For Those DIY Guys

[cfdjay]

Hey everyone. I wanted to share a response I made on facebook for the MANY of newcomers to Alaskay DIY Moose hunting. And granted, I've done it once so I'm still in the newcomers camp. That being said I've been getting A TON of messages asking very specific info about my experience. I see it trending that way on Rokslide. I hope maybe this sheds some light about how I feel (and most others) when asked for information about DIY Alaska hunts (Moose Specifically). By all means if there are issues with what I post, please send me a message with your reason. But, in short, this is how I see it:

"Hey guys I wanted to reply to all the messages I've gotten about information requests. I want to answer all your questions as respectfully and forthcoming as I can all at once. I owe you that respect as fellow outdoorsman just as you owe me the respect of my answer, even if you don't like it.
The questions I've been getting asked were the same questions that took me 2 years to answer for myself. There is a reason DIY in Alaska is so sacred. It's because you have the option of "hitting the easy button" for $30k and call it DIY. Most people can't afford that. I'm one of them.
Your next option is to do the leg work yourself. 2 years worth of it for me. And I'm telling you that was 2 years of doing something almost daily. Calling, texting, emailing, googling....etc.
I encourage you to do that leg work. You will learn SO MUCH. And ultimately you'll be able to call it a DIY hunt without an asterisk like most. Good luck to you all... I'll be following."

 

[PathFinder]

This is quite a refreshing alternative to the attention seeking bravado of those who seem dead set on ruining everything for a few likes.

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[cfdjay]

Man. Honestly I didn't even think of it that way. But I SO appreciate that. That's my naivety. I have been bombarded with very specific questions lately. Ones that I'm not sure I ever asked someone assuming the etiquette. Then again, facebook and etiquette don't equate.

 

[ProRoad]

but, where's your honey hole?! JK, respect man, thats a lot of work and I hope you had a great hunt. That's a bucket list item for a lot of us! Hell, Most of the fun is in the planning right?!

 

[cfdjay]

but, where's your honey hole?! JK, respect man, thats a lot of work and I hope you had a great hunt. That's a bucket list item for a lot of us! Hell, Most of the fun is in the planning right?!

Couldn't agree more. People miss out on that. Hard to express that in words when Alaska and the "easy button" still sucks lol. My pilot and I had this talk. And he really got it when I said If you're "thinking" about it...It's prob not for you.

 

[BRWNBR]

I started my guide business by reading topo maps on the toilet. Then weeks on the ground figuring out the country. 80 something grizzly bears later I felt like I had it dialed in.

The internet is ruining hunting and fishing. People want to help and be kind and I get it. But it’s created it’s own monster for people not willing to fork out the coin for a trial and error trip like we used to do.

Back in the day we often didn’t even know what game unit the pilot had dropped us in and had zero communication with anyone and just hoped the pilot made it home and wrote down where we were.

 

[Nykki]

My dad and I moose hunted together for the first couple years we lived in Alaska. Neither one of us knew anything about moose other than they were big and rather plentiful more than fifty years ago. I was like BRWNBR and studied topo maps when I wanted to try a new area. I've only flown out twice,once to Nome on an invite from a friend who lived there and once a couple years ago on another invite. The rest of my hunts I studied maps,scouted and went and killed moose most years. The planing can be fun but also frustrating especially when trying a new place.

 

[adam.jsmith]

Hey everyone. I wanted to share a response I made on facebook for the MANY of newcomers to Alaskay DIY Moose hunting. And granted, I've done it once so I'm still in the newcomers camp. That being said I've been getting A TON of messages asking very specific info about my experience. I see it trending that way on Rokslide. I hope maybe this sheds some light about how I feel (and most others) when asked for information about DIY Alaska hunts (Moose Specifically). By all means if there are issues with what I post, please send me a message with your reason. But, in short, this is how I see it:

"Hey guys I wanted to reply to all the messages I've gotten about information requests. I want to answer all your questions as respectfully and forthcoming as I can all at once. I owe you that respect as fellow outdoorsman just as you owe me the respect of my answer, even if you don't like it.
The questions I've been getting asked were the same questions that took me 2 years to answer for myself. There is a reason DIY in Alaska is so sacred. It's because you have the option of "hitting the easy button" for $30k and call it DIY. Most people can't afford that. I'm one of them.
Your next option is to do the leg work yourself. 2 years worth of it for me. And I'm telling you that was 2 years of doing something almost daily. Calling, texting, emailing, googling....etc.
I encourage you to do that leg work. You will learn SO MUCH. And ultimately you'll be able to call it a DIY hunt without an asterisk like most. Good luck to you all... I'll be following."

I love every part of this. I’m happy to answer some specific questions but I’ve gotten a lot of the same “how do I plan my entire trip and what do I take for gear” questions. The juice tastes so much better if you squeeze it yourself! Here’s my bull from last year. Two of us hiked in 11 miles, harvested him. Hauled him 1.5 miles to the river and floated him out!!!

 

[YukonJim]

I’m a hunting guide here in Alaska and the director of the Outdoor Heritage Foundation of Alaska. As much as I’d love to take you guys out on guided trips, I think it’s even more important to empower folks to plan and execute trips safely and responsibly. Teach a man to fish and all that. I’m happy to take any questions you guys have about moose and moose hunting.

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[fisherman983]

Hey everyone. I wanted to share a response I made on facebook for the MANY of newcomers to Alaskay DIY Moose hunting. And granted, I've done it once so I'm still in the newcomers camp. That being said I've been getting A TON of messages asking very specific info about my experience. I see it trending that way on Rokslide. I hope maybe this sheds some light about how I feel (and most others) when asked for information about DIY Alaska hunts (Moose Specifically). By all means if there are issues with what I post, please send me a message with your reason. But, in short, this is how I see it:

"Hey guys I wanted to reply to all the messages I've gotten about information requests. I want to answer all your questions as respectfully and forthcoming as I can all at once. I owe you that respect as fellow outdoorsman just as you owe me the respect of my answer, even if you don't like it.
The questions I've been getting asked were the same questions that took me 2 years to answer for myself. There is a reason DIY in Alaska is so sacred. It's because you have the option of "hitting the easy button" for $30k and call it DIY. Most people can't afford that. I'm one of them.
Your next option is to do the leg work yourself. 2 years worth of it for me. And I'm telling you that was 2 years of doing something almost daily. Calling, texting, emailing, googling....etc.
I encourage you to do that leg work. You will learn SO MUCH. And ultimately you'll be able to call it a DIY hunt without an asterisk like most. Good luck to you all... I'll be following."

So unless you specify what questions your not wanting to answer, this is how your lost reads....
Now that I've spent a couple years asking questions and doing research and going on a hunt i am now unwilling to do the same for the next guy.

Guys reading these forums, and sifting through stories of good and bad hunts, gear failures, things that you did and didnt like, what you forgot or wish you had brought or left behind is the same research you did. Now the next guy sees your story and asks some questions and now you dont want to oblige seems like an asshole thing to do.

If that was your feelings all along you should have kept your story to yourself.

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[cfdjay]

So unless you specify what questions your not wanting to answer, this is how your lost reads....
Now that I've spent a couple years asking questions and doing research and going on a hunt i am now unwilling to do the same for the next guy.

Guys reading these forums, and sifting through stories of good and bad hunts, gear failures, things that you did and didnt like, what you forgot or wish you had brought or left behind is the same research you did. Now the next guy sees your story and asks some questions and now you dont want to oblige seems like an asshole thing to do.

If that was your feelings all along you should have kept your story to yourself.

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That's how it reads TO YOU. First, in the most basic of overtone, this post is about etiquette and how to obtain information. Going on facebook or Rokslide and messaging people asking what unit, what transporter, what did it cost, etc etc. MANY people want the work done for them. There is a reason here on Rokslide that Unit posts get removed.

The second point has already been picked up by another member's reply. Do the work yourself and it'll be EXPONENTIALLY more rewarding.

I have shared PLENTY of information on here and with others (easily found with a search button that people seem to have forgot exists) I've done podcasts, shared gear info (and weight of gear saving you a ton of time) websites, apps, etc that were useful to me. I don't feel my post is in anyway a "gatekeeper" message.


Lastly, all I was trying to do was give a respectful reply to the DOZENS of very obnoxious, upfront, naive questions I have been getting since my hunt. If you're asking me, I assume that means you're having a hard time finding the answer (or the answer you want). ..... Maybe there's a reason for that

Good hunting brother. I appreciate your insight

 

[adam.jsmith]

So unless you specify what questions your not wanting to answer, this is how your lost reads....
Now that I've spent a couple years asking questions and doing research and going on a hunt i am now unwilling to do the same for the next guy.

Guys reading these forums, and sifting through stories of good and bad hunts, gear failures, things that you did and didnt like, what you forgot or wish you had brought or left behind is the same research you did. Now the next guy sees your story and asks some questions and now you dont want to oblige seems like an asshole thing to do.

If that was your feelings all along you should have kept your story to yourself.

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I think you missed the point, at least for me. Happy to offer some advice but a lot of the questions are for all the details. There’s organizations charging $5k just for the planning of a DIY trip. It’s the give an inch take a mile mindset that gets frustrating.