021
This following site will give information about bring firearms into Canada in transit to the US. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/iefw-iefa-eng.html

 

Don't know about the rut. Moose in general are just plain mean tempered. The Sirius dogsled patron in Greenland (see Sirius Dog Sled Patrol - Wikipedia). They use Glock 20s and modified 1917 Enfields for polar bear and muskoxen.

I would recommend bear spray for bears. I was our office safety officer (collateral duty) for over 10 years, and I was authorized to certify my biologists in the use of bear spray-it was optional, but the final requirement was my certification that they knew how to use it. My MS Thesis was on black bear behavior. I studied up on bear spray vs firearms and the data are clear: bear spray is much more effective (92% vs 62%). I was certified but not authorized in the use of firearms against wildlife.

That being said, I personally carry bear spray AND a G20 or an OM Blackhawk with hot loaded hard cast 45 Colt loads while hunting or woods walking.

You might want to take the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks bear identification test (takes about 15 minutes). It's at: Bear Identification Program | Montana FWP (mt.gov)

BTW: Most fatal attacks are predatory in nature and are caused by young adult black bears.

BTW #2: Carry 2x as much spray as you might need (usually 2 cans). What if you are several miles in the backcountry and use it to deter a bear. What do you use if you run into a second bear on the way out? Also, be sure to clear the nozzle (like a can of spray paint) as the oils can congeal and clog the nozzle.

Sorry for the long post!

 

Bears might not 'respect' a 10mm handgun, on the other hand, you would have their undivided attention with the 500 S&W.

 

Any handgun is an "iffy" proposition, at best. The data show only a 62% effectiveness. Also, do you want a 600-1200 lb bear to die on its feet then fall on you?

 

Copy that. Bear spray AND firepower.
And no, I don’t want a dead bear to fall on me. My preference would be that they leave me alone altogether.

 

Just remember, they just want you to leave them alone. Predatory attacks will be sub-adult, male black bears and you'll never see them!