Well it's just a dream at this point but one day I'd love to do a DIY drop camp hunt in Alaska for moose. I'm sure many of us have this hunt on our bucket list!
Who has been and can share some info on the hunt? :archer2: :dunno:
I can't offer advice, but I'll be waiting for the story so I can live it vicariously thru you brother. It's on my list too.
Look up Kevin Dill, he has done it several times and has written on here about it.
Quote from: rainman on June 13, 2020, 03:33:28 AM
Look up Kevin Dill, he has done it several times and has written on here about it.
Yes sir I have read a about his trips. He gives a lot of good advice on another forum. Thanks
Don't have a lot to offer, I've only hunted Shiras here in Colorado and just cow then. The sheer size of her was daunting when I got her down and an Alaskan Bull is way way bigger! My brother in law killed a big one and he said head, antlers and cape were 250#! Another aquatintent told me he had to basically crawl in the body cavity to get the chest cavity cleaned out! If I ever go to Alaska DIY it's going to be for Caribou, a little more manageable!
Be prepared, which I have no doubt you will be I'm sure, you appear to be a very capable fella!
Another great source would be to get in touch with Herdbull, Mike Mitten. He has done a few solo DIY moose hunts in Alaska.
Alaska is a great place and I hope you get a chance to go. It's easier to answer questions if they are more specific. You can get an idea of which questions you have unanswered by listening to the many podcast out there by Bryan Burkhardt or Monty Browning. You can do a search for past posts on Tradgang for many stories, and I have stories in my free reading journal section of my website https://www.herdbullproductions.com/ . I have links to podcast I have done that involve planning and stories from past hunts. Don't forget to contact the Alaska wildlife biologist in the unit you plan to hunt as well. Mike
I am blessed to be able to do this type of hunt in September, as Kevin Dill's partner, and my fellow PBSer Joe Lasch will get to do the same with John Havard. Both opportunities are a direct result of our PBS memberships..... A membership and involvement with the PBS has many, many benefits.
I'd love to find the Walt Francis thread about his AK moose hunt with the famous Pigger Osage selfbow...
Quote from: rainman on June 13, 2020, 03:33:28 AM
Look up Kevin Dill, he has done it several times and has written on here about it.
One of, if not, the best DIY hunts I've read..... I believe he did a few... search!!!
Did this hunt with fellow PBS'r Steve Chappell for half a month. We called in 6 Bulls with Steve having a chance at a legal bull. Great experience and hope to get back in a few years. Great info from a few PBS members, Walt Frances, Monty Browning, Mike Mitten, Terry Receveur and Kevin Dill.
I have been to Alaskan four times hunting moose, this fall will be my fifth trip for Alaskan Moose.
Step One: The best and most important advise I received was it will not happen unless you SET THE DATE, DON'T DEVIATE FROM THAT DATE, and MAKE IT HAPPEN.
You can do everything involved with planning an Alaskan moose hunt, well it is a dream that will never happen until you are fully committed to Step One above. If you are of limited means like myself, then stetting a BUDGET and, you guessed it, DON'T DEVIATE FROM THAT BUDGET. Some people can save enough money ($5-$10K) in one year, most in two years, for others it might take three. Four or Five years is usually too long, a goal set too far is easily postponed and seldom achieved. If it's going to take more than three years, follow Monty Browning's advise, go introduce yourself to your banker.
Yes, I know Sh!t happens, and without fail there will always be several really, really, really good reasons to postpone or cancel the trip. I have had a lot of acquaintances who decided to make their Alaskan Moose hunt, started the planning for it, then something came up and they postponed the hunt. Something Important always comes up! Over the twenty five years I have been planning hunts in Alaska, the only person I know who postponed their Alaskan Moose hunt and then made it to Alaska the next year, is myself. The reason for postponing the hunt, I drew a moose tag in my home state of Montana.
Mike's advise above is really solid. Buy Mike's book's and DVD's, I have learned a lot of things from them that help me in the woods, most import is an insight into a mindset for getting it done, the right way.
Run searches, type in Mike Mitten, Bryan Burkhart, Kevin Dill, Monty Browning, or Mark Baker, with the word moose, you will have enough information regarding how to hunt moose with a stickbow, plan the logistics, and what equipment to take, to plan your trip. There really is no need to research much more then what those five have written or produced.
If you didn't notice, the common link between the people I mentioned and have learned from, is my membership in the PBS.
It's only logical....
Who wouldn't want to go to the land where problems are solved with hundred dollar bills? Who wouldn't want to grab only 70 pounds of gear and go live like a homeless person for 2 weeks? Who wouldn't want to eat half-hydrated Mountain House and wake up at 3:00 am with THAT feeling? Who wouldn't enjoy laying in their tent for 48 hours listening to rain and wind outside?
Doesn't everybody wish they could hunt and kill over half a ton of urine, mud and hormone-saturated toughness....and then anticipate wading into it as they butcher? Who wouldn't love stressing their body to the max by packing bloody loads of meat through rough, mean terrain?
As Burkhardt and I have repeated many times: "You guys actually pay real money to do this???"
I won't answer for everyone, but in my case it helps to have a personality disorder. :)
I'm looking forward to hunting with Jeff this year. I've been duly warned, but it matters little. He's tough and determined....and that's all I need to know. If the virus and the bureaucrats leave us alone, it's going to be a heck of a hunt.
Walt, Bryan, Mike, Monty, Julian, Terry, Jeff, Steve, Brian....all experienced moose guys, friends, and every single name has taught me something (or will) about why I chase moose so avidly. I consider myself an expert on nothing....with the possible exception of how to enjoy hardship and living for that moment where old Sawblade rakes a spruce and starts rocking my direction.
Quote from: Kevin Dill on June 20, 2020, 10:42:54 AM
It's only logical....
Who wouldn't want to go to the land where problems are solved with hundred dollar bills? Who wouldn't want to grab only 70 pounds of gear and go live like a homeless person for 2 weeks? Who wouldn't want to eat half-hydrated Mountain House and wake up at 3:00 am with THAT feeling? Who wouldn't enjoy laying in their tent for 48 hours listening to rain and wind outside?
Doesn't everybody wish they could hunt and kill over half a ton of urine, mud and hormone-saturated toughness....and then anticipate wading into it as they butcher? Who wouldn't love stressing their body to the max by packing bloody loads of meat through rough, mean terrain?
As Burkhardt and I have repeated many times: "You guys actually pay real money to do this???"
I won't answer for everyone, but in my case it helps to have a personality disorder. :)
I'm looking forward to hunting with Jeff this year. I've been duly warned, but it matters little. He's tough and determined....and that's all I need to know. If the virus and the bureaucrats leave us alone, it's going to be a heck of a hunt.
Walt, Bryan, Mike, Monty, Julian, Terry, Jeff, Steve, Brian....all experienced moose guys, friends, and every single name has taught me something (or will) about why I chase moose so avidly. I consider myself an expert on nothing....with the possible exception of how to enjoy hardship and living for that moment where old Sawblade rakes a spruce and starts rocking my direction.
Best of luck to you both! I'll be waiting to read about your trip :thumbsup:
I love it Kevin!
Who wouldn't want to be gonad deep in freezing water butchering an 1800# bull.
Who wouldn't want that feeling you get as we age and look back and remember...
As I get ready to begin my 7th decade, I know I don't have many of these trips of a lifetime left... I'll be back after them next year. :)
As I approach by 8th decade I'm going to pass on this one:
" "
Been there done that won't repeat. LOL
Mike
Quote from: wingnut on June 22, 2020, 12:25:12 PM
As I approach by 8th decade I'm going to pass on this one:
"Who wouldn't want to be gonad deep in freezing water butchering an 1800# bull. "
Been there done that won't repeat. LOL
Mike
Check out Randy Newberg's latest video series on YouTube called "Shop Stories". He did a video on a DIY limited entry moose hunt in AK. I thought he gave a lot of great insight and tips on hunting Alaskan moose, travel as well as setting a reasonable expectation on what to expect when it comes to seeing numbers of moose as well as seeing other hunters. Remember, navigable rivers in AK are highways. Highways mean people. This video should be mandatory viewing for anyone considering a AK DIY moose hunt. Like Kevin said above, $100 bills. Don't leave home without them.
Jeff,
I was going through the my Alaska Checklist to send to a couple of friends who have requested it and found the link to my 2012 Moose Hunt, The pictures are not any good, but here it is:
http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=74573.msg1356725#msg1356725
If I was 40 years younger and had my current income I would be there..... or close. Life has a way of adjusting your wishes....
Go for it and enjoy every single second of the adventure.....
Quote from: Walt Francis on June 24, 2020, 10:27:14 PM
Jeff,
I was going through the my Alaska Checklist to send to a couple of friends who have requested it and found the link to my 2012 Moose Hunt, The pictures are not any good, but here it is:
http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=74573.msg1356725#msg1356725
Mr Walt that was a great hunt and awesome story telling! It was like I was there watching it all unfold! Congrats to you and Mr Dave on a great adventure :campfire: :campfire:
There is definitely a point in our lives where 2 windows have to line up before we can chase moose. The windows are age and income. When they get aligned it's time to roll. Sometimes the opportunity is short, and for some it never works out. I'm lucky to have had so many consecutive years of doing this, but some day it will end for me.
Life is the ultimate example of fickleness and unpredictability. If it really matters to you....hunting moose in Alaska....go when you can make it happen. Opportunity isn't going to grab your hand and drag you up there. Writing that first check isn't an easy thing. Getting in shape is always a pain. Nothing but hurdles to stop you if you let them. I remember being invited to hunt sheep in Siberia many years ago but didn't make it happen. I learned from it though.
Those of us scheduled to hunt this year....I hope we all get to do it. Lots of uncertainty with travel and various restrictions. Feels pretty shaky to me personally but I'm 100% in unless a bridge gets closed. I need to listen to the river again and feel some cold wind on my neck. Moose meat sustains us. I can smell woodsmoke.
Jeff is coming to shoot with me this afternoon and we will talk about preparation. I have basically three setups. Basecamp with canvas which I will use on certain hunts like Colorado elk and Georgia pigs. My light and go backpack set up is 40 lbs for 10 days with and an Hilliberg Akto and my Badger bag , etc. Good for elk hunting backcountry. Kevin, you are familiar with my middle of the road setup with Kifaru sawtooth and Ti goat WiFi stove. With 70 lbs being the cut off, planning is stressful the first time you do it. I would not mind having a slightly larger set up like a seek outside 8 man.
Thanks Walt, your hunt story was a classic! Amazing when plan A actually works, huh? Hope that you will have a similar experience this fall in Alaska!
Well, this is a dream of mine too, unfortunately I can't ever find anyone that wants to go with me...so if you want a partner, I can hike and pack meat all day long, I never get down and dejected and I'd be just as happy to help pack your moose out as I would my own. Send a PM and we can talk! 😁 :goldtooth:
Thought I'd keep you guys entertained a little bit with a day by day run down of two DIY moose hunts. For full disclosure the first was with a gun (only way my wife would go with me) and the second with a recurve. I will not add any kill pictures of the gun hunt. Hopefully, it will give you an idea of what to expect from a DIY drop hunt for Alaska Yukon Moose. The hunts were single location lake hunts. These hunts were taken nearly 20 years ago now, but I feel like they were just yesterday. I've been to Alaska 9 times to hunt for moose, caribou, bear, and Sitka blacktails. All were DIY. I can't wait to head back up for moose and caribou next year. Figure I better get in all the hunts I can before it's too late. Anyway, here we go!
2001 Alaska Moose Hunt Journal (Sept 6-20, 2001)
The hunt being described was a fly-in DIY drop hunt along the Yukon River. My partner for the hunt was my wife.
"Come on get your shoes on and gather up your stuff! There's a giant moose bedded down by the end of the bay." "No there's not!" was Tina's reply. "Yeah there is, I'm not kidding. Come on, get ready!" I exclaimed. Her pessimism probably wouldn't have been apparent had it not been for the fact that she had cried wolf on our first day out and almost daily since. We were canoeing along the lake edge when she shouted "look there's a moose". I nearly received whiplash from turning to look so quickly. She must've been thinking I was getting even, but I wasn't! There really was a giant moose bedded at the end of the bay. The spotting of the massive bull was the beginning of the end of a 10-year quest for moose.
It all began with the reading of a magazine article in 1991 titled "The Yukon's Hidden Treasures". It told of the hunt for big Alaskan-Yukon moose and I was hooked. I spent the next ten years dreaming and scheming. The journey involved reading everything I could find on moose hunting (Hunt Alaska Now by Dennis Confer, Hunting in Alaska by Chris Batin, Moose by Robert Strong, The Hunting Report, all of Jay Massey's books, etc...) and watching as many videos as I could find (15 total). I took a couple of caribou hunts in 1997 and 1999 as primers for what to expect in Alaska. I learned volumes from those two hunts. In late 1999 I began getting very serious about a moose hunt and started intensive searching for the best location. I used all available resources from Glen Stout the Alaska biologist out of Galena, Bob Rebuchek the Koyukuk Refuge manager, the Moose forum on The Bowsite, and a multitude of other resources. I was finally able to define the area I wanted to hunt and determine a reputable air-taxi operator to deliver me to the location. I selected an air taxi outfitter out of Galena due to glowing reviews, his flight safety record, a personal conversation with him, and because of his high moral convictions. You see this wasn't going to be a routine hunt. I was bringing my wife on her first Alaskan experience and I didn't want it tainted with a bunch of rough speaking, beer-drinking slobs. The air taxi pilot holds a tight line against this behavior and selects only clients willing to abide by his rules. The pilot is also a small outfit only taking 12-14 hunters per year, which I hoped, would transfer into a little more personal attention. Man, was I ever right on that guess!
Our hunt began on September 6, 2001 with a flight from Indy to Chicago. There we changed planes for another leg to Anchorage and then on to Fairbanks. We arrived in Fairbanks at 2:30 PM so we rented a car to tour the town. After checking into the Super 8 we headed out for a quick stop at Burger King for dinner. We decided on the drive through so we could have more time to tour the town. After getting our meal, I was unwrapping my Whopper at a stoplight when the light changed and I hit the gas to go. The car in front of me slammed on the breaks and I slammed into the back of the car – DOH! Fortunately, the damage was pretty minimal on the other car and she just wanted to go on about her business. OK, fine! Since it was my fault for hitting a car in the rear I was anxious to accept this. The only problem now was the crunched front end of the rental car. My luck has to get better! After overnighting in Fairbanks we caught a Frontier Air puddle jumper to Galena. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and the pilot was able to fly us to our lake location that afternoon. Following is a day-by-day diary of our hunt beginning with the flight to the lake.
September 7 – A beautiful flight over the Yukon River. The birch trees were changing colors and produced a glowing yellow tint to the landscape. Still within sight of Galena, I spotted my first moose. It was a small bull bedded near a pond. We spotted several more moose on the way to the lake. As we circled the lake for orientation we spotted more moose on our home lake. One lanky old cow didn't even bother to evacuate the lake as we landed and motored up to our camping location. Tina took some shaky video of the cow. Tina and I were able to fly together but some of our gear had to stay behind. Our pilot made a second trip to retrieve our gear. We made camp and began glassing. During the afternoon and evening we saw a total of 7 moose (3 bulls and 4 cows). The bulls were sparring just across from camp on the North side of the lake. Two of the bulls were young (40-42"-Littleboy and 48-50"-Spiker), but the third gets my heart pumping. He never showed himself long enough to get a good size estimate, but he certainly dwarfed the other two. I racked brush and cow called from camp with my "Bull Magnet". I also placed a couple scent rags with Cow in Heat lure around camp. I was pumped for the next day's hunt.
September 8 – In the early AM I glassed the lake from camp and saw 11 moose (4 bulls and 7 cows). I also racked some bush and cow called. I immediately received an answer from the corner of the bay by camp. Upon investigation we saw a nice bull emerge from the willows and start in our direction. Tina and I decided to stalk up through the woods and managed to get within 100 yards of the bull. A great animal of about 55" with heavy palms and 3 unusual brows on each side. We decided to pass on the bull, but worked him anyway. I cow called and he walked in my direction. A second later a real cow called from the brush behind him. He started to turn and go to her when I cow called again. He started toward me again but then the real McCoy chimes in again and he turns toward her. I sent Tina back into the brush to cow call to simulate the cow leaving. He turned and started in our direction again. This time advancing to within 60 yards. The real cow responded once again and stopped his advance. I postulated that maybe if I bull grunt he would think another bull was trying to steal his hot cow and would charge on in. Wimpy bull! He evidently had recently received a butt whooping because when I bull grunted he turned and ran to his real cow. I guess a cow in hand is worth a cow and bull in bush! We continued to glass and spot from camp to try to pattern the moose with the intent of moving in on them later. A terrific day with lots of excitement! I did experience a little 2nd guessing about whether I should have shot the 55" bull. After all the excitement was over Tina said you should've shot the bull. Now she tells me! I believe Tina had ulterior motives because she wanted a fire and to be able to talk out loud. Come to find out later, she was getting frustrated with all the quiet. I guess it's hard to go from 4 kids and chaos to utter silence. I kind of figured this out after she angrily told me to stop ssshhhhing her. Enough said, I sssshhhheeeddd no more.
September 9 – I glassed from camp in the AM and saw 8 moose (4 cows and 4 bulls), all on the Northeast end of the lake. The bulls were Littleboy, Spiker (one brow on left side), 50" 3 brow (different from the day earlier), and BIG boy. I couldn't tell exactly how big the biggest bull was, but he was noticeably bigger than the rest. I only caught a fleeting glimpse of him as he cruised the cows and went back into the willows. My guess would be that he was 65"+ with 4-6 brows per side. A definite shooter! Our routine evolved into glassing until 11:00 AM and then working around camp until 3-4:00 PM and then glassing again. I built Tina a pretty impressive kitchen with a table, roof, and seating. Just like home – well almost! In the PM Tina and I decided to stalk into the Northeast end of the lake to set up on the bulls. We paddled down (canoe was flown into the lake prior to our arrival) ¾ of the way when we spotted a cow on the lake. We immediately backpedaled and cozied in next to a beaver hutch. About 100 yards of open marsh separated Tina and I from the cover of the willows. We made like a moose and I bent over and Tina put her hands on my hips so hopefully we looked like a really ugly moose. Seems to have worked because all the moose stayed on the lake. We reached the willows and started down toward the moose. We got to within 150 yards and positioned ourselves on a point with good visibility of the existing moose and a view of the area where the other bulls had been emerging. Within a few minutes Littleboy and Spiker came out with a couple more cows. We then had 6 moose in view. We got some great video of Spiker and a couple of cows. Pretty impressive animal. He was massive and in great physical condition. The other big bulls didn't show but it was an awesome day. On the paddle back to camp, with a spectacular sunset (video), I remark to Tina that I believe our trip was made. We had opportunities to shoot a couple of big bulls and saw lots of moose and experienced true Alaskan splendor.
September 10 – The temperature dropped to about 30oF during the night so the lake was very foggy. The fog didn't lift until about 10:00 AM. A lone cow crossed in front of camp no more than 50 yards out. After the fog lifted we spotted a few more cow moose on the far end of the lake. We then decided to take a trip around to the backside of camp into a big grassy opening with another lake on the far side of it. We got to the edge and cow called and racked brush a few times with no response. Tina then decided we should take a walk across the grassy field to check out the other lake so we sloshed our way about 100 yards to another point and quickly realized that walking across the muskeg swamp was not going to be easy. We huddled up and reconsidered our decision and concluded that it would be a waste of effort since there was no possible way that we could pack a moose back out across the swamp. We then decided to head back to camp and continued glassing our home lake. On the way back we thought it would be a good idea to leave a scent trail in the hopes of a bull following it to camp. Great idea except Tina wouldn't let me spray the stuff on her pant legs. I tried to explain that her pant legs will be contacting brush and we need to hide our human scent. She said "I've been pretty cooperative about everything you've asked, but you aren't going to spray moose pee on my pants". I thought she was just kidding and started to spray some on her pants. OUCH! She wasn't kidding! After getting back to camp an hour or so later Spiker and Littleboy showed up just across the cove on the Westside of camp. They were within 60 yards and visibly excited by the cow in heat urine spread around camp. They sparred for a bit and mingled around for about 20 minutes before starting to leave with Spiker leading the way. Littleboy followed very close and nuzzled Spiker's rear. Spiker stopped and Littleboy took advantage of the stationary target and mounted up on him. Spiker took this personal and turned and jabbed Littleboy with his antlers. Littleboy turned and faced Tina and I with a look that said; "did you see that"? I guess he was a little confused with all the great odors around and no cow. Tina captured the whole event on video. We glassed four more cows on the Northeast end of the lake in the evening, but there were no other bulls sighted for the day.
September 11 – Early in the AM a cow and calf crossed the lake within 150 yards of camp. Tina tried to get it on video but the camera shut down with a warning that read "dew detected". We wrapped the camera in towels from that point forward. It was pretty foggy and we couldn't really see the far end of the lake. I had been racking brush and getting answers from the Northeast end and I could hear two bulls clashing and racking brush. The fog finally cleared and I could see two huge bulls. It was hard to tell exact size, but they were definitely shooters. There were also four cows within view on the lake. Tina and I then decided on a plan for the evening's hunt. We planned to paddle, in the tree shadows, all the way down to the Southeast corner of the lake and catch the two big bulls coming out for their nightly feed. We left early and arrived at 4:30 PM. We then positioned ourselves on a nice little point with a good view of the area where the moose were spotted. We agreed that we would stay till until about 9:30 PM and then head back to camp. Up to this point the moose have always shown themselves before 6:30 PM. Not that evening! Tina was getting restless and suggested we leave at 9:00 PM. I reluctantly agreed and we headed for camp. About halfway back at 9:15 PM I told Tina that there were moose on the lake down by where we were. She responds with "no way"! Yep, several cows and a BIG bull! DOH! Oh, well! I gave her some ribbing but I really didn't have any negative feelings. We had a really nice evening just talking about our future and some decisions in life. Time very well spent! As usual I racked brush and cow called before turning in for the evening. My routine was for early AM and late PM racking and cow calling. Our pilot was supposed to do a mid-hunt fly by today but unknown to us he was grounded because of the terrorists events of September 11. I told Tina not to fret because Alaskan bush pilots are on a whole different time schedule.
September 12 – Our 6th day in camp and it started out with heavy fog and low visibility. I racked brush and cow called and heard a response directly across the lake to the North. It was too foggy to see anything so Tina and I retired back to the tent for reading and warmth. It was damp and cold outside but dry and warm in the tent. The fog was too thick to see anything until about 11:00 AM. I was getting up about every half-hour to go out and glass and spot. At 11:00 AM the fog was starting to thin and I spotted some cows on the Northeast end. Nothing to get excited about but I continued with my meticulous glassing of the entire lake and was approaching the West end of the bay by camp when I noticed something in the grass that wasn't there previously. Nothing obvious just something different. I put the spotting scope on it and saw that it was a HUGE bull bedded in the grass along the lake. This is where the story began! After finally convincing Tina that there really was a bull, she got ready and spotted the bull. We took about 10 minutes to really assess the bull to make sure he was legal. There was no doubt and we planned the attack. We decided that the woods might be too noisy for an approach but since the weeds were damp from all the fog I might be able to quietly advance along the woods edge. This would take the bull out of my view for quite a ways so we decided to leave Tina on the spotting scope to let me know if the bull got up and we would have to change strategy. The stalk was on! It took about 45 minutes to get within 150 yards and I only had another 20 to the end of my cover. I had a small bush picked out that I could hide behind and get a clean shot. Just as I started to move the bull got up. I don't think he heard or smelled me because there was a strong crosswind. Tina was out of sight so I couldn't tell if she was signaling or not. I'm sure she was wondering what to do. Well, she did the right thing and just watched. Unfortunately, we didn't have the video running. The bull started in my direction and moved to the edge of the woods where he thrashed some brush. While his head was down thrashing the brush, I sprinted to my desired bush. He advanced further to within 80 yards and then walked into the bush. DOH! I thought he was gone for good. A quick prayer asking for the bull to come back out and after some severe bush whacking he emerged on the edge of the woods. Thank you, thank you, God! He was antler swaying and stiff legged walking right at me. I kept letting him advance hoping he would turn and give me a shot. I waited and waited and waited until he was at 15 yards and still coming. Quite an imposing figure as I looked UP at him. He was a giant and I was SCARED! All I could envision was me shooting him, him lunging forward and making me into tundra trash. Fortunately, he turned and offered a shot at less than 15 yards. The shot was good, but he reached the edge of the lake, swayed a bit and then splashed into two foot of water – triple DOH! I took about 3 seconds to get over the disappointment of having to butcher him in the water! I was jumping up and down and yelling and I couldn't even see the bull. I was in my hiking boots so approaching him wasn't an option. I headed back for Tina and a boot change, yeah I said BOOT. She was able to watch the whole event and was equally excited. I think she was most excited about now being able to talk out loud and yell whenever she wanted. She even grabbed the tent zipper and zipped it up and down quite noisily. After she got that out of her system we grabbed the video camera, still camera, knives, and game bags and headed for the bull. Tina videod my approach and reaction. The video revealed several "holy smokes, oh my goshes, big bull" and just sheer dumbfoundedness! Huge animal! Unfortunately, we were not able to get many good still photos because I was unable to lift his head out of the water. Huge rack! I was positive he was legal in width, but he only had three brow tines per side. I pulled out my tape just to make sure and was awed by the fact that he spanned 66" across! The work began! Tina and I were caping and skinning when I looked across the lake and saw my bull's grand-daddy. Clearly several inches wider and at least 6 brows on his right side – quadruple DOH! My disappointment lasted less time than my disappointment with him falling in the water, about 1 second! A bull in water is worth a thousand in the bush! He ghosted back into the willows to never be seen again – NEXT YEAR! We continued to process the bull and looked up and saw a cow moose approaching. Tina videod her and she approached to within 30 yards. I was out in the open butchering the bull and she could care less. I made a couple of modified cow calls (mmmeeerrrrrmooosy, mooosy, mooosy) and she came closer. Tina was getting a little nervous with her so close, but I was having a ball with her. The cow finally decided to move on. There were 6 other cows on the Northeast end of the lake. In the evening while butchering my bull we counted 10 moose on the lake (all cows). We managed to get a hindquarter, front quarter, backstrap, and neck meat removed. Tina was now getting nervous about having all the meat around and the possibility of bears. I mentioned that the bears usually take a couple of days to get on a kill. They usually follow the Raven's flight path to the kill. That night at about 1:00 AM I got a nudge in the ribs. "There's something moving outside" Tina whispered. "So, go back to sleep" I replied. "Yeah right, make it go away!" she retorted. Realizing I wouldn't get any sleep until whatever was breaking sticks and rustling leaves right outside of the tent wall was gone, I hollered and shined a flashlight through the tent. "Now go back to sleep" I encouraged. No such luck. Two minutes later another nudge and another "It's still out there". Up I got armed with a flashlight, gun, and questionable courage. Tina would not be left alone in the tent so she plastered herself to my backside. At least that side of me was safe. I peaked around the corner of the tent and shined my flashlight into two glaring eyes! Fortunately, they belonged to a porcupine and not a mad moose or hungry bear. I poked him with the gun barrel to run him away and he scurried up a nearby tree. We took a moment to look up and the Aurora Borealis was spectacular. We truly believe the porcupine was sent to us as a messenger to get up and awe in the beauty of the lights. Our pilot was now two days late for the mid-hunt fly by and Tina and I were starting to get a little curious as to whether or not Brownie forgot about us.
September 13 – Caaww, caawww! The Ravens woke us up bright and early. I guess I shouldn't have told Tina about the Ravens. She was getting even more nervous. Moose were everywhere! Six cows were on the Northeast end of the lake. I continued to butcher my bull and quickly realized that flipping him over was not going to happen. Even after I removed all the meat thus far. I decided to remove his left side rib cage and pull out all of the internal organs. I estimated this would reduce the weight by 400 lbs. With this task accomplished we tried to flip again – NOPE! I then cut through his backbone at the hip hoping to be able to flip the front quarter for caping. Still nope! I couldn't get him turned; the darn antlers were so wide I couldn't get enough leverage. We finally flipped him up on his nose, but still couldn't get to the underside of his cape. It was now about 11:00 AM and I was beat. I took a short respite and looked up to see two HUGE bulls coming our way! Both of them were in the 55"-60" range, one of them maybe bigger. They both had good palms and thick brows. Tina took some good video of them. We tried to ignore them but they kept getting closer. The closest bull was visibly aggressive and was thrashing brush and posturing for a fight. The only problem with this was that he was coming toward ME! I was out in the open about 20 yards from the tree edge where Tina was. The bulls kept on coming and got to within a couple hundred yards, so I yelled at them to try to scare them off. No such luck! They stopped and zeroed in on the annoying little man wrestling with their buddy. Right at this time a plane echoed in the distance. Tina asked if I thought it was our pilot. I responded with an "I hope so!" It was! He circled once and the bulls stopped momentarily to admire his Maule 17 plane, then they continued to swagger toward me. I could hear Tina on the video later saying "He's yelling at the moose, planes flying by, and the moose are ignoring it. And he made me whisper and zip the tent quietly". I think that was a jab at me. Tina then asked me "Is he going to land? This is making me nervous!" Her nervous! I was the target they decided to stomp who was 20 yards from safety. Again, lady luck smiled and our pilot motored the plane down into the bay to where I was processing the bull. The bulls finally got the idea that they were unwanted guests and moved off into the willows. Phew! Brownie congratulated me on my great bull and said, "let me tell you what's been going on in the world". He then told us about the terrorists attacks of September 11. I had to actually sit down on the floats of his plane and was noticeably nauseous. Tina and I made the decision then and there to try to get out and get back to our kids. I took advantage of our pilot and had him help flip the remaining quarter and neck of my bull (thank goodness). Our pilot was able to take a full load of meat and said he would try to get back tomorrow or the next day. I continued to butcher my bull and finished with everything except scraping the cape. We hung everything in the shade of the woods except my rack, which I placed in the canoe and took back to camp. Tina was pretty adamant that I use my Alaska duck stamp and shoot a couple of ducks for dinner. Bwana great white hunter headed out to collect food for his mate. Well after paddling across the lake and back and several shots later I had two ducks in the boat. I started cleaning the ducks, finished one and placed it on the floor of the canoe and started on the other. Just as I was doing a final rinse it slipped out of my hand and sunk to the bottom of the lake – DOH! Tina said the one barbecue duck was really good! Tina was in ecstasy because she also got to build a fire. It was interesting to note that while canoeing around the lake shooting at ducks all the moose pretty much ignored me. I was within 60 yards of a cow when I shot and she simply looked up at me and then resumed feeding. I also had a small 45" bull walking along the South bank following me back to camp. Fortunately, he went back into the forest before he got too close to camp. In the evening the sky clouded up so I rigged a tarp over the meat and cape. It rained pretty heavy most of the night and this comforted Tina because I told her the bears and moose don't like to travel in the rain. At least she slept well! The rain just kept me from hearing the animals if they approached.
September 14 – Day 8 in camp and Tina was ready to go. During breakfast Tina thought she heard something in the woods. I heard it too, but told her it was nothing so she wouldn't be afraid it was a bear. We finished breakfast and started down to the meat cache to work on the cape. As we stepped into the open, sure enough there was a 50" bull standing near the kill sight. I think it was Spiker. Tina didn't like him that close to camp so big strong me came to the rescue and ran him off. A few Tarzan yodels and muscle flexings later the bull sloshed off across the marsh. I think I was her hero! A little later another different 35" bull trotted across in front of camp, no more than 50 yards out. Couldn't get rid of the dang bulls. It continued to be overcast most the day and our pilot finally showed up at about 2:00 PM. He packed up Tina and the remaining meat and charted a flight path back to Galena. I had about 2 ½ hours to break camp. It took all the time, but the campsite showed no trace of our existence. Our pilot showed up right on time and we headed for town. During the flight back we spotted no less than 6 different bulls and dozens of cows. Back in our pilots bunkhouse Tina and I unpacked gear and organized things for the flight home.
September 15,16 – Tina and I tried to get an early flight home with no luck due to the air restrictions associated with the terrorist attack. We enjoyed the time with our pilot and helped process meat for packing home and for donation. The neighbor was the local Pastor and he had five kids. He was more than happy to take some of the moose meat off of my hands. At $5/lb for hamburger, I could understand his enthusiasm for free moose meat. We got a chance to get to know our pilot and developed a nice friendship. Truly a great man to know.
September 17 – We caught a flight to Fairbanks and stayed at the 7 Gables Inn bed and breakfast. This was a little bit of a splurge for Tina after her enduring my camping restrictions. I tried to check my cape in at Alaska Airlines and they had shut down all cargo because of the terrorist attack – DOH! Thanks to Tina's great foresight we actually came into Fairbanks a day early to see the town, so we had time to work out the logistics for getting my cape home. We decided to have it wet tanned at a local tannery and shipped to Indy when complete. The rack went home on the plane with us as OVERSIZE luggage. We spent a nice day touring town and then went to dinner at "The Pump House". We both had some awesome Cajun Alaskan salmon. Good food, probably even better than barbecue duck – but I wouldn't know.
September 18 – A visit to the University of Alaska Museum was well worth the $5 admission. We picked up a few souvenirs to go with the $150 worth we picked up a Fred Myers. Due to airline check-in concerns and car rental return we arrived at the airport 6 hours before flight departure. Everything went pretty smoothly except for some last-minute stress about getting my antlers on the flight. Fortunately, 2 minutes before take-off they were loaded on the plane.
September 19 – We arrived in Chicago and because they wouldn't transfer my antlers all the way through to Indy we had to pick them up at baggage claim and transport them over 1 mile through the terminal to another flight check-in. Quite a task since they had to be turned just right to fit into the elevators. I was worn out after lugging the 72# antlers through the airport. We had to change our original flight because we didn't have enough time to make the connection with the movement of the rack. It was a good thing we changed flights because the rack created quite a stir and drew a nice sized crowd in the Chicago Airport. "Is that what I think it is" was one response. "Depends on what you think it is", was my reply. Another dull bulb asked after I showed him my hunting pictures, "so are you a hunter?" Duh, "no I ran into him with my canoe"! We finally got everything checked in and caught our flight. We arrived in Indy at 10:00 AM. My brother picked us up and took us to his house where my car was parked. Another logistical problem arose because the rack wouldn't fit in the car. Tina and I drove 30 miles to our home, I took a quick shower, went to work till 4:00 PM, drove to my brother's with Tina's van and picked up the rack, and then drove back to work where I hosted a professional meeting. Since I was president of the organization the responsibility for entertaining the attendees fell to me when my speaker showed up and then refused to speak – DOH! Oh well, I then proceeded to give a talk on how to deal with difficult people. I arrived home at 10:00 PM and fell into bed.
September 20 – Whew – What a trip! Couldn't have been better. Sure lots of requirements for adapting and adjusting, but I harvested a 66" 219 6/8" bull moose. Guess what? I'm going back next year! Tina hasn't expressed much interest in going with me at this point, but I'm betting that time will heal all wounds/bear fears/ear ringing/travel stress/blackfly scars/etc...
Terry, thanks for sharing, can't wait to read it all later tonight!
I just love reading Terry's moose stories. That's a heck of an account of how crazy things can get when moose are around and in the mood for company. It's truly amazing to be able to experience those days when you just almost can't run them off. You can walk in plain sight and they don't worry about it. Rather, they come in to kick your hind-side.
Great stuff, Terry! Especially to be able to share that adventure with Tina. You're a blessed man!
2002 Alaskan Moose Hunt Journal (September 3-17, 2002)
The hunt being described was a fly-in DIY drop hunt along the Yukon River. Unfortunately, my wife didn't feel a second trip was worth the risk given all that happened with 9/11 the prior year and because there would be no gun in camp.
September 3rd – The day began fairly uneventful as I stopped in the office to tie up some loose ends and confirm my flights. "What do you mean you don't have a Flight 1722!" The customer service representative confirmed what I had already discovered on the website. There was no Flight 1722 on Alaska Airlines! Fortunately, I was able to discover that my flight was actually with American Airlines. Unfortunately, all the information was calling for a 1:00 PM departure instead of the expected 3:00 PM departure. This put a big glitch in the program since I was in Indy and needed to drive to Chicago for departure. I quickly called my partner and told him I would pick him up in 35 minutes. We made it to the airport on time and were able to make our flight. I do have to say that the airport security screeners are very thorough. They were patting down places better left to my wife. I did seem to have the look of a terrorists since I was stopped for bag check and a pat down at every connection. We arrived in Fairbanks at around midnight and set up camp next to the Frontier Air check-in counter. I pulled out my sleeping bag and caught a bit of a nap.
September 4th – The flight to Galena was smooth and as soon as we reached the air taxi operators house we immediately began preparing for the floatplane flight to the bush. We decided that I would fly-in first and setup camp while the pilot returned for my partner and the remainder of our gear. The flight was pretty uneventful and the low clouds and rain kept us from spotting many moose. I arrived at the lake and began pitching the tent in a steady rain. I was thoroughly soaked before I was able to get the cook tarp, tent, and other camp necessities arranged. My partner was able to get into camp and we jumped right in and built a nice cook table. We saw our first moose at about 10:00 PM. It was a lone cow on the far East end of the lake. Temperature was about 40-45oF.
September 5th – We began the day at sunrise (6:00 AM) and immediately spotted a cow standing in the lake 40 yards in front of camp. The cow mulled around and fed on the aquatic vegetation until about 9:30 AM. Another cow and calf crossed the bay to the South and joined the original cow. When taking a photo of the cows, My partner forgot his flash was on and spooked the cows away from camp. One of the cows repeatedly let out a really loud belching sound. Saw one other cow on the far Northwest end of the bay in the morning. It rained sporadically throughout the day and had a downpour around noon. Four other cows were spotted in the afternoon. A total of 7 moose spotted. Temperature ranged from 35-45oF. Each day during the hunt we would cow call and rake brush with a "Bull Magnet" megaphone. I also hung moose cow-in-heat saturated rags around camp. We didn't have any open fires.
September 6th – The morning moose move was pretty impressive with 9 moose spotted. The highlight was a 60+" moose with 4 brows on the Northeast end of the lake near a beaver hut. Saw six cows and one bull on the lake at one point. Saw another cow and calf cross the point in front of camp and had 3 cows in the area where I killed my bull last year. It rained most of the morning and all afternoon. Saw 5 moose in the afternoon (3 cows and 2 calves). Temperature was about 40-45oF.
September 7th – Saw 6 moose in the morning (4 cows and 2 calves). About 40oF and still raining. Everything is wet. In the afternoon I canoed over to the area of the beaver hut crossing and didn't see any moose. My partner saw 2 cows and 2 calves.
September 8th – In the morning I canoed to the area of the beaver hut and saw a big bull cruising the tree line approximately 200 yards away. No chance to put on a stalk. I also saw a fork horn bull and 4 cows and a calf on the SE end of the lake. A cow hung around camp most of the day and I actually canoed to within 50 yards of her without spooking her. Rained most all morning except for a brief time when the sun actually showed. My partner set at near the beaver hut in the afternoon and saw 3 cows and 2 calves. I saw the same animals. Toward dusk a cold wind blew in dropping the temperature from 50-29oF in about 3 hours.
September 9th – My partner and I both canoed over to the beaver hut. The morning was very frosty and the temperature was about 25oF. It started out nice, with just a bit of overcast. The clouds then rolled in and it proceeded to snow about an inch. I thought it was simply spectacular and was reveling in the beauty. I even acted like a little kid and was catching half-dollar sized snowflakes on my tongue. The snow quit at about 11:00 AM and I canoed around to pickup my partner. Neither of us spotted any moose. We then headed for camp and the following story ensued: "As I hurdled some low brush, and threw down my freshly opened drink, I excitedly declared to my hunting partner, "here comes my bull"! I had just finished a scrumptious packet of "just-add-water" oatmeal and had opened a can of soda to wash it down with, when I decided to walk over to the lake point and check for incoming moose. Much to my surprise, a 60" bull was sauntering in my direction. After dropping my soda, I grabbed my bow and gloves, pulled down my camouflaged facemask, and sprinted through the woods to where I thought the bull would enter. The bull was moving faster than I expected and my bull entry estimate was almost too good. I was pinned down, about 3 yards inside the tree line, and right smack dab in the middle of the trail. I was beginning to get a little nervous, that the bull wouldn't stop or turn to offer a shot, when at 6 paces he turned to nibble a willow tree. That was the last bite he ever took. The shot was slightly quartering too, but at 6 paces I felt confident in placing the Rothhaar Snuffer tipped arrow tight behind the shoulder. Amazingly, I was very calm and controlled and anchored and released the arrow that went precisely where aimed. The shot took both lungs and maybe some liver. After the shot, the bull lunged forward and I had to jump back off the trail to avoid being trampled. A 1700-pound moose is REALLY big when you can reach out and touch them WITHOUT extending your arm. The bull then proceeded to run through camp and knock gloves and clothes off of our drying line. He didn't go much further and unfortunately expired in the lake, about 30 yards from shore. The bull turned out to be a terrific animal at 60.5" and unofficially green scores at 201 6/8" P&Y. While watching my bull expire my partner decided to run to the tent and grab the video camera. When he glanced across the bay to check for moose, he was excited to see a giant bull, heading across the grass flat, following the same trail my bull just took. Apparently, this was the dominant bull of the area and he was escorting my bull out of his territory. He grabbed his bow and tried to intercept the 70+" bull as it entered the woods. Unfortunately, the ruckus my bull caused excited the dominant bull and caused him to advance too quickly for my partner to position himself well. At 15 yards the bull was straight on and didn't offer an ethical shot. The bull either caught our scent or saw movement while my partner was trying to position for a shot. Either way, the bull spooked, turned and ran, and didn't offer a shot. Much to my partner's credit, he refrained from taking a questionable shot. We will be able to relive the moment often, as I captured it all on video. I'm not certain My partner is relishing this fact nearly as much as I. My partner was extremely disappointed and offered a few choice words of regret. We had quite an experience trying to get the bull into water shallow enough for us to butcher him in. We ended up tying a rope to his hind leg and the other end to the canoe. We then used the canoe to pull with. We were able to get the bull into about a foot and a half of water. My partner inadvertently went in over his waders and decided it would be more comfortable and easier to take off his pants and just work in his underwear. Quite a site! The rest of the afternoon was spent taking hero pictures and processing the bull. My partner was a tremendous help and we had the bull completely butchered in about 5 hours. No other moose saw in the evening. Dinner was awesome with some fresh pan seared inside tenderloins. Some Advil was required for aching backs.
September 10th – It was a virtual deluge all day. Two cows and a calf were the only moose spotted all day. I worked on my cape for a while. About 40oF and wet didn't make for a particularly enjoyable day.
September 11th – Rained all morning and only one moose on the NW side of the lake. The afternoon actually had about 5 hours of sun and we saw 3 cows and 2 calves.
September 12th – Rained all day and only saw 3 cows all day. The weather has been terrible and it is beginning to wear on my partner.
September 13th – Rained all morning and saw 2 cows and a calf. It stopped raining at about 5:30 PM but then started up again at 7:30 PM. One cow and a calf spotted in the evening.
September 14th – Finally a sunny day. We pulled things out and began drying them off. No moose in the morning. Our pilot came in about 1:00 PM and picked up my moose meat and antlers. He returned and picked up some gear so he would only have to make one trip tomorrow. This worked out well for our pilot since he was flying in our vicinity to drop off some other hunters. Our pilot left at about 4:30 PM and then later in the evening the following scenario took place: "During the last day and last hour of our hunt we heard some brush raking coming from across the bay. I responded with some brush raking to get the bull's attention and later cow called to pull him across the water. My partner grunted to work him up some more. The 65" bull's radar like hearing zeroed in on the cow calls and he began his stiff legged, antler-swaying walk toward the point. My partner quickly set up on the edge of the woods and waited for his approach. Again, the bull came directly at My partner and offered only a frontal shot at 30 yards. While the bull was walking, My partner tried to reposition and the bull caught movement or heard rustling. Given that the only predators in the area are bears and wolves, their tolerance for brush movement is minimal. The bull turned and left without offering a shot. We did find out that you can not out paddle a moose. Again, all we have is some brush filled video of the bull showing a 10" drop tine coming off of his right palm.
September 15th – Another sunny day for breaking down camp and waiting for pickup. Our pilot flew in about 1:00 PM and we had an uneventful flight to Galena. I wrapped up my moose antlers, repacked some gear for mailing home, made a phone call to home, and took a long awaited shower.
September 16th – Arrived in Fairbanks at about 11:30 AM and was picked up by my friend Pete Buist. He was an excellent taxi service and drove us around to the fur tannery, post office, store for souvenirs, and to our hotel. He later returned and we went to the Turtle Club for a great prime rib dinner.
September 17th – Flight home was pretty uneventful and arrived home at about midnight.
Following is an old article I wrote. The hunt story is repeated from above.
Getting to the Point for Alaskan Moose
As I hurdled some low brush, and threw down my freshly opened drink, I excitedly declared to my hunting partner, "here comes my bull"! I had just finished a scrumptious packet of "just-add-water" oatmeal and had opened a can of soda to wash it down with, when I decided to walk over to the lake point and check for incoming moose. Much to my surprise, a 60" bull was sauntering in my direction.
This wasn't the first bull I've seen coming to the point, in fact, it was the 12th bull over the span of two hunts and 17 days. Point hunting wasn't something my partner had ever done before and I consistently had to remind him to be patient and assure him that the moose would come. My point hunting strategy was developed out of the limitations of traditional bowhunting. There are many well documented articles on floating, cruise calling, and stalking moose. All of these techniques can be extremely productive and are especially suited for the gun hunter. However, getting to within 20 yards can be difficult. With point hunting, the bulls come to you, and often, you have ample time to position yourself in front of them for an ambush.
During the early stages of the Alaskan moose rut, bulls are in a "wait and see" stage. The antlers are hard, mostly stripped of velvet, and the hormones are beginning to trickle in. The mating interest is surging, but the full-fledged froth has yet to kick-in. They appear to be conserving energy for the real action later in the season. The early rut stage will vary with geographic region but seems to run from September 5th – 15th in Interior Alaska. During this time, the dominant bulls stake out their territory and monitor the action from several strategically selected vantage points. For several days at a time the bulls will lie in wait, just inside the timberline, and watch for cow activity and for any cruising young bulls. The bulls appear to rotate vantage points every few days. The vantage point is generally in a high traffic area that cows frequent. As the cows pass through, the bulls will scent check them for estrus status. Any interloping young bulls will be promptly escorted out of the area. As the season progresses the hormones surge and the bulls loose patience and begin their cruising.
SELECTING A POINT
Selecting a point involves extensive research to define an area with a high moose density, natural bull-to-cow ratio, and remote access. The search should begin with a look at the harvest statistics from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/FISH.GAME/ and selecting the Game Management Unit (GMU) you wish to hunt. A call to the local area biologist will provide further information to help refine your search. Another good contact is the National Wildlife Refuge manager in the proximity of your hunt. Most refuges allow hunting in Alaska. It is your responsibility to assure that you are hunting on land open to the public. Native corporation lands and other private holdings are interspersed in many areas and there are no fences or signs indicating the boundaries. Once you have decided on the GMU, and general area of your hunt, do a topographical search electronically on TerraServer or TopoZone. You can also refer to DeLorme's Alaska Atlas Gazetteer or other detailed map sources. Ideal locations consist of terrain and obstacles that will funnel the moose. Lake points, adjacent to a river corridor, are generally better because of the propensity of moose to feed on the aquatic vegetation at this time of year. This also takes advantage of bulls traveling the river corridor in search of receptive cows. Bulls will often set up on a lake point to monitor local cows as they come out to feed on water plants. If there are several points on the lake, scout each point looking for panoramic views of up to several miles, moose beds, droppings, sheds, rubs, and moose.
HUNTING THE POINT
This is where patience pays. It doesn't mean you cannot actively hunt, because you can substantially increase point visitation by raking brush, cow calling, bull grunting, and placing an attractant scent around the area on a saturated rag. "Love Thunder and Bull" by Wayne Kubat of Alaska Remote Guide Service is a good video resource demonstrating moose calling. The best binoculars and spotting scope you can afford will help you pick out the moose from the tree line shadows. The sooner you know a bull is coming, the better your odds of a successful ambush. Remember to be patient, the moose are in no hurry and they don't have any appointments to keep. I've had bulls show up three days after I had first spotted them. Don't forget the mid-day move! Both bulls I've killed, and many others spotted, occurred between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. After a long morning of lying in one place, the bulls often get up, stretch their legs, and grab a quick lunch. Tramping around in the woods does not seem to be productive and only serves to spread your scent. They don't have those huge snozzes for good looks and the antlers serve as terrific satellite dishes for gathering sound. It is fairly difficult to ambush a bull while walking through cover. Bulls are stalkable, if you see them first.
I skipped the story of killing the bull and a couple other encounters as they are described above.
"Getting to the Point for Alaskan Moose" is not for everyone and involves many hours of waiting and glassing. However, the waiting can be punctuated with brief encounters that will leave you up close and personal, and out of breath from the adrenaline rush. This method has proven to be very effective for traditional bow hunters. I personally know of 8 bulls that have been taken with this method. I encountered 9 stalkable bulls, averaging over 60", on two hunts. I believe this would be considered good in anyone's book. So, next time you head afield for moose, consider "Getting to the Point for Alaskan Moose".
Bull Magnet Moose Call and Moose Calling Videos
Alaska Remote Guide Service
Wayne and Marilyn Kubat
P.O. Box 874867
Wasilla, AK 99687
Phone/Fax: (907) 376-9568
Website: www.alaskaremote.com
Moose Cow-In-Heat Lure
Buck Stop Lure Company
3600 Grow Road
P.O. Box 636
Stanton, MI 48888
Phone: 800-477-2368
E-Mail: info@buckstopscents.com
Website: www.buckstopscents.com
As you have probably noted in the last hunt journal...it rained A LOT. That is not uncommon in Alaska. My buddy and I went on a Sitka blacktail hunt on Prince of Wales Island and if you didn't know it is one of the wettest places on earth and is a rain forest. However, when we were there it only rained twice...5 days the first time and 4 days the second time. Interior Alaska can also have some pretty severe weather. On my first trip to Alaska I hunted the Mulchatna caribou herd and some very bad weather rolled in with 60 - 70 mph winds with sheets of rain. Another party that was dropped on the lake where we were camping had a tent pole snap and the guys were laying in 2" of water when we checked on them. They were OK because they were wearing wool. If they had been in cotton clothing, they would be dead. As many have noted before, having the right good quality equipment can not only make your hunt more enjoyable it can also save your life. Equally important to a successful hunt is your attitude and mental toughness. Some folks really cannot deal with the isolation of a drop hunt and are very anxious about the inability to be removed from the situation quickly. On the drop hunts above, I did not have a satellite phone or any communication with the outside world. That level of isolation is tough on some. Fortunately, satellite phones are now pretty standard equipment and you can contact your air-taxi operator almost anytime. However, weather may still delay a pickup for days. I have also hunted Sitkinak and weather delays there are to be expected. Many believe Alaska is over run with game. In reality, Alaska has far less big game animal density than almost any lower 48 state. Alaska is huge and much of it has extremely low game density. You really need to do your research to identify areas with good populations. A wise old Alaskan guide name Pete Buist once told me that the best hunting area is the most difficult to get to and the hardest to pronounce. I also have to give a plug for physical fitness. While a single location moose hunt on a lake isn't as demanding as a Western elk hunt, it is still physically tough. If you have ever walked a muskeg swamp you know what I mean. Also, a hind quarter can weigh in excess off 150#. The only way to move a moose on drop hunt is one piece at a time. A big strong guy like Kevin Dill can probably pack a moose out in 7 - 8 loads, but the loads are minimally 100#s each. The cape of one of my moose after fleshing and drying still came in at 110#s and as noted above the rack and skull plate weighed 72#s. As a general rule the more physically fit you are the more you will enjoy the hunt and likely the more successful it will be.
Thanks for sharing Terry! Let me know the next time you are over this way and maybe we can meet up for a meal or just "shoot the bull" for awhile!!
Sounds good Mike. I'll let you know when I'm heading over to my cabin.
Terry has just offered up some great hunting adventures along with a wealth of knowledge and experience. You guys should re-read what he posted and glean every bit of useful stuff possible. Having chased dangerous game with Terry I can assure you he's the guy you want between you and danger every time. Just be sure you can out-run him.....
And for those who are mindlessly bored out of their skulls......
http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=103584.0
Kevin, your 2016 hunt was the stuff of every hunters dream. Nothing boring about the adventure you had. You have been so generous in helping and providing priceless knowledge on DIY Alaska hunts.
Folks if you want unsurpassed storytelling and valuable knowledge, just search Kevin's posts here and on Bowsite.
Thanks Kevin.
Your recounting of that hunt is one of my all time favorite threads and part of the reason I'm going solo this year.
Thanks guys.
Walt, I haven't said as much but I'm really interested in your upcoming solo hunt. I know you have the skills and smarts absolutely, but it's still a supreme challenge to be doing the entirety of it by yourself. I'd love to be inside your head when the plane sails away and it's just you and the mountains. Good luck for sure!
Walt, I didn't know you were going solo. I have no doubt you have the "right stuff" for it. However, as Kevin mentions it is a mentally challenging endeavor. I only know of a handful of guys who have done it successfully. Even less that have done it more than once. Takes a guy with supreme confidence in their skills and abilities and a desire for adventure that most just can't appreciate. You guys are my hero.
I can't wait to follow along on your hunt, Kevin and Jeff's hunt, John and Joe's hunt, and Bryan's annual hunt. Those four DIY moose hunts and the following reports and write-ups will be priceless to future hunters. Believe it or not, those guys alone have over 200 years of hunting experience and all of them are at the very top of the game. Going to be an epic moose year!
Kevin, Terry,
I do not foresee second thoughts of trepidation on this solo hunt, probably not intelligent enough to know when I should have them.
First, A little perspective. A typical moose hunt for most is to fly to the Alaskan interior in one or two days, be dropped into some remote place or on a river, hunt for ten-twelve days , then be picked up, and be back into the comforts of or home fourteen-sixteen days later. When my grandfather went to Alaska during the gold rush in 1899, he was gone for two years prospecting throughout the Alaskan interior. Being in the Alaska wilderness by myself for a couple of weeks pales in comparison.
How I started big game hunting, falls under the heading of probably not intelligent enough to know when I should have second thoughts or trepidation's of hunting solo. Not recommended for the masses. At the age of 26, I decided I wanted to go mule deer hunting, drove to the edge of the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho two hours before hunting light. Put four MRE's, a mini mag flashlight, and Army surplus poncho into the pockets of my BDU pants and coat, verified the Buck 110 was on my belt, shouldered the rifle, and started the five mile cross country hike for a four day hunt. Never took much more equipment then that when big game hunting for the next four or five years. A lot of things we take into the woods make it more comfortable and easier, but really are not essential for a successful hunt.....IF you have the prerequisite skills, mindset, and confidence.
Some insight. My purpose is not to try and dominate moose or the wilderness, rather it is, for a short time, to immerse myself in the entire experience. Personally, it is much easier to immerse myself when alone. Most people prefer to share the experience with somebody, there is nothing wrong with that. Having always been a loner, especially when it comes to hunting, I prefer doing it solo. While growing up participating in team sports were the norm for me, however I excelled at Wrestling, an individual sport. Traditional Bowhunting, like wrestling, is up close and personal, everything is on me, nobody else, no excuses, just me and the critter. That is partly why I bowhunt, with my weapon of choice being a selfbow. It is not that I do not enjoy other people, I do. Ask anybody who has seen/met at a PBS or TBM convention. Just not so much when I am hunting. Many do not understand this, they might consider it wrong, or even selfish. Maybe this solo hunt is being selfish. Should I again be taking someone younger, mentoring them, passing on some of the woodsmanship and knowledge that others willingly shared with me? Kevin and Bryan have unselfishly taken newbies Alaska moose hunting the over past few years, sharing their camps, woodmanship, moose hunting skills, and comradery. I find that admirable.
My plan in 2012 was to go solo but my friend and hunting partner Dave really wanted to go. In 2016 the plan was to go solo but it ended up as a chance to expose Hunter to the Alaskan bush and moose hunting. In 2018 the plan was to go solo, but my friend and hunting partner Lenny wanted to go. Dave and Lenny both offered to go on this hunt. Hunter wants to go but is in his final year of veterinary school and cannot miss classes. All three are really good hunting partners and normally welcome on any hunt. There have been over three dozen requests in the last year and a half from others wanting to join me on this hunt. A lot of people want to hunt Alaskan moose, but understandably, prefer to go with somebody who has done it before. Most will never hunt Alaskan moose. Guess I am being selfish this time.
Another side to the equation, by no means am I a good hunting companion. Most friends or relatives brave enough (or foolish enough) to spend seven to ten days in the back country with me will tell you around the third day my temperament gets moody, conversations get shorter, my time spent in camp gets less each day. Unless they know me well, they frequently think they may have done something wrong, offended me somehow; most often they have not. Those who know me, think silently it is Walt being Walt. Honestly, by the end of the trip, if I were them, I would have whacked me up the side of the head with a log for being an unbearable jerk.
Frequently my wife reminds me the rest of the world does not think like me, reminding me my mind works differently from most others. When told, from my perspective it does not mean my mind is good or bad, right or wrong, it is simply different, she gives me THAT LOOK which silently conveys the message You Are an Idiot, while quickly verifying my life insurance is paid up. At times, some of my hunting partners give me that same look.
Sometimes getting THAT LOOK is all that is needed to inspire the next Alaskan moose hunt.
Walt, you will have a successful hunt...
I hope we can share a camp someday, perhaps a two or three day outing. :)
You have shared your knowledge and mentored in many other ways than taking a newbie!
I'll be killing something this fall with some retro 2219's that a friend gave me.
Thanks and take good notes. I really enjoy Kevin's introspective writing style during the hunt and anxiously await the recount of your adventure.
Be safe Walt!
Mr Terry
Thanks very much for sharing your adventures! :thumbsup:
Loved every minute of it and will reread it many times over :notworthy:
Congrats on some great adventures that most folks only dream of going on :clapper:
Terry,
I to look forward to sharing a camp with you someday.
How in the heck have I not read this thread before today???
Although I have devoured each of these stories in the past they are suddenly so much more relevant to me now. A month from now I will be there myself, and can only dream that what I find will be even half as good as the experiences the old pros have shared here. No matter the outcome though, it will be the adventure of my lifetime.
It's kind of amazing to me, although not at all surprising, that every one of the people mentioned in this thread that will be hunting moose in Alaska are personal friends. That is a direct result of membership in PBS. My own trip this year would have never been possible but for that connection.
I am excited beyond words, and reading these stories today is only adding fuel to the fire. I've been hiking with a heavy pack, shooting almost daily, and my gear is ready. I am about as prepared as I can be. Let the games begin!
My advice is to relax and follow John's advice. He's been there done that many times. We've learned a lot over the last 10 years of hunting with bows too. Wish I was able to be there with you guys. I'll be there in spirit and also feeding you weather info.
Mike
Oh, you can bet I'll be a sponge Mike, and following John around like a puppy dog.
I feel like the luckiest bowhunter on the planet to fall into this opportunity. I'm only very sorry it had to come at your expense, and although you won't be there physically you for sure are going to be a part of the trip.
Keep up your training Whip, because a load like this is a labor of love.... but it sure helps if you are prepared. Mike
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My favorite thread from last year.
If you are going after moose this year its time to start getting ready.
Finally received the go ahead to resume working out, been up the M three times this week. No pack yet, that will happen by the end of the month.
Who is headed north for moose this year?
Cory, have you set your hunt date yet?
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Quote from: Walt Francis on May 07, 2021, 06:51:19 PM
My favorite thread from last year.
If you are going after moose this year its time to start getting ready.
Finally received the go ahead to resume working out, been up the M three times this week. No pack yet, that will happen by the end of the month.
Who is headed north for moose this year?
Cory, have you set your hunt date yet?
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No sir not yet but I have spoke to a few taxi services but still trying to find the right one in a unit with a late season to hunt the moose rut. Still shooting for 2023 :archer2:
Thanks for bringing this back into the spotlight :thumbsup:
I finally got in with the pilot I've been talking with for 3 years. Headed up in mid September for 10 day hunt. My buddy and I, flying in on a super cub out FBKS. I was told we were IN back in october... still stoked! We are planning to do this hunt annually for as long as we can.
R
Back up! Great stories from all. Reading Walts reason for wanting a solo hunt brings back visions of some I know and I think I may have seen him again this morning when I passed the " mirror" :biglaugh:
Only 120+ days until the eagle flies. Or maybe vulture...... ;)
Kevin, best of luck. When are you and Jeff flying into the bush?
Ryan, I have been trying to do it every other year but changed it up and am headed back again this year. At 63 I see a limited number of future trips. My plan is to hunt AK every year as long as the body holds up.
Cory, late season is good but not imperative, Kevin would have more insight then me. My belief is good terrain that is conducive to bowhunting is just as important, if not more so. Many, including Kevin, Monty, and Bryan, hunt the first part of the season, starting on the 10th. I go whenever it fits into my pilots schedule and allows me the most days in the bush. A general guideline is to hunt the mountains early season and the foothills late season. In most units out of state hunter are not allowed to hunt after the 20th or 25th..
I get a rush watching it. Can't imagine the real thing at 15 steps 😳
This hunt will probably forever remain in my dreams!!! Entering my 7th decade reading these threads keeps my spirit fed. Walt, you're not so unlike many of us. And remember that "you are never truly alone, even in the Solitude".
:campfire:
Walt,
I believe we arrive in camp on the 10th, and are planning to hunt a few extra days late this year. I'm not sure we'll cross paths with any of our friends while in town, given our hunt schedule.
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Heading up with John Havard Sept 5 - 26th. Hope to find a cooperative moose or caribou.
Best of luck to you all going this year! I have a lot to learn in a short two years but it will be a fun process. Will be waiting to hear the stories!!! :archer2:
Good luck Terry! John Havard is the real McCoy....and a taskmaster too. Takes only the bare essentials and eats pine nuts for lunch. Sleeps on rocks, with a birch stump for a pillow. You're gonna have a great time.
:laugh:
Ha ha! Kevin, this trip is going to be like staying at the Radisson compared to my prior trips. John has this figured out! :)