DIY public land moose hunt for $2000 per hunter, is it possible anymore?

[okie_hotrod]

I'm finally in a financial position to start going on hunting trips out west which has been a dream of mine since I was a kid but with the cost of tags and travel increasing I need to get the best "bang for my buck". Outfitters are all but out of the question and I prefer DIY so my main question is this: is it possible to go on an Alaskan moose hunt for $2000 per hunter on public land? This would probably be a once in a lifetime hunt for me but it's something I want to do before I'm no longer able to. Alaska is what I consider a hunter's Mecca and to experience that would be a crowning achievement in my hunting career but I need to be practical. I'm taking my first trip to Colorado chasing elk this fall and hope to start applying for tags in Wyoming and New Mexico next year but if I intend live out this dream I need to start saving and planning now. Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom.

 

[deer_shooter]

A few questions to tee it up for the more knowledgeable.....

Is the $2k total budget including flights up and back?

Are you thinking hunting off the roads system, float trip or air taxi?

How many hunters in your party?

 

[Muche]

The tag alone is half your budget.

 

[brownbear932008]

No way I would probably skip a few years and save the 2k after three years of that I'd do one of two things go to Alaska and find a good fly out. Or number two go to Newfoundland outfitted with the funds. Success rates are much better in newfie.

 

[Gellar]

It will be much harder now that the tag is $1000. My first moose hunt in Alaska in 2007 was less then $1500 (tag, flight to Alaska, fuel, food) and we got a moose between the two of us (after shooting 1 and dealing with it we decided 1 was enough for the two of us). It helped that my brother lives in Alaska and we were able to use his vehicle, four wheeler, and raft for transportation. We hauled our gear in via 4 wheelers to a creek that was barely wide enough for a raft and floated further from the road to a larger river and floated it back out to where the river crossed the road. We saw a few other hunters while we were four wheeling, but none had the same plan as us and also another group floating the larger river after we had harvested our moose.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I've got a couple caribou ideas planned out and I'm about double that, IMO caribou is a little more attainable than a moose. Especially if your going at it blind. If you got some local help or family in the great state of AK then maybe 2k-2500 is in the cards but it would be real close. Id probably plan on more like 6-7k or so.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

I believe there was a thread on this forum with Randy a few years back saying it was possible back then so maybe you can find that thread. I believe even then I said there is no way you can do moose for less than $4000 per person( I don't recall the number Randy put out there). The tag and costs associated with it, airfare, meat transportation back home, float plane/boat...etc.etc.etc...Just don't add up. I believe the airfare alone was over $1000 when I looked at it and that was a few years back. If you can grrat, but IMO, no....not possible years ago, not possible now.

 

[brownbear932008]

I've got a couple caribou ideas planned out and I'm about double that, IMO caribou is a little more attainable than a moose. Especially if your going at it blind. If you got some local help or family in the great state of AK then maybe 2k-2500 is in the cards but it would be real close. Id probably plan on more like 6-7k or so.

I agree with this 110%. Getting a moose flown out of the bush and to a major hub such as anchorage or Fairbanks can cost half of your budget. Hunting off the road system is possible but you are severely putting a hurting on your success rate on a good bull. Give us an idea of what your looking at and expecting from your perspective at this point in the game maybe that will help us.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

Found the thread...And these are 2011 prices

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?248342-Alaska-moose-OYOA-style

 

[okie_hotrod]

I didn't figure flight prices into the budget because those change all the time, mainly just tags and licence, supplies, and equipment. I do have an old friend from college that lives in Anchorage but I'm not real sure how much I can rely on him seeing as I haven't talk to him much since graduation.
The plan is to hopefully have my dad and brother join me so it would be a 3 way split on transportation costs but if it would more cost effective to do a fly-in hunt that may be the way to go.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I didn't figure flight prices into the budget because those change all the time, mainly just tags and licence, supplies, and equipment. I do have an old friend from college that lives in Anchorage but I'm not real sure how much I can rely on him seeing as I haven't talk to him much since graduation.
The plan is to hopefully have my dad and brother join me so it would be a 3 way split on transportation costs but if it would more cost effective to do a fly-in hunt that may be the way to go.

Priced out air taxis last week again this is for Caribou, 3500-4000 for a drop camp hunt. That's in and they'll come get you 1 time each. With three guys and gear, plus you stack a couple bulls in the mix........get your check book out. My brother in law guides for a guy in SW AK I would look at some drop camp options through outfitters and see what they have to offer. Usually its about 5500 per person or so. At my brothers lodge they have some pretty successful drop camp hunts for moose. Might want to save few extra pesos and go that route. Or look into a Canadian outfit and see what they offer, at 2k though your not gonna get much.

 

[CampRipleyLF]

I'm in the boat that says it will be over 2,000 no matter what you do. The tag is half the budget and even if you drove to Alaska and hunted off the road, you'd be pushing 2,000. I'd just keep saving and make it once in a life time trip. A buddy of mine is a guide up there and I think just the drop camps they run are 6,000..

 

[brownbear932008]

You gotta also realize three guys does split up some cost but can also add cost with extra flights in/out ect if your doing a drop camp. A river float trip is also pricey if you gotta pay for rafts ect. I just can't see how you could even come close on a 2k budget. I haven't figured up a hunt up there since 2012. That was a bou hunt fly out two of us and it ran around 3-4k each we flew up drove to happy valley with rental and flew out into the tundra. If I had to take a stab at a decent hunt with odds that at least one guy gets a moose I'd have to say low end 6k could be as high as 10k lots of variables in the mix in Alaska.
I drew a great moose tag up there in a great area but it was way out in the bush. The transporter alone into the area (by boat) and a boat for the week ran me 5500. The only thing you can bet on in Alaska is everything is high as hell. If you could charter a beaver from say one of the major cities it would make things cheaper (they can haul a load) but I wouldn't know how well you would do. There are a few Alaska guys on here maybe they have better advise and will chime in with logistics in the bush.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Bambistew will line you out on this... he's the resident AK guru. Good luck to you and your pops, always has been my biggest hunting dream to hunt moose with my dad in AK. Hopefully one day it becomes a reality.

 

[okie_hotrod]

Thanks guys, any info is much appreciated

 

[Mallardsx2]

Probably not. But for 3K each you and your friend can go hunt Canada for a week during the rut with you bow pretty easily.

 

[Bambistew]

The thing with Alaska hunting is logistics. There are many things that most people don't think about, either the time it takes, or the cost associated with it.

You could "hunt" moose for $2000, but you probably won't kill one... and will likely see a number of people since you don't have the luxury of knowing where the pressure will be, probably won't find/see a legal moose due to timing, rutting area locations, what habitat they prefer, access, etc. It would take you a few years to sort it out, IMO. You can't just shoot any bull you see, it must have 4 brow tines, or be 50" wide. This maybe 1 in 10 bulls you see, or less.

Assuming your budget is from the time you step off the plane in AK, and buy a tag/license, you're left with about $1000.

Vehicle rental will run you about $6-700+ a week. Not sure on supplies/gear you'd want to get or rent, and shipping meat/antlers home will cost you hundreds of dollars.

You might be able to find a taxi to fly you in for $1000, but it will probably cost you another $1000-1500 to fly out your meat and you won't get far form town. Taxi's start at $400/hr and go up from there. You pay for all the airtime to and from your destination. So if you were 30 min out by air, you'd pay 2 hours flight time for a drop off and pickup. You will be lucky to make it 10-15 miles off the road system in 30 minutes of flight time, depending on where you start from... And highly unlikely you'll have it to yourself.

There are places you can hunt off the road/highway for moose, but expect to pack one 3-5 miles through some squishy, wet, river crossings, muskeg, thick alders AND in areas where you can get away from the ATVs...thats if you even found one. I see 2-4 legal bulls every year "near" the road, but so far I haven't wanted one bad enough to pack it out from the spots I find them. I've seen some giants too, but just couldn't convince myself to do it, and I'm pretty stupid when it comes to packing stuff a long ways... Many people think they have what it takes, until you really need to do it. Its easily the hardest thing I've ever done. I've packed about half a dozen moose out, the farthest was almost 3 miles, but it was all down hill, on solid ground. I've packed a few in the 2 mile range through absolute chit, and it sucked. If I was a NR I may consider packing a moose 3-4 miles, if it was my only moose hunt and I was in shape enough and mentally prepared to pack 3-4x 80-90lbs, with no trail, for multiple days.

Also you need be realistic about it... it will take you 3 days to get it out assuming 2 guys that are fit. Some areas require you leave the meat on the bone, which will add 2 more pack loads... and you will need to deal with meat prior to leaving AK, and also spend the time to hunt. A week would give you about 3 days of actual hunting including travel time...

Could you do it for $2000, sure. Will you kill one? Doubtful. Will it be fun? That depends on what you want to get out of it. It certainly won't be the experience you hoped for on a once in a lifetime hunt, and there will likely be a lot of additional costs you didn't think about. Will you see some amazing country, you bet.

I have a moose hunt planned this year that will cost me a couple tanks of gas... and about $5000 in packraft and ATV... haha. Also have another couple spots that will cost me half a tank of gas, but I don't expect to kill one, much less see a legal bull, but thats ok with me.

 

[JColony]

From my calculations, $2k would be tough. I'm actually heading up there this Sept. to hunt moose. I budgeted about $2400 for my trip and that didn't include airfare to get there (gotta love ccard points), ground transport once there, or transport to hunting grounds. I have a bit of a unique situation though. I grew up in Valdez and an old high school buddy is taking my brother in law and I out to one of his spots. So my number really only includes lic, tag, meat processing/shipping, antler transport, and misc. supplies. I'm def. not claiming to be the expert on this, but my personal calculations make me think $2k would be tough. Now, if only one tag between the two of you, then you might be in the wheelhouse. Hope this helps.

 

[okie_hotrod]

Great info guys, looks like I'll just have to start stashing cash.

 

[Speeddmn]

I would re-ask this questions when the budget is closer to 6k per person. Also if you are going to AK, make the best of it, fishing, bear, caribou, etc... So maybe 10k and get a good spot!