When I hunted back in 97 I went with ketchums, who we all know is long gone. in doing some research ive come to believe 40 mile might be the right people for us.
Has anyone done any of the float hunts with them and if so which of the three offered did you do? Also was there ever any opportunities at caribou or black bear?
Has anyone done any of the lake hunts they offer and if so same questions as above?
And finally, are their cub hunts landed on gravel bars or hillsides somewhere? if a hillside was there plenty of water available?
im in pretty good shape and have packed a lot of game and hunted in very adverse conditions so im ready for this. My dad is not in great shape but he can get plenty far from the tent. Part of me thinks the float hunt would be sweet cause we could have some spots predetermined to camp and hunt away from the river, hopefully getting away from the crowds. what I don't want to get into is a situation where the game is 5 miles from the tent and have to hump a moose through tussocks that far.
thanks!
michael
can you realistically carry 2 moose and 2 guys in a single raft???
thanks!
michael
Typically, the outfitter will retrieve your moose shortly (within a day or two) after you harvest one, so you wouldn't need to transport two of them at the same time unless, you basically shot two at the same time.
They are a transporter and not an outfitter so you'll need your own gear. Have you looked into Papa Bear Adventures? Higher success out of Bethel and you can have a camp set for you. Of course it's more money but if I was 70 years old I'd be going that route.
As far as float hunts go... if I was 70... or 50 (lol) I wouldn't want to set camp up 5 times during one hunt while navigating a travel corridor that was no big secret. I'd take a lake hunt or ridge top landing. The water question is a good one. Best of luck to you. There are others here with much more knowledge on the subject than me but I've done my share of research that's for sure.
one plan I first thought of is out. it blew my mind when I checked the regs on 19b to see if there were any changes from when I last hunted there, and yeah, there were some changes. No nr moose hunters with out a guide!
as far as my float hunting idea I wouldn't be moving every day. find a decent area and hunt the trip there. I would just be using the river to get away from the landing spot so to speak.
ill take 50% odds every time because in my experience that's about a sure thing if your willing to put in the effort. heck where ive elk hunted offs are about 8% or so and ive killed at least one elk there every year and had countless chances at others.
the funny thing is I haven't even told my father yet, although we did talk a bit about doing something like this in the next few years.
"I haven't posted my float hunt advice on Bowsite for a long time. I love to do it periodically. Kevin is very perceptive. Most float hunting in AK is a "volume business" by the air taxiis and other transporters.
Here is what I suggest you do when you feel the need to go on a float hunt for moose in Alaska:
First put on your long johns, wool shirt and pants and your rain gear.
Next, fill the bathtub with cold water and add a few bags of ice cubes. Then turn the shower on like a light sprinkle of rain (still very cold.)
Then, pour about a cup and half of sand/silt into your shorts.
Finally, sit down in the tub (with the cold shower spraying you) and begin lifting weights.
After a few hours you will be having the same sensation as a drop-off float hunt for moose.
You will see just as many moose in your bathroom as if you were floating down a river a day or two behind the last raft full of gullible NR hunters.
But here is the great part: It is WAY less expensive.
I offer this as a public service. Yer welcome....
Pete"
You learn a few things along the way, as my father says. I was laying in bed last night thinking just how fun it would be to not only battle the daily rains, but some overspray or perhaps an overturned boat. Then early this am I once again read Bustaribs story and it has me scratching what little hair I have left out~
The one area I was seriously thinking about floating is no longer available to unguided non resident hunters. Makes that decision very easy for me.
michael
I had a blast, but I am SO thankful we had the foresight to not take off floating immediately from the drop off lake. It was 40+ miles to the ocean/pick-up and the river conditions went from calm to essentially out of the banks with debris everywhere seemingly overnight. We elected to weather it out at the drop off lake and use the raft as an expensive yard ornament for the tent campsite.
So what would I do differently? Not much. We had bad fortune and had we been able to float out the original plan we may have killed. I will be doing a stationary hunt next time around, maybe as soon as this fall depending on how the next two months of job interviews unfold.
We could have moved camp to a swampier but more protected area if we took the report more seriously. Lesson learned.
This year repeat clients filled 40 Mile's schedule before any newcomers could get a spot. So Like razorsharp said... better have a plan B. Zack at Tok Air would be a plan B if you want to hunt that area & 50/50 is good enough. But I think a guy can find better odds than that.
if you float hunt like a road hunter than that is what it is, but if you get out of the boat and put on some boots than it wouldn't be. I have had enough horror story pm's than im not sure I want to take my father on a float for his first ak hunt.
ive got a lot of time to put in some serious research and that is fully what I intend to do.
michael
I have limited time in AK, but I've done several dozen miles hiking tundra with creeks and all the mushy thick crap. I take my dad elk hunting every year and there's no way I'd take him more than a mile from camp in AK. Even a mile is pushing it. I don't think it'd be wise to go a 1/2 mile if it was anything but flat muskeg.
I had a situation this season where I pushed my dad and he got to the point where he couldn't go any further and the next day, told me he needed a day off. Don't put yourself in that position. It's easy to overestimate someone else's ability. You've never been old.
I would take a good look at the suggestions from standswittaknife. Solid advice there.
my dad and I have hunted western states at least 25+ times together for elk, antelope, whitetails and mule deer not to mention countless trips to mt, ia, ks, ne, sd, and nd for birds. This is about fulfilling his dream of moose hunting. He has applied in mn every single year they have had a drawing, some 30 years or so I guess and never has drawn a tag.
The trip with Bustaribs has definitely weighted heavily on my decision and yes, we are probably scraping the float hunt idea at this time.
The 50% odds per camp now make more sense. I was under the assumption that it was 50% per hunter, not camp. Those numbers are misleading- at best.
I have been in AK quite a bit and lived in Dutch Harbor all through college in the summers. Most of the places ive been in AK have been easier going than places ive elk hunted in the west so the terrain doesn't scare me in the least. That isn't to mean I wont respect it because you bet your butt I will and do. When that plane leaves you are on your own, even with a sat phone they can only get back so fast and that is if the weather allows.
We have a lot of time to research this and I fully plan to use every minute of it as wisely as my feeble mind will allow.
thanks again
michael
I think this is great!! I would say my Ak. moose hunt was one of the least physically demanding hunts I have been on. We got lucky and had pretty good weather with no major delays getting in and out. Went 2 for 2 and the longest pack out was maybe .5 miles?
If you are in the right spot you don't have to cover nearly as much ground as an elk hunt. Rent a sat phone for safety and go have a great time with your dad.
It's still going to be an expensive hunt so if you can't wing that financially, going back to the drawing board could include contacting some transporters and explaining your situation and ask them where they've dropped people that have had success close to the runway or the lake that they were dropped at.
You will kill a moose with any great fly-in outfit. Just be sure to be honest with yourselves and outfitter.
I know many great 70 years olds but even at 44 I am not 28. Most good outfitters will put you in the best situation to be successful.
Ironbound in NF is a great outfit - helicopter ride in is amazing. Great chance at a big bull. Fun time!
Lots of options for you and your Dad!
I ha e a guy but it is a draw hunt. Pm me for more info. LSt season there were leftover tags.
On a brighter side I sat my wife down and explained it to here about what I wanted to do and somewhat covered my idea of what I thought I needed for a budget and she is 100% on board- with one small request that she at some point wants me to put some money aside so she can bring her father hiking on the Appalachian trail.
So, the biggest hurdle of getting her on board can be checked off. whew~
I also had Arrowhead Outfitters return a call about hunting the south side of the Brooks but I was in the shower so I need to call him back tomorrow. I have several other outfitters ive but feelers into and am waiting on a couple other ideas.
I am thinking about putting us in for Koyukuk and if we draw great otherwise its going to be an otc area unless we hold off one more year and try the draw a second time. I wish Id have gotten us into this years draw but to be honest I would like a little longer to set the money aside.
Anyone hunt any of the Koyukuk draw units, are they worth trying another year for if it doesn't work out next year for the draws?
thanks again for all the pm's guys, I really appreciate it!
michael
thanks
michael
All is well.
On the way home I told him I was planning a moose hunt for 2016 as sort of a thank you gift for getting me into hunting. It was pretty quiet in the truck for a while I think he was pretty shocked.
Then we talked about the idea if in the end we didn't get in touch with an air taxi to bring us into a promising moose area we could always switch to a caribou hunt in a 2 caribou unit. He sounded pretty excited about that as well.
I told him I was planning on driving to AK so we could bring our own gear, and make sure it got there, and also have no issues bringing all the meat home if we scored some game. I think he is honestly looking forward to the drive more than the hunt! lol
Well now that he knows its time to crack down and get serious about this, and I also would like to lose a little weight, or at least get my cardio back to a level where packing a moose out by myself isn't scary
thanks again
michael
Koyukuk is a tough draw. Papa Bear does very well. Have you considered him? It's far enough in advance to get on his schedule.
Glad to hear your dad is ok. Lots of people sick right now. Keep us posted and good luck.
I have pm'ed a few people who have went with him and need to get back to one today.
We are getting together this coming Sunday and ill break the news to him. hopefully its something to motivate him to lose a little weight- which we all could do I suppose.
thanks again for all the help and information. I spoke with a bunch of outfitters and air taxis and decided to go with a smaller outfit and am very confident I made the right decision.
michael
