AK unit 18 DIY Moose hunt

[HuntinMD]

I am planning a DIY AK unit 18 moose hunt out of St. Mary’s up the ‘Andy’ river to the wilderness area or alternate up the Yukon to the area aka the ‘swamp’ closer to Pilot Station. Plan would be using a low draft powered inflatable for hunting and probable access. Anyone have any knowledge/ experience with either of these areas you are willing to share? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wildwilderness]

Be sure to watch out for private/tribal/corporate land. It’s a ways up that river to get into public.

 

[HuntinMD]

My research suggested 60 mi of class 1 at 3 mph ave with no portage, but real shallow and gravelly in the wilderness area. No transporters or anyone willing to rent boats/ motors in area. G and F said a lot of moose taken out of that area. Any suggestions?

 

[Forrest.billy]

My research suggested 60 mi of class 1 at 3 mph ave with no portage, but real shallow and gravelly in the wilderness area. No transporters or anyone willing to rent boats/ motors in area. G and F said a lot of moose taken out of that area. Any suggestions?

I would stick to the Yukon. Going up the Andy will increase your likelyhood of conflict with the local tremendously and the navigation is much more difficult without a jet. A lot of logistics involved in that hunt without local contacts. KSM residents are getting a little irritated with the influx of people fyi.

 

[HuntinMD]

Any suggestions for transport up Yukon? The inflatable was for smaller tributaries/ hunting.Any advise for the ‘swamp’?

 

[Grant Kopplin]

Here are a few things I have learned and figured I would share. As mentioned before there is a lot of native owned land in the area and I've heard that conflict the amongst the locals and non residents has been increasing. You are right, there are no transporters, boat rentals, or any logistical support of that nature in the area. Planning to go upstream on the Yukon, just to be closer to a different village, is not going to get you away from pressure. you'll just be hunting in an area that is utilized by a different group of locals. There's a couple thousand people that live year round in that 100 mile stretch of the Yukon river, its all heavily utilized by the local villages. Also, travel on the middle and lower Yukon river should not be taken lightly either. its a dangerous river that kills several people a year. Some of the worst waves I have personally ever seen have been on the Yukon when the wind picks up against the current. I would never consider taking an inflatable and have never been in anything smaller than a 20 foot aluminum boat with plenty of power. heavy loads and small boats is a recipe for disaster on that river.
While there is Great moose being taken in parts of unit 18, hunting along the river near all these villages is not where I would go if I was looking for a quality bull and experience. all those residents shoot several moose a year and are hunting that area hard. I am not trying to sound like a Debbie downer and I am sorry if that's how its all came across. but IMO if you want to hunt unit 18 the right way, I would look into an air taxi or transporter out of bethel. It'll be worth the money to be dropped off away from other hunters, have fewer logistical challenges, and be hunting in less pressured areas with better quality animals.