Some have PM'd and emailed, asking if these costs we are incurring for a self-guided transported hunt are really saving any money compared to an outfitted hunt. Our transporter charges $4,000, per person. He is charging $9,000 for four of us, as two camera guys are non-hunters. In addition to the 120 mile boat ride with us and our gear, this includes boat and motor rental. And yes, it does include him coming back to pick us up ten days later. On top of that will be fuel costs for the boat.
Comparative prices for a guided hunt from outfitters who operate in these units.
$14,000, plus guide tips -
http://www.koyukukriverguideservice.com/Hunt_Information.html
$14,500, plus guide tips -
http://www.huntalaskawithus.com/Moose_Hunt_koyukuk.htm
$16,500, plus guide tips -
http://www.alaskasport.com/guidedhunt.html
Guided hunts still have all the same costs for license, tags, airline to Fairbanks, transportation to Galena, meat care, etc. You will pay for your own food on a transported hunt, but since I eat whether hunting or at home, that cost is negligible. We will work our arse off, whether we shoot one or not.
Assuming guide tips are offset by fuel costs we will pay for our jet boat, the net difference really comes down to the delta between the stated outfitter fee and the $4,000 transporter fee. From this, we are saving between $10,000 and $12,500 per hunter.
Right now, our total costs are looking like this:
License - $100
Tag - $400
Transporter - $4,000
Airline to Fairbanks - $500
Round trip Fairbanks to Galena - $350
Freight for shipping gear to AK - $250
Motel in Fairbanks to/from - $200
That puts us at $5,800.
If we shoot something, that will be extra to get it from Galena to Fairbanks, then from Fairbanks to home. That cost is the same, whether guided or self-guided.
We had most the supplies and gear from other hunts. I have probably spent another $200 on specialty stuff I added for this hunt.
Obviously, this did not count camera gear and complications of filming. If we did not have two extra people in the form of camera guys and twice the amount of gear, we could have asked for a smaller boat from the transporter. Not sure a smaller boat would have much difference in transporter price.
This is over what I had originally hoped it would cost to make this hunt work. Like I said in previous posts, there are cheaper ways to do it. Many on this site can attest to other ways to do it.
But, considering we are going to one of the most desired moose hunting units in Alaska (maybe not one of the best, but certainly high demand), and we are going way the hell out in the bush, I think this is a pretty good episode to show that if a guy saved a few bucks, over the course of a few years, Alaska moose is certainly within reach.
Most guys will probably one do this hunt once, though I hope all will do it many times. I hope that showing it this way and adding some increased costs to get to areas with less pressure, higher moose densities, and older average age class, the extra cost and logistic headache for this once-in-a-lifetime hunt are worth it.
Now, if we go there and strike out, guys are going to call me an idiot for incurring this extra cost and logistical headache. I get called that name often, so that would be no big deal to me. But, I hope we have something to show for all of this when we get back on the 22nd.
My Alaska-based uncles invited me to join them on their annual boat-based moose hunt on the Tanana. With this hunt in the works, I declined. And, having been in their moose camp before, I know that very little of that hunt would be allowed on TV. Would be colorful and comical, but not quite what our sponsors and the network would look for. Excited to catch up with them in Fairbanks for a day.
