Gear list from my AK moose trip

keller

WKR
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
632
Location
wi
curious on how papa bear works.does the amount paid at booking cover meat and horn flights out of the field,cold storage,butchering for donated meat .... etc or are their additional costs that arise? I realize meat boxes coolers processing and shipping would be extra.
thanks john
 

Scottf270

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
495
Location
Missouri
The fees
cover flights in and out of the field for you and your moose. The bagged moose is given directly to the needy. No processing costs on donated meat.
They provided material to wrap the rack for shipping. Tips are appreciated for good service. Room and board are extra. Anything out of the ordinary may require additional fees.
 
OP
mcseal2

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,674
The room and board part means they provide a breakfast. Any other meals need to be bought elsewhere. Bethel had great pizza. Most places will deliver to the lodge.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,458
Location
Alaska
The fees
cover flights in and out of the field for you and your moose. The bagged moose is given directly to the needy. No processing costs on donated meat.
They provided material to wrap the rack for shipping. Tips are appreciated for good service. Room and board are extra. Anything out of the ordinary may require additional fees.

why hunt moose if you don’t want to keep the meat??? Every year we find piles of meat dumped by people who just wanted the rack, makes me sick.

there should be a law, take the meat with you (know the cost before you come) or never hunt AK again.
 
OP
mcseal2

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,674
Each of us took home one tote of meat from our moose. That is what Papa Bear had room for in their freezer at that time. We froze it down for the flight home, then processed it at home. We donated the rest and had made arrrangements to do so before our hunt. We weren't just trying to figure it out last minute after our moose were down. One of the pilots had family that was older and no longer able to moose hunt. He was flying hunters during moose season and not able to hunt for them. I helped the people I donated the rest of my moose to load it in their vehicle, they were extremely appreciative. It did not go to waste and I don't feel like this was wrong. I get a beef each year from the family ranch where I work, so I did not need all the meat. What I did take home was excellent and we have enjoyed it very much. It just did not make sense for me to pay processing in Alaska plus shipping for meat that would have mostly been made into burger in my situation. I'd have ended up with around $6/lb the way I figured at the time in burger meat.

If there was a law like you describe I'd follow it and continue hunting, it would not reduce my desire to hunt Alaska. I agree with you 100% about wasting meat being wrong. If people are dumping their meat or allowing it to spoil due to negligence I fully support prosecuting them and/or revoking their rights. We packed every ounce we could whittle off the carcasses out and kept it in good condition. We took pictures of the remainder of the skeleton after removing the meat also in case we got checked, we made every effort to do it right. At camp we elevated it off the ground under a tarp and rotated it regularly until the pilot could fly it out. I was worried about making sure we did this correctly. I bought the video from Larry Bartlett Project Bloodtrail and we watched it, it showed examples of people not used to AK laws leaving to much. It also showed ways to preserve meat longer while in the field. As a first time AK hunter I felt it was helpful.

I don't agree that donating the meat is wrong. If it's going to use by those who need it worse than I do I can't feel bad about that. I'll follow whatever the law states, but I don't feel bad about how we handled it.
 
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