A tad inconvenient seeing as how the closest elk are about a thousand miles away.
Nick, a DIY moose trip here in AK is not unattainable, quite the opposite. You could piece together a float hunt in a sweet spot for $5-$6K RT from Seattle. It could be done for less off of the road system but your odds of killing something would go down.
Registered: 10/26/10
Posts: 7204
Loc: Snohomish, WA
Coley,
Don't non-Alaskans have to use a guide or hunt with a state resident? I'd love a DIY moose trip, but didn't think I could. Hence the high cost I threw out because I have looked into guides and its extremely expensive.
I'll make you a deal. You take Toff and I moose hunting in AK and I'll get you into big Colorado bulls.
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“If the military were fighting for our freedom, they would be storming Capitol Hill”. – FleaFlickr02
Guides are required for NR to goats, sheep, and brown bears. NR can hunt moose without a guide, but in some places the antler restrictions vary based on whether or not you are a resident.
Thanks for the offer on Colorado. With family in Montana that is a pretty plug and play trip for me and where I will be chasing elk in the future as often as I am able. I'd be happy to collaborate on a moose trip at some point. I haven't moose hunted the last two years as I have had plenty of moose in the freezer from the last one, and I prefer to do more hunts for smaller animals throughout the year. Half a moose keeps us stocked on meat for two years pretty easily.
When it comes to large ungulates, a man's got to know his limitations. That often includes freezer volume. *grin*
Have had the pleasure of seeing moose while chasing chrome "up north" and also while hunting elk in WY and MT. First glance at the cow in WY made me believe I was seeing someone's horse tied to a tree at the edge of a snowy meadow. We were both at the edge of treeline about 10k above sea level. Leica 10X solved the riddle. Also jumped one in the MT timber while tracking smokin' hot elk sign in the snow. Both surprised me for being in the high timber and their size. I've long solo hunted for bulls & bucks in remote areas but the idea of packing out a moose makes it a two-man endeavor. Even more so for the Yukon variety and available freezer volume. YMMV.
I've been in the candy van. In isn't as scary as it looks.
Three people works well for cutting up and packing a moose. Mine usually wind up in 8 chunks when I leave the meat on the bone.
Front Q x 2 Rear Q x 2 Ribs x 1 Possibles Bag x 2 Head x 1
Each one of those chunks is a load for one person. The lightest load is usually the head at 50-75lbs. The rear quarters can weigh 160 but for an average sized bull they are usually more like 120-130. I don't shoot them more than a mile from where I have to get them to on flat ground. Add any ups and downs, swamps, schwacking, or other hardships and that distances starts shrinking quickly. I fell down with a large hind quarter on my back in a swamp and the thing almost killed me. My face was getting pushed into the muck and I couldn't roll over or breathe. I guess the moose was just looking for a little revenge. Moose are big critters.
Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 27838
Loc: Seattle, Washington USA
I would like to eat more moose, and I would like to shoot one (or participate in the death of one)...I would do some packing to make that happen, but I wouldn't enjoy it.
Registered: 10/26/10
Posts: 7204
Loc: Snohomish, WA
I hate myself so I would thoroughly enjoy it. It can't be worse than packing big bulls out on snowshoes from many miles into the deep in subzero temps.
Ah youth.
If'n I want that moose, I need to get on it. Old man time is starting to creep up on me. I shouldn't be sore from just sleeping. Why am I sore from just laying there? This getting old business is a buncha bullchit.
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“If the military were fighting for our freedom, they would be storming Capitol Hill”. – FleaFlickr02