AK DIY Moose...can it be done?

[big10hunter]

I want to go to AK on a DIY Moose hunt. I hear more unsuccessful hunters than successful hunters. Can anyone help me know more? Costs? Success? Contacts? Thanks all! Awesome site!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Bitterrootbulls (Matt Cashell) did it last year with 2 friends. They went three for three... video is on rokslide somewhere!

Mike

 

[bowuntr]

I did it in 2011 and will be doing it again in 2013. I went with 40 mile air and total cost was probably around $5000 door to door with getting one moose home and processed. I will be doing a repeat trip this year except we're putting two bulls down... With a rifle we would have been done in a few days... Here is a link to my 2011 hunt ... looks like you're gonna have to cut and paste it. Ed F

http://www.theoutdoorsforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36554-jasons-moose/

 

[swat8888]

If you want to DIY then fly into a lake and do a drop hunt. Some of those can land some big ass float planes that can haul some serious weight, thus cutting down on the number of flights you'll need should you be successful. Start calling some air charters, but first get on ADF&G and look up harvest stats and get an idea where you want to go first. I've been very happy flying Wright Air out of Fairbanks....but that wasn't for moose, not sure if they have float planes.

 

[Daniel_M]

DIY is definitely possible but first you need to find your budget, access into remote areas cones at a price. Epic does cost more.

I would recommend pinning down a centralized region and hiring a hunt planner to assist in logistics, meat transportation etc.

Larry Bartlett of Pristine Ventures is a solid float hunt planner for anything in the Brooks Range and to the east of.

Gulkana Rafting in the northwest, Walt I believe is his name.

I'd start no less than 16 months out for planning and to secure an air taxi.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Our DIY Alaskan Moose trip was not the type outlined above. $5K each was out of our price range.

Successfully hunting moose in Alaska requires these 4 basic things:

1. Getting to Alaska.
2. Getting into the backcountry of Alaska.
3. Finding a legal moose.
4. Getting the moose back home.

Getting a tag was not a problem, I bought mine at Walmart OTC at 2 AM.

With a total trip cost of $1800 each, my partners and I did this:

1. Trailered ATVs in an enclosed trailer the 2500 miles to Alaska.
2. Used the ATVs (and ATV trailers) to access backcountry deep off the road system.
3. Hunted units open to "any bull" for non-residents (there are not many of these).
4. Trailered our meat unfrozen, but treated with citric acid, back to Montana.

Fuel was by far the greatest expense.

The money was saved by:

We already had the trailer and ATVs without having to rent.

We did not use a guide or hunt planning service.

We did not stay in hotels or eat out (much) on the way up or back.

We did not pay for a bush flight.

It worked for us.

However, we hunted very hard covering tons of country and spent hours upon hours calling and glassing. We did not see a lot of moose.

 

[realunlucky]

My buddies are driving up to tok and flying with 40 mile they estimate thier cost will be around 3500, driving and than hunting two weeks put me away from work so I had to pass but Im already sorry I didnt go

 

[Ray]

No. 3 in Bitterroots post is a great point.

A non res should really think hard about what they want to achieve from the hunt. Stacks of meat or lots of bone. Most hunt units are 50" and 4 brow tines for NR. There are a few spots in some hunt units, or sub units, that are any bull.

Get a set of regulations and a marker. If you are driving and wheeling look at units that have a main highway. Skip 13 due to no NR OTC tags. Cross through everything that has a R in the left column. Then cross through everything that does not have a HT in one of the right columns. You should now have a few rows with B or N on the left and HT on the right. Those are the spots to focus on.
Last years moose regs should not change for 2013, so you can mark them up and get a plan going.

 

[actionshooter]

I'm doing it this year. Driving from Washington to Fairbanks and then flying out with Wright.
Gonna be gone for a month, starting to get stoked.
Unfourtunatley nothing budget about this one, the cost is nuts.

 

[bowuntr]

Realunlucky, I don't see how your buddy's can get it done for $3,500.... its 3k just for the bush flight, license and tag... Doing a DIY moose hunt is not cheap... especially if you shoot one.... Ed F

 

[actionshooter]

. its 3k just for the bush flight, .. Ed F

I wish mine was that cheap!!

 

[bobhunts]

Papa Bear adventures will do a drop camp or float trip for $4300.00 after getting to Bethel Ak. The airfare is the part that is really make the cost go up alot when I go this year. Included is the raft or boat on a drop camp.. tent,cots and a kitchen. Everything else is up to you. I'm going for ten days in the field and a total of two weeks flying out of Denver. Bob.

 

[big10hunter]

What do you think the chance of success is on most these hunts? If I have to go 2-3 times I would be better off going guided right away.

 

[Daniel_M]

On average, I would say moose in and of itself is a 50% game. Some areas are a slam dunk, some parties go 3 for 3 while others go 3 and 0. It's almost impossible to tell someone how likely it is that they will find success.

 

[realunlucky]

Realunlucky, I don't see how your buddy's can get it done for $3,500.... its 3k just for the bush flight, license and tag... Doing a DIY moose hunt is not cheap... especially if you shoot one.... Ed F

Ed they are driving up from Montana to tok and flying out and floating back to their truck. They are bringing their own raft. Air time is the bulk of the cost the rest being fuel also that was the cost each

 

[realunlucky]

What do you think the chance of success is on most these hunts? If I have to go 2-3 times I would be better off going guided right away.

In my research moose hold in pockets if you don't find the pocket you are just floating a river sight seeing

 

[Matt Cashell]

Using Wheelers allowed us to be much more flexible than a float.

I would still love to do a float someday though.

 

[jherald]

My moose in 2011 cost me about $50.00 total in gas, and about $1.05 for the round I used. About $500.00 to process the 600 or so pounds of meat I had. It cost more to process the meat than it did to harvest the moose! Cheapest Moose hunt I ever had.

 

[jherald]

Public access lands, walking in to hunt. DIY can be done on the slimmest of budgets. Just have a buddy to help pack the meat.

 

[slim23]

we done it this last fall went 3 for 3. e mail me.
[email protected]