Alaska Moose 2017: Planning

[Mote270]

Evening all! After reading many post on other member's Alaskan moose hunts I thought I might politely ask for information some of you posses. Quick background... My friend and I are planning a moose hunt to Alaska in September of 2017. We are looking at hunting the peninsula. More specifically unit 9E. The choice for this unit is based on some information from a local friend who has only hunted in this unit, with some level of success. With that said anyone with information about other units is definitely welcome insight! Anyways we are looking into the area around Becharof Lake. The information I am really seeking is a transporter to and from this area? Anyone have any experience hunting the peninsula and have advice on a good air service? We are looking at doing a drop camp. Also any thoughts on the services that provide you with gear vs bringing our own? Would like to hear the pros and cons. I have plenty of hunting and camping gear but it is not lightweight stuff so am trying to decide if it is worth it to ship all my gear up vs renting. We reside in Oregon so will be flying to Alaska. I am guessing we will have to fly into the major airport, fly to a smaller town, and then get on a plane that will fly us into the hunting area. I have been doing lots of research on the whole trip but first hand knowledge from someone not trying to sell me a service is always worth more! Any information about Alaska, moose hunting, travel, gear etc... is always greatly appreciated!! Feel free to pm as well. Thanks for any input!

 

[the nikster]

I am not familiar with the area but I have done several hunts in Alaska, both outfitted and not. I like my gear. I am familiar with my gear. That said, the two times I used outfitter gear I was supplied good gear that served its purpose. I did not suffer any failures like broken tent poles, holes in the raft, etc.
logistically it is easier to trust in their equipment, usually cheaper than sending yours as well. But I usually spend the extra money and bring my own.

 

[Kaitum]

I've not hunted the area but I worked there quite a bit and had colleagues who live / hunt there. My impression with unit 9 in general is moose densities are lower than other better known moose areas in AK. The areas I surveyed (mostly unit 9B) the bull : cow ratios were some of the highest in AK. I've heard anecdotally that 9E was similar. While there weren't a lot of moose, there were some very large bulls. For accessing that area, you're best bet is to fly from Anchorage to King Salmon via AK Air or Pen Air. Evert's flies cargo flights from ANC to KS most days. From King Salmon its a short flight to the Becharof area. Branch River Air has operated an air taxi service in that area for a long time. I only used them for work, never used them for personal trips. I'm sure there are other air taxis in KS but their names escape me at this point.

Fall weather on the AK Peninsula is notoriously wet so plan accordingly. You're also going to an area with a very high brown bear density so keep that in mind. Take a fishing rod, lots of coho, rainbows and Dollies to catch.

 

[Mote270]

Thanks guys! Good stuff!

Nikester: If you dont mind me asking what are some of the price ranges for renting camping gear that you've done? Some of the ones I have found have been around the $5k-$6.5k range with the flight included. Is this "typical"? Thanks!

Kaitum: I sent you a pm with a couple other questions. I hope you don't mind!

Thanks guys!

 

[Bambistew]

Are you trying to keep this under a budget of some sort, or are hung up on a "trophy" moose hunt? The peninsula and southwest hunts are quite a bit more expensive than the interior, mostly due to logistics and limited flight services. The moose can be bigger on average, but not necessarily more plentiful. Big moose are found just about anywhere.

Personally I would look at the interior units 20 and 25. Easier logistics, more transporter options, can be less expensive, and generally a higher moose population.

The most challenging part of those far flung hunts is dealing with meat. Most villages don't have butchers, let alone a meat locker. Couple that with flight delays, etc. you can end up with a pile of rotten meat. If you base out of Fairbanks, you have all sorts of options... to include backup transport when your main transporter crashes his plane or gets incredibly backed up due to weather...

 

[Mote270]

Bambistew

Little bit of both I guess. We have been saving for this hunt for a couple years so we're willing to drop a little bit of coin but paying say $15k-$25k for an guide is out of the picture. We really would like to kill a nice bull in the 50"+ range. I'm all for going to a higher density areas. This was really just a starting point since I have a friend who hunted here years and years ago. How is the hunting pressure in those units? That was another reason for going far away. Looking to get away from the four wheelers and boats of the higher populated areas. But you do have good points about transportation and logistics.

 

[Bambistew]

We really would like to kill a nice bull in the 50"+ range.

I believe as NR this pretty much is the requirement for the entire state, with a couple exceptions that allow any bull. While this is a trophy to most people, this is just getting into the average mature bull class. 4-6yo. You should see a few bulls of this class just about anywhere you go. I've seen as many as 7 legal bulls on a trip, and as few as a couple.

How is the hunting pressure in those units? That was another reason for going far away. Looking to get away from the four wheelers and boats of the higher populated areas. But you do have good points about transportation and logistics.

"Those areas" total an area about 100,000 square miles or about 3/4 the size of Montana, with all of 6500 total moose hunters last year. Not sure what your definition of crowded is, but I think there is room to get away from other hunters... Now access points ARE limited, but you can walk and have a spot to yourself. Remember the "rules" of moose hunting are don't shoot more than one, don't shoot one in the water, and don't shoot one more than a mile from camp. I've broken all of them, and am running 100% on moose harvest.

Hunting "pressure" is relative and quite dependent on the game population. In some areas where the game numbers are high, hunters rarely complain, when numbers are low and other hunters are seen, people tend to complain.

To some, seeing another person is too much. I see hunters every now and again on a week long hunt in some areas, and rarely in others. Never do they spoil the my hunt, or interfere with a hunt. Odds are you will see airplanes, and possibly other hunters, but it all depends on where you end up. The closer to Fairbanks you are, the more likely chance you could get another transporter to dump another group on the same strip... but Alaska is a big F'n place, and moose hunters are lazy and generally don't go far from the strips, and camps are easy to spot... I have spots I hunt 2-3 miles off the highway that I've yet to see another hunter in nearly 6 years, and this is in a heavily hunted area. Not so say others don't hunt there, but I've yet to see evidence of them. Another couple spots I've hunted moose, are 20ish miles off the highway in a controlled access area, that I've seen other hunters maybe 2-3 times in a 10 day hunt, but also saw a lot of legal bulls (50+). Even camped out on the strip with another family, but we stayed out of each others way.

If having a spot all to yourself is #1 priority, look to the SW and Western AK. Very few people hunt out there besides locals because it costs 2-3x as much to get it done... but the rewards can be worth it I suppose. With limited air service, and small population of private planes in the general area, the chance of another group being in your area is quite slim. For me, if I would settle for any legal bull, I'd surely look somewhere else and understand that no place in Alaska offers 100% guarantee of solitude.

Start with Wrights Air and go from there. They have tons of spots to drop hunters, let them know what you are looking for in a hunt and they will do their best to accommodate. Also understand that if the moose population is high, it will be a popular spot. Who wants to hunt in an area with few moose?

ADF&G has all sorts of harvest statistics for you to look at.
https://secure.wildlife.alaska.gov/index.cfm

 

[sneakypete]

Just wondering, why not book a hunt into the Yukon?

 

[the nikster]

I do not think I have spent more then $5,000 for any hunt.
I have rented gear, including a raft for less than $2,000 for 17 days. I had all my gear included in the price on a caribou hunt for less than $3000.
Look around, kick tires. There are names in the business who have great gear at reasonable prices, Walt for instance.

 

[Mote270]

Thanks again guys! All the help is greatly appreciated.

Bambistew tried sending ya a pm but says you're full up.

 

[Bambistew]

Try 'er again

 

[Mote270]

I think it sent. Thanks!

 

[mdhunter61]

If you're flying to Alaska, Wright Air flies hunters out of Fairbanks, so you could fly into Fairbanks and go out with them into some really pretty country and good moose hunting areas. Give them a call soon and find out when they start taking reservations for 2017 hunts - most reputable air taxis will be fully booked before December 31 of this year, for next Fall's hunts.

I can't emphasize enough that what Bambi was saying about taking care of meat in the field is unlike any other hunting you'll ever do. If you shoot an adult bull you're looking at 500-600 pounds of meat, not including any bones! Taking care of that much meat in the field is no easy chore, and something that requires some thought beforehand.

Best of luck on your hunt planning. Hunting remote Alaska is a privilege and an adventure unlike any other.

 

[sneakypete]

X2^ what hunter said. Once you pull the trigger and you have have a mature moose down, you're in for hours of work. Heavy work. Done correctly some of the best meat you'll ever taste!