ddavis_1313
WKR
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
- Messages
- 1,414
It's been 2 years since my wife and I took our first trip to Alaska and for two long years we have had the urge to return for another adventure. Well, after getting her caribou back from the taxidermist this year the itch has become unbearable so I had to start making phone calls. In years past we would go hunt private land in Colorado during September, however, that isn't an option this year bc we don't have access to that land.
After multiple phone calls to contacts I know that hunt in Alaska I was led down several paths that came to a dead end or a logistical nightmare or in an undersized raft on the Yukon with a wife that doesn't like rapids and a guy with very little rafting experience.
However...
In my research I was fortunate enough to have a location shared with me by someone in Alaska. It's a class 1 (2 at worst) river that apparently get very little hunting pressure due to remote access and cost just for transport to and from. It would involve packing gear and raft quite a distance to the actual river. This info was shared due to the fact that the typical 2 man group that hunts this area is not coming this year but will be returning the following year. They seem to have regular success hunting this stretch of river including two 60" plus bulls last year per what was shared with me. Ideally, I'd love to do a drop hunt with a specific outfitter but the prices have gotten wayyy too rich for my blood. Especially since I'm married to my hunting partner. So all the cost are x2 for us.
I'm completely new to moose hunting but understand how to hunt them for the most part. Our hunt dates for this trip would be Sep 4 through Sep 16. I've been e scouting and have some pin drops on elevated benches along the river that gain a couple hundred feet of elevation and would be ideal to glass from and keep hikes down to 600 yards or less. (more on why that is important later). How is the rut that time of year in Alaska? Are they still pre rutting or will they come to cow calls? Just curious. I have plenty more questions in regards to moose hunting that I'm certain will come if we pull the trigger on the hunt such as calling strategies, calls, decoys, how they travel, feeding areas, or general areas moose tend to be.
As far as rafting goes I'm a newb for the most part. I know right off the bat I will need to add some serious dry bags. I was not impressed with the kuiu bag we used on our caribou hunt. It didn't take much for it to start wetting out along the seems so we ended up with a tent vestibule full of stacked up gear. Thankfully I have a contact that has the raft and all related gear lined up if I choose to go. I think its a 13 or 14 foot raft. I don't remember exactly.
I'm pretty set on gear for the most part. We use a black label Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT tent and WM goose down bags with thermarest x therm pads. I may add helinox lite cots (mostly for my wife - again more on that later). I have a MSR stove and jet boil, Katadyn hiker pro water purification system, dromedary water bags, and just about all other gear is ultra lite or top of the line. We both have wiggy waders and I have some extra durable sims waders and boots (which ever model is the toughest) . I will most likely rent her a pair for the time in the field. (Side note - considering the expense on the waders and boots, would it make more sense to rent a pair that I may spend 70 % of my time hunting in and busting brush) We are also pretty set on clothing however I would like to get some feed back on rain gear. I use the sitka cloudburst and she uses Kuiu chugach. I've never spent extended days in my rain gear but when I have been in rain I didn't notice it wetting out. Hers on the other hand seemed to wet out some when we are in Alaska the last time. Is it normal for kuiu rain gear to slightly absorb moisture on the top layer and will it eventually wet all the way through? From what I gather we should expect rain while moose hunting. I also plan on adding a good folding saw and hatchet/small ax. I have a Wyoming saw and it has worked great the few times I've used it but I wish it wasn't so compact with the blade and bar being as close together. It seems to limit you on the thickness of objects you can cut and I question its ability to skull cap a moose. (although I probably would leave skull on) Oh, I will for sure need to get recommendations on game bag sizes and count for moose. We use tag bags by pristine ventures for elk and I have really liked them and been impressed.
As far as weapons it will be a 10 mm with buffalo bore hard cast for self defense. She will be shooting her 7 WSM with 168 berger vld's and I'll be shooting a 300 prc with berger 215 hybrids. (if anyone has access to Lapua 7 wsm brass i'd love to buy some) I'm also considering taking my bow but haven't decided if I want to yet.
Honestly, I'm really wanting some feedback on what a trip like this would entail as far as weather, temps, and physical demand. My wife can absolutely hold her own and packed half of her caribou (two trips) almost two miles up hill the entire way the last hunt. She lives in the gym lifting heavy 5 days a week as well as doing 50 mins of a stairmaster and or maxi climber 6 days a week. (I need to kick up my cardio but man I hate it) With that being said there is a good chance that there may be three people on this trip with her having to carry around the third person. lol We will find that out in a few weeks! Hence adding the cot and trying to stay close to the river to limit hiking. That's not to say we won't drop a moose half a mile away. And considering how the prices of Alaska hunts are steadily climbing and her desire to kill a moose (as well as myself) it makes it real tough not to consider a moose trip that all in would cost less than the transport alone costs for caribou. I will add the two guys that have hunted this particular area are older gentleman and seem to call and kill moose wight along the river with minimal pack outs.
If there is anything I'm not thinking of or have left out of major importance then please share. I want to know what I'm getting myself into considering its my wife and more so that its my wife with a potential plus 1.
After multiple phone calls to contacts I know that hunt in Alaska I was led down several paths that came to a dead end or a logistical nightmare or in an undersized raft on the Yukon with a wife that doesn't like rapids and a guy with very little rafting experience.
However...
In my research I was fortunate enough to have a location shared with me by someone in Alaska. It's a class 1 (2 at worst) river that apparently get very little hunting pressure due to remote access and cost just for transport to and from. It would involve packing gear and raft quite a distance to the actual river. This info was shared due to the fact that the typical 2 man group that hunts this area is not coming this year but will be returning the following year. They seem to have regular success hunting this stretch of river including two 60" plus bulls last year per what was shared with me. Ideally, I'd love to do a drop hunt with a specific outfitter but the prices have gotten wayyy too rich for my blood. Especially since I'm married to my hunting partner. So all the cost are x2 for us.
I'm completely new to moose hunting but understand how to hunt them for the most part. Our hunt dates for this trip would be Sep 4 through Sep 16. I've been e scouting and have some pin drops on elevated benches along the river that gain a couple hundred feet of elevation and would be ideal to glass from and keep hikes down to 600 yards or less. (more on why that is important later). How is the rut that time of year in Alaska? Are they still pre rutting or will they come to cow calls? Just curious. I have plenty more questions in regards to moose hunting that I'm certain will come if we pull the trigger on the hunt such as calling strategies, calls, decoys, how they travel, feeding areas, or general areas moose tend to be.
As far as rafting goes I'm a newb for the most part. I know right off the bat I will need to add some serious dry bags. I was not impressed with the kuiu bag we used on our caribou hunt. It didn't take much for it to start wetting out along the seems so we ended up with a tent vestibule full of stacked up gear. Thankfully I have a contact that has the raft and all related gear lined up if I choose to go. I think its a 13 or 14 foot raft. I don't remember exactly.
I'm pretty set on gear for the most part. We use a black label Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT tent and WM goose down bags with thermarest x therm pads. I may add helinox lite cots (mostly for my wife - again more on that later). I have a MSR stove and jet boil, Katadyn hiker pro water purification system, dromedary water bags, and just about all other gear is ultra lite or top of the line. We both have wiggy waders and I have some extra durable sims waders and boots (which ever model is the toughest) . I will most likely rent her a pair for the time in the field. (Side note - considering the expense on the waders and boots, would it make more sense to rent a pair that I may spend 70 % of my time hunting in and busting brush) We are also pretty set on clothing however I would like to get some feed back on rain gear. I use the sitka cloudburst and she uses Kuiu chugach. I've never spent extended days in my rain gear but when I have been in rain I didn't notice it wetting out. Hers on the other hand seemed to wet out some when we are in Alaska the last time. Is it normal for kuiu rain gear to slightly absorb moisture on the top layer and will it eventually wet all the way through? From what I gather we should expect rain while moose hunting. I also plan on adding a good folding saw and hatchet/small ax. I have a Wyoming saw and it has worked great the few times I've used it but I wish it wasn't so compact with the blade and bar being as close together. It seems to limit you on the thickness of objects you can cut and I question its ability to skull cap a moose. (although I probably would leave skull on) Oh, I will for sure need to get recommendations on game bag sizes and count for moose. We use tag bags by pristine ventures for elk and I have really liked them and been impressed.
As far as weapons it will be a 10 mm with buffalo bore hard cast for self defense. She will be shooting her 7 WSM with 168 berger vld's and I'll be shooting a 300 prc with berger 215 hybrids. (if anyone has access to Lapua 7 wsm brass i'd love to buy some) I'm also considering taking my bow but haven't decided if I want to yet.
Honestly, I'm really wanting some feedback on what a trip like this would entail as far as weather, temps, and physical demand. My wife can absolutely hold her own and packed half of her caribou (two trips) almost two miles up hill the entire way the last hunt. She lives in the gym lifting heavy 5 days a week as well as doing 50 mins of a stairmaster and or maxi climber 6 days a week. (I need to kick up my cardio but man I hate it) With that being said there is a good chance that there may be three people on this trip with her having to carry around the third person. lol We will find that out in a few weeks! Hence adding the cot and trying to stay close to the river to limit hiking. That's not to say we won't drop a moose half a mile away. And considering how the prices of Alaska hunts are steadily climbing and her desire to kill a moose (as well as myself) it makes it real tough not to consider a moose trip that all in would cost less than the transport alone costs for caribou. I will add the two guys that have hunted this particular area are older gentleman and seem to call and kill moose wight along the river with minimal pack outs.
If there is anything I'm not thinking of or have left out of major importance then please share. I want to know what I'm getting myself into considering its my wife and more so that its my wife with a potential plus 1.
