AK Moose Logistics and Planning

[bklotthor]

Group of 3 hunters starting long-range planning for a DIY drop camp moose hunt in AK, likely 3-5 years out depending on how far air taxis/transporters are booked. Just got back from a DIY caribou float hunt and want to start laying groundwork for moose while it's fresh.

Not fishing for specific outfitter/pilot names as I know good contacts are hard-earned and guys don't want to blast that on a public forum. More interested in the process and resources so we can do our own homework:

• Best resources for researching air taxi operators vs. transporters (directories, associations, ADF&G lists, etc.) and understanding the practical differences between the two for a drop camp setup
• How far out do people typically need to book for a decent air taxi slot, and does that vary much by region/unit?
• General guidance or opinions on moose population/density trends across GMUs — where to find harvest data, ADF&G reports, or other public data to help narrow down units worth targeting
• Any planning pitfalls specific to moose vs. other DIY AK hunts (meat care/pack-out logistics seem like the big one, but curious what else catches people off guard)

Appreciate any pointers toward where to dig; reports, threads, ADF&G resources, etc. Happy to do the legwork myself once pointed in the right direction.

 

[MikeP]

I went with Renfros out of Bethel. Drop camp situation. You can bring your own camping supplies or pay them to provide. That part of Alaska did not have the 50 plus inch requirement. Obviously you want to kill a big one, but the difference between 48 and 52 is not much. I wouldn't shoot one far from camp. They are huge. 8 hrs for us to cut and pack the first one we killed, and 6 for the next. We were required to have bone in quarters which could be 150 lbs for the hind for a mature bull. Those loads actually carried better than the loads without a bone (such as the massive chunk of neck meat). If you killed Renfros would come pick up that moose weather permitting and get it to a freezer. It is a fun hunt. There was a group of 3 when we were there and they all killed one. We used a trucking company to get our meet home

 

[cgasner1]

This is why you don’t go to Alaska boys and girls

 

[cgasner1]

• Any planning pitfalls specific to moose vs. other DIY AK hunts (meat care/pack-out logistics seem like the big one, but curious what else catches people

I can save a group of 3 a pile of money on the meat end it’s pretty simple just takes some time. That guy in anchorage was charging 2500 a moose when ic called him 3 years ago to cargo them out without cutting them up that’s just wrapping the head and putting it into 50# box. You need to become a known shopper with Alaska air. It’s a pain in the ass to do but well worth it. We took some moving bags up this year off Amazon bags where 25 bucks for like 6 of them we put an absorb pad in the bottom and the meat in garbage bags then those moving bags. You have to become at a manageable weight to use air cargo can’t just pallet it out. Also need to learn how to properly wrap your heads. Doing this I can get a entire moose into Montana for under a grand

 

[quarterhorse]

Looks like you have a good system figured out!

 

[elkhuntinfool78]

I can save a group of 3 a pile of money on the meat end it’s pretty simple just takes some time. That guy in anchorage was charging 2500 a moose when ic called him 3 years ago to cargo them out without cutting them up that’s just wrapping the head and putting it into 50# box. You need to become a known shopper with Alaska air. It’s a pain in the ass to do but well worth it. We took some moving bags up this year off Amazon bags where 25 bucks for like 6 of them we put an absorb pad in the bottom and the meat in garbage bags then those moving bags. You have to become at a manageable weight to use air cargo can’t just pallet it out. Also need to learn how to properly wrap your heads. Doing this I can get a entire moose into Montana for under a grandView attachment 416777View attachment 416778View attachment 416779

So, I assume we'll be hearing about your alaskan trip soon

 

[cgasner1]

So, I assume we'll be hearing about your alaskan trip soon

Most of it’s already up

Thread 'It’s just two days'

Jun 30, 2026

Been waiting for a minute to post this thread. The 2026 Alaska moose trip will look a little different this year. We will be going early and hunting the opener. Due to my life schedule it was opener of don’t go that wasn’t really an option. With the new dates also comes a new crew one guy I have hunted Kodiak with we did the New Mexico audad trip and I elk hunt with him pretty regularly so I know he will be ok. The other guy I’ve spent more time to know it won’t be an issue taking him this far to the end of the world. He actually lurks on here but I won’t mention him unless he wants to...

• cgasner1
• Replies: 88
• Forum: BIG THREE - Moose, Goat, Sheep

• 

 

[cgasner1]

I went with Renfros out of Bethel. Drop camp situation. You can bring your own camping supplies or pay them to provide. That part of Alaska did not have the 50 plus inch requirement. Obviously you want to kill a big one, but the difference between 48 and 52 is not much. I wouldn't shoot one far from camp. They are huge. 8 hrs for us to cut and pack the first one we killed, and 6 for the next. We were required to have bone in quarters which could be 150 lbs for the hind for a mature bull. Those loads actually carried better than the loads without a bone (such as the massive chunk of neck meat). If you killed Renfros would come pick up that moose weather permitting and get it to a freezer. It is a fun hunt. There was a group of 3 when we were there and they all killed one. We used a trucking company to get our meet home

I’ve done 4 moose hunts now and seen 11 of them hit the ground the first unit we hunted was 3 brows or 50” mine was a quarter inch over 50 that first year if someone hunts a unit with those requirements I’d highly highly recommend you just shoot one with legal brow tines you’ll lose sleep being as tight as I was to 50” trust me