Drop hunt with no trees…

[Panhandler80]

The lake we have picked out doesn’t appear to have any trees near it. Had envisioned making a meat pole near camp on Day 1 just to be ready. Guess that won’t be happening. I also guess that’s going to mean no sizable firewood and making a cook / relax shelter will be difficult as will be keeping meat dry with ample air circulation. Prospect of getting food off the ground can also be abandoned.

Tips on 11 days in field with no trees? Pilot will come get meat after it’s lake side as soon as weather permits.

 

[EdP]

I'm no expert on moose but I thought they were normally found where there are trees.

 

[Laramie]

The lake we have picked out doesn’t appear to have any trees near it. Had envisioned making a meat pole near camp on Day 1 just to be ready. Guess that won’t be happening. I also guess that’s going to mean no sizable firewood and making a cook / relax shelter will be difficult as will be keeping meat dry with ample air circulation. Prospect of getting food off the ground can also be abandoned.

Tips on 11 days in field with no trees? Pilot will come get meat after it’s lake side as soon as weather permits.

There will be willows and/or brush. Make a brush or willow pile to keep the meat on (in game bags) - get it off the ground. It's a good idea to bring a tarp and fashion a cover over it - keeps the sun/rain/snow etc off the meat allowing it to dry.

The above method is easiest when you keep the quarters in tact so the load is more spread out. Use plenty of brush/willows so you ensure there will be some airflow under the meat.

Full disclosure, I haven't used this method in Alaska but have in Wyoming sage brush areas for deer and elk. It worked great on those hunts.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Yep best bet is to cut a big pile of brush and throw the meat in bags on top of it. Depending on the size of the alders/willows you might be able to hang them in them which would be better then laying on a brush pile.

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[Panhandler80]

yeah. I was familiar with the brush pile deal…. Just seems less than ideal. I can picture logs coming in handy for many other things throughout the trip as well. Hanging meat IN alder or willows doesn’t sound all that appealing from the standpoint of revisiting to recover / turn bags / etc. Maybe if we could find an isolated patch that could be glassed from a safe bear distance prior to approach. I’m sure we’ll figure something out for everything as we go. Just looking for as many tips - suggestions as I can. Thanks

 

[kwackkillncrew]

ya its less then ideal but its what you got to work with. You could bring in 2x4s and make a meat pole if you really want one that bad. unfortunately there is not a sexy glassing knob, and a beautiful meat pole set up at every moosey spot in alaska. If you are worried about a bear coming into the meat and would keep it glassing distance away, i assume you would put the antlers by the meat as well correct. Everytime i have killed a big game animal up here i have had the meat in alder branches or in a alder brush pile 20' from my tent even when we have seen a brown bear in the same valley, piss all around your tent area and spread it out. Throw a string on some pots and pans and put it by the meat if i hear those things moving i am coming out guns drawn. I think people should be guarding their meat piles and not just putting them a ways away and if you do put them aways away your antlers better be by the meat also.

 

[william schmaltz]

Lakes country in SW Alaska has some of the best places to hunt moose because of what you described IMO. Most of them lakes have great topography for glassing and the low brush willow and alder stands in that higher elevation make it so you can actually glass up moose. Compared to the Y-K Delta and other flat places with taller vegetation across the state where your only hope is waiting all day to call something out or catch something moving through; at least where you will be you can find a bedded moose and hunt him if you want. The negative is if you need to pack moose back out through alders. In that case, may God have mercy on your soul.

We can have it all in Alaska, just can't have it all at once.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

you should still have alder or willow patches available if not stunted spruce. We typically use a willow or alder by stacking meat on the inner network of branches close to the trunk stems, while leaving the outer branches for shade and shade support (tarp over branches). Those small bunches of alder or willow hold hundred of pounds.

 

[Panhandler80]

you should still have alder or willow patches available if not stunted spruce. We typically use a willow or alder by stacking meat on the inner network of branches close to the trunk stems, while leaving the outer branches for shade and shade support (tarp over branches). Those small bunches of alder or willow hold hundred of pounds.

Hope not stunted spruce. But, Yeah. That was pretty much my plan. Use the bigger ends to create a lattice work of sorts that will provide support and not compress. Then tarp it. Maybe do two or three little ones if tarp material allows…. More work but also more edge area exposed to breeze per unit of covered volume = more circulation…. One would think.

Like somebody said earlier, we should be able to do some great glassing and have option to go after one if we are up for the work. Also funny (and accurate) was “You can have it all in AK, just not all at once.” Hahaha.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

roger that. above treeline for moose is every bit as productive IF you're in a thoroughfare. If not...hope you like ptarmigan and a barren breeze!

 

[Panhandler80]

roger that. above treeline for moose is every bit as productive IF you're in a thoroughfare. If not...hope you like ptarmigan and a barren breeze!

Above “tree line” from a local elevation standpoint, or above tree line geographically speaking…. As in 40 miles N of where trees cease to exist. I assume you mean the latter. Which is our general environment. Feel like we really putting all our eggs in one basket, and the Prospect of only a barren breeze is certainly daunting.

We are landing on a lake with what appears to have an abundance of willow and alders around it. Plus countless streams coming into it, some ponds in between lake edge and mountainous terrain that begins its ascent between a couple hundred yards and a couple miles from lake edge. Seems like a natural funnel and lots of potential glassing spots.

 

[Robinhood21]

FYI, you cannot cut any live vegetation in the park or you will be ticketed for every alder Branch snipped. There should be plenty of driftwood though...


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