DIY Alaska moose hunting strategy

[akcabin]

Well some folks say spruce hens are not so bright. Because they will sit in a spruce tree and not fly. But I kinda believe that it's just a way of survival for them for the most part. They tend to sit because if they fly they expose themselves to predatory birds. And if they sit in the spruce tree they are safe from ground predators. There 2 main threats. They seem to not know what a gun n bullets are. But they are pretty tasty

 

[ColeyG]

Are you talking about putting the quarters in the bag or in-between the frame and bag?

Moose quarters are unbelievably BIG...

The heads can be a real b*tch as well. Hard to get them balanced and bushwacking for any length of time is soul sucking.

 

[Neubauer]

Are you talking about putting the quarters in the bag or in-between the frame and bag?

Moose quarters are unbelievably BIG...

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I was anticipating putting the quarters on the load shelf in between the bag and frame. My god is that quarter huge!!

 

[cnelk]

Front quarter of a 50”+ bull and complete exhaustion after packing to the extraction point on the lake.
We used Kelty Cache Haulers to pack the moose out

 

[cnelk]

My Alaska friend once asked me if I knew the difference between hunting a lake or ridge top?

Not much.
But if you happen to crash on the ridge top you’ll be closer to God.

 

[z987k]

Well then what's the dumbest

Caribou.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

THIS ^^^

I think I now have PTSD

Me too

 

[HuntHarder]

FWIW I packed out my moose quarters with a Kifaru duplex 26" frame with stryker bag. They are unbelievable huge, but extra straps and multiple attachment points on the frame, made it easy to get the load solid and balanced. Packing out the head was rough as well, wide, awkard and heavy. Glassed up at 3ish pm in some terrible weather that was cold, windy and wet. IIRC it took 2 of us around 6 hours to break him down and pack him to the lakes edge.

 

[Robinhood21]

I was anticipating putting the quarters on the load shelf in between the bag and frame. My god is that quarter huge!!

That wasn't even the biggest bull we've shot. I'm not sure how big the load shelf is on the Kifaru but whatever you use, I would advise bringing extra ratchet straps. The quarters are just so big (and the loose meat bags) that I just couldn't ever get the pack straps tight enough. Having an extra ratchet strap was HUGE on getting meat strapped tight.

 

[william schmaltz]

Here’s my hunting partners this year. A couple middle aged Moms that shot two bulls a few hours apart, cleaned them, and hauled them 1/4 mile to the lake with shitty packs. All with no complaints and plenty of daylight to spare. Moose hunting can be as easy or as hard as you wish to make it on yourself.

 

[william schmaltz]

Also, bone-in doesn’t mean you can’t split the hind quarters if you need to!

 

[z987k]

Are you talking about putting the quarters in the bag or in-between the frame and bag?

Moose quarters are unbelievably BIG...

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Did you eat the hooves?

Lot of weight there you could have spared.

 

[Robinhood21]

Did you eat the hooves?

Lot of weight there you could have spared.

HAHA! That was when we were just moving everything away from the carcass a couple hundred yards. Once we got all the meat moved we cut the bottom parts of the legs off.

 

[ColeyG]

That wasn't even the biggest bull we've shot. I'm not sure how big the load shelf is on the Kifaru but whatever you use, I would advise bringing extra ratchet straps. The quarters are just so big (and the loose meat bags) that I just couldn't ever get the pack straps tight enough. Having an extra ratchet strap was HUGE on getting meat strapped tight.

The NRS cam straps are perfect for this. I keep 3-4 6 footers wrapped around the top of my frame pack for just this purpose.

 

[HuntHarder]

Also, bone-in doesn’t mean you can’t split the hind quarters if you need to!

That is a really good idea that I had never thought of. Do you have any idea how much the lower leg of a rear moose weighs vs the upper portion? On one of my hunts, the outfitters parents said they quit hunting moose because of the bone in requirement, making the quarters too much weight for them at their age.

 

[cnelk]

I split the hind quarters on my 60" bull.
Glad to make more trips

 

[AkRyan]

Spend the first day or two figuring out the area and try to be quiet. If they are there you should see sign pretty quik. A high point for glassing is great if the brush isn't to thick. Imo the best thing you can do is just stay out of the tent as long as you can. Can't tell you how many moose I've seen shot on the way back to the cabin.

 

[Roofer1]

Did a ridge top last September 13 - 23. We were up at sun up, called from tent, got ready, packed a lunch and walked 300 yds to glassing spot. Called every hour or so in about a 100 yd circle from glassing spot. We called in my partners bull on day 2 within 200 yards of the landing strip. Continued the same routine. Rain, shine, wind,.... we never went back to the tent until dusk. Saw moose within shooting distance every day. Glassed my bull on day 5 but he had a lady friend and wasn't budging. Day 7 I said if he's still there (1.25 miles away) tomorrow we're going. He was there so we made our way over and killed him. The pack out was brutal but that's the part of the trip my hunting partner and I always talk about.