diy alaska moose hunt
 

looking for info on best way to go about hunting moose on your on in alaska. areas to hunt,pilots to drop u off .we dont want to go with outfitter cant afford it.

First thing you want to do is come up with a budget Joe. Alaska is huge, but there is very little road access (i.e. cheap) and hunt success along the road system is generally quite low. To increase your chances of success you'll want to fly out and possible do a DIY float hunt. I'd highly recommend you go with a hunt planner to help with logistics. Larry Bartlett of Pristine Ventures is a top notch guy who specializes in setting people up on quality DIY moose hunts. His fee is well worth his knowledge base and if you divide it up between two or three guys it's downright cheap. I've hunted with Larry and I can't say enough good about him or his operation. He's out of the country until mid-Feb. so don't be surprised if it takes a few weeks for a response, but he will get back to you.

http://www.pristineventures.com/adve...t-planner.html

Familiarize yourself with the regs too.

http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index...ations.hunting

thanks budgett is 3000 for 2 of us .

Lots of good info here http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/

BTW is that 3K for the whole trip? I think you have to take like 3 plane trips each way, plane to AK (usually anchorage) plane from there to a staging area, then a charter plane to a river head. I heard the charter alone is about 1500$ or more. then if you kill somthing early and want be picked up early its xtra, plus gear rental, licenses, meat packing & transportation, Ive looked into this several Xs I never came up with a number less than 8k DIY per person there and back and Im sure theres alot of unexpected expenses. you could probably do a sitka deer hunt for 3K though.

Ive also looked into a BC moose hunt, about 10K fully guided there and back 1 plane trip both ways.

You mean for each of you right? Not trying to burst your bubble by any means, it's just a DIY non-resident moose hunt will cost a minimum $3-4k per person. Transportation to Alaska and then transit in and out of the field will be the bulk of the cost. It's good to have a friend with a plane or a boat.

Huh......I didn't know you could do a DIY hunt in Alaska if you were a non resident,I was under the assumtion you needed a licensed guide.

A guide is required for non residents to hunt sheep, goats, and brown/grizzly bear in Alaska...

Other species may be hunted unguided...I've done 5 unguided DIY hunts for moose, caribou and black bear...

What area of the state would be best for moose and be one of the most remote, for a DIY float trip. Thanks Sean

we would drive up. the budgett would be for just the hunt. the plane ride to and back from remote camp .we have all the gear for a drop camp cause we pack in 2 weeks a year im montana for elk. im just looking for the pilot and place to be dropped off.we would even trade our guided elk hunt for someone to go with us moose hunting that goes in alaska and knows a area somewhat.

"Best for moose" and "most remote" aren't necessarilly one in the same. One of the best places for trophy moose in Alaska is Fort Richardson which is on the north side of Anchorage. There's a lot of BIG bulls there, but it's just a few miles from the largest city in Alaska. The most remote areas of the state would probably be in the Brooks Range, but moose densities there are often quite low. Unit 20 around Fairbanks and Delta Junction has a generally high moose density, but there are antler restrictions and rather short seasons to contend with, not to mention quite a few other hunters.

Keep in mind that driving won't likely save you a lot of money. Gas in Canada is heavily taxed, and you'll have to pay for Canadian firearms permits as well. If you rotate drivers and only take pee breaks it'll still take you the better part of a week of driving round trip. That said it is a scenic drive, and the Alcan is generally in decent shape. Just watch out for the frost heaves in the Yukon.

Here's an idea of what bush flights cost.

http://fortymileair.com/pricing.htm

$1795 base rate per hunter for moose, plus $900 per moose if you're successful. That has your budget pretty maxed out (assuming it's $3k/person) and it doesn't include the $500 in licenses you'll have to buy.

Be careful about trying to trade hunts. Alaska has strict laws about bartering hunts as compensation for people that aren't licensed guides. It's still an option, but you have to keep really good records of how costs are split to show that you didn't "compensate" somebody that isn't licensed.

thanks for the info jeff.i guess didnt ralize to be dropped off by a plane was so expensive.we had planned on driving so if we got lucky u wouldnt get killed by the freight of moose being flown back.if someone would tade a hunt there would be no money exchane i would just like to swap like i do with buddies around here i take freinds on my place and they take me but i dont see this happing for alaska but it would be nice.we enjoy taking guys out with us for their first elk during the rrut its just as good as shooting it yourself.i just luv being in the backcountry packing in on horse and aint a slole around getting the elk is iceing on the cake. thanks for info . joe

OK most of the info has been right on, but if you and a friend drive up, it should not be that long, expensive yes gas in Canada is outrageous ,here it's over3.40 now.I have driven from the east coast by myself in less than a week, once from Billings in two and a half days,and with a friend we made Seattle from here in 2 days.
For someone like you, looking to DIY as much as possible ,you might look into applying for some of the draw hunts near the road system, if your lucky enough to draw you could have a good hunt, without the hunting pressure that goes along with hunting near the road, but be prepared ,a large bull moose is a formidable packing job if you are very far from transportation.
One more note swapping hunts can lead to problems here, unless the person your dealing with is a guide here, no one that isn't a guide can accept anything for services, and a swapped hunt would cross that line, as I understand it.
Alex

well im learning alot about alaska. sounds like best way to go is the float trip which sounds like it would be a great trip.what i dont understand is i checked on a feww drops for this and a 8 to 10 day hunt sounds good but thats a long time with only 50lbs of gear how do u get that low on weight with food,camp and clothes .does any one have a list of what they pack.what size raft would you rent to carry you and your buddy and 2 moose if you got that lucky. With fortymile air sounds great but i guess u get flown in then they do a fly by and drop your gear off then u float till u hit your vehicle do i understand this right.im a horse man when it comes to hunting but rafting im limited on knowledge besides floating the blackfoot and flyfishing. the pristine adventure thing what exactly does that entail i have never seen a place that plans your hunt how does that work whats it include besides a map no disrespect im just trying to learn. thanks a lot for all of yalls info.

Do tell...

How many guys went each time?

How many animals were taken amongst all of you guys?

Trip #1 in 1989.... Two guys..two bull moose and a bull
caribou... ( float trip)

Trip #2, 1991... Floatplane drop...5 guys... 3 bull caribou and 1 black bear...

Trip #3, 1996.. Floatplane drop... 5 guys...1 bull caribou, 2 cow caribou, 1 black bear and 1 bull moose..

Trip #4 , 1999... Supercub drop... 4 guys, 8 bull caribou...

Trip # 5, 2001... Supercub drop...4 guys...6 bull caribou, 1 cow caribou...

We took all of our own gear and supplies on the first four hunts with the exception of the rafts on the float hunt, which we rented from the air taxi provider...

In 2001, we did an unguided, outfitted hunt, where the air taxi provider also provided the camp and food....

You guys seemed to do quite well!

You prefer the plane trips over the float trips? or just how it's worked out over the years?

Have considered possibly doing a trip like that for moose and maybe caribou. Probably 2 guys, maybe 3/4 though if it came together.

Like Larry's website says you get...

http://www.pristineventures.com/adve...t-planner.html

Your Hunt Planner Includes:

• An exclusive area to hunt away from crowds, which will be chosen to suit your skill level.
• Complete topographical map coverage (1:63,360 scale) of your hunt area printed on waterproof map paper, which includes satellite images of the Put-In and Take-Out location.
• Economical and competent bush service with air charter reservations made by us.
• Hunt Planner CD, which has numerous resources, including raft rental video instructions, product features video, multimedia presentations (Powerpoint), and scores of additional resources to help develop realistic goals while hunting Alaska.
• Detailed Hunt Plan that describes and outlines your area selection and logistical plans, which also includes all the supporting resources and detailed instructions for direction before, during, and after your big game hunt, which offer resources for game meat donations, shipping antlers and meat home from Alaska, independent research tools, and much more!
• Raft Rental reservations (if applicable)
• Project Bloodtrail: Field Care of Alaska Big Game DVD DVD
• 30-min VHS on How To ID A Legal Bull Moose (ADFG video)
• Float Hunting Alaska (volume I) DVD, which is a 2-hr documentary on How-To Float Hunt Alaska
• Wilderness Taxidermy DVD (3-disc set), covers everything sport hunters must know about field taxidermy, sealing, transporting, and exporting trophy parts inside and outside Alaska. Nearly 3 hours of How-to instruction and Float Draggin' Alaska!
• 20-page booklet on “What-To-Expect” from your adventure, which covers all the good and bad aspects of hunting in today’s Alaska

Trust me, Larry's advice is fantastic. Hunting Alaska is far different than hunting Montana (which I've done many, many times). Logistics, and understanding where and how to hunt moose are paramount. Alaska is huge, and there is a vast amount of public land, but what many people don't understand is that a lot of the state is effectively void of game. Keep in mind that Alaska is four times the size of Montana, and the moose population is about the same as Montana's elk population. However, unlike Montana's elk which tend to live in herds in rather concentrated areas, moose are solitary animals that spread out over huge areas. Even great moose country usually only has 1 or 2 moose per square mile, and most of that square mile is dense forest, brush, and riparian jungles. Larry flies a lot and keeps tabs on where the good areas are that receive limited pressure as opposed to areas with poor moose populations or excessive hunting pressure. There are a lot of air charters out there that could care less about your success. They'll gladly charge you an arm and a leg to drop you somewhere that either has few moose and/or a pile of other hunters. Whether you ever come back is of little concern to them because they have a mile long waiting list of ignorant outsiders who think there's a 60" bull behind every tree in AK. Larry utilizes quality charters that actually care about their reputation, and some won't even book you unless you book through him in order to keep areas from getting overhunted. Tactics for successful moose hunting are also very different than hunting elk in Montana. Here's a link to Larry's moose hunt last fall with two other guys. Note that all three of them took bulls, even though they were in close proximity to another group of hunters that didn't get a single one. That's proof that knowing what you're doing is extremely valuable. Just getting out into the woods is only about 10% of the battle.

http://www.pristineventures.com/foru...eHunt2010.html

Just for the record I'm not compensated by Larry at all for promoting his service. I've just known him for years, I've hunted with him, I've bought all kinds of his gear, and I've learned a heck of a lot from him. He's a stand up guy that does a tremendous amount of work to see to it that his clients are well prepared, have an enjoyable trip, and ultimately have a good chance for success. Just don't ask him for advice on how to drink whiskey. He's pretty weak in that department. His fee might seem like a lot for logistics, but considering it's very likely the difference between success and failure on what is invariably an expensive hunt, even DIY, it's really pretty minimal.

Float trips have thier advantages and disadvantages..One of the disadvantages is that they make meat care more problematical...

Meat keeps surprisingly well if it is put in meat bags, allowed to form a crust, hung in the shade and kept dry..This is more difficult to do on a float hunt when you are making and breaking camp often and jostling the meat bags around..

There are also some hazards associated with float trips, such as death by drowning...:D...

The float trip was a wonderful adventure, but after doing one, I decided I would rather hunt from a fixed camp in a good spot...

thanks i will definitly check this pristine out. would you do a float or drop camp type hunt in a good area.the float looks like you cover a lot more area than you could out of one spot.does his fee cover both of us that would hunt or does each of us have to buy the info. it sounds like his advice basicly covers everything u would need to do for your hunt except actually hunting which would be really good info since a person has no idea what u r getting into till u have done this hunt a time or two. does that sum his sevices up.

Jeff AK, very good advice and very helpful post. Kudos to you.

His fee is per group, so if you split it up two or three ways it's downright cheap. Larry's an expert on float hunts. He designs rafts and rafting equipment specifically for float hunting Alaska, so your best bet is to go that route. He also wrote the book "A Complete Guide to Float Hunting Alaska" and has produced DVD's on float hunting. A float hunt allows you to cover a lot more ground than a drop hunt will. On a drop hunt you're also more inclined to hike out farther if you can't find game close, which can lead you to making the rookie mistake of shooting a moose several miles back in and then spending days in agony packing it out. Trust me, packing a moose any significant distance at all is just a whole lot of suck. I think I mentioned before he's out of the country for a couple weeks so it might take him a bit to get back to you, but he will.

that sounds good. i will definitly look forward to getting ahold of him. thanks jeff u have been a great source of info if u ever make it to montana and want to hunt we arent guides are anything but would enjoy taking you hunting in the montana backcountry no strings attached.

Thanks for the invite Joe, but I grew up in Montana and my family still lives there. They'd be pretty hacked if I came back to hunt in MT and didn't go back to the ranch with them. Just holler if you have anymore questions about Alaska. I've learned a thing or two up here over the years.

Well thanks i do have other questions. Like what kinds of food would u take along when we go in the bob for 10 days we carry 2 coolers with dry ice and eat just like u would at home but hunting where u have to watch ur weight limits would be different and i like to eat a good meal in the evening any suggestions on this.We pack a wall tent in u cant do that there any suggestions .The rivers u float are they pretty calm or u hit pretty good rapids? Sorry ask a lot of questions but have learned from hunting in the backcountry u need to be prepared as best u can.At least u wouldnt have to worry about horses spooking and losing half ur gear down the down the mountian,been there dun that.

I usually pack Mountain House meals when I'm looking to save weight. They seem to pack enough calories, even for hunts with high energy requirements, like sheep hunting. The only problem I've had is that the high sodium content will make it a little rough on the south end of your digestive tract. They're supposed to be using more low sodium recipes lately to help combat that problem. Bartlett for instance doesn't like Mountain House at all so he tends to eat a lot of rice dishes, and things that you can add water to in the field to save on weight. I'm sure he could give you plenty of ideas for light weight food choices.

Alaska has about 3,000 navigable rivers and they range from Class I to V and everything in between. You can organize a hunt to suit whatever your desires are as far as river conditions. Keep in mind that the easier a river is to float the more likely it is to be a popular place for other hunters as well.

There's plenty of lightweight tent choices out there. Titanium Goat, Kifaru, Hilleberg, Kelty, Mountain Hardware, etc. A wall tent is way overkill for a float hunt where you're going to break camp on a near daily basis, and extra weight equals higher cost.

What about using hip boots vs waders beings ur pretty much like duck hunting floating the river.And the weather this time of year probably if u dont like it wait a minute right?Would it be a good idea to get bear tag to or something else u might see while hunting since your there anyway?

I've worn hippers and light weight chest waders on floats up here. Hippers are obviously problematic if the water is very deep, but I do like that they're less tear prone. Chest waders and good wading boots are generally more comfortable over long periods of time. August/September tend to be the rainiest months in a lot of Alaska. Of course it can be hot, or snow, but more often then not it's cool and rainy. As a non-resident you can't hunt grizzlies without a guide, and since you live in Montana I wouldn't bother getting a black bear tag. Interior Alaska black bears are generally pretty small.

Just got a call back from the Trooper. The distinction is in fact one of residence. If you are a resident here by definition, you get to hunt after you've been in Alaska for 12 months and meet all the regs -- makes no difference whether you are a US citizen or a "resident alien". If you just drop in to hunt and you're from another country, you have to hire an outfitter regardless of species being hunted.

So I've learned a new thing today...

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I just read the regs there is a difference between alien and nr us citizen. a nr citizen of the united states which is a person that doesnt live in alaska but from another us state can hunt everything but sheep ,grizzly or goats without a guide.