2025 AK Moose Drop Hunt. Archery/Rifle From Start to Finish

[CommonRookie]

This thread will document our process from start to finish of planning, prepping and executing a partial DIY drop hunt in AK in 2025. This is a bucket list adventure for me and my hunting buddy. Rockslide forums have been a huge part of our early planning and this thread will be an attempt to consolidate and share what we learn along the way in hopes that it helps someone else in the future.

Hunt Location: Iliama, AK Area
Dates: Sept, 2025
Style: Drop Hunt, Self Guided
Transport Service/Planner: Bushwhack Alaska
Weapon: Archery w/ Rifle Backup

 

[CommonRookie]

Guided, Pure DIY or Partial Service?

If this is something you're considering at all, you should start now. Most good operations are at least 1-2 years out on bookings and it doesn't hurt to get yourself on wait lists now. We have both been on serval moose hunts as cameramen so we felt confident in our ability to execute the hunt unguided. While I don't find moose hunts to be particularly difficult I do think it would be tough to go unguided for your first. Fully guided options were out of our price range and booked many years in advance so we settled on an unguided hunt. This is an expensive endeavor and requires a lot of time off from work and away from families. We looked at a lot of pure DIY options and felt like it was worth the investment of a service to boost our odds of success and close the knowledge gap since this isn't something we expect to be able to do often.

After calling around serval operations based on suggestions here we landed on Bushwhack AK operating out of Iliamna. Our primary objective is killing 2 mature bulls with bows. We aren't planning on being picky about the size but Bushwhack expressed confidence in our chances and their DIY hunts have a high success rate and quality of animal. They charge a premium but we liked what they had to say and their overall approach. Ultimately, we felt like it was an investment in the overall experience and booked.

Cost: $12,500/hunter (30% deposit at booking)
Includes: Hunt Planning and Coordination, transport from Iliamna to drop camp, hunter extraction, animal extraction. Raft/boat based on hunting location and style. Satellite communication device.
Does not include: Camp Gear, License, Tags, etc.