Air transportation is provided by RAM Aviation Aviation. under FAA Air Carrier Certificate #J6UA951J, RAM Aviation has been providing this type of service for the past 25 years throughout Alaska and specifically providing hunting trips in Game Management Unit #23. RAM AVIATION holds permits to operate in numerous locations throughout Alaska including Wildlife Refuges, National Preserves, Bureau of Land Management Lands and State lands for hunting purposes.
Your name on this contract and the receipt of funds from you, hereinafter called the Hunter, by RAM AVIATION, hereinafter called the Transporter, constitutes a services contract under which both the Hunter and the Transporter have certain rights and obligations. The Transporter is a Licensed Big Game Transporter in the State of Alaska. A transporter license requires us to report any known or suspected game regulation violations. Please know and comply with the regulations!
RAM Aviation is NOT a Big Game Guide or Outfitter and supplies no gear, food, equipment etc. for hunters in the field. Hunters may rent gear from us in Kotzebue which requires an additional cost and rental agreement. In return of the payment for a hunting package, the Transporter will transport the Hunter and a total of 125#’s (which changes if you are contracting separately for Camp Gear Rental) of gear plus a high powered rifle from the Transporter’s Kotzebue base and return the Hunter, gear and rifle, plus any acquired game with horns or antlers to the base from which the Hunter left. Hunters must have the meat in sturdy game bags not exceeding 50# each. The Transporter will not spot game during the flight to a hunting area, but rather transports you to an area where other hunters have had success, and which, to the best of our knowledge, supports the appropriate game. If you have gear in excess of 125# and it necessitates an extra trip, an additional fee will be added to the cost of your hunt (Minimum $750.00). Further, the excess gear must be cleared with the Transporter before your arrival, or it may mean delays or inability on the part of the Transporter to transport it.
Hunters should realize that the Transporter is at the mercy of the weather and should plan for the possibility of delays going in or coming out of a hunting area. The Transporter assumes no responsibility for the consequences of a Hunter being off schedule or the costs associated with hotels, food or additional travel expenses. We will attempt to keep on schedule as best as possible. If the Hunter calls and wants an “early out”, they are expected to have completed their hunt and be ready to come out as soon as the plane arrives to pick them up.
The Transporter reserves the right to transport hunters in larger aircraft to a staging area away from home base and then stage from that area to a hunting area by smaller aircraft. A wait of several hours at the staging area is possible before you are picked up by a smaller aircraft for your hunting destination. In the interest of saving time during windows of opportune weather, the Transporter may elect to stage in this manner on both incoming and outgoing flights. We attempt to serve Hunters on a “firstcome, first-served” basis during this process. However, if we cannot land in one area because of a factor such as adverse winds, and an area for a “just-arrived” Hunter is more favorable, this first-in, first-out system may be altered.
At times, the Transporter realizes flight conditions may not be apparent to Hunters, so we advise you to rely on the best instincts of your pilots. You may know where you want to hunt. However, if you do not, we will pick an area we believe to be suitable. It is in our best interest to have satisfied hunters, so rest assured we will do everything possible to put you in good areas. It is your responsibility, as the Hunter to determine all applicable regulations, including what animals are legal for you to take in the area that we fly you in to. You must always recover all edible meat from the animal. It is also the responsibility of the Hunter to consider any medical conditions he or she may have and take into consideration extra days that may be spent in the field due to wind, weather, or other circumstances. Reservations may be made by phone, but are CONFIRMED only when we receive your deposit, your signed contract and your signed release form. Deposits are for the year agreed upon hunts and cannot be transferred to next year or to another hunter. Deposits are not refundable or transferable. The Transporter will perform to the best of their abilities during your stay with us. We advise and caution you to keep in mind that we are Transporters, not Guides. Venue for any disputes will be in Wasilla/Palmer, Alaska.
Prices & Availability: All prices, times, dates and availability are subject to change without notice – until the contract is entered into by our hunters, dates & schedules are agreed upon and a deposit is received by RAM Aviation. Payment & Cancellation: A fifty percent deposit is due upon confirmation, and the balance is due 60 Days PRIOR to your hunt. The Deposit is non refundable but may be applied to a hunt in another year at RAM Aviation’s sole discretion. Deposit is forfeited for no-shows.
Disclosure & Responsibility: We are Transporters - not guides. RAM Aviation is not responsible or liable for any loss, damage or injury to any person while they are involved in any activities in the outdoors, including but not limited to boating, fishing, hunting, climbing, skiing, camping, trekking and/ or hiking. Additionally, we are not responsible or liable for any cancellations, expenses or delays incurred as a result of conditions over which we have no control.
RAM Aviation reserves the right to withdraw and/or cancel any excursion offered at any time and make changes and alterations in itinerary as may be found necessary for safety. Refunds will not be given for any reason. Here is a short explanation of why we must enforce this policy. After you have made a reservation and sent us your deposit we can no longer market that hunt. We turn away numerous hunting parties every year because we are fully booked. When we turn these parties away they go to other flying services and make alternate hunting arrangements and may never try our services. If you cancel your hunt, we have lost the opportunity to sell this hunt to any of these other parties. We understand your hunt is a vacation for you, but please understand that we depend on the revenue earned from hunting season for our livelihood. A licensed transporter may provide transportation services with accommodations only at a permanent lodge, house, or cabin owned by the transporter or on a boat with permanent living quarters located on saltwater. A licensed transporter may not accompany or remain in the field with a big game hunter who is a client of the transporter except as necessary to perform the transportation services. A licensed transporter may not provide vehicles, fuel, camping, hunting or big game processing equipment, or any hunting services such as skinning, camping, or cleaning game, glassing, and packing in the field, including from a permanent structure or on a boat on saltwater. Guide services are not provided under this contract. All meat must be salvaged during and after the hunt by the hunter, including ribs with bones, in accordance with all AK Fish and Game Rules and Regulations. All parties are REQUIRED to have a satellite phone for communication with transporter. This may be the only means of communication while in the field.