Alaska moose - OYOA style

[mn taxidermist]

It sounds to me like you are on the right track with option 1. you won't be buried under additional costs if you're successful.I like that you stress this is a once in a lifetime type of hunt, that makes people more likely to accept the cost.

 

[Big Fin]

Buzz:

That is all very true and probably some perspective I should emphasize.

I have shot a moose in AK, so Jerry will get first crack. If we get one, I will be very happy. If by divine grace we luck out and get two, I will be estatic and exhausted. Last time when I went with family, there were eight of us hunting, for twelve days. We got four moose. That was a 50% success rate with guys who have been there and done it many times.

The guides who also do transporting have their prices posted at $14K to $15K. You still have travel, license, and all the other costs that go with a transported drop-style hunt. By the time the outfiitte hires a guide, pays permits, and all the other stuff that is really expensive in the places they operate, they are not getting rich.

They are probably working their butt off, and every once in a while they probably get some incorrigible jerk with unrealistic expectations who wants to be catered to. Not enough money in the world to get me to spend two weeks in a remote camp under that scenario.

That gets to your point of being realistic of what Alaska hunts cost, even as we are doing it. It we go over budget, I am going to tell people that. I don't want people to think this will be cheap. Or that it will easy, either in tems of staying within budget or in terms of the physical work required of an On Your Own AK moose hunt. It will be a lot of work.

To keep costs low, we have to stay under 80# of gear per person for the flight from Fairbanks. That is not a lot of weight when you want to be in the bush for 10+ days. That includes food, rifle, packs, gear, and you name it. When you go that light, comfort and convenience go out the window. Work and discomfort become part of the daily routine. What we bring is what we have to live with.

We will probably ship camera gear in advance, and that will be ridiculously expensive. We have no guaranteed battery charging sources, so the number of batteries we bring will weigh a lot, And if we go this far and put this much into it, we are bringing a back up of everything camera related. Fortunately, the average guy will not have that as part of their budget.

Damn, if I keep thinking about the effort and logistics involved, I might talk myself out of it and replace it with a turkey hunt.

 

[Corax]

We need an outfit like what AkBearHunter mentioned to ship meat. I did a guided moose hunt in Newfoundland in 2008, and used Central Newfoundland Shipping to ship 3 boxes of meat back (plus I carried one on the plane). The processors hold the meat until the end of the year, then a reefer truck(s) picks it up and delivers it to a bunch of cities all across the US. Cost was $80 for the first box, then $50 per box. They also did antlers to most places. All the outfitters I talked to in NL knew of this outfit.

 

[Calvin]

To keep costs low, we have to stay under 80# of gear per person for the flight from Fairbanks. That is not a lot of weight when you want to be in the bush for 10+ days. That includes food, rifle, packs, gear, and you name it. When you go that light, comfort and convenience go out the window. Work and discomfort become part of the daily routine. What we bring is what we have to live with.

Live a little and pay the extra money for a bit more freight..(grin)

 

[Big Fin]

Well, apps are finalized and sent in. If the odds stay the same as last year, we are going moose hunting in one of the limited entry units.

A couple of them have 100% odds. Once I found the logistics and headache associated with getting there, I can see why the odds are 100%.

Other guys might be able to roll the dice on units with lower draw odds, but I can't. I have an entire season of filming I have to plan months in advance. My applications in some other states have to be in before I know the AK results, so they will be made around that assumption.

If for some reason the odds change, and we don't draw, we will be doing some serious research about how to do the "Bambi' method. Good news it will be a lot less expensive.

The thing to know about booking services in Alaska is that most of the transporters in the non-draw areas book by the end of December. So, we are kind of rolling the dice that we will draw.

If we don't draw, the odds of finding a transporter at that late date are possible, but much harder. And, it makes you wonder about the reputation of the transporter if all the other guys are booked, but he isn't. Either he is not the guy you want, or the hunting in the area he transports might not be what you want.

Will know by the third week in February if we have drawn. If we don't draw, the scramble will be on.

For those of you thinking about AK this year, if it is a draw hunt you want, you better get with the program. The deadline is the 31st.

 

[shoots-straight]

I sat around a landing strip for half a day talking with transporters. The feeling I got back then, was you need a list of fellas that are working in the area, and just need to give them a heads up when your going to be there. Things might have changed a bit, but I think there's plenty of competition.

 

[Spitz]

Good luck Randy! I'm looking forward to reading along as you prepare for and execute this hunt.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

This should be a very exciting episode or episodes! I can't wait! Good luck on the draw and good luck getting some animals if successful in the draw!

 

[Big Fin]

Well, we drew our second choice for moose. Not a big coup, as the odds were aroun 40%. The first choice odds were around 10%, so I didn't expect that. I had messed up our third choice, so very relieved to not get that one, as it was 100% last year.

Spent some good time talking to the transporter today. I had talked to him prior to applying to make sure what units he was able to get us to. He gave comments based on what seasons he thought were best, based on draw odds, etc.

The production company has decided to send two camera guys. That is a lot more extra gear, extra cost, etc. The budget is looking to be under seige at this point.

Four guys, two camera guys and two hunters, to be transported to the drop off point, plus a 16' boat and motor to use while we are there, comes to $9,000.

That is from his place on the Yukon to our moose unit, which he tells me is a little over 100 boat miles, each way. Getting there will be the logistics of Bozeman to Fairbank, Fairbanks to Galena. Then repeating that for the trip home.

I see some other guys in town drew the same tag. One thing I had thought about was to drive up to Fairbanks, towing a trailer with a freezer and generator. Thought if I could put out the call to others who want to get to Fairbanks, or get meat and antlers back from AK, and see if they want to split gas costs. If so, we could all save some money on transport, especially if we have antlers and lots of meat to bring back.

That is a long, long drive. Not sure if I have the time to do that with the rest of the filming schedule. Not sure I want to put my truck and trailer through that drive.

Our season dates are 9/5 to 9/25. I would prefer to be there the last ten days of season, but that won't work, given what I have for other hunts to film. If I don't draw my first choice of AZ elk, then we can go those last ten days. Otherwise we will hunt from 09/10 to 09/20, with the travel days on each side of that.

The flight from Fairbanks to the little towns of Galena or Huslia has an 80# limit. No way we can meet that with our camera gear. So, we will probably ship stuff up beforehand. Not sure the cost of that, but I know it will mess with the budget. Will try to keep it to a minimum. Yet, don't want to go on an adventure of a lifetime, then make it less of an adventure due to skimping on basic necessessities needed for success and minimum comfort.

The cost to get a moose to Fairbanks is crazy. Then from Fairbanks to Bozeman. If we do that, all via air frieght, the budget is toasted. Gotta get creative about how we can do that.

So much logisitics to take care off. Will be organizing all of that and taking notes, so I can provide it here and give you some shortcuts of how to avoid the headaches we might encounter and how we saved money or wasted money.

To now know we have the tags and the areas for which we have the tags, is very exciting. There are better units in Alaska, no doubt. But very few moose units will come with the level of adventure we are signing up for.

 

[the nikster]

Randy,
Glad to hear you drew! I have a couple more thoughts. The semi mentioned in an earlier post could possibly get gear one way (or both) for less $$. Do you want his number?
I would only take a tag for 1 animal. Otherwise there are too many distractions, BUT, I would take a fishing license in the event of early success. Perhaps each hunter harvests a different specie? What kind of game bags are you intending to use? I have used Alaska Game Bags. I like that they came with marker, ties, gloves, tags and transfer forms. Are you using salt or substitute? I used substitute on my caribou and liked the result while some have complained it dries the hide too much. More later...

 

[the nikster]

cont..

Are you both using rifles chambered for the same round-might save weight there. At a minimum you should each fire a couple of rounds downrange with the others' rifle in the event of a slip, trip or fall that damages a rifle.
I assume you are renting a sat phone? Do you need my number so I can post an update?hehe.
bear fence? What kind of food/diet are you intending to utilize? Remember to document the training you went through to prepare for the hunt.Who are you leaving a trip plan with? (those of us without an entourage should do so).
What method of reducing the moose to gamebags will you use, gutting and quartering or skinning and leaving the guts in to quarter? Are you taking a shotgun for ptarmagin?
Bug proof headnet is a must-especially when there's blood in the air. Water filter or tablets?
Back-up rain gear? Main camp and bivy or just use the boat to change locations? How much cooking gear do you intend to take? I like a fresh pike wrapped in aluminum foil(thick) with butter and spices dropped on hot embers for a couple of minutes!
Personnal meds and first aid kit? Rescue plan?
What kind of sleeping bags, pads, cots, pillows, mattresses? Cotton diped in paraffin for firestarter or other?
I have too many questions, You'd better just take me along....

 

[DreaminofMT6X6s]

This is gonna be awesome!! This is really a goal of mine someday and doing it OYO style will definitely give us viewers a lesson in what we need to plan for.

 

[idelkhntr]

I would like to see some thing this. The intrigue of Alaskan Moose is something that interest most hunters, but the outrageous costs associated with a guided hunt makes it nearly impossible for the average hunter. To get it done for less than $5,000 on your own would be a huge bucket list item. My friend and I are interested in doing Caribou sometime so to see it done on your own for under $3,500 is also intrigueing. The only caveat I would add is that I wouldn't want to see you blow your entire budget on one adventure. Your show is awesome. I remember seeing my first episode and you harvested an Elk I think in Wyoming. I saw the episode right after I harvested my first Elk ever which was also my first big game animal ever. The feelings you expressed in that episode were exactly what I experienced with my own hunting. That is what I like about your show. Real hunting, on your own, on public land that the normal guy with a normal budget can do.

 

[JCS]

Don't forget to budget $500.00 for the Great Alaskan Bush Company

 

[Big Fin]

Nikster - Here are some answers to your questions.

Given we are limited to 80# of gear on our flight to Galena, cots, big tents, etc.are out of the question. Will be two tents. Will be using the 3-man Hilleberg tents. Two hunters to a tent and two camera guys in the other tent. Will bring tarps for extra weather protection.

Will be using lighweight sleeping bags with Neoair sleeping pads. Will have a light synthetic cloth underneath. No pillows. Will use a stuff sack full of spare clothes for a pillow.

Cothing for each hunter will be - Four sets of Sitka Merino wool base layers. One pair of Timberline Pants - they are bomb proof. Two sets of Core Base layer for extra warmth on the cold damp days running the river. One Celcius Vest. Six pairs of Duluth Trading Company synthetic boxer briefs. Four pairs of midweight synthetic/wool blend socks. Camp shoes and one set of clothes to wear while drying the hunting set. May scale this down even more, once I weigh it.

Rain gear will be Sitka Storm Front. Will not bring extras. Too much weight, and that is why we use the highest quality we can find, eliminating the need to bring extras.

Will carry portable waterfilter system by Platypus, along with portable water jugs from the same. Also will have a Steri-pen in my pac, along with Aquamira drops.

Since we will be motoring by boat each day, and boats are prone to mechanical problems, we will have one dry bag with two days worth of food and emergency gear that stays in the boat. Cannot depend on getting back to camp every day.

Will bring two identical Howa 1500 .300 Win Mag rifles with Leupold VX-3 scopes. Both sighted identically for the new Federal Premium 180 grain Trophy Copper bullets. Every interchangeable.

Two floating rifle cases. Never know when guest hunter dives in when it is still 7' deep. Small rifle cleaning kit

Will bring two Mystery Ranch NICE frame Crew Cabs. Way versatile and allow us to collapse to a day pack.

Will not bring waders, but rather hipboots. Any place needing chest waders is too dangerous for me. If we can't "hip it" we will float it. Or, maybe the Simms waders we used for AK bear hunts, with the walking boot. Way more comfortable than hippers and lighter. Just not sure how well they will hold up to the jungles of moose hunting.

Bringing a small inflatable kayak. Most moose are not standing on the river sandbars - though TV shows make you think otherwise. They are in the sloughs and oxbows just off the river. That is where we want to hunt, leaving the river for the other guys.

Will float the inflatable along those oxbows and sloughs. If we shoot one, we will float the moose quarters as close to the river as we can get. "Been there and done that" with the packing before. Never again going without a portable floating option.

Stoves will be Eta Solos by Primus. And, at least one OmniFuel stove than can run on anything - white gas, butane, propane, you name it. I don't think I can ship "fast gas" up there, so will have to buy that in Fairbanks.

Food will be mostly dehaydrated meals, dried fruits, instant oatmeal, etc. We will all lose some weight. Hopefully will have some moosecicles to grill on the stove.

Will also have a small grill grate (12"X12") for the fish, grouse, or other animal that offers us some fresh protein, but not counting on that for subsistence.

Will have a bear fence, but hope by keeping cleam camp, that will be less of a concern. Will cache any moose meat at least 200 yards from camp.

Will have a first aid kit from Adventure Medical Kits. Hope to not trim off the side of my index finger as I did on my last AK moose hunt. Will have a sat phone for the worst of emergencies.

Game bags will be by Caribou Game Bags. Started using them a year ago and they are the best I have ever used. Got lots of other game bags to give away if people want them.

Small Wyoming saw with two extra meat blades and two extra wood blades. Must take the meat out on the bone in this unit, so breaking down and deboning is not an option. Must bring out the entire rib cage with meat attached, so that will require a lot of sawing.

Will be doing Euro mounts on whatever we shoot, so not bringing any salt for capes. May bring 50# just in case a black bear makes himself an easy target.

Will bring lots of Trioxne as the preferred fire starter. Each guy will have a wind proof lighter.

Will have bug nets, for sure. Don't leave home without it.

We are bringing five video cameras, three still cameras, four audio sets, two tripods and heads, and enough media to film for two weeks. Batteries will be the big struggle. Both camera batteries and AA for audio and other devices. We intend to film everything and anything. For this effort and budget, we need to get at least two episodes, and hopefully three. Want to capture a ton of information stuff and make those available as web clips.

Will be using the Garmin 62st GPS. The "t" has the US topo maps preloaded. Not worried about surface ownership, so will not be using a map chip.

Plenty of double-ply TP and baby wipes. Good TP and ample baby wipes can save the day. No further explanation needed.

Lots of dry bags, as everything will be in water, every day. Cannot have too many dry bags for cameras, clothes, etc.

Yes, please post the semi number you referred to. Hope we have the problem of how to get meat and antlers back to the states.

Been inquirng of shipping gear up to the transporter in advance. Very expensive. That, along with having to overnight in Fairbanks on the way there and the way back, I am already over $5,000. And, have some more issues to cover.

It is looking like getting this done for under $6,000, will be more realistic. Still far less than $12-$15K for guides and tips, on top of all the other expenses we are incurring, such as tags/license, travel, meat care.

Could do it for less in more accessible areas, but if we are showing this as the one time a guy might go to Alaska, I want it to be a hunt that is the experience of a lifetime. With the best possible odds of success and the most amazing ten days of his life. Remote air and water transport provide greater chance of that "once in my life" experience, though with more cost.

Too many other planning items to list them all here. Hope that answers some of your questions.

 

[mdunc8]

If you don't already have a kayak, check out Alpacka Rafts. They're fairly light, pack down well, and can take a pretty good beating. They're not cheap though.

 

[Big Fin]

Thanks, Dunc. In the process of buying one of these SOAR boats for use around here, for my next AK bear hunt, and a myriad of other hunts where getting to great big game hunting requires a little water navigation. Had my eye on one for a couple years. Think I have the blessing of the Treasury Secretary. If I am buying one, may as well get it prior to the AK hunt.

Family in AK says these are bomb proof and the most seaworthy of the inflatables. See them used a lot in AK and BC.

http://www.soar1.com/soar_pro.htm


My cousins own this operation in Minnesota, making custom after market products for canoeing, kayaking, hunting, fishing. Will probably rig the inflatable with some of their accessory gear, once I see what it needs to customize for my purposes..

http://www.springcreek.com/a/j/

 

[Corax]

I can see where my spare time is going this year - between reading the hunt posts and watching the shows from last year, I wont have much left.

I like the choice of trophy bonded copper ammunition - I am going to try a box as soon as available.

Fin - you might want to go with the map chip to get extra resolution - finer contours and the difference between 1:24,000 and 1:100,000.

 

[SNOWCREST]

I don't know how you could fit all the information into one episode, would you're format two segments? I guess it just depends on how detailed you want to get about research, air taxi, location etc... As you know a fly in hunt in AK is a step up from packing in for elk or mule deer, one needs to be ultra prepared. I have hunt packing lists for every type of hunt: sheep early season, sheep late season, etc... Making lists like this available to viewers would be a valuable peace to the hunt planning puzzle.

 

[icb12]

Just saw your list

Two things struck me. Forget the hippers. Take the simms. Trust me.

And.. 50# of salt?? Jeeez. Im hoping that was supposed to be 5#???