Pete started Barela's Alaskan Outfitters in 2007, after he gained enough knowledge and experience learning about the unique animals and vast unforgiving terrain of the Alaskan wilderness. Peter has acquired thousands of hours flying his own aircraft in Alaska. Peter has been blessed with the opportunity to have hunted in three different countries guided and flown for countless guides in Alaska and has met all sorts of unique people. He has learned and applies this knowledge for his clients to help them enjoy, be safe and most of all, to be successful on their hunts.
What makes me stand out and have been criticized for, is that I believe that each of my clients are as unique as the animals we are hunting. I feel that you as a client have invested in us for a reasonable opportunity to go home with the animal you hired us for. Meaning myself and my guides will work our asses off for you. With the combined hunting, judging and life experiences between us all you will get that opportunity. If you do not, then we all work together to make it possible for you to come back and hunt again or we extend your stay if the weather allows. The tools in our toolbox are enormous.
Peter Barela - Owner/Guide - Background:
Peter Barela, Owner/Operator of Barela's Alaskan Outfitters, was an avid bow hunter growing up in Colorado. He was looking for more adventure, so he moved to Alaska in 1990. He started working in the bush of western Alaska as an EMT and construction supervisor in a commercial fishing village. While living out there he was exposed to hunting guides, built their camps then began working for guides/outfitters in 1993 and has continued to this day as well as built a construction company in the Matanuska Valley.
I have ten children nine surviving so you can imagine that family is very important to me. I have carried that over into the operation. You will feel that warmth and companionship the moment you meet me and my guides. That feeling will follow you from that moment all the way through to the lodge then to spike camp then all the way until when you leave. You will have so many wonderful stories to tell thousands of photos on your phone and a magnificent trophy that you will not want to leave and most likely book another hunt before you get on the jet to return home.
Another way we are different is that we operate in such a large and unique area. From the Chugach National Forest of magnificent towering beaty of young mountains for the goats, wolverine, black and brown bears to roam to some of the world-famous glaciers to hunt either on or beside to so many salmon streams so chucked full of fish in the fall you can catch them by hand. To the swamps and meadows where the moose live. The beauty is astounding and breath taking. We also operate in another unique area just for brown bears and glacier bears. With the glacier bear being concentrated in a specific area in the world we will operate under the umbrella of Master Guide John Latham.
I have dreamed of hunting in the world famous Tongass National Forest and now that time has come. Starting this spring 2023 we will be hunting on national forest lands within the wilderness area of the Tongass National Forest. Specifically in the Russel Fiord and hunt out of the only permitted tent cabin in the wilderness area. Hunting the giant Brown Bears out of a 16’ skiff is so exhilarating you cannot imagine. Your highlight of this experience is that you are inside the living domain of the Glacier Bear. There is a very small topographical and ecosystem area where these unique and rare animals live and we will have the legal ability to hunt them through a National Forest concession. On another note of how we are different and separate ourselves from other operators is that everyone involved with Barela’s Alaskan Outfitters has become part of a large family. From our pilots, administrator, assistant guides, packers, transporters, air taxis the local stores in Cordova and Yakutat and our lodging while in both Cordova and Yakutat. We support each other for the better of our client’s success.
Safety:
Safety is one of our top priorities. He is a member of APHA, (Alaskan Professional Hunters Association) SCI (Safari Club International), lifetime member with the Wild Sheep Foundation, lifetime member of the Pope & Young and a Life Member of the Alaska bow hunters Association. He has donated hunts to the Wild Sheep Foundation, Mule deer Foundation, Pope & Young Club, SCI Bowhunters West Michigan chapter and the Colorado Bowhunters Association to help promote quality hunting. Peter has always been a strong advocate for safety, for himself, his clients, and his staff. Peter received his EMT certification in 1990 and has a Coast Guard Captains License and put it to use in western Alaska. He and his staff have taken first aid courses, CPR courses and a mountain survival technique course.
Area:
Peter is licensed to guide in a very large portion of Alaska, from West central, Southwest, and South-Central Alaska. This represents unit 17, 19, 6 and soon in unit 5, with access to Federal, State and Private lands. Given the different Micro Ecosystems, Barela's Alaskan Outfitters can offer a wide range of Trophy Quality animals for our clients to hunt. You will have a professional guide, licensed in the State of Alaska, with you at all times and on the moose and mountain goat hunts a packer. We are true believers in fair chase hunting and enjoying the beautiful creatures God put here for our management.
Areas of operation are unit 6A in the Alaska fish and game regulations. All 6A! is my unit that includes the private lands and then down into unit 5A Russell Fiord.