Hunting Alaskan Moose

[Tips n Tails]

Alright folks,

@Pwells10 and I are in the thought process (initial stage) on talking out loud about executing an Alaskan moose hunt in 2024.

I’ve read some comments from @AKDoc and @Kevin Dill as well as some others while doing some preliminary research which has given me a boots on the ground logistical perspective.

Preston would like to shoot a 60+ inch bull while I’m ok with whatever’s legal. Now with that being said, we are looking at a DIY style hunt whether that’s an outfitter dropping us off or a friendly MSgt at one of Alaskas AFB loaning me his 16’ Jon boat with a mark on a map.

Ideally, we’d like to find a resident who’s willing to point us in the right direction and we take it from there but if not can anybody recommend an outfitter who’s relatively priced to pick us and our gear up and fly us to good - great moose hunting grounds and back?

We don’t need any luxuries other than a boat or plane for transportation purposes. Number of people is 2 - 4 but most likely 2 - 3.

Us getting our meat, gear, etc…back to the airport will be solely our responsibility as well as getting to the dock, town, your driveway where that 16’ Jon boat is parked etc…for pick up/meet & greet also.

I’m trying to keep this hunt super simple in the terms of price/logistics on the external part (outfitter/boat rental/drop camp) of this hunt.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[wildwilderness]

Dream on.

If you want an AK moose DIY Book with a reputable transporter and pay for it. They are booked years out so might as well pony up the deposit. Very few places you can get to and expect a moose, let alone multiple. Those places and transporters know that and charge for it.

 

[AkRyan]

Bingo /\

 

[Tips n Tails]

So my question in my post was if anybody could recommend an outfitter who’s relatively priced to pick us and our gear up and fly us to good - great moose hunting grounds and back.

To keep this post from getting foot stomped let’s try to keep it on that sole question.

TIA folks.

 

[cgasner1]

From what I’ve seen it looks like Alaska has 4-5 big names if you will in the drop camp category for what you want. Most seem to be 3-5 years out and around 10 k just for that service you’ll probably be pushing 15k door to door from the lower 48. Killing 2 with one being over 60 sounds like a dream hunt. All that said I have never gone but my flights are booked and I’ll be going this September good look with your hunting to find a hunt


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[wildwilderness]

That is right ^^. If you want multiple moose your short list is Papa Bear, Renfros, and your 60”er would be with God’s Country Aviation.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

To have at least somewhat of a chance of killing an OTC bull moose with an antler spread in excess of 60 inches, you're looking at western Alaska or eastern Alaska.

In terms of finding commercial air transportation providers that service those two different regions of Alaska, you should contact the Big Game Commercial Services Board:

Big Game Commercial Services Board, Professional Licensing, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

Big Game Commercial Services Board, Professional Licensing, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

www.commerce.alaska.gov

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Alaska DIY Moose, The Inside Scoop, Part I

Alaska DIY Moose, The Inside Scoop, Part IBy Billy Molls, Rokslide Guest Writer An Alaskan bull moose can weigh nearly 2,000 pounds. His antlers can stretch over 70 inches wide. To hunt the largest of the deer species is arguably the greatest DIY hunt adventure in North America. If you’re...

www.rokslide.com

There are lots of 60” bulls around, you don’t need a guide. Just do your research and make a plan.

 

[AKDoc]

...Preston would like to shoot a 60+ inch bull while I’m ok with whatever’s legal. Now with that being said, we are looking at a DIY style hunt...

There have been (and are) very strong moose densities in western Alaska, and it's an "any bull area" in several of the western GMU's...not all, so check. For your goal of simply taking a legal bull it would be a good area to focus, and be an adventure for sure to just do a DIY lake drop...you'll likely take a bull in the high 40's or low 50's. Western Alaska has been my favorite moose hunting area for the past ten years. As already mentioned by others, but I will also endorse, give Renfro (or Papa Bear) a call...be ready, they might be booked several years out into the future.

Given that your hunting partner wants to take a 60" bull creates the potential challenge from my perspective. Many (most) of the 60"+ bulls that I have personally seen come out of western Alaska, have been from ridge hunts, i.e., putting-in/taking-out on wheels, as opposed to landing in the flat lake wetlands on floats. I know that Renfro definitely does ridge hunts on wheels...not sure if Papa Bear does (I don't think they do, but I could be wrong). That said, I've also personally glassed (a few...2 or 3) 60"+ bulls on lake-drop hunts, but the logistics never worked for me, e.g., always a very wet and very distant setting that precluded responsible meat retrieval without risk of spoilage, so I passed!

The logistics of moose hunting and responsible meat retrieval can be challenging, and those logistics can change dramatically based upon the type of hunt you choose, early vs late season hunt, etc. Lots more to say about that!

Best of luck to you...I like your attitude!

Edit: I quantified "(a few...2 or 3)" to be clear.

 

[Kevin Dill]

First, I don't have the slightest clue about anyone (a pilot or transporter) with a good moose hunt opening in the next few years. That can be attributed to the fact that I'm not looking or listening for openings period. I think I must wear blinders. As has been indicated, there are a number of 'name' outfits everyone hears and knows about. I can assure you there are 25+ more (pilots/transporters) who aren't well known yet provide dependable service. They aren't on the radar because they really don't need to be seen. They focus on their steady clients and very rarely bring in someone new. Most all of them have a book full of 1) current active clients, 2) previous clients who are on-call for an opening, and 3) 'other' people who want to fly but are unknowns to the pilot.

My pilot operates with the objective of keeping his schedule filled with clients he knows and trusts. He hasn't taken an unknown first-timer in many, many years. Any first-timers who hunt are always the guest of a steady client. Many of them (first-timers) ask about getting on a future moose hunt but they basically have little chance. Guys who call 'cold' and ask about an opening are looking at maybe less than 1% chance of success. My pilot is so confident of his bookings that he doesn't book any seasons except the upcoming (next) one and he doesn't accept deposits.

For the OP and anyone wanting to get on a future moose hunt, about the only transporter (bush plane) option is to keep talking to pilots and outfits, hoping to find a future opening and GRAB IT. The kicker is the price because it's potentially going to be high. I always feel rather impotent when it comes to helping a guy find a transporter...simply because the demand vastly exceeds the supply annually.

 

[kphunter]

You could try Alaska West Air.

 

[bmrfish]

You could try Alaska West Air.

Good outfit.

We hunted with them and had a good hunt. My brother got one. It rained a lot.


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[alaska80]

There are numerous opportunities in Alaska to bag 2-3 legal bulls with one realistically being 60+.

However, you will most likely not achieve that without work and lot's of it. Too many people want to come to Alaska, be transported to X location and have the animals come to them.

My family kills 1-3, usually 2 moose every year, with the opportunity to take more if we so chose.

Here is an example of the kind of hunting I am talking about the maximizes the potential for success.

Last year I hunted an area where I hiked in 12 miles with packrafts with my 16yo daughter and 13yo son. My daughter shot a beautiful bull the first night, within and hour of setting up camp. In one day of hunting we saw multiple bulls, two certainly being legal by non resident requirements and there were more in there. We spent the next day packing the thing out and over a 2 day timeframe we put on 34 miles by foot (GPS measured) to get in some epic hunting. We then floated out 27 miles in class III water.

I understand not everyone is capable of this kind of hunting, but you have to manage expectations.
If you are willing to work and put in the time planning you certainly can achieve what you are asking. Find the areas that no one wants to go because it is so hard and you WILL find moose, you just might die (or wish you were dead) doing it. Good luck!

 

[chase4545]

There are numerous opportunities in Alaska to bag 2-3 legal bulls with one realistically being 60+.

However, you will most likely not achieve that without work and lot's of it. Too many people want to come to Alaska, be transported to X location and have the animals come to them.

My family kills 1-3, usually 2 moose every year, with the opportunity to take more if we so chose.

Here is an example of the kind of hunting I am talking about the maximizes the potential for success.

Last year I hunted an area where I hiked in 12 miles with packrafts with my 16yo daughter and 13yo son. My daughter shot a beautiful bull the first night, within and hour of setting up camp. In one day of hunting we saw multiple bulls, two certainly being legal by non resident requirements and there were more in there. We spent the next day packing the thing out and over a 2 day timeframe we put on 34 miles by foot (GPS measured) to get in some epic hunting. We then floated out 27 miles in class III water.

I understand not everyone is capable of this kind of hunting, but you have to manage expectations.
If you are willing to work and put in the time planning you certainly can achieve what you are asking. Find the areas that no one wants to go because it is so hard and you WILL find moose, you just might die (or wish you were dead) doing it. Good luck!

I like your posting. I'm starting my planning efforts for 2024 now. Building out any remaining gear that I need and planning similar hunts in the lower 48 to match efforts that I would run into in AK.

 

[Xkav8tr]

I like your posting. I'm starting my planning efforts for 2024 now. Building out any remaining gear that I need and planning similar hunts in the lower 48 to match efforts that I would run into in AK.

I am planning my 2024 trip as well. There is a lot of info out there to sort through!

 

[slick]

I absolutely love the tight lipped-ness of Alaska. I hope you're able to figure it out and have the adventure you're looking for.

But, I also love that everyone isn't free with their information.

Edit: I would hate to see AK moose hunting be the new L48 Elk hunt.

 

[Rkak]

There are numerous opportunities in Alaska to bag 2-3 legal bulls with one realistically being 60+.

However, you will most likely not achieve that without work and lot's of it. Too many people want to come to Alaska, be transported to X location and have the animals come to them.

My family kills 1-3, usually 2 moose every year, with the opportunity to take more if we so chose.

Here is an example of the kind of hunting I am talking about the maximizes the potential for success.

Last year I hunted an area where I hiked in 12 miles with packrafts with my 16yo daughter and 13yo son. My daughter shot a beautiful bull the first night, within and hour of setting up camp. In one day of hunting we saw multiple bulls, two certainly being legal by non resident requirements and there were more in there. We spent the next day packing the thing out and over a 2 day timeframe we put on 34 miles by foot (GPS measured) to get in some epic hunting. We then floated out 27 miles in class III water.

I understand not everyone is capable of this kind of hunting, but you have to manage expectations.
If you are willing to work and put in the time planning you certainly can achieve what you are asking. Find the areas that no one wants to go because it is so hard and you WILL find moose, you just might die (or wish you were dead) doing it. Good luck!

What kind of Packraft did you go with? Looking at getting an Alpacka Forager this year for moose

 

[alaska80]

What kind of Packraft did you go with? Looking at getting an Alpacka Forager this year for moose

We used two PR 49s. The Forager will work, but you will need definitely need 2. One packraft will not float a moose out. You could line it, but not float it, unless it is flat class I and even then you would get wet probably.

 

[HoneyDew]

We used two PR 49s. The Forager will work, but you will need definitely need 2. One packraft will not float a moose out. You could line it, but not float it, unless it is flat class I and even then you would get wet probably.

You need two PR49s? I thought the 49 was basically designed with moose in mind. Larry has pictures and I think a video with it carrying a moose.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

You need two PR49s? I thought the 49 was basically designed with moose in mind. Larry has pictures and I think a video with it carrying a moose.

I surely wouldn't want to float myself, my camp, and a bull moose, in just one PR49, through remote wilderness. That's asking for trouble.