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Past and Future
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Past and Future

Swiftwater Outfitters has been owned and operated by Tom and Dave for 11 years now. We have many personable, experienced assistant guides, some of whom have spent a lifetime hunting and living in the area. Most importantly, if you were ever in dire need of help in the wilderness, our guides would be a very welcome sight coming around the bend.

During this time we have seen many changes in Unit 17, which includes the headwaters of the Nushagak River. Gas has gone from $5/gallon to over $7 this year. The nature of big game hunting in Alaska, and in its game populations, is constantly changing. Up until very recently the Mulchatna caribou herd, which we hunt, has been estimated at about 200,000 animals. This is up from less than 25,000 in the 70’s. Now it appears to be dropping rapidly. Brown bear populations though are increasing and in response to this the season in our area is now concurrent with most of the moose season.

In the 60’s and 70’s it was common practice to fly around, locate an animal and land and shoot it. This became illegal and so many outfitters converted to flying around, locating an animal, landing and setting up a spike camp and then going and shooting the animal the next day. This worked out very well with animals such as moose that do not move much. An outfitter could have very good success and a hunter could spend a minimum amount of time in a rustic pup tent. Hunters looking to come to Alaska now need to be aware of a new regulation dealing with the ethics standards requirements for guides. The new wording is: "Avoid using an aircraft in any manner to spot big game for the purpose of taking a specific animal". Big game hunting for moose will once again revert to the old tried and true method of long ago. Know your area, know and respect your quarry and work makes success. This is how we at Swiftwater have always hunted!

We are extremely remote. Our hunting area starts 7 hours by jet boat from the nearest native village down river and continues to where the Nushagak is more a creek than a river. That’s a barrel of gas roundtrip! The river is small and shallow and has few stretches long and deep enough for float planes. There are neither gravel bars nor landing areas for wheel planes. It is logistically hard to operate this remotely and we have been able to gradually accumulate many luxuries. All of our camps consist of quality canvas wall tents with inner frames, cots, wood stoves and carpets. The cook areas are covered “Costco” style garages, and are equipped with stoves and all the amenities. You will hunt about a 5 mile area surrounding your camp, usually traveling by jet-boat. We will take you on trails known only to us; we can go places by canoes, prams, rafts and boot that are inaccessible to all but us. You are as likely to spot and bag an animal ¼ mile from camp as anywhere on the river.

Our 2008 season was pointedly frustrating, very much due to weather. It rained every day for 26 days, and this is not at all usual. It never frosted at night, but worse of all it blew almost all the time. Our hunting method is very dependent on our ears; one could say that hearing is related to 75% of our success. Moose also like to hear; in fact they survive with those big megaphones that can pinpoint a cough from a mile away. If it is windy they just hunker down. Cold, calm mornings and evenings…now that is moose hunting weather.

We did get a couple nice moose though, and absolutely we have left many to challenge ourselves against next season!