Who is the best Newfoundland outfitter?
Moose
Particularly looking for a good possibility of getting 45+ inch quality.
The one on the other side of the country if that’s your goal.
Seriously if you’re looking for 45 to 50 in.³ Moose Drive , North until you hit the TransCanada Highway and turn left
45 inches on "the Rock" is possible but very unlikely
Newfoundland has a lot of Moose.... but what Bou Bound says.
There are many more 40 and 50"+ Moose in NL than people realize
There are many fewer killed than people realize too. Brian you have hunted there for decades. How many have you taken
I’ve hunted there at 11 weeks figure on average five people in cams per week and there’s probably been two taken by gun hunters that were 45 in that time maybe one maybe three I can’t recall specifically
They get a couple like that every year for sure may be a few more than that and at my outfitters place but they’re probably running 35 hunters a year. Obviously but they do get his rifle kill since 90% or more of the hunting takes place with guns
41 5/8 is the best I have done on the Rock but I know a guy that’s killed 4 archery bulls over 40” and they are all entered in P&Y. The challenge is finding a guide and hunter that will go deep in the bush. There aren’t very many guides/hunters committed to that but bb is correct about potential. There are not many places you can go on a great Archery moose hunt for 6 or 7 k.
bb I know they are there (I've seen one (at 700 yards with 10x binoculars)
Out of curiosity, how much meat can you bring home and is it as tasty as deer?
Habitat, my NF moose was a 3 year old bull of about 700 pounds live weight. About the size of an average walking horse. I brought back about 270 pounds of bone in meat which boned out amounted to a bit over 200# we did the gutless method as I killed him in a huge bog about 7 or 8 miles from camp and 2 or 3 miles from the 4wd truck at the hunting access road. The meat is some of the best game meat I've had. I rate blacktail as best and moose just below that
Brian have you been back to Dave and Eileen's old camp since they sold? I wonder if that nice bull is still around Cherry Hill.
I'm well aware that there are bigger moose in western Canada. The main reason I'm waiting to hunt Newfoundland is since I'm from Pa it would be the easiest place for me to drive and bring back the meat.
Take a long look at Moose Valley Outfitters and (Bob) Efford's Hunting Adventures. I don't know anyone who's had a bad experience with either.
pahoyt i am doing the same thing as i'm from south central pa
i booked with mvo for 2025!!!
cant wait
Thanks fuzzy. Congratulations as well!
My 7th trip with MVO in september
I'm booked with DADG outfitters first week of Oct 2024. Doesn't do much advertising but he is a bowhunter himself. Has several trophy camps. I'm booked into a trophy camp but honestly will be more than happy with any paddled bull
Dadg outfitters is great place
A friends of mine went with Arluck Outfitters and had a great time
I've heard great things about Effords and they also have a trophy hunt package. From their website:
Trophy moose hunt. This Newfoundland moose hunt is offer on limited basis. These hunts have yielded moose in the range of 44-59 inch antler spreads. The largest one at 59 was a feature story in the Nov-Dec 2006 issue of Safari Magazine and a placement of # 7 SCI. These hunts are very rugged and demanding and based from heavy canvass comfortable outfitting wall tents. The average spread from these hunts is 48 inches. The 3 largest over the past 4 years have been 59, 57 and 54. Hunt includes guides , meals, transportation to from airport or hotel as well as floatplane or helicopter transportation during your hunt. Also included trophy and meat preparation including boxing for shipment home.
Good friend of mine (Tyler Chubb Ironbark Outfitters in Australia) guides for them every fall. They do well and he shares many great stories and pictures with me from his hunts with Effords.
I spoke with a meat processor while I was picking up my moose in 2017 and he said the outfit I was with ( Ironbound ) was really good but in his opinion Arluk was the overall best for success rate and customer satisfaction. I figure the meat guy hears a lot of stories and he obviously knows who kills. My Ironbound experience was good, I’d go with them again but Arluk does sound tempting.
I spoke with Arluk and I feel like he was honest with me. He indicated that archery success had a lot to do with the wind/weather and that it would be best if you just had to kill to be prepared to use a rifle if needed. I am not one that has to kill something, but it sounds like this would be the case across the whole island. I would want to book with someone who doesn't mind working extra hard with an archery hunter. I have a few more emails out to see what everyone has to say.
Having just returned from Newfoundland I will offer that the feedback Shiloh received is spot-on imo. Can’t speak to the regularity of 45”+, but this being my second trip in the Newfy backcountry, will attest to seeing five or so 40”+ bulls in my time there. I was fortunate enough to partner with an outfitter (Conne River, “trophy’ hunt package) willing to work hard and go-deep for an archer, yet many of the top bulls are indeed taken w/ rifles. This past trip alone we called two 40”+ bulls (to approx 100 yards), but the wind did us in each time. Thankfully the third time worked in our favor at ~55 yards. Good luck in your search. Newfoundland is a wonderful place and great value for a moose hunt as others have mentioned.
Hunted 5 times with Moose Valley, 34 and 37”, 2 times with Effords, cow and a caribou, once with Tuckamore Lodge, 30” moose. Our of the 25 or so hunters last season while i hunted Tuckamore Lodge, my 30” was bigger than 90% of the other bulls taken that week. In all those hunts i’ve only seen one bull over 40” and he was too far away to catch. Guess i don’t have the greatest of luck.
Tuckamore gets lots of pressure from local road hunters. Plus, 20+ hunters in camp per week doesn’t help.
I got a 47” bull in Newfoundland with Effords but it was with a rifle, another hunter took a bull the same size as mine but the antlers on his went more up mine laid more flat his was about 40” wide
Lots of great outfitters in Newfoundland....I guided first week of bow season (late August first couple days September) seen 64 moose, no shot opprotunity. I guided last week and bow hunter killed a 6 point from Millennium stand 8 yards on a trail....i seen one 5 point bull in 6 days in the woods.....just need luck and the right frosty morning and I'm sure you will get to release an arrow. Good Luck hunting in NL.
Hunt the interior , bigger moose where it’s harder to get fly in would be best
I would not go anywhere it does not takes wings to get me to
Absolutely agree with Bou, if you aren’t flying, there will be 7000 locals or other outfitters.
If the outfit says they have outpost camp's you must realize that all the previous Hunters hunted the same area's. I prefer a place your driving to new areas each day if needed. Been to Newfoundland 3X and the outpost camp's suck.
Just think about it. All Hunters walk from camp or take Argo's. Lots of hunting pressure.
not true. it depends on how many outposts, how many hunters, and how the transportation works. You can outpost camp and move around large lakes which materially minimizes impact on any one area. if everything is a walk it would be an issue unless of course the hunter numbers by camp is properly regulated annually.
You can mismanage outposts, or manage them wisely, but if the places you are going are accessible to the masses there is zero control over who, or how many, have been doing what when and where in that area.
Thank You for the all the information. After a lot of research, I've booked with Grand Lake Adventures for a trophy hunt in 2024.
