'09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Hi Guys,

I'm starting '09 hunt planning and want to start homework on doing my first moosehunt too.Problem is I don't have a clue where to start - I've done internet searches on AK and BC hunts, but with guide fees = 8k - 14k these kinds of hunts are clearly out of reach! Any DIY moose hunters out there with tips on how a newbie gets started moose hunting?What books, online materials, specific state F&W sites to read, etcdo yourecommend?

thanks!
phil

PS: I know I'm still years away from drawing in WA state - I've only got 4 loser (moose) points thus far and we're a once in a lifetime moose harvest state ...

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

phil, you might want to consider putting in for New Hampshire and Maine out east-- as far as DIY, keeping a low budget and providing high success-- (draw odds are not great however). Most of the areas in ME are over 80% success-- We also just got back fromhunting in NW WY-- and saw quite a few moose while hunting deer, elk--not sure about the draw odds though--good luck.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

You best chance at harvesting a decent bull moose without breaking the bank is either apply in every western and northeastern state for the next 20 years and hope you get drawn, or cross the border into eastern canada. Several places have somewhat reasonable outfitting costs and you could probably have a moose on the ground forunder $5k. That's a long way to go though from Washington though,and I'm not sure how much it would cost in time and money for you to travel across the continent to shoot a moose.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Thank you maritime363 and npaden! Coincidently huntingnet.com just emailed me and it hadsome moose hunting BC info included - up around Prince George which is only875mi from me. They have a meat moose hunt special in 2009 for $3700 that I'm considering.

thanks again,
phil

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

I would recommend Alaska. Even with the cost of flying you couldDIY for a big bull and still spend less than an outfitted "meat" hunt in BC. The beauty of Alaska lies in the fact that if you went for moose, didn't see any, but stumbled upon a caribou, you could kill the caribou with the moose tag.Check it out and let me know if you have any questions.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Don't think so. $3700 for a meat hunt is a lot cheaper than doing a diy hunt up here. Flying has gotten to be be very expensive in AK, both commercial and bush flying. When you figure flight from lower 48, and all the flying here, with food and gear and shipping all that stuff too it adds up to more than the price of the BC hunt. A lot less hassle too.

Let me know if you have any questions about Alaska too. I've been a licensed hunting guide here since 1990. As much as I hate to say it, go to BC and have a good time.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Have to disagree with you, FarNorth. It's been done. I'll be up that way again next August and I'll bet dollars to donuts I do it for less than $3,700.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Okay RaghornHS, I have the donuts.:)
If you don't mind me asking, what GMU are you talking about?
Are you using an air taxi service?

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

I'll be in 16A with a buddy from Wasilla...no air taxi for this dude!!!

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Yeah, okay, you're hunting an area that accessible by road and have a buddy who lives near the area you're hunting.
A different scenario than most who want to come up here and hunt moose.
Add in flying, gear transportation, etc., you're looking at a lot more $$.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Philnie could hunt that area too, even if he doesn't have a buddy to go with...my point was he could do it for less than $3,700 and get after a big bull...

You can send donuts to...:)

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Hmmm, great information guys ... thanks for the input, etc.One of the things I did after starting my moose hunting "research" was to ask every hunting contact I had about it, etc. It turns out a hunting friend hunts with a couple brothers that have relatives in Wasilla AK. Seems they go up every couple years and hunt moose somewhere around there. I'm waiting to hear back on success rates, costs, difficulties, basically anything and everything, etc... :)

thanks,
phil

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

amen to that, brother. Good luck...

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Have you considered ID shiras moose?

I think you have a 1 in 8 chance of drawing....

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

RaghornHS- I should have added that I'm equally eager to learn of your moose hunting experiences come Aug '09 too! :)

salukipv1- No I haven't done any research on Idaho shiraz moose hunting ... but am adding this to my list of course. Have you any experience hunting in ID (if not how did you discover this info, etc)?

thanks again guys!
phil

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

It's on my list of future apps....basically I'm not applying there until I can feasible do the hunt because I believe it may be a once in a lifetime tag....even though drawing odds are great.

As soon as I have the money and time to dedicate to that hunt and do it right, I'm applying and planning to draw the tag.

As of now, if I were to draw it this year, I wouldn't be able to do it how it needs to be done, and if I'm correct that you can only draw a moose tag once there, I'd hate to waste such a great tag.

I may be wrong but in ID, you can only draw a moose, CA bighorn, Rcky Mtn Bighorn, once for each specie I believe. oh and mtn goat....I think mtn goat is even better odds, 1 in 7 or something.

ID does not have bonus pts, and requires a non-res to purchase a license prior to applying, which means I think like $150 up front and if you don't draw you don't get that back, however, you can draw the 1st year you apply, and its these reasons that few apply unless they're serious....which is why odds are so great...

So its a bit of a gamble, but I think if you're serious about wanting a moose, and the option for this year/next....its def a place to look at.

Feel free to email/ IM me

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

Phil, you hunting with rifle or bow...or muzzleloader.
If with bow i might have a few ideas for you. Alsothere are places to rent 4 wheelers also that can get you away from the road.
FYI - GOOD HEAVY GAME BAGS 6-8 depending on whether area you hunt requires you to bring out rib meat on thebones.

RE: '09 Moose Hunt Options?
 

AK Nimrod- Right now it's rifle or muzzleloader, but it could be bow down the road. I'd be a complete newbie archery hunter so would want 1-2 years of archery deer hunting at least before trying archery moose ... :) What archery moose hunting tips/options (in AK or perhaps elsewhere) did you have in mind?

thank you,
phil