$20K enough?

[ignorethefringes]

Total, for two people to hunt moose up in Alaska as non-residents? Fly in, unguided, non - trophy moose.

I'd like to start saving/planning for a trip for dad and I in the next 5 or so years and am looking for a reasonable total cost.

So what do you think? Is $20K enough to cover the whole thing?

 

[LopeHunter]

Total, for two people to hunt moose up in Alaska as non-residents? Fly in, unguided, non - trophy moose.

I'd like to start saving/planning for a trip for dad and I in the next 5 or so years and am looking for a reasonable total cost.

So what do you think? Is $20K enough to cover the whole thing?

Do the air transport guys actually fly unguided hunters into the better spots? I was under the impression the outfitters provided enough business that the pilots were limiting where would drop an unguided hunter and even being picked up was subject to lower priority by the pilots than the outfitter clients.

Who has the scoop?

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Total, for two people to hunt moose up in Alaska as non-residents? Fly in, unguided, non - trophy moose.

I'd like to start saving/planning for a trip for dad and I in the next 5 or so years and am looking for a reasonable total cost.

So what do you think? Is $20K enough to cover the whole thing?

I'd think so, but location will be a large factor for travel costs to the hunting grounds.

Do the air transport guys actually fly unguided hunters into the better spots? I was under the impression the outfitters provided enough business that the pilots were limiting where would drop an unguided hunter and even being picked up was subject to lower priority by the pilots than the outfitter clients.

Who has the scoop?

You can find ones to fly you in, they are just a little more rare and probably cost a few bucks more

 

[ignorethefringes]

I'm not wholly opposed to some sort of guided or base camp situation, but I just figured the price would be well outside what I was thinking lol

 

[Trial153]

20k together, yes for sure.

 

[seeth07]

Do the air transport guys actually fly unguided hunters into the better spots? I was under the impression the outfitters provided enough business that the pilots were limiting where would drop an unguided hunter and even being picked up was subject to lower priority by the pilots than the outfitter clients.

Who has the scoop?

It depends on the air transporter and you really have to do your homework. Some transporters will take you to spots. Most of those are secondary spots to them as the outfitters are using them for the best locations. But those spots still produce success so its not entirely bad. However, there are some transporters that don't help you with location. Those that do this want you to do all the work and figure out the spot on your own and they will determine the feasibility of them being able to put the plane there. Its a little tricky in Alaska because there is a big difference between a transporter state licence and an outfitter license. A transporter licence from the way I understood it when I was doing my research is that they can't actually help you locate and find game.

 

[mdhunter61]

It might be enough, but booking the best transporters or outfitters to fly you into good moose country is in big demand - hard to get booked with the best ones, unless you try to book 3-4 years into the future.

Here are notional per person costs for a remote flyout moose hunt. For a non-resident, here is a breakdown of the main costs:

$3,500 Bush flights into/out of the field per hunter; some are more expensive

$800 Roundtrip airfare to/from Anchorage or Fairbanks from your home (estimate)

$200 Excess baggage charges (depending on # of checked bags)

$400 4 nights lodging (for before and after you fly into the field)

$450 Half of the cost for renting a U-Haul van or truck (to get to where the bush plane flies you in)

$200 Meals in Anchorage or Fairbanks

$160 Non-resident hunting license

$800 Moose tag

$150 Groceries/supplies in Anchorage or Fairbanks

$75 Gas (to drive to/from your flights into the field)

$75 Half of Satellite Phone Rental cost + cost for minutes used

$250 Cash for incidentals, snacks, miscellaneous

$200 Pilot tips (optional)



As you can see, this list doesn’t factor in any taxidermy costs, or the costs for shipping meat and antlers/cape back home. You're gonna approach $10K per person pretty quickly, and could be over that depending on the air transport costs.

 

[ignorethefringes]

It might be enough, but booking the best transporters or outfitters to fly you into good moose country is in big demand - hard to get booked with the best ones, unless you try to book 3-4 years into the future.

Here are notional per person costs for a remote flyout moose hunt. For a non-resident, here is a breakdown of the main costs:

$3,500 Bush flights into/out of the field per hunter; some are more expensive

$800 Roundtrip airfare to/from Anchorage or Fairbanks from your home (estimate)

$200 Excess baggage charges (depending on # of checked bags)

$400 4 nights lodging (for before and after you fly into the field)

$450 Half of the cost for renting a U-Haul van or truck (to get to where the bush plane flies you in)

$200 Meals in Anchorage or Fairbanks

$160 Non-resident hunting license

$800 Moose tag

$150 Groceries/supplies in Anchorage or Fairbanks

$75 Gas (to drive to/from your flights into the field)

$75 Half of Satellite Phone Rental cost + cost for minutes used

$250 Cash for incidentals, snacks, miscellaneous

$200 Pilot tips (optional)



As you can see, this list doesn’t factor in any taxidermy costs, or the costs for shipping meat and antlers/cape back home. You're gonna approach $10K per person pretty quickly, and could be over that depending on the air transport costs.

Thank you for this detailed breakdown. The odds of either of us paying for taxidermy is pretty minimal. If nothing else, neither of us have any space to put something for like that in our houses. but we'd definitely be planning to bring the meat and antlers back home. Looks like $10K each should be pretty doable.

Since we're looking at a 5 year game plan, it sounds like we need to start making some calls this year to try and reserve out spots. I guess we're not as early to research process as I thought lol.

 

[mdhunter61]

I would start reaching out to some potential air transporters/outfitters in mid October when their current hunting seasons are winding down. Might want to check with Golden Eagle Outfitters (Jared Cummings) out of Kotzebue, and Papa Bear Adventures or Renfro's Alaskan Adventures out of Bethel. There are other transporters, but these are 3 reputable ones who fly into good moose country. I consciously left 40 Mile Air (out of Tok) off the list, although they are my transporter of choice. The chance of booking a moose hunt with them is very slim at the moment, they typically fill up with return customers very quickly and typically do not have moose spots open for new customers.

 

[ignorethefringes]

I would start reaching out to some potential air transporters/outfitters in mid October when their current hunting seasons are winding down. Might want to check with Golden Eagle Outfitters (Jared Cummings) out of Kotzebue, and Papa Bear Adventures or Renfro's Alaskan Adventures out of Bethel. There are other transporters, but these are 3 reputable ones who fly into good moose country. I consciously left 40 Mile Air (out of Tok) off the list, although they are my transporter of choice. The chance of booking a moose hunt with them is very slim at the moment, they typically fill up with return customers very quickly and typically do not have moose spots open for new customers.

Man, based on those places I need to up my budget for sure. Papa Bear is looking at $9,500-$10,000 each within the next 3 years, Renfro's cheapest option is $8,500 each for an unguided, non-outfitted option, and Golden Eagle doesn't list any hunting info on their website (I'll probably have to call them). At the cheapest of $8,500 that only leaves $1,500 to cover flights to/from AK, licenses, getting meat home, etc.

I'll give 40 mile air a call after the season as well to talk about the future.

Thanks for all your help on this.

 

[mdhunter61]

Man, based on those places I need to up my budget for sure. Papa Bear is looking at $9,500-$10,000 each within the next 3 years, Renfro's cheapest option is $8,500 each for an unguided, non-outfitted option, and Golden Eagle doesn't list any hunting info on their website (I'll probably have to call them). At the cheapest of $8,500 that only leaves $1,500 to cover flights to/from AK, licenses, getting meat home, etc.

I'll give 40 mile air a call after the season as well to talk about the future.

Thanks for all your help on this.

That's why I was a little worried about the $10k number I didn't know what others were charging for a DIY drop moose hunt. 40 Mile charges less than that (their prices for moose and caribou hunts are listed on their website) but they are TOUGH to get on with. Even as a returning customer, I start speed dialing with 2 phones as soon as they takes reservation for the following year, and it has taken as long as 46 minutes to get through! The earliest I ever got through I was the 9th call they picked up.

There are likely some other decent options that I am unaware of; if Kevin Dill (KDill on ROKSLIDE) posts on this forum, he might have some other thoughts if you PM him. Or reach him over on ROKSLIDE if you're on that forum also.

Wright Air out of Fairbanks is a good outfit, but I am unaware of if/how they handle DIY moose hunters these days. I had heard a rumor that they want the hunters to specify where they want to be dropped, which is a tough call for non-residents. But, perhaps that was only a rumor. They are a good outfit to fly with, or at least they have been in the past.

 

[Robinhood21]

It can easily be done...

 

[Sytes]

Very nice Robinhood!
$20k? I am sooo far from remotely considering a trip even 1/3rd that value however, my limited wall hangers may endorse my frugality.

 

[Robinhood21]

BTW, I absolutely can't believe what some are chargineg for a DIY drop hunt... but I guess supply and demand determines that. Those who put in enough research can much better that.

 

[Gary]

You've got the time to do the research - DO IT. There are cheaper options for air taxis, but I expect prices to go up, to try to make up for all the lost work this year. Carefully research exactly what kind of bull a nonresident can harvest. I think there are still some areas where a nonres can harvest a bull under 50" (with no brow tine requirements). Check some of the draw hunts, too. Unit 23 is off limits for nonresident moose, but there are still some northern units that are open (and transporters that will fly you for less than 10k).

 

[matechakeric]

this is a great thread. would the cost for 2 for a drop-off unguided caribou hunt cost more than one for a moose?

 

[Gary]

this is a great thread. would the cost for 2 for a drop-off unguided caribou hunt cost more than one for a moose?

The biggest cost of any AK fly-in hunt (DIY) is going to be the air taxi. Some taxis charge a "fixed" cost. A few charge by the hour(s). On a moose hunt, if successful, there will probably be additional costs for extra flights - figuring moose weight at +/- 600lbs' plus one hunter @200 lbs- that's a 206 load all by itself. In other words, what was one flight in is now a minimum of 2 flights out. Caribou are much lighter and you'll probably be able to squeak out the same number of return flights as it took to fly you in. How heavily a pilot will load his plane depends on a number of factors - mostly weather related. A bou hunt may cost as much as a moose hunt (baring extra flights) but shouldn't cost more depending on flight time.