Waiting on hunting partners....

[crich]

Its all good until things get tough; people's true character will come out then. Ive had a few experiences that have forever shaped who I hunt with on these types of trips. Driving 20 minutes to go hunt on a buddies lease is completely different.

But ill second everyone else... some earnest money should help to force a dude or two to commit

 

[UTJL]

Another thing to consider is do your expectations of the hunt and ethics align. Do you both want to hunt from sunrise to sunset everyday? What if the weather turns bad will you tough it out or go home? Are you holding out for a mature bull or shooting the first legal animal? Has your partner practiced shooting in the field and knows their ethical maximum range? Will they be physically ready for the hunt?

I know this is somewhat obsessive. But when we spend all year thinking and prepping for the fall, I don’t want my hunt going off track because my partner brings brand new boots, hasn’t shot their rifle in a year or didn’t think it would be so hard.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

At the end of the day it comes down to you. What do you want? I wanted to hunt moose with a bow and have a decent shot at success. I considered Alaska (still am) but chose Canada for my first hunt. It cost a lot less, included a local guide, meals and comfortable lodging. I learned a lot about moose hunting during those two weeks. I am still acquiring gear for a fly in-float out trip in AK but the cost is high and the odds of success very low. So what do you want? I went solo. The other guys who were supposed to hunt that week all bailed out so I had the entire lodge to myself. I was up at 4am, hunting by 5:30 and stayed out until 9:45pm cuz that was when dusk hit. Ate dinner at 10pm watching the Northern Lights and hit the rack. Long days and worth everything. I wasn't after a 60" rack...was interested in moose meat. Shot mine in velvet. Delicious.

 

[SouthernHunter]

My biggest issue currently is that most of my hunting partners in Louisiana do not have the same enthusiasm as I do for a moose hunt. Except for 3-4 guys I have a hard time getting people to commit to Colorado elk hunts. I am still hoping at least one of my elk hunting partners finally agrees, but I may end up in Canada instead of Alaska if not.

 

[Wallace]

If I'm planning a hunt, I always plan it where if the other people back out, I'll still go solo. I learned a long time ago not to count on people doing what they say they will, I always have a contingency plan.

DIY moose in Alaska is a little different as that would be a big undertaking solo.

 

[AKBorn]

I've been fortunate to have hunted remote Alaska with 6-7 different hunting partners over the past 20 years. 1 was my best friend, who has hunted up there with me 4 times and will go again in 2 years when we take his son up to hunt caribou for a HS graduation present. Another was a high school friend and baseball teammate, who saw several of my past hunt stories and expressed in going, so we hunted caribou in 2019.

The other 5 guys I've hunted remote AK with, I didn't know before posting threads on the Alaska Outdoors Directory or Hunttalk. I posted the initial "Seeking a Hunting Partner for a Remote AK Moose or Caribou Hunt" thread in the late September or early October timeframe, and would immediately get quite a few responses. Once I emailed each person individually, and let them know that it would require about 2 weeks' vacation all told and would cost in the ballpark of $5-7K, all the pretenders got weeded out pretty quick. After several emails or phone calls discussing hunting styles and what to expect, gradually I would weed through the few remaining candidates and eventually select a hunt partner for the following year.

I was very fortunate in that all of those hunt partners I selected via the Internet turned out to be great guys and solid outdoorsmen; pretty sure that I learned more from them, than they learned from me. Part of it was good fortune, but a large part was being anal about asking questions and describing a remote environment that is different than anywhere else in the United States.

The biggest adjustment that a lower 48 hunter has to make when doing a flyout Alaska hunt, is the remoteness and lack of support. You will likely not see any other hunters during your hunt, and if something goes wrong, you and your partner will be on your own for at minimum a day or two (and longer if the weather is bad and prohibits flying). That type of environment isn't for everyone, and you definitely want to make sure your partner is prepared for that before getting into the bush plane. If someone needs a chat buddy or someone to talk to all day, remote Alaska might not be their ideal place for a hunting trip; it's big, quiet country.

If I were you, I would scroll through the Caribou forum on here as well as the Moose forum. A lot of guys were looking for a partner, or expressing interest on someone else's thread, about 18-24 months ago; maybe one of them is interested in talking with you. Fallfreak has responded on this thread, and is based in Tennessee; you guys could drive and meet for lunch one day to get to know each other. I have gone through a lot of "I'm interested" thread responses over the past 2 decades, and his sounds pretty legit to me - I would be talking to him if I were searching for a future partner.

Before I would consider a friend or family member for a remote AK hunt, I would look at them and think about the following scenarios:

- Will they be comfortable in a tent for 7-12 days, 100 miles from the nearest road, and with no outside communication other than a satellite phone or InReach?

- Are they able to adapt to changes in plans or schedules that occur due to the weather, mechanical issues with airplanes, or other unforeseen circumstances?

- Are you OK spending an entire day (or 1-2 days) confined to a small tent with that person, due to strong rain and wind? Will they be OK spending that time with you?

- Do they have the ability to calmly fix things in camp that get broken, since no one else is available to help?

- Do they appear to remain calm in a bad situation, or do they come unhinged at petty little things?

- If the weather decimated our tent in the middle of the night in a rainstorm, would they be able to rally and help me fashion a shelter to ride out the night? This actually happened to some guys back in 2016 (might have been 2012); luckily they were seasoned campaigners, and dealt with it better than most would have.

If you can't comfortably answer those questions when considering a potential remote hunting partner, I would keep searching...

 

[Kevin Dill]

Things do happen which mess with minds...especially first-timers.

Big noises in the night which can't be explained.
Tent failures.
Wild and nasty weather lasting days.
Acres of scenery devoid of animals for a week.
Airplanes which decide to have untimely problems.
Creeks and rivers which rise and can't be waded for days.
Bad bears that ruin 100% of your moose meat.
Sickness while hunting.
Problems at home which find their way to moose camp.
Stoves that work at home but not in Alaska.

The guy I'm looking for will deal with this stuff and still have a half-full...or better... glass. He's there for whatever the trip brings, and is capable of withstanding the unplanned events which derail some minds. I'm reminded of my first Alaska diy moose hunt, where several of the above things happened. Due to my carelessness, much of our food supplies were left in town. We shot and ate snowshoe hares for a few days until food was brought in. And despite it all we had one heck of great adventure.

 

[Nomadx2]

^^^^^ What Kevin said.

If you are having this hard of a problem finding a hunting partner, you need to be careful about compromising and picking someone who will be more problems than they are worth as a partner.

I have now gone to Canada for 3 years solo Whitetail hunting. All of my buddies were gung-ho and played along, but delayed on getting their deposit in and back-out.

Going solo was the best decision I made. Too often friends/buddies bring their personal issues to camp. Then there are the excuses ... wife planned this, kids want that, etc. Folks like this do not have the mental toughness and will end up disrupting the trip.

After a hiatus last year, I am scheduled for Whitetail & Moose hunts in northern Alberta this year (footnote border opening). I have a great guide that has become a friend. He and his wife make a great deer camp & hunt experience.

Regarding partners, I wouldn't even consider them in planning until they put the deposit in.

Without skin in the game, it is all just talk.

 

[AKDoc]

Things do happen which mess with minds...especially first-timers.

Big noises in the night which can't be explained.
Tent failures.
Wild and nasty weather lasting days.
Acres of scenery devoid of animals for a week.
Airplanes which decide to have untimely problems.
Creeks and rivers which rise and can't be waded for days.
Bad bears that ruin 100% of your moose meat.
Sickness while hunting.
Problems at home which find their way to moose camp.
Stoves that work at home but not in Alaska.

The guy I'm looking for will deal with this stuff and still have a half-full...or better... glass. He's there for whatever the trip brings, and is capable of withstanding the unplanned events which derail some minds. I'm reminded of my first Alaska diy moose hunt, where several of the above things happened. Due to my carelessness, much of our food supplies were left in town. We shot and ate snowshoe hares for a few days until food was brought in. And despite it all we had one heck of great adventure.

View attachment 304147

Extremely well put KD...I've lived most all of those scenarios...they sure do happen! BTW, nice camp...that must have been a bit of a hump up and down that ridge a bunch of times with gear and moose meat to the landing site...hopefully you were dropped on a gravel bar!

Choosing a hunting partner can be a very challenging task. I'll second what others have emphasized...it starts with being very clear to oneself what you seek and prioritize in the hunt and then finding someone aligned.
I work very closely with people all day long in my profession, so I seek the solitude of a remote wilderness experience when I hunt...and that makes me extremely selective about who I will have with me. I'm not talking from an arrogant perspective, but rather a concern to preserve the integrity of the experience I seek...and someone with whom I can trust my life.

Money aside, remote wilderness drop hunting is not for everyone. Some people know that right out of the box and have no interest in trying it...a few others figure it out when they are out there for the first time. There are many stories that I have privately heard over the years from pilots and guides of those realization moments by some first time remote drop hunters.

However, for many of us, remote drop hunting is the essence of the hunting experience...choose your hunting partner wisely.

 

[VernAK]

Extremely well put KD...I've lived most all of those scenarios...they sure do happen! BTW, nice camp...that must have been a bit of a hump up and down that ridge a bunch of times with gear and moose meat to the landing site...hopefully you were dropped on a gravel bar!

Choosing a hunting partner can be a very challenging task. I'll second what others have emphasized...it starts with being very clear to oneself what you seek and prioritize in the hunt and then finding someone aligned.
I work very closely with people all day long in my profession, so I seek the solitude of a remote wilderness experience when I hunt...and that makes me extremely selective about who I will have with me. I'm not talking from an arrogant perspective, but rather a concern to preserve the integrity of the experience I seek...and someone with whom I can trust my life.

Money aside, remote wilderness drop hunting is not for everyone. Some people know that right out of the box and have no interest in trying it...a few others figure it out when they are out there for the first time. There are many stories that I have privately heard over the years from pilots and guides of those realization moments by some first time remote drop hunters.

However, for many of us, remote drop hunting is the essence of the hunting experience...choose your hunting partner wisely.

Some know that remote hunts are not for them and others learn quickly. A local pilot friend tells of a moose hunter booking with him for a remote drop hunt. After flying 120 miles over remote, wild country; the hunter wouldn't get out of the Supercub as he was terrified. His partners were better off that he returned home.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Some know that remote hunts are not for them and others learn quickly. A local pilot friend tells of a moose hunter booking with him for a remote drop hunt. After flying 120 miles over remote, wild country; the hunter wouldn't get out of the Supercub as he was terrified. His partners were better off that he returned home.

I thought we had a deal to keep that confidential.

 

[hodgeman]

If you're looking at 2025, why not figure out how to go guided? That's 4 years away...a side hustle would get you there financially.

I'd much rather do that than try to count on an unknown partner who may bail and your chances of bagging a moose will be much, much higher than two guys who haven't hunted moose just getting dropped in the woods.

Worth thinking about.

 

[SouthernHunter]

If you're looking at 2025, why not figure out how to go guided? That's 4 years away...a side hustle would get you there financially.

I'd much rather do that than try to count on an unknown partner who may bail and your chances of bagging a moose will be much, much higher than two guys who haven't hunted moose just getting dropped in the woods.

Worth thinking about.

It's not about having the money for a guided hunt. It's more about justifying spending that money on a hunt. I know there are tons of pros that comes from using a guide. I just have a hard time justifying spending that much money on a hunt. I will continue to plan and weed through hunting partners until it all lines up. I am pretty confident within the next year, at least one of my elk hunting partners will agree to the moose hunt. Like a said before, they are all very interested, but none of them are currently at a point in their life to do the hunt.

 

[SouthernHunter]

Thank all of you for the responses. Every little detail/bit of advice is useful to me right now, because I know there is always something that is never thought of by newbies like myself.

 

[PA Hunter]

Another option is Newfoundland it may not be an Alaskan experience but it’s allot cheaper you can go by yourself and it’s all guided for non residents. I usually go every other year driving up with an enclosed trailer made many Newfoundland friends over the years. It’s a great time.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Another option is Newfoundland it may not be an Alaskan experience but it’s allot cheaper you can go by yourself and it’s all guided for non residents. I usually go every other year driving up with an enclosed trailer made many Newfoundland friends over the years. It’s a great time.

But are you able to bring your moose meat home?

 

[Wallace]

Yes, good to go bringing meat back from New Foundland. I drove from Western North Carolina to New Foundland a couple of years ago, hauled every pound of meat back in coolers after my hunt.

 

[KJH]

I did a caribou hunt with someone as a "interview" for upcoming moose hunts. You learn a lot...

 

[Nomadx2]

Things do happen which mess with minds...especially first-timers.

Big noises in the night which can't be explained.
Tent failures.
Wild and nasty weather lasting days.
Acres of scenery devoid of animals for a week.
Airplanes which decide to have untimely problems.
Creeks and rivers which rise and can't be waded for days.
Bad bears that ruin 100% of your moose meat.
Sickness while hunting.
Problems at home which find their way to moose camp.
Stoves that work at home but not in Alaska.

The guy I'm looking for will deal with this stuff and still have a half-full...or better... glass. He's there for whatever the trip brings, and is capable of withstanding the unplanned events which derail some minds. I'm reminded of my first Alaska diy moose hunt, where several of the above things happened. Due to my carelessness, much of our food supplies were left in town. We shot and ate snowshoe hares for a few days until food was brought in. And despite it all we had one heck of great adventure.

View attachment 304147

WOW! That pic says it all. Would love to have that experience, not sure my knees would cooperate ...

 

[mobilefamily]

KEEP LOOKING UNTIL YOU FIND THE RIGHT PARTNER AND DO IT! I DID AND AM SO HAPPY FOR IT!

I wanted to do this since I was a little boy. When I was about 36 I met a guy that had done it and learned enough from him to start down the "drop hunt" path for moose. I went for my 40th birthday with a guy I had previously known casually but cultivated into the right partner. On that trip we both killed bulls and made a vow to go back every 2 years until we went bankrupt or got divorced.

I've since been back 3 more times, once without him when he had bad timing on knocking up his old lady and selfishly insisted on being there to see his first son born. This is our off year but we have a standing reservation coming up next year that we talk about frequently.

You only live once and you don't know when it will end. You only have so long to do this before your knees and back take you out of the game. It's not something you can put off until you retire.

Get your house in order then go live your dream!