Planning first DIY Alaska hunt

[diamond10x]

Just getting started in the process of planning my first moose hunt. Will be a total of 4 hunters. Thinking a float rip would be best, offer probably the most chances at the most game since 2 hunters in the group will probably never return to hunt again whether they tag out or not. I'm reading on here it seems most you guys like to do the drop camp thing more so or seems more popular. What are y'alls opinions on pro's and con's for a float hunt as to compared to a drop camp?

Thanks in advance

 

[rayporter]

float for me.
don't expect to tag out.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Floating is work. It's wet. It's scenic. You can't easily spot moose from a raft low on the water. Can't hear moose sounds unless they are close. Hard to imagine floating out 4 dead moose if all get lucky. Can't be hunting when you are setting up or breaking camp. Rivers can be wilderness highways for hunters and you might have others hunting ahead of you... even if your AK contact says otherwise. Got to keep meat dry and protected after killing.

I'm definitely a guy who prefers a dry ground established camp and hunt the area a couple weeks. I have no interest in floating and likely will never do it.

 

[BRWNBR]

If you like to fish and enjoy the sounds of water rolling over rocks and sitting by a campfire listening to the group upriver cow call late into the night a raft trip is perfect. Imagine 1500lbs of meat to deal with. Everyday. I’d take the drop camp if it was me. Learn to call moose. Hunt the rut.

 

[william schmaltz]

When people warn about having to deal with meat while floating, keep in mind that doesn't mean just unloading it from the raft or propping it up over the raft. You will have to unload and carry all meat either to a place you can hang it or raise it off the ground and then set up something to protect it from rain and still allow air flow. And once you deal with all that, you have set up your camp. Then take it all down and load it up the next day. This will probably all be happening in the rain.

Drop hunt with a well established camp is where it's at. Bring tarps and set up an area to relax and cook under. We have done a large lake and rented a zokiak with a motor That worked out well. Most recently we have found a couple rivers that that have landing bars basically on every bend. That allows us to just hike up and down the river until we see something we like. We bring a light raft (PR 49) to access both sides of the river. If we get a moose a couple miles up river we float it back to camp. If we get one down river we take it to the nearest gravel bar, clear a landing strip, and then pull the raft back upstream to camp. Its a fun way to hunt for a couple of guys that have a problem sitting still but a bit more work.

 

[diamond10x]

For the guys that say river hunting has a lot of traffic, is this actually true even in units with expensive access due to only means of access is by plane and a long flight at that?

Was float hunting a much more productive method of the past due to less pressure?

My major concern is if we were to do a drop camp, is to be dropped off somewhere and not see a bull between the 4 of us worth taking or even worse not seeing a single moose.

Our goal is to hunt the last 12-14 days of the season so we can be timing it for the rut as much as the season will allow.

 

[mcseal2]

Check out Larry Bartlett's books and videos. They are aimed at float hunting and do a good job of showing the reality of it good and bad. They also show meat care in detail. I learned enough to make them worth their cost for sure. Float hunting is something I'd like to try someday but for my first trip this fall I'm doing a drop camp. It's not easy to plan a float hunt around changing water levels, weather, ice, etc. It's harder when you are in the lower 48.

From the research I did float hunting isn't just road hunting a river if you want it to be productive. It's best to have knowledge of the river and have several camp sites pre-planned that you will hunt from for a few days. Plans will need to be fluid, but that prevents you from floating by to much good country and spending to much time setting and tearing down camp.

There are no guarantees in Alaskan hunting I don't think. If you find the right transporter and weather cooperates though getting moved mid-hunt could be a possibility if you aren't seeing game. It might cost more but it might be an option you want to discuss with a transporter before the trip. One of the transporters that does drop camps in pre-scouted areas might be a good option to check out. It's cheaper than a fully guided hunt and not totally reliant on long distance scouting of areas. That's the route that seemed best to me. You might also consider splitting up and doing 2 camps of 2 hunters if you do a drop camp. Getting 4 moose within packing distance of one camp sounds like it might be tough to me at least.

Take this for what it's worth. I booked a hunt in 2015 I will be going on this fall so I have no actual moose hunting experience yet. I have done a ton of research to be as prepared as I can be but I know I'll still have a bunch more to learn as I go. People here have been extremely helpful getting me on the right track and I owe them a ton of thanks. I hope to be able to make this trip happen more than once but if I can't I want this trip to be the best I can make it. At worst I'll have actually BEEN hunting in Alaska instead of spending my whole life dreaming about it and wishing I had, so it will be a success no matter what happens.

 

[sniper61]

Did the drop off and camp 3 times in 17b . Unless you 4 do a lot of float hunts I would say for your 1st Ak. moose hunt do a drop . After you have taken 1 or 2 you will know weather you want to add to the work and adventure of a float. I wanted to float my 1st hunt and found out the river was producing 10% the drop was doing 30%. If you hunt 17b out of dillingham fly with Bay air . They know what you need and will get it for you. Take ,borrow or rent a raft . Floating on a lake on a raft with a pole in one hand does wander for sore and tired legs from packing meat. Think surf and turf.

 

[diamond10x]

Check out Larry Bartlett's books and videos. They are aimed at float hunting and do a good job of showing the reality of it good and bad. They also show meat care in detail. I learned enough to make them worth their cost for sure. Float hunting is something I'd like to try someday but for my first trip this fall I'm doing a drop camp. It's not easy to plan a float hunt around changing water levels, weather, ice, etc. It's harder when you are in the lower 48.

From the research I did float hunting isn't just road hunting a river if you want it to be productive. It's best to have knowledge of the river and have several camp sites pre-planned that you will hunt from for a few days. Plans will need to be fluid, but that prevents you from floating by to much good country and spending to much time setting and tearing down camp.

There are no guarantees in Alaskan hunting I don't think. If you find the right transporter and weather cooperates though getting moved mid-hunt could be a possibility if you aren't seeing game. It might cost more but it might be an option you want to discuss with a transporter before the trip. One of the transporters that does drop camps in pre-scouted areas might be a good option to check out. It's cheaper than a fully guided hunt and not totally reliant on long distance scouting of areas. That's the route that seemed best to me. You might also consider splitting up and doing 2 camps of 2 hunters if you do a drop camp. Getting 4 moose within packing distance of one camp sounds like it might be tough to me at least.

Take this for what it's worth. I booked a hunt in 2015 I will be going on this fall so I have no actual moose hunting experience yet. I have done a ton of research to be as prepared as I can be but I know I'll still have a bunch more to learn as I go. People here have been extremely helpful getting me on the right track and I owe them a ton of thanks. I hope to be able to make this trip happen more than once but if I can't I want this trip to be the best I can make it. At worst I'll have actually BEEN hunting in Alaska instead of spending my whole life dreaming about it and wishing I had, so it will be a success no matter what happens.

I have read both his books as well as Dennis Confer's on float hunting, been trying to read and gather as much info as I can before I book anything. Thanks for your advice and input mcseal2!

 

[diamond10x]

Did the drop off and camp 3 times in 17b . Unless you 4 do a lot of float hunts I would say for your 1st Ak. moose hunt do a drop . After you have taken 1 or 2 you will know weather you want to add to the work and adventure of a float. I wanted to float my 1st hunt and found out the river was producing 10% the drop was doing 30%. If you hunt 17b out of dillingham fly with Bay air . They know what you need and will get it for you. Take ,borrow or rent a raft . Floating on a lake on a raft with a pole in one hand does wander for sore and tired legs from packing meat. Think surf and turf.

Sniper 61,

Did you do the drop camp hunt by a selected lake or just in an area that was pre scouted? I'm not sure I quite understood what you meant by you found out the river was producing 10% the drop was doing 30%?

 

[william schmaltz]

Michael Strahan's float hunting book is also a great resource if you're set on float hunting.

As a first timer, hope for one moose and take everything else as gravy. We went out of Dillingham 3 years ago. Rented a raft with a motor from a rental place in town. The raft, motor, gas, pumps, life jackets, extra tarp etc. were all at the dock on a pallet waiting for us. We were dropped in a valley and could see farther than we could even hunt in all directions. It was kinda fun just floating in the middle of the lake reclined in the raft glassing opposite directions and letting the wind slowly rotate us in circles to get new eyes on new areas.

You will also need to speak with your transporter about meat loads if you want to do 12-14 days. They probably won't be able to get it if you're on a float. Hopefully someone else chimes in on keeping meat that long on a float. Keeping meat past 7 days in rainy weather is a tall order. Dillingham used to have a guy with a cooler and that would store meat while you were still hunting and then you could cut up meat afterwards. I'm not sure if he's up and operating again.

After we had all our plans in place, Obama decided to come to Dillingham the day before we got in. Made for a logistical nightmare. Didn't get our guns for a day and slept in an attic. Flights on the back end were all messed up and had to come out 2 days early to get meat on a NAC charter that changed schedule and wasn't coming back for 5 days. Thanks for nothing Obama!

 

[KJH]

Floating is work. It's wet. It's scenic. You can't easily spot moose from a raft low on the water. Can't hear moose sounds unless they are close. Hard to imagine floating out 4 dead moose if all get lucky. Can't be hunting when you are setting up or breaking camp. Rivers can be wilderness highways for hunters and you might have others hunting ahead of you... even if your AK contact says otherwise. Got to keep meat dry and protected after killing.

I'm definitely a guy who prefers a dry ground established camp and hunt the area a couple weeks. I have no interest in floating and likely will never do it.

Please listen to this man. He gets it.

I'm a seasoned DIY Alaska hunter and a float hunt isn't something I recommend to a first timer. Drop camp and call, call, and then call more.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I'd just like to add a few thoughts:
It's easy to get caught up in the romance of floating down a wild river while scanning for moose. Lots of people have done it and they usually enjoy it. They assuredly don't have a higher success rate than those utilizing a fixed camp and hunting hard every day. I've known quite a few guys who went floating and had a heck of a good time, but didn't see the numbers of moose they imagined when booking. No matter how you slice it, floating miles of river requires daylight hours spent setting up and breaking multiple camps. It uses energy which isn't limitless after many days. More guys = more gear to manage with every move. The MOST efficient crew is a 2 man outfit. Putting 4 guys together and hoping everyone gets their shot is very unrealistic according to Alaska, normal odds, the moose, and Murphy. You're talking about doing a hat trick + one on your first moose hunt up there. The truth (I think) is you'd all be better served by going to 2 individual fixed camps x 2 hunters. The odds go way up for each man to get his chance, assuming the areas are good. I completely understand the desire to have a 4 man camp and share all the good times. If that's a high priority then you shouldn't ignore it. If killing moose is more important then I'd say make decisions accordingly.

A thing or two about river hunts. Water and rafts make noise. If you can't hear a bull grunting 1/4 mile away, you'll not know he's there. The actual river is the lowest point of altitude you can find. This puts you at a decided disadvantage for spotting distant moose. Conventional good strategies often involve climbing up and looking down to locate moose. That's how I do it. If floating, you're going to need to make critical decisions to either beach rafts and then hike....or keep moving. 4 men are likely to have 4 opinions on how to proceed. That could be interesting. In the end it really comes down to what you want from this hunt. You almost certainly can't have it all on your first trip, but you can make it a fine adventure and memory while likely killing a moose or 2. Good luck.

 

[Nick Muche]

Agree 100% with Kevin.

 

[cnelk]

I went on my DIY AK moose hunt in 2016.

I read everything Kevin Dill had posted across the forums about moose hunting for over 2 years prior. Then I read it again. And again.

I did a fly-in drop hunt on a lake. Camped near the shore and hunted 200-300yds from camp.
Called called called. By the 3rd day we were covered up in moose. Day 5 I shot a 60" bull.

Ive packed dozens and dozens of elk out of the Rocky Mtns, but only packed 2 moose. And they were only 1/4mi or so to camp.
I would MUCH rather pack multiple elk, multiple miles than to pack a moose 1/4mi.
I couldnt even imagine 4 moose

Its been said if you want to do an AK raft trip, prepare by putting a gallon of sand in your bathtub, put your rain gear on and turn the shower on cold. Sit there for a few hours...

Good luck in your upcoming hunt

 

[BRWNBR]

Agree with nick 100%.

Kevin’s last post there was one of the best I’ve read in a long time about float hunting moose.

Three days has always been the magic number for me when calling moose. I won’t move calling locations until the 4th day. Moose are diurnal (sp?) most active in morning and evening. I do all my calling then with one short calling session between noon and 1 when they are up for their noon rush. Moose are the only animal I hunt while watching my watch.

 

[nrh6.7]

Just wanted to say there is some great info in here. Also, I am curious to know if any of you moose hunters did your first hunt diy and solo. Not that I am considering that, but I know there are folks here that hunt solo so thought I would pose the question.

 

[diamond10x]

Thank you for all your guys input on this its been nice to read your opinions from people who have done this recently and not reading a book that is 20 years old.

For all of y'all who do the drop camp hunts or prefer them, do y'all pick a lake or smaller tributary stream and base camp around there or just wherever in the wilderness you get dropped off at?

I'm also curious as to the transporter services that offer these drop camp hunts, are you hunting places where nobody has been that season or are they dropping you off at a place where the group before you killed a moose?

 

[KJH]

I like the work associated with a moose hunt. Cutting, packing, etc.... all of it. Its part of the hunt and I love it! But after moving a whole moose I always think, "holy crap" that's a lot of work. Moose quarters and loose meat bags are big, heavy, and awkward. Its hard enough to have meticulous meat care at a drop camp, let alone trying to keep it dry and clean on a float hunt. If you're hunting hard all day, then have to set up camp each night and float somewhere in between, the fun of a hunt could turn into a "have to do" style of work. I'm not against float hunting, but for a first time group in AK it seems like a "less fun" option. More work, more logistics, less time hunting, etc.

If its just caribou you're after, then a float hunt wouldn't be bad. They are easy to move in comparison to a moose and easier to hunt.

To answer your question diamond10x- The best money you can pay in AK is for a good transporter who will get you into a good spot. My advice would be to do your homework for transporters, even if it pushed your trip out a year. Talk with them. They fly year round and know areas where moose live. Often they know reasonably productive spots that they can get a plane into, and then they will usually give you some options of where they can go and where they would go if it were them. A larger commercial outfit will drop people off at the same places each year. Smaller outfits are more likely to spread it around a bit and get you to more remote places. Smaller transporters are better about telling you about your options ahead of time so you can study the terrain and make good decisions. They also will generally be honest with the amount of other hunters that are typically found in that area each fall.

The question I ask a transporter is if they have spots in mind and how often do they drop people at those spots. Then comes the question about the success rate of that spot (trophy size is irrelevant in that question to me). If they say something like "I drop a group in this valley every couple of years and they always have at least one moose", I'd give that spot real consideration.

 

[Kevin Dill]

This^^^!

A first timer has almost no solid idea of where exactly to land. Maps and such won't help you figure out a good moose area. Like it or not you're really in the hands of a transporter. Good ones want you to be successful, happy, and recommend them. They take pride in what they do. They have no control over a client's hunting skills though. The best you can do is to search for and find a transporter who has a good reputation as stated by others who have no reason to be untruthful. A good transporter hunts good areas. He'll drop you in good areas known to hold moose. Then you must become a hardcore moose hunter and give it your best effort every day.

Keep in mind that moose can seem absent for consecutive days and then show up with little fanfare. Suddenly there's a nice bull where none have been seen. You must trust in your location to be good. The transporter can't guarantee you a daily moose sighting. Density can be very low in areas which still have big bulls. You simply have to keep going out and hunting every day. I liken it to musky fishing. A thousand casts....2 thousand casts...and a big one suddenly shocks you. Staying optimistic but reasonable is a key attribute of most good moose hunters. They persevere and believe in their chances until the clock runs out.