Yukon Moose
05-25-2018, 06:12 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 9
Yukon Moose
I am in the beginning stages of planning/preparing for a moose hunt in the Yukon. I am hoping to do it within the next 5 years and have it narrowed down to three outfitters: Yukon Stone, Bonnet Plume or Rogue River. They are all pretty close in price.
Has anyone had any experience with either of these outfits? Or, who did you use for your Yukon moose adventure? Could you please share some of your experiences, ie. things you wish you would’ve known ahead of time, things you would have done different, lessons learned, good/bad, etc?
I know there are other places out there that are cheaper or DIY options, but this is my bucket list hunt.
Thanks so much.
Has anyone had any experience with either of these outfits? Or, who did you use for your Yukon moose adventure? Could you please share some of your experiences, ie. things you wish you would’ve known ahead of time, things you would have done different, lessons learned, good/bad, etc?
I know there are other places out there that are cheaper or DIY options, but this is my bucket list hunt.
Thanks so much.
06-02-2018, 07:21 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
I think any of the ones you are looking at are good outfits.. I've looked at all of outfitters in the Yukon, NWT, and BC for Mountain Caribou. The way information travels over the internet these days, with outfitter reviews, etc. bad outfitters will not stay in business very long. If you haven't looked at outfitter reviews, do a search and there are a couple of sites that have them. You pay a couple of bucks to get them, but they are good info. If you go on the bowsite.com site the outfitter reviews are free.
Just keep in mind that the photos you see on the websites are the best of the best that are taken for the most part. You may find a 65" to 70" bull, but despite what you see on the TV shows and the websites, those bulls are hard to find. All of the outfits in the Yukon have produced bulls of that caliber. It's pretty much a matter of getting lucky to find a bull that large. I'd suggest taking the first bull you see that you like whether it's a 50" bull or a 60" bull. It's more about the experience anyway than the size of the bull, but listen to your guide.. If he says shoot or don't shoot, follow his advice.
I hunted moose in Northern B.C. a few years back along the Yukon Border. When I was driving home I was stopped for road construction. I had the antlers in the back of my truck......nice Canadian bull that scored 188" (53" wide). He was an old bull on the downhill slide. The guy in the truck behind me came up to see my bull while we were waiting. He and 3 friends were on their way back from a moose hunt in the Yukon, but he didn't mention which outfitter they went with. They had a tough time finding moose. Out of the 4, they killed one bull and it was a lot smaller than the one I killed. They did kill a wolf though. That's hunting. He said they had a great time and the guides worked hard and he'd go back in a second, but they just didn't get into any big bulls. I just wanted to share that story to put things in perspective.... Not all hunters who book a hunt come home with a big bull. The big thing is the weather. If it's too warm or if you have a lot of rain, wind, etc, you will have a tough time. Again, that's just hunting. Weather in that part of Canada is very unpredictable. That's why most hunts are at least 10 days long.. It allows for the weather, delays in getting you in to your hunting area, etc. I was lucky on my hunt....there were no delays due to weather.
Regarding going within the next 5 years, I'd book a hunt asap. The prices go up every year. I hunted in 2014 with CSO and the all inclusive price was $12,500. That same hunt today is $16,000 plus licenses and plus the air charter of $1,650... You're looking at close to $20,000 for the hunt I paid $12,500 for just 4 years ago.
Good luck!!!!
Just keep in mind that the photos you see on the websites are the best of the best that are taken for the most part. You may find a 65" to 70" bull, but despite what you see on the TV shows and the websites, those bulls are hard to find. All of the outfits in the Yukon have produced bulls of that caliber. It's pretty much a matter of getting lucky to find a bull that large. I'd suggest taking the first bull you see that you like whether it's a 50" bull or a 60" bull. It's more about the experience anyway than the size of the bull, but listen to your guide.. If he says shoot or don't shoot, follow his advice.
I hunted moose in Northern B.C. a few years back along the Yukon Border. When I was driving home I was stopped for road construction. I had the antlers in the back of my truck......nice Canadian bull that scored 188" (53" wide). He was an old bull on the downhill slide. The guy in the truck behind me came up to see my bull while we were waiting. He and 3 friends were on their way back from a moose hunt in the Yukon, but he didn't mention which outfitter they went with. They had a tough time finding moose. Out of the 4, they killed one bull and it was a lot smaller than the one I killed. They did kill a wolf though. That's hunting. He said they had a great time and the guides worked hard and he'd go back in a second, but they just didn't get into any big bulls. I just wanted to share that story to put things in perspective.... Not all hunters who book a hunt come home with a big bull. The big thing is the weather. If it's too warm or if you have a lot of rain, wind, etc, you will have a tough time. Again, that's just hunting. Weather in that part of Canada is very unpredictable. That's why most hunts are at least 10 days long.. It allows for the weather, delays in getting you in to your hunting area, etc. I was lucky on my hunt....there were no delays due to weather.
Regarding going within the next 5 years, I'd book a hunt asap. The prices go up every year. I hunted in 2014 with CSO and the all inclusive price was $12,500. That same hunt today is $16,000 plus licenses and plus the air charter of $1,650... You're looking at close to $20,000 for the hunt I paid $12,500 for just 4 years ago.
Good luck!!!!
06-04-2018, 08:36 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
Take your time and do your homework.... Looking at the different outfitters offering hunts, talking to them, talking to people who have hunted with them, etc. is half the fun. Be sure to talk to whatever outfitters you narrow it down to several times. Don't be afraid to call them with whatever questions you might have even if that means calling them a dozen times. I almost went with a different outfitter than the one I finally went with, but the second time I talked to him he was contradicting himself from things he had told me the first time I'd talked to him. As I asked more questions he became a bit perturbed and I really didn't like his attitude, which was totally different from the first time I'd talked to him... So, just be thorough and go with your gut instincts.... If you are getting bad vibes there's probably a reason.....
07-13-2018, 11:48 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 162
im talking with Rogue River and Ceaser lake myself about a moose hunt in 2021. the cost is sky rocketing. it seems the transportation in and out of camps is driving up costs substantially. if you can get the money together, go as soon as you can
of those 2 outfitters, they claim 90% shot opportunity with a rifle and slightly less with the bow. most of the opportunities are on great bulls but for the most part are 55+ inches. many who go home empty handed are looking for a once in a lifetime bull. rogue river says they dont like to shoot anything smaller then 55 inch , but probably count an encounter with one as a shot opportunity. they said they took a 72 inch bull this past year, so they do have big ones.
im leaning towards rogue river now just due to their reputation but have yet to talk on the phone with any of them.
of those 2 outfitters, they claim 90% shot opportunity with a rifle and slightly less with the bow. most of the opportunities are on great bulls but for the most part are 55+ inches. many who go home empty handed are looking for a once in a lifetime bull. rogue river says they dont like to shoot anything smaller then 55 inch , but probably count an encounter with one as a shot opportunity. they said they took a 72 inch bull this past year, so they do have big ones.
im leaning towards rogue river now just due to their reputation but have yet to talk on the phone with any of them.
07-14-2018, 07:45 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
If money were an issue, I'd book a hunt with one of the outfitters in Northern B.C. along the Yukon Border.......the moose can't read maps and they don't know whether they are a Canadian Moose or an Alaskan/Yukon Moose. 
Ceaser Lake Outfitters borders B.C.....they are just across the line in the Yukon. I really can't believe the bulls they kill there are any bigger than the bulls on the B.C. side, but the moose hunts along the border in B.C. are much more reasonable....like several thousand dollars less. Many of those outfitters are running 90% plus on their hunts and there is nothing small about the moose they kill. And as you say, they're not going to get any cheaper.. I've yet to see a guided hunt go down in price. It wasn't that long ago you could go to Quebec and kill two caribou for $3,500... that was the going rate as recently as the early 2000's. Of course, the caribou hunting there has been shut down now but it more than doubled in price in less than 10 years before they closed it.
Ceaser Lake Outfitters borders B.C.....they are just across the line in the Yukon. I really can't believe the bulls they kill there are any bigger than the bulls on the B.C. side, but the moose hunts along the border in B.C. are much more reasonable....like several thousand dollars less. Many of those outfitters are running 90% plus on their hunts and there is nothing small about the moose they kill. And as you say, they're not going to get any cheaper.. I've yet to see a guided hunt go down in price. It wasn't that long ago you could go to Quebec and kill two caribou for $3,500... that was the going rate as recently as the early 2000's. Of course, the caribou hunting there has been shut down now but it more than doubled in price in less than 10 years before they closed it.
07-16-2018, 03:14 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 162
thank you andy . i spoke with Dave lawless, the booking agent/guide with Rogue River for close to 3 hours Saturday. we discussed about just about everything to do with the hunt. the cost of fuel up there is through the roof, which in turn is part of the reasons for high cost. other reasons are the moose hunts take quite a bit of fly trips to get gear/game in and out of camps.
as for bulls, they dont like to take young bulls. the guides can usually tell the age very easily. if they have a 65 inch monster young stud, he lives, but they wont count that as a shot opportunity. that said , they also will take a 48 inch old timer and encourage it. i dont have a size requirement or want. just a nice bull. many have gone home empty handed due to not wanting a 57-62 inch bull.
he basically said everything i would expect from an outfit that large and known. i was impressed. im going to talk to ceaser today at some point. i want to talk to ruby ridge as well.
as for bulls, they dont like to take young bulls. the guides can usually tell the age very easily. if they have a 65 inch monster young stud, he lives, but they wont count that as a shot opportunity. that said , they also will take a 48 inch old timer and encourage it. i dont have a size requirement or want. just a nice bull. many have gone home empty handed due to not wanting a 57-62 inch bull.
he basically said everything i would expect from an outfit that large and known. i was impressed. im going to talk to ceaser today at some point. i want to talk to ruby ridge as well.