AK unit 18 DIY Moose hunt

[HuntinMD]

I am planning a DIY AK unit 18 moose hunt out of St. Mary’s up the ‘Andy’ river to the wilderness area or alternate up the Yukon to the area aka the ‘swamp’ closer to Pilot Station. Plan would be using a low draft powered inflatable for hunting and probable access. Anyone have any knowledge/ experience with either of these areas you are willing to share? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wildwilderness]

Be sure to watch out for private/tribal/corporate land. It’s a ways up that river to get into public.

 

[HuntinMD]

My research suggested 60 mi of class 1 at 3 mph ave with no portage, but real shallow and gravelly in the wilderness area. No transporters or anyone willing to rent boats/ motors in area. G and F said a lot of moose taken out of that area. Any suggestions?

 

[Forrest.billy]

My research suggested 60 mi of class 1 at 3 mph ave with no portage, but real shallow and gravelly in the wilderness area. No transporters or anyone willing to rent boats/ motors in area. G and F said a lot of moose taken out of that area. Any suggestions?

I would stick to the Yukon. Going up the Andy will increase your likelyhood of conflict with the local tremendously and the navigation is much more difficult without a jet. A lot of logistics involved in that hunt without local contacts. KSM residents are getting a little irritated with the influx of people fyi.

 

[HuntinMD]

Any suggestions for transport up Yukon? The inflatable was for smaller tributaries/ hunting.Any advise for the ‘swamp’?

 

[Grant Kopplin]

Here are a few things I have learned and figured I would share. As mentioned before there is a lot of native owned land in the area and I've heard that conflict the amongst the locals and non residents has been increasing. You are right, there are no transporters, boat rentals, or any logistical support of that nature in the area. Planning to go upstream on the Yukon, just to be closer to a different village, is not going to get you away from pressure. you'll just be hunting in an area that is utilized by a different group of locals. There's a couple thousand people that live year round in that 100 mile stretch of the Yukon river, its all heavily utilized by the local villages. Also, travel on the middle and lower Yukon river should not be taken lightly either. its a dangerous river that kills several people a year. Some of the worst waves I have personally ever seen have been on the Yukon when the wind picks up against the current. I would never consider taking an inflatable and have never been in anything smaller than a 20 foot aluminum boat with plenty of power. heavy loads and small boats is a recipe for disaster on that river.
While there is Great moose being taken in parts of unit 18, hunting along the river near all these villages is not where I would go if I was looking for a quality bull and experience. all those residents shoot several moose a year and are hunting that area hard. I am not trying to sound like a Debbie downer and I am sorry if that's how its all came across. but IMO if you want to hunt unit 18 the right way, I would look into an air taxi or transporter out of bethel. It'll be worth the money to be dropped off away from other hunters, have fewer logistical challenges, and be hunting in less pressured areas with better quality animals.

 

[Thomas11]

Here are a few things I have learned and figured I would share. As mentioned before there is a lot of native owned land in the area and I've heard that conflict the amongst the locals and non residents has been increasing. You are right, there are no transporters, boat rentals, or any logistical support of that nature in the area. Planning to go upstream on the Yukon, just to be closer to a different village, is not going to get you away from pressure. you'll just be hunting in an area that is utilized by a different group of locals. There's a couple thousand people that live year round in that 100 mile stretch of the Yukon river, its all heavily utilized by the local villages. Also, travel on the middle and lower Yukon river should not be taken lightly either. its a dangerous river that kills several people a year. Some of the worst waves I have personally ever seen have been on the Yukon when the wind picks up against the current. I would never consider taking an inflatable and have never been in anything smaller than a 20 foot aluminum boat with plenty of power. heavy loads and small boats is a recipe for disaster on that river.
While there is Great moose being taken in parts of unit 18, hunting along the river near all these villages is not where I would go if I was looking for a quality bull and experience. all those residents shoot several moose a year and are hunting that area hard. I am not trying to sound like a Debbie downer and I am sorry if that's how its all came across. but IMO if you want to hunt unit 18 the right way, I would look into an air taxi or transporter out of bethel. It'll be worth the money to be dropped off away from other hunters, have fewer logistical challenges, and be hunting in less pressured areas with better quality animals.

I’ve researched this area pretty hard as well. I found a local in saint Mary’s that would rent a boat to you. But I kinda thought what u said above about pressure. I have a hard time stomaching what those guys in Bethal want to fly u in. Is there some way to find lesser known air taxis that may be more reasonable?

 

[william schmaltz]

I’ve researched this area pretty hard as well. I found a local in saint Mary’s that would rent a boat to you. But I kinda thought what u said above about pressure. I have a hard time stomaching what those guys in Bethal want to fly u in. Is there some way to find lesser known air taxis that may be more reasonable?

Call the refuge and ask who all the transporters holding a commercial permit are. If they don’t hold a permit, don’t use them - unless you’re willing to chance watching your moose horns auctioned off at Fur Rondy in March. The air operators need to have every spot approved by USFWS prior to drop off. This prevents any user conflicts with local subsistence users. People renting boats (from what I hear most without any sort of license to do so) have opened up the user conflict flood gates and the area is now being very closely monitored. The distances up some of the side streams that now have boats moose hunting are insane! The exception would be an operator only using tribal land, but that experiment ended poorly a few years ago.

There are several reasons that there are so few transporters in the area, and the main one has to do with what the guys are charging to make the business work.

 

[Thomas11]

Call the refuge and ask who all the transporters holding a commercial permit are. If they don’t hold a permit, don’t use them - unless you’re willing to chance watching your moose horns auctioned off at Fur Rondy in March. The air operators need to have every spot approved by USFWS prior to drop off. This prevents any user conflicts with local subsistence users. People renting boats (from what I hear most without any sort of license to do so) have opened up the user conflict flood gates and the area is now being very closely monitored. The distances up some of the side streams that now have boats moose hunting are insane! The exception would be an operator only using tribal land, but that experiment ended poorly a few years ago.

There are several reasons that there are so few transporters in the area, and the main one has to do with what the guys are charging to make the business work.

That gods aviation gets 20k now unguided. Thats insane! Idk maybe there is a better area w/o having to deal w the issues of these subsistence hunters anyway. So pilots have to get “approved” of where they are dropping u off by fish and game? Even on public?

 

[Scottf270]

I don't mind a guy trying to save money but Papa Bear and Renfros got it going on. They may cost a bit more but the quality of the hunting and having stuff dialed in is worth it.

Costs of everything are skyrocketing so if you wanna go, you better go.
I've been with Papa Bear twice, 58" and 63". Justin and group are like family.

 

[Thomas11]

I don't mind a guy trying to save money but Papa Bear and Renfros got it going on. They may cost a bit more but the quality of the hunting and having stuff dialed in is worth it.

Costs of everything are skyrocketing so if you wanna go, you better go.
I've been with Papa Bear twice, 58" and 63". Justin and group are like family.

Yea I get it. What do they get now for their hunt? Also I kinda want to figure it out on my own and stuff. Their hunts u are going to a pre determined location by them. And that’s all well and fine. I just kinda want a lil diff experience

 

[william schmaltz]

That gods aviation gets 20k now unguided. Thats insane! Idk maybe there is a better area w/o having to deal w the issues of these subsistence hunters anyway. So pilots have to get “approved” of where they are dropping u off by fish and game? Even on public?

Fish and game has nothing to do with it. It’s all refuge land in 18. So it’s all through USFWS. You need a commercial operating permit to operate in a refuge and yes, need all spots pre approved by the refuge if using it commercially. GC is different, he operates within a wilderness area and is only allotted like 6 total permits. I’m sure it’s tough to pencil out a business when you’re only allowed six clients, especially with wildly inflated inputs and insurance companies randomly raising your rates by 5 digits annually. Isaac offers a better hunt than 95% of guided hunts and your success rate is probably higher. It would be a massive plus for hunters and hunter experience if they limited tags in the refuge like they did in the Wilderness Area, but unfortunately that probably won’t happen.

 

[justin7-11]

I am planning a DIY AK unit 18 moose hunt out of St. Mary’s up the ‘Andy’ river to the wilderness area or alternate up the Yukon to the area aka the ‘swamp’ closer to Pilot Station. Plan would be using a low draft powered inflatable for hunting and probable access. Anyone have any knowledge/ experience with either of these areas you are willing to share? It would be greatly appreciated.

That is a tough area. I have hunted quite a bit down there but I take a boat all the way down from the haul road 750 miles one way. The andreafsky is very crowded with locals all the way up to the head waters on nice weather days. It is easy access for them being that St Marys is located on it. Both forks of the river have plenty of pressure. Plenty deep and easy to run in a big boat. The airport is way too far to walk from the river in St Marys so you will need native/local friends. I would not suggest getting out on the open Yukon in that area in a small boat. That thing gets crazy bad out there being you are so close to the bering sea. Winds blowing off the ocean 30-50mph against the current in the Yukon gets insane. That is why all the locals run custom deep v boats on the Yukon down there. The Yukon can get bad anywhere of course but that area just stays bad in the fall. The only feasible ways to hunt anywhere around St Marys is to make some local friends but be very careful. Game and Fish are working some cases down there right now from folks taking money for hunting services that just keep it tell you to get lost when you land at the airport. We say 4 guys at the St Mary's airport that paid to meet a transporter that was just an internet scam. Shoot me your cell via message if you want to seriously visit about it some more. I can give you a lot of good info on that entire area.

 

[Thomas11]

Fish and game has nothing to do with it. It’s all refuge land in 18. So it’s all through USFWS. You need a commercial operating permit to operate in a refuge and yes, need all spots pre approved by the refuge if using it commercially. GC is different, he operates within a wilderness area and is only allotted like 6 total permits. I’m sure it’s tough to pencil out a business when you’re only allowed six clients, especially with wildly inflated inputs and insurance companies randomly raising your rates by 5 digits annually. Isaac offers a better hunt than 95% of guided hunts and your success rate is probably higher. It would be a massive plus for hunters and hunter experience if they limited tags in the refuge like they did in the Wilderness Area, but unfortunately that probably won’t happen.

That’s all interesting info. I’ve looked at that wilderness your talking about (andrefsky) I assume? And I did see where he is only allotted 6 permits. Is that all the permits the USFWS allowes in that wilderness? It’s 1.5 million acres. I really wasn’t aware most of the public there was refuge and state of Alaska? Is the state of Alaska land have special regs like the refuge? Or is just public and u can go wherever on it?

 

[Thomas11]

That is a tough area. I have hunted quite a bit down there but I take a boat all the way down from the haul road 750 miles one way. The andreafsky is very crowded with locals all the way up to the head waters on nice weather days. It is easy access for them being that St Marys is located on it. Both forks of the river have plenty of pressure. Plenty deep and easy to run in a big boat. The airport is way too far to walk from the river in St Marys so you will need native/local friends. I would not suggest getting out on the open Yukon in that area in a small boat. That thing gets crazy bad out there being you are so close to the bering sea. Winds blowing off the ocean 30-50mph against the current in the Yukon gets insane. That is why all the locals run custom deep v boats on the Yukon down there. The Yukon can get bad anywhere of course but that area just stays bad in the fall. The only feasible ways to hunt anywhere around St Marys is to make some local friends but be very careful. Game and Fish are working some cases down there right now from folks taking money for hunting services that just keep it tell you to get lost when you land at the airport. We say 4 guys at the St Mary's airport that paid to meet a transporter that was just an internet scam. Shoot me your cell via message if you want to seriously visit about it some more. I can give you a lot of good info on that entire area.

Good deal! I sent you a PM

 

[HuntinMD]

Interesting info. Thx for your replies. FYI I have tried to contact all 3 commercial transporters 3 times in the last 2 years. I didn’t even get the courtesy of a reply to calls, messages , or emails. Basically there is no transport in this area. Funny but I thought the immense amount of tax $ I have paid in the last 37 years helped support and maintain this area. I wonder what their attitude toward us would be if Putin’s army sailed their way!!

 

[Robinhood21]

Yea I get it. What do they get now for their hunt? Also I kinda want to figure it out on my own and stuff. Their hunts u are going to a pre determined location by them. And that’s all well and fine. I just kinda want a lil diff experience

Renfros is $14,500 for DIY with outfitted camp... $13,500 for DIY non outfitted camp.

I remember when I first started researching DIY moose hunts and you could get in at $5000-$7500 in 2016. My have times changed! I wish I was born 20 years earlier but 20 years from now that's what people will be saying about these times...

 

[HuntinMD]

That is a tough area. I have hunted quite a bit down there but I take a boat all the way down from the haul road 750 miles one way. The andreafsky is very crowded with locals all the way up to the head waters on nice weather days. It is easy access for them being that St Marys is located on it. Both forks of the river have plenty of pressure. Plenty deep and easy to run in a big boat. The airport is way too far to walk from the river in St Marys so you will need native/local friends. I would not suggest getting out on the open Yukon in that area in a small boat. That thing gets crazy bad out there being you are so close to the bering sea. Winds blowing off the ocean 30-50mph against the current in the Yukon gets insane. That is why all the locals run custom deep v boats on the Yukon down there. The Yukon can get bad anywhere of course but that area just stays bad in the fall. The only feasible ways to hunt anywhere around St Marys is to make some local friends but be very careful. Game and Fish are working some cases down there right now from folks taking money for hunting services that just keep it tell you to get lost when you land at the airport. We say 4 guys at the St Mary's airport that paid to meet a transporter that was just an internet scam. Shoot me your cell via message if you want to seriously visit about it some more. I can give you a lot of good info on that entire area.

Justin, I sent you a PM with my cell no. I would love to hear more.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I’ve researched this area pretty hard as well. I found a local in saint Mary’s that would rent a boat to you. But I kinda thought what u said above about pressure. I have a hard time stomaching what those guys in Bethal want to fly u in. Is there some way to find lesser known air taxis that may be more reasonable?

No. Not really. Also be careful about renting the boat from the local guy from the village. There are stories about a guy out of st. Marys that kept the money and didn’t provide the boat. This was 2022 season. Ran into two parties of guys he ripped off at the Yukon River bridge camp. Kind of funny in some ways.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Interesting info. Thx for your replies. FYI I have tried to contact all 3 commercial transporters 3 times in the last 2 years. I didn’t even get the courtesy of a reply to calls, messages , or emails. Basically there is no transport in this area. Funny but I thought the immense amount of tax $ I have paid in the last 37 years helped support and maintain this area. I wonder what their attitude toward us would be if Putin’s army sailed their way!!

And this might be why you don’t get phone calls back. Just saying.