2024 AK Moose Prep

[Cwagsta]

I’ve been moose hunting one time in AK. So I will impart a few of the many lessons I learned. Unquestionably do not call too much. It can and will have the opposite effect.
Just because the boat is out of the water does not mean the water won’t rise and take your raft!
My father and I had our primary raft 30 feet from the waters edge on a river and woke the next morning to a severely swollen river and a missing raft. Tie it up! Bringing too luxurious a camp becomes an anchor that makes one less willing to move.
Hope this helps everyone not repeat these easily avoidable mistakes.


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[wyosam]

I’ve been moose hunting one time in AK. So I will impart a few of the many lessons I learned. Unquestionably do not call too much. It can and will have the opposite effect.
Just because the boat is out of the water does not mean the water won’t rise and take your raft!
My father and I had our primary raft 30 feet from the waters edge on a river and woke the next morning to a severely swollen river and a missing raft. Tie it up! Bringing too luxurious a camp becomes an anchor that makes one less willing to move.
Hope this helps everyone not repeat these easily avoidable mistakes.


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The reverse can also be true- just because the jet boat is tied up securely in the water, doesn’t mean it won’t be 15 from the water sitting in the gravel in the morning. Mine isn’t even that big and it sucks a bunch to move on dry ground.


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[VernAK]

I’ve been moose hunting one time in AK. So I will impart a few of the many lessons I learned. Unquestionably do not call too much. It can and will have the opposite effect.
Just because the boat is out of the water does not mean the water won’t rise and take your raft!
My father and I had our primary raft 30 feet from the waters edge on a river and woke the next morning to a severely swollen river and a missing raft. Tie it up! Bringing too luxurious a camp becomes an anchor that makes one less willing to move.
Hope this helps everyone not repeat these easily avoidable mistakes.


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Gotta agree! I tie my boats with two lines after having beaver chew a single line. The more experience you have, the less equipment you need.

 

[Cooter49]

Moose hunting is on my bucket list in AK.

 

[WMR]

Gotta agree! I tie my boats with two lines after having beaver chew a single line. The more experience you have, the less equipment you need.

Gosh Vern, if that’s the case, I’d think you could get it done with a knife, a lighter and a sharp stick!

 

[barehandlineman]

Been up few times hunting fishing l, this last year was my first time moose hunting did a diy hunt. Definitely hooked going back in 25 but hauling jet boat up this time. Still working on where im going

 

[wyosam]

Been up few times hunting fishing l, this last year was my first time moose hunting did a diy hunt. Definitely hooked going back in 25 but hauling jet boat up this time. Still working on where im going

Keep in mind, there are A LOT of jet boats in Alaska, not to mention the airboats that run in even less water. It is a lot harder than you’d think to get away from people via boat chasing moose.


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[barehandlineman]

Ya i have thought about it. I have 100 gallon tank and 100 gallon bladder hoping i can get further away then most. Not dead set on exactly what im doing yet

 

[garrett_hartley]

What’s everyone doing/ done when it comes to shipping meat home? I’m from Michigan doing a diy moose hunt this year and am flying to Alaska so I will need to ship my meat home. Yes I know it will be expensive, not worried about that just want to know if anybody’s past experience with shipping it home. Any special companies you’ve used? Or butchers you have used who will ship it once packaged? How’s it work? I flew my elk back a couple years ago in about 8 coolers lol not looking to do that again haha… thanks

 

[barehandlineman]

Get a hold of nick, alaska trophy expiditer, hell pick meat up store it in locker taje to butcher and ship back, he will also pick you up at airport and take you too the airstrip you most likely fly out of to go anywhere else out of anchorage and take you back too airport,

 

[garrett_hartley]

Get a hold of nick, alaska trophy expiditer, hell pick meat up store it in locker taje to butcher and ship back, he will also pick you up at airport and take you too the airstrip you most likely fly out of to go anywhere else out of anchorage and take you back too airport,

Thank you. I have reached out to him. Sounds like he’s the one to go through based off of all the recommendations I’ve gotten. Thanks again!

 

[Robinhood21]

The first year my uncle and father were able to check on antlers & meat as baggage. AA has changed the rules on checking on antlers lately as supposedly they only check on 1 set of antlers per flight. (I've heard some airports are strict on this and others are not)

The second time we shipped all of our meat and antlers Air Cargo as our pilots wife is a known shipper for Alaska Air Cargo. She went with us when we checked everything in and I picked up my meat and antlers in Kansas City when they came in. I had to make 2 separate trips though as the meat came before the rack. It cost me $550 all in.

 

[garrett_hartley]

The first year my uncle and father were able to check on antlers & meat as baggage. AA has changed the rules on checking on antlers lately as supposedly they only check on 1 set of antlers per flight. (I've heard some airports are strict on this and others are not)

The second time we shipped all of our meat and antlers Air Cargo as our pilots wife is a known shipper for Alaska Air Cargo. She went with us when we checked everything in and I picked up my meat and antlers in Kansas City when they came in. I had to make 2 separate trips though as the meat came before the rack. It cost me $550 all in.

That ain’t bad at all! Definitely worth 550

 

[Robinhood21]

That ain’t bad at all! Definitely worth 550

For sure, I would think that's the way to go if you can ship air cargo and you're looking to save some money. We've always processed our own meat so that's a bonus. I will say, it took forever.... having to let 90lb blocks of frozen meat thaw before being able to peel pieces apart to butcher.

 

[Robinhood21]

Bottom line for me...whatever I bring has to be reliable and do its job regardless of what Mother Nature throws my way, especially on remote trips up here.

Solid advise ^^^

 

[barehandlineman]

The first year my uncle and father were able to check on antlers & meat as baggage. AA has changed the rules on checking on antlers lately as supposedly they only check on 1 set of antlers per flight. (I've heard some airports are strict on this and others are not)

The second time we shipped all of our meat and antlers Air Cargo as our pilots wife is a known shipper for Alaska Air Cargo. She went with us when we checked everything in and I picked up my meat and antlers in Kansas City when they came in. I had to make 2 separate trips though as the meat came before the rack. It cost me $550 all in.

This year i flew my antlers back whole and cape no problem Alaska Airlines, meat went air cargo maybe two weeks later

 

[barehandlineman]

Only issue youll run into is if its warm and you kill bull early. I set up aircargo account before i went. When bull was flown out place we were staying in illiamna had no cooler to hang that long so they want it donated or gone so then it goes to anchorage and you have to do something with it so i just had it picked up by nick and took it too butcher. I process my own meat but i was extremely happy i had them do it. Best advice line everything out for easy trip. Its nice to save money but sometimes ease of mind is worth it. I think i was 5k roughly after all butchering and paying nick to pick up box ship. Does great job packing. Cape was vaccum sealed then in fish box frozen thats a long bed pick up. Lots of meat

 

[garrett_hartley]

For sure, I would think that's the way to go if you can ship air cargo and you're looking to save some money. We've always processed our own meat so that's a bonus. I will say, it took forever.... having to let 90lb blocks of frozen meat thaw before being able to peel pieces apart to butcher.

 

[garrett_hartley]

I can imagine. That would be a pain. We will probably have it processed in anchorage somewhere and then have it shipped home that way when we get back the work is done and into the freezer. I wouldn’t think it would be much more than 200-300 to have it all done at a butcher.

 

[Robinhood21]

Only issue youll run into is if its warm and you kill bull early. I set up aircargo account before i went. When bull was flown out place we were staying in illiamna had no cooler to hang that long so they want it donated or gone so then it goes to anchorage and you have to do something with it so i just had it picked up by nick and took it too butcher. I process my own meat but i was extremely happy i had them do it. Best advice line everything out for easy trip. Its nice to save money but sometimes ease of mind is worth it. I think i was 5k roughly after all butchering and paying nick to pick up box ship. Does great job packing. Cape was vaccum sealed then in fish box frozen thats a long bed pick up. Lots of meat

Nick is definitely the easy button! I planned on using him but it worked out both times that I didn't need to. Great guy too!