Moose, better than elk?!?!

Check out Colorado. At least historically it hasn’t been overly difficult for a nonresident to get a tag. Could be getting more difficult as time goes on though. Not once in a lifetime for cows. Spendy tag though.
Can they be bought OTC for cow tags?
 
I’m so new to western hunting. I’m literally only interested in getting a cow moose just for the meat.

I hear it’s really difficult to draw a cow moose tag and that it is a once-in-a-lifetime in each state?

Am I getting incorrect advice?
No. Unfortunately west of the Rockies it’s true. In states like Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire you can go after a cow and draw again after a short waiting period. If you seriously want a cow and not lose your chance to draw a bull tag, I recommend getting an OTC tag in BC, Alberta, or Saskatchewan when they open borders.
 
No. Unfortunately west of the Rockies it’s true. In states like Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire you can go after a cow and draw again after a short waiting period. If you seriously want a cow and not lose your chance to draw a bull tag, I recommend getting an OTC tag in BC, Alberta, or Saskatchewan when they open borders.
Check this out. Might be an option brother.
 
I enjoy moose but caribou can be pretty tasty n more tender. We mix bacon with the ground moose for bacon burgers on the grill. My Eskimo buddy Benny told me the best caribou to harvest are the ones that have their tails highest on the back as they have more fat.
As an Alaskan if I was to suggest. You can rent a motor home on CL fairly reasonably for a couple guys. Get a milepost magazine that can tell you about turn outs or trails. Lots of folks don't get too far off road or trail.
Also, kind of a work around. Ak air offers like 25-40 thousand air miles to sign up for a credit card. And give a 100 dollar companion fare each year. Potentially, I think, someone could sign up n get a credit card n get enough free miles to get to AK. And bring a buddy for a hundred bucks. I have their card so familiar with their program. Never tried it n don't know anyone who works there. Just trying to help folks out. Maybe check out what the airlines you use offer. My beautiful wife pays for everything with that card so we get air miles also.
Anyhows a small self contained motor home n public lands that lots of folks don't hunt. Harvest tickets over the counter. And lots of wolf around. Buy some throw away fishing gear at the second hand store. Kinda spit balling here. Lots of you want the opportunity to hunt ak. And I'd also like to see you have the adventure.
Remember take one make one
 
I would certainly place my moose and my buddy’s moose, both bulls from SW Montana, higher on the list than any elk in taste. There wasn’t a bad cut of meat on either one of them. I’ll also second the statement that the hide is a real trophy from any moose. I had my entire bull tanned, and it was worth the weight of the pack out.
Montana offers cow only hunts, but I suspect other states have better odds.
I have a ND cow moose tag. I have contacted only 1 taxidermist and he says he will tan the hide for $22 a square foot. Is this a good price per square foot? And how many square feet, approximately, would a ND cow moose hide be? College sophomore and I am trying to anticipate the damages.

Thank you for the responses and help!
 
Hey guys, I just finished watching the latest YouTube upload on the MEAT EATER channel; “ Yukon giants, northern Alaskan Moose part 2”.

Spoiler alert… They got a good size bull.

But that’s not the reason for my post. The reason is that I’ve never actually eaten moose meat, and I hear that it is absolutely delicious. Apparently, some people love it more than elk!

I really wanna try moose meat and the only way to do it is to harvest a moose. My resident state is Utah and that’s basically a long climb to get a moose tag.


Would anyone have any suggestions for someone with no points harvesting a younger cow moose sooner than later AND which states would be best to try to accomplish this?

Ideally, if I could go the self-guided route that would be better. I’m not really interested in spending a ton of money… The experience of a self guided hunt is what makes harvesting the animal so rewarding for me.
I've eaten three species of North American deer, both Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk, Mountain goat, Bighorn sheep, Alaskan moose and Barren Ground caribou. The moose was a yearling. It and the caribou were donations to starving students, myself included, living off-campus at UA Fairbanks in 1970. Hunger at the time, and subsequent nostalgia might have affected my objectivity. Nonetheless, I rate the sheep and moose meat tied for "most delectable" and the caribou a close second. I understand that many people rate elk meat highly. Personally though, the elk venison I've eaten has all struck me as somewhat bland, more like veal than mature beef. I found the moose to be comparable to juicy red beefsteak.
 
Ideally, if I could go the self-guided route that would be better. I’m not really interested in spending a ton of money… The experience of a self guided hunt is what makes harvesting the animal so rewarding for me.
AKcabin made some good suggestions in reply #86 to your thread. Look them over and see what you think.

This old fart, me, likes his suggestions even though I have little interest in commercial air travel. If I can get a bit healthier, though still not fit enough to return to hunting remote mountain wilderness out of a backpack, I just might adopt a couple of his ideas myself. I spent a couple semesters attending school in Fairbanks in my youth. Was always disappointed to have not gotten out big game hunting; and I've often thought about making a leisurely trip up the Alaskan Highway--I last traversed it south in a rush on my thumb in Spring 1970 in response to a letter from Uncle Sam--to affect a DIY moose hunt while it is still possible.

Good luck on your quest. If you are an omnivore who enjoys beef, I don't expect you'd be disappointed with moose meat.
 
I have a ND cow moose tag. I have contacted only 1 taxidermist and he says he will tan the hide for $22 a square foot. Is this a good price per square foot? And how many square feet, approximately, would a ND cow moose hide be? College sophomore and I am trying to anticipate the damages.

Thank you for the responses and help!
Moyle and Mink Tannery list their price for a full Moose hide as $363. Probably figure that as your top end. My hide laid out is probably about 100 sqft. That's estimating on the high side. (10'x10' is a bit larger than it realistically is).
 
I have a ND cow moose tag. I have contacted only 1 taxidermist and he says he will tan the hide for $22 a square foot. Is this a good price per square foot? And how many square feet, approximately, would a ND cow moose hide be? College sophomore and I am trying to anticipate the damages.

Thank you for the responses and help!
I shot a cow moose last weekend and kept the hide to get tanned. Wasn't a huge cow, but not small. I didn't measure it, but the hide was probably 5x7 feet? Not as big as I would have guessed, but once tanned maybe it will stretch out a bit. I was going to have moyle mink and tannery do it, but they only accept hides salted and fleshed. Once I pay another taxidermist to do that and pay for shipping, I figured I'd just have the local taxidermist do it. I think his price will be around $700. I've seen prices higher and lower than that in my research. $22 a foot sounds reasonable.
 
I shot a cow moose last weekend and kept the hide to get tanned. Wasn't a huge cow, but not small. I didn't measure it, but the hide was probably 5x7 feet? Not as big as I would have guessed, but once tanned maybe it will stretch out a bit. I was going to have moyle mink and tannery do it, but they only accept hides salted and fleshed. Once I pay another taxidermist to do that and pay for shipping, I figured I'd just have the local taxidermist do it. I think his price will be around $700. I've seen prices higher and lower than that in my research. $22 a foot sounds reasonable.
Thanks for the reply. I shot my cow and just layed out, not stretched, it’s about 6X6. It’s rolled up and frozen now, gonna do some more checking around.
 
Moyle and Mink Tannery list their price for a full Moose hide as $363. Probably figure that as your top end. My hide laid out is probably about 100 sqft. That's estimating on the high side. (10'x10' is a bit larger than it realistically is).
Thank you for the reply. Mine laid out and not stretched is about 6X6.
 
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