Hey guys, I've been planning my first moose hunt for the past 3 years and the time is finally getting close! Myself and and buddy are getting dropped off by air taxi this fall for a 10 day hunt. I've been coyote hunting hard here in the Midwest for the past few months and the moose hunt was kind of pushed to the back of my mind a little but with coyote hunting slowing down, I've started watching a lot of moose hunting videos and reading up again and I got flooded with a buttload of emotions; anxiety, nervousness, excitement, uncertainty; my question is how many of you get feelings like this before big hunts? If it's your first hunt or your 10th hunt do you still get them? I've been out west elk hunting in the mountains and never really got this way.
1st moose hunt emotions
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bighornbor
FNG
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2026
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- 18
Channel those into target shooting, fitness, other preparations and you will have a great hunt
TXHunt
Lil-Rokslider
I leave May 15th for a brown bear hunt and I’m mostly just extremely excited but yea I’m constantly thinking about everything to do with it, travel plans, gear list and final preparations…… I am using that energy to hit the gym 4 days a week and spending time behind my rifle shooting off my pack.
Panhandler80
WKR
We did a self guided Alaska drop camp a couple years ago, and the emotion that I found surprising was the feeling AFTER the hunt. Leading up to the hunt so much thought and effort went into gear / logistics / studying maps / weighing items / etc. Then the hunt. Then when I got back it was almost like depression. Just like that... it was all over! We didn't harvest, and that likely had a little to do with it, but it was more like this void of "now what?" Kinda had the same feeling the few days after my wedding. I soon started planning a new hunt and things improved, though!
Meanderthal
FNG
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2020
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- 48
If you don't mind sharing, where you going to hunt?
I appreciate everyone’s responses! I’ll be in 16b. I’ve researched for hours on the unit but still not real sure what to expect.
I feel good behind the gun plenty of shooting all winter at coyotes out to 500 yards. I think my main anxiety is coming from the just getting there and everything back even though I have all my flights booked and everything. I’ve hunted out west but never in grizzly country so that might have a little to do with as well but I’m not horribly worried as I’ve studied up on that topic a lot too.
Just kind of had a bag of emotions but I’m definitely excited for the adventure as well! I think if I knew how every hunt was going to go ahead of time I wouldn’t enjoy them and honestly I hope I never get to the point where I don’t feel some sort of emotions before a big hunt!
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wildwilderness
WKR
I don't know why so many people get so excited over moose and brown bear.... I guess they seem like some apex achievement and are really cool animals. But to me the actual Hunt for those can be actually really boring, bad weather, long glassing and calling with not much to show for it.... and if you are lucky to get a moose the size and work to move meat and care for it. Id much rather chase sheep/goats/deer/caribou any day of the week!
But at least you have something to look forward to. It keeps you motivated and will give you experience
But at least you have something to look forward to. It keeps you motivated and will give you experience
I think it’s excitement of the unknown and adventure. I’m from Iowa so we have wide open fields, hunting is fairly safe it’s not like you can get lost or stranded, there’s no risk of getting attacked by anything; besides maybe a cow
flying in a small plane, basically being cut off from society. I know you can get that doing other hunts as well but it just leads to excitement for guys that don’t experience it every year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
medvedyt
WKR
of course it is easier to not be touched by having to haul and pack the whole meat of a moose but i will still stop to hunt i do not feel anything anymore ... but i prefer caribou over any moose especially in august ... but despite all the talks winter is still here and i imagine in your place as well lol
NRA4LIFE
WKR
Have you ever seen a dead moose on the ground up close? Be prepared. It is eye opening.
kwackkillncrew
WKR
Before i go out, i never worry about getting back. I worry about getting back once i am already out there. No point to worry how to get back if you are not even in the field yet! worry about getting in the field first.
Robinhood21
WKR
Definitely myself but I’ve only gotten that bad before the moose hunts. I think what gets me inside is the unknown…. which is classic Alaska.
On the first hunt up there. I was planning the trip for my father, uncle and I. I spearheaded the whole thing. Everything from what gear to buy, logistics to and from, air taxi, and actual hunt locations. I felt the pressure no doubt but felt good about all my decisions. It hit me the hardest when my first 3 locations were already taken by other camps. We landed and as I was setting up camp by myself, waiting on the other two guys, I was sick to my stomach thinking to myself, “what did I get us all into.” Once we were a couple days in, all those emotions went away and we ended up having the most epic trip ever with my uncle and father taking great bulls and memories I look back on almost daily.
The second trip up there with my cousin, once again I was a wreck emotionally. I didn’t show it but I felt it inside even though I felt like I was prepared as good as I could have been. I remember when training for the hunt I would day dream about taking my first bull. I’d close my eyes and envision walking up to it. I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself…. How would I explain going up there twice and not bringing back a bull of my own? I just couldn’t bare with the thought of defeat. That hunt ended up being epic as well with my cousin and I both tagged out on big bulls.
The third hunt up there wasn’t as stressful at all but the pressure was still there. Not nearly as bad as the first two hunts. I felt like I had caught a groove, really had my gear list dialed in and a had good grasp on how to hunt moose.
The plan is to go back in 2027 and I’m sure all those emotions will come back. I really enjoy all the prep work leading up to the hunt. It’s the best feeling being at the airport knowing where you’re going and what you get to experience for the next couple of weeks…. It’s always the unknown of Alaska that gets me stirred up.
On the first hunt up there. I was planning the trip for my father, uncle and I. I spearheaded the whole thing. Everything from what gear to buy, logistics to and from, air taxi, and actual hunt locations. I felt the pressure no doubt but felt good about all my decisions. It hit me the hardest when my first 3 locations were already taken by other camps. We landed and as I was setting up camp by myself, waiting on the other two guys, I was sick to my stomach thinking to myself, “what did I get us all into.” Once we were a couple days in, all those emotions went away and we ended up having the most epic trip ever with my uncle and father taking great bulls and memories I look back on almost daily.
The second trip up there with my cousin, once again I was a wreck emotionally. I didn’t show it but I felt it inside even though I felt like I was prepared as good as I could have been. I remember when training for the hunt I would day dream about taking my first bull. I’d close my eyes and envision walking up to it. I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself…. How would I explain going up there twice and not bringing back a bull of my own? I just couldn’t bare with the thought of defeat. That hunt ended up being epic as well with my cousin and I both tagged out on big bulls.
The third hunt up there wasn’t as stressful at all but the pressure was still there. Not nearly as bad as the first two hunts. I felt like I had caught a groove, really had my gear list dialed in and a had good grasp on how to hunt moose.
The plan is to go back in 2027 and I’m sure all those emotions will come back. I really enjoy all the prep work leading up to the hunt. It’s the best feeling being at the airport knowing where you’re going and what you get to experience for the next couple of weeks…. It’s always the unknown of Alaska that gets me stirred up.
The fact that you are feeling emotions related to the hunt is a very good sign. You can only control what you can control. For my moose hunt I made damn sure I was extremely comfortable with my gun/load combination. I knew if I saw a moose in reasonable range I could kill it, no doubt. Of all the planning and prep i did the gun/load combo was by far the most important from a confidence perspective. If the nervousness, anticipation and big energy I feel before going on ANY hunt ever fades, I will stop hunting. What you are experiencing is completely normal, average and healthy. Have a great trip and make some great memories.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2026
- Messages
- 7
I typically get real amped up when I know I'll be elk hunting the next season. I use that to start doing workouts and researching since I'm very motivated when I feel like that
Absolutely...to feel the emotions you've described simply means that you're wired correctly. If you were not having those feelings leading up to your first Alaska moose hunt, then that would be a true concern!
As others have suggested, channel those emotions into productive and planful preparation. Target practice with the rifle (or bow) you're bringing...shooting from field positions. Learn all you can about moose behavior during the rut progression, different calls to use in that progression, etc. Make sure you learn all you can about optimal field butchering of a moose and responsible meat care over time in the field. Get yourself in physical shape to hump meat loads...it's an experience never forgotten, especially if humping over tundra. Make sure the gear you bring will do the job no matter what Mother Nature throws at you...she's the boss here in Alaska. So much more, but I'll stop there.
BTW, all those feelings you're having now will come back when you see a bull in the field. Calling a bull moose as close to me as I can is my personal preference, and it's always, always exciting for me!
I really appreciate everyone’s responses and advice!
I’m also the one that planned all the logistics from air taxi, travel, put a pack list together and showed my partner what I recommended, etc. That’s been a stressful part just hoping I have all that dialed in. Hopefully this won’t be my only moose hunt up there and the more I do it the more I’ll be able to dial all that stuff in for what works and what doesn’t.
This excitement and nervousness is just part of why I LOVE these out of state trips and I can’t wait to get up there!
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One suggestion, from someone who did the planning and logistics for over a dozen remote AK moose and caribou hunts:
Doing the research and scheduling flights and other logistics gives us a sense of progress and control....once you arrive at your air taxi's base of operations, understand that you are no longer in control, and try to go with the flow. You will be on their schedule, and they have reasons for scheduling hunters and flights that may not be obvious to you and me. You might have clear skies at their base of operations, but bad weather or prevailing winds out in the field may delay your planned departure by hours or even days. Same thing with puckup/flying out of the field. Focus on the things you can control, and don't stress over things you can't control. Best of luck to you.
Doing the research and scheduling flights and other logistics gives us a sense of progress and control....once you arrive at your air taxi's base of operations, understand that you are no longer in control, and try to go with the flow. You will be on their schedule, and they have reasons for scheduling hunters and flights that may not be obvious to you and me. You might have clear skies at their base of operations, but bad weather or prevailing winds out in the field may delay your planned departure by hours or even days. Same thing with puckup/flying out of the field. Focus on the things you can control, and don't stress over things you can't control. Best of luck to you.
Very well said…and very, very true!
ridgerunnerrron
FNG
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2025
- Messages
- 84
When one no longer gets excited before, or during or after the hunt, it's time to stop hunting...and take up something else!
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