Moosehunting

[Vroomvroom]

Many interested in moose hunts?

[Smguinnip]

Always interested, just haven’t found any that fit my budget.

[Hud]

Absolutely, according to Archie the best plan is to fly-in to a remote DIY camp with a buddy.  Otherwise, the pressure from locals is greatest along roads and the pipeline.  Mike Mitten and others have taken this route in AK.  Guided hunts are the norm in Canada, Yukon and NW Territories. Takes planning, time and money.

[dnovo]

I've been once in Canada. Money is what's holding me back now.

[Archie]

As an interior Alaska local... you will likely have to deal with hunter traffic if you don't have an angle.  If you are coming in from out of state, you ought to spend the money to get into a place that isn't easily accessed.  You'll want to do your homework.  There are A LOT of 4x4 trucks, riverboats, airboats, rafts, 4 wheelers, Argos, and RV's in the mix during moose season... all looking for meat and antlers.  Often, locals have their secret places close to home, but then again... does a guy really want to take his dream trip to hunt in Alaska and shoot a moose on public land behind a gas station, listening to cars drive by, in a little corner of woods that has been overlooked?

Even on the rivers, if you don't have a boat that's able to get you further than the rest of the pack (shallow running)... you may wind up competing with others.  I flew out for a river float hunt in 2013, and it was a lot of fun... but over 13 days, we definitely saw more hunting parties than we saw moose.  Not to discourage anyone, but times are definitely different than they were back in the day of "Bows on the Little Delta". 

[Wudstix]

That's a dream of mine, to do a back country moose hunt.
 

[Walt Francis]

I have done seven Alaskan moose hunts, one float hunt and six drop camps. All the drop camps were with a selfbow and the float trip with a glass longbow. The first in 1999 ( float) and the latest last fall (2023).  I am going solo again in 2025.  My advice :
1. Quit dreaming and make it happen.  It will only happen if YOU make it happen!
2. Make the commitment to make it happen.  Commitment should not be no longer than three years, preferably two.  Any longer than three years the commitment will waiver and excuses not to go when planned will be excessive.  If you deviate from the committed date, it won’t happen.  I only know one person who made happen after deviating from their planned date….and over 100 that didn’t make it happen.  They are all still dreaming about doing it but never will.  Yes,    there will always be numerous good reasons to”Postpone” the moose hunt.  It is ultimately your choice.
3. Get a good pilot!  Do your research, check references, both successful and unsuccessful hunters.
4. Do not ask who my pilot is, I will not tell you.

 

[Maclean]

Walt, if I may ask, what are you spending for a solo drop camp?

[Gun]

Am fortunate that I can hunt them every year OTC tag. They are so much fun!

[MnFn]

I am interested enough to keep applying. It will be DYI.  DYI as in not hiring a guide.  I’ll  need to talk one of my athletic grandsons into coming with.

[Iowabowhunter]

I’m gonna go, I have a caribou hunt that I want to make happen first.

Up next is bears with Stickflingers in June however!

[Ryan Rothhaar]

8th moose trip set up for this fall in AK.  Have been 4 times in AK, twice in BC, and once in Newfoundland.  Moose hunting is a blast!  Shooting an arrow into a rutty bull at 10 feet grunting and slobbering on himself is about as much fun as you can have with a bow in your hand.

R

[Walt Francis]

Walt, if I may ask, what are you spending for a solo drop camp?

If you get a moose and take all the meat home figure around $10K +/-.  That is from my front door, solo, dropped in the bush, and back home to the front door.  Having done it so many times gear is not a major cost to me.  If you are a gear head you could match the the $10k in gear.

[Maclean]

Walt, if I may ask, what are you spending for a solo drop camp?

If you get a moose and take all the meat home figure around $10K +/-.  That is from my front door, solo, dropped in the bush, and back home to the front door.  Having done it so many times gear is not a major cost to me.  If you are a gear head you could match the the $10k in gear.

Thanks Walt!

[mnbwhtr]

I went to Bill Loves camp in BC in 1979 and got a P&y'r the first day. Went to ONT and shot a paddlehorn on my last day of my hunt and then hunted in MN in 2001 for 16 days DIY but didn't get one. You can't believe how big they are until get one down! Good luck!

[Jeff D. Holchin]

Walt is correct, you gotta make it happen, not just talk or dream about it.  I set this goal many years ago and was lucky enough to draw tags and kill bulls on solo DIY hunts in NH and WY, did a guided hunt in NF but missed a bull, and got this bull on a solo fly-in wilderness hunt last fall in AK.  Of course, you don’t just wake up one day and are good at tough solo wilderness hunts, you gotta learn how to do it, figure out what gear works for you, and how to survive in bad weather,  and how to take care of a large dead critter WAY back from the road! Work your way up to it, until you have the skills and confidence to do it. 

Ps - Monty Browning just finished a book that explains all the ins and outs of planning and conducting an AK moose hunt like those he and guys like Walt, Ryan, Mike Mitten, and others have taken - get that book, if this is something you really want to do!

[twitchstick]

I am at maximum points for a cow moose in my home state, maybe this year I will get lucky and draw!

[Vroomvroom]

I was wondering if you all thought there was much a difference in capability between a 50# vs 55# bow of the same model for something like a moose?

[Terry Green]

Walt, I don't care what your poliot's name is, I'm just going to show up. 

[frassettor]

I have done seven Alaskan moose hunts, one float hunt and six drop camps. All the drop camps were with a selfbow and the float trip with a glass longbow. The first in 1999 ( float) and the latest last fall (2023).  I am going solo again in 2025.  My advice :
1. Quit dreaming and make it happen.  It will only happen if YOU make it happen!
2. Make the commitment to make it happen.  Commitment should not be no longer than three years, preferably two.  Any longer than three years the commitment will waiver and excuses not to go when planned will be excessive.  If you deviate from the committed date, it won’t happen.  I only know one person who made happen after deviating from their planned date….and over 100 that didn’t make it happen.  They are all still dreaming about doing it but never will.  Yes,    there will always be numerous good reasons to”Postpone” the moose hunt.  It is ultimately your choice.
3. Get a good pilot!  Do your research, check references, both successful and unsuccessful hunters.
4. Do not ask who my pilot is, I will not tell you.

That’s great advice. Especially #1 and 2