As a young lad growing up in Indiana during the 60s's and 70's, my step-father would leave every other year and head to Northern Ontario to moose hunt. I was always mesmerizied by the stories he would return with, and the family loved the meat that he brought back. He harvested 12 moose through those years, the largest a 58 incher. After that one he would usually try to harvest a fat barren cow, much better eating. I always regret that I never got a chance to go with him, as I was either too young, or as I got older I had different priorities. The years pasted and he pasted away 9 years ago. Even to his last days, he fasinated me with his stories of the north woods. Fast forward about 6 years from his passing, and I guess I had my midlife crisis. I told my wife, love it or hate it, I was going on a moose hunt. We really couldn't afford it, but what the hell, I'm going to do it. I didn't really know where I wanted to go, but I knew I couldn't afford a guided hunt, so that narrowed down my choices to either Ontario or Alaska. I'm self employed, owning a small retail liquor store in central Kansas, so I had plenty of time to set at the computer and research. Although there are still areas in northern Ontario that a non-res. could be sucsessful, I got my heart set on Alaska. I started researching areas and transporters, and after 2 years, settled on flying in with 40-Mile Air, out of Tok. During this time I started trying to find a hunting partner to go with me. I had a friend that was on board for a while, but just could not dedicate himself to it. I had intersest from someone through another hunting forum, but he ended up picling another hunt partner. My son, Matthew, graduated from college in December of 2008, and decided to forgo his teaching career for awhile, and come home, work construction and substitute teach, and make the trip with me. I now had my perfect hunt partner. Fast forward now to September 1, 2010. We acquired either by purchase or loan from friends any equipement we did not have, loaded my truck, hooked up a trailer with 2 old workalbe freezers, and headed north. Thats right, we were driving from Kansas, all the way to Tok, Alaska. It took us 4 days of driving, we stopped at night and found a spot somewhere off the road, along a stream each night to make camp and cook meals. We got to Tok on the 5th, got a room at Young's Motel for a night, and checked in at 40-Mile Air. We flew out on the afternoon of the 6th to the Middle Fork of the Forty Mile River. What a beauitiful place. We both had purchased moose tags, but also registered for caribou in 20E/Zone 2. The caribou season was open, but the moose did not open till the 8th. This gave us a couple of days to scout, and get the lay of the land. We had 3 different cow moose hanging around within 3/4 of a mile of each other, but no sign of any bulls. We were however, right in the middle of the caribou. My son was getting an itchy trigger finger with all the animals we were seeing, and decided on the morning of the 9th, that if he saw a nice bou, he would take it. We hiked to a mountain side about a mile away that gave a good vantage point to a valley with the river. Right off we saw a big cow moose, and hoped for a bull. We did some calling and glassing, but nothing materialized. From our perch, we could see more than a mile in 3 directions, we then started seeing caribou moving everywhere. Small groups of 10 to 20 all over the place. So many, they even spooked the cow moose. Around noon, a group that had 5 decent bulls came in our direction. Matthew decided to take one. He picked out the one he wanted and made a nice down hill shot at 227 yards, and dropped him right in his tracks. Now the work began. We were a mile as the crow flies from camp and that tundra/permafrost/tussecks, is the hardest damn stuff to walk across, let alone with a pack of 100lbs. or more on your back. We concentrated the next few days on trying to find a bull moose. The cows were still around, but the rut had not kicked in, and the bulls were not responding to calls, and could not be located. Finally on the morning of the 13th, we decided that if we saw a nice bou, I would take it. We hiked up river about 1/4 of a mile and found where the bou had been crossing, and there was some moose sign also. We did some cow calls and set down and waited and watched. After about 2 hours, a small band of about 20 bou started crossing the river 100 yards up stream of us. There were 3 or 4 nice bulls in the bunch, so I picked one out and waited for him to step out on our side of the river. He made the gravel bar, shook the water off, and then I lowered the hammer on him. He dropped in his tracks. Our hunt was over. We spent the rest of the day taking care of and packing meat. We called 40-Mile on our sat phone and got scheduled for a pick up the next morning. I can't tell you how much of a thrill this whole trip was for both of us. Alaska hunting is now in our blood, and it is all we can think about. Although we didn't get a moose, it was a very successful adventure. I will do it again as soon as I can aford to. Sorry this post is so long, but I haven't even scratched the surface of the stories I could tell from this trip. Knute

P.S.: OK, I wanted to post a few pictures, but I guess I don't have permission(?). I am some what of a technical idiot, and can't figure out how I get permission. Uh, Teacher, can I go to the bathroom now?

email them to me and I will fix it.

anton810922@hotmail.com

quote:

Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:
email them to me and I will fix it.

anton810922@hotmail.com

Done deal, email sent. Thanks for your help.

I'm glad you had a great trip. I'd like to do the same when I get a chance.
I really like the pics.

Nice 'Bous!

Both of you did very well and it looks to be a hunt that neither of you will ever forget. Great story and I am sure it will inspire others to do the same.

Thanks for sharing that. Got lucky with the weather this year huh? Little warm, but hard to complain too much about that!
The rifle in the second picture looks a lot like my pre-64 .375 -short barrel and all.
Take care, Nick

Congrats on a great adventure and most importantly having the determination to MAKE IT HAPPEN! Simply determining to go and to do whatever it takes is 90% of it, and it doesn't have to cost cost a fortune.

I wish you and your son many more excellent AK hunts in the future.

Bob

Well done guys! I did a similar hunt with my nephew and never saw anything bigger than a beaver, but found a Mammoth tooth in the gravel while clearing a spot for the plane to land.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. This hunt was the hardest thing physically and mentally I've ever done, and I can't wait to do it again. Its a good thing I started doing 2 miles a day walking/jogging, 6 months in advance, or I'd probably be laying on the tundra dead right now!

Nick,
You have a good eye. Yes, that is a Pre-64 Model 70, in .270. It was my fathers, and he shot all his moose, a large black bear, and several deer and other varmits with it. Although not totaly original any more, it is a very special firearm to me.
Knute

No one can envision Tussocks until you experience them. Have humped Moose meat through miles of them. It is ingrained in my memories forever. Some things you never forget!

EZ

Great trophies! Thanks for sharing!

quote:

Although not totaly original any more, it is a very special firearm to me.

I bet it is. Must've been something to take your first Alaskan game with your father's rifle. Too cool. Thanks a lot for that story and awesome pics.
Sincerely, Nick