I leave in less than a week to hunt Moose and Brown Bear with Triple C Outfitters. Looking for any last minute tips from those who have hunted moose and bear in Alaska.

Thanks!

Shoot straight.

quote:

Shoot straight.

and often if they're wiggling keep shooting

Wait for your guide to tell you the moose is legal before shooting.

Be flexible and roll with what comes. Expectations can ruin a trip if they aren't met.sounds like your lockednin and ready to roll. Moose happen early. Make sure your guide's up before daylight!

Thanks for the advice! I can use all I can get.

Wait for a big bear. A truly big bear.

That can be a bit fluid, but no matter how nice his coat is, no matter how far along in the hunt you are, no matter how few or many bears you've seen this trip, a three year old just kicked out of the nest by Mama little cub is just that, a little cub.

Generally if you see a bear without dependent cubs its a legal bear to take. Likewise, if theres no antler restrictions on an elk or deer hunt, you're welcome to take a forked horn buck or spike bull if you choose.

Just don't. wait for a mature, trophy boar. Might not happen this trip or the next two after, but I'd wait. A big bear makes an impressive rug and an even more impressive life size mount. A three year old cub does not.

The moose? I've seen lots of 50" antlers around, less 60" and fewer 70". If you're hunting for meat, well whatever, shoot what you like that's legal, if its a trophy hunt, I'd hold out for a big bull.

Sometimes theres nothing wrong with going home empty handed I think.

Ridgetop,

I don't know what kind of trophies the area you'll be hunting can produce but my advise if you have not done this combo before and maybe can't afford to do it again soon is to shoot good representatives. If the guide says that's a solid 8' bear shoot it. If the guide says that moose is a nice mid 50's bull pull the trigger. Like Scott says don't shoot a 2-3 year old cub just to take a bear home.

Mark

Don't worry you will be lucky to see anything where this guy hunts except air boats by the hundreds. Do the license research and complaints you will be suprised.

Currently on probation is from
The lower 48. Guides in areas 16-2,3,4. Definitely busy country over there.

Can you elaborate? Just want to be informed at this point.

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
Currently on probation is from
The lower 48. Guides in areas 16-2,3,4. Definitely busy country over there.

Any more info?

No that's just what his license says when I looked it up. Could be something dumb, could be legit. I'm not sure.

Ridgetop
Not sure he is still around you may contact Ray Roth in Willow Ak.
He can give you an ear full.

If it's the same Clifford Smith, it looks like it was violations for black bear hunting in 2014 and 16. Something to do with failure to clean/clear bait stations and then having a bait to close to a road/building.

For what it's worth, Larry Weishuhn hunted with him and had a good time/got his grizzly.

I'd ask him flat out about it......

Just got back from AK.

If you are in a base camp/lodge setting, and are using breathable rain gear, take an extra set of rain gear. Something like Helly Impertech, or Bergans. Drying out rain gear is hard to do sometimes, and it is nice to have a swap set. Water logged breathable raingear (goretex, etc) isn't going to keep you dry. And you will get rained on, and will walk through dew soaked brush most of the day.

Along these lines, lots of extra socks and change out at lunch time or more often. I'll assume rubber boots/waders are being used. I hate the slimy feeling my feet get in them and like to change out my socks a couple times a day.

Everyone else has given you good advice. No clue about the quality of the outfitter or area.

Attitude and expectations are everything. If you truly have a lower end size, stick to it and be OK with going home empty. Otherwise, talk with your guide first thing about what is average, and what is top end for the area. Adjust, and enjoy the hunt.

You will be hunting in Alaska. Need I say more? Good luck, be safe, and have fun!!

Jeremy

Thanks for the advice. I do have an extra rain suit. Last year 5 of 6 hunters got moose. 54" to 62".

Any of those would be fine with me. Moose is primary animal. Still want a brown bear though!

I've hunted AK quite a bit, My only advice would be to don't forget to just ENJOY being in Alaska. Don't get too caught up in killing something, trophy size etc...

There's so much to enjoy about just being in Alaska and experiencing all it has to offer including some bad weather.

Work hard for your animals but enjoy the journey how ever it turns out.

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Just got back from AK.

If you are in a base camp/lodge setting, and are using breathable rain gear, take an extra set of rain gear. Something like Helly Impertech, or Bergans. Drying out rain gear is hard to do sometimes, and it is nice to have a swap set. Water logged breathable raingear (goretex, etc) isn't going to keep you dry. And you will get rained on, and will walk through dew soaked brush most of the day.

Along these lines, lots of extra socks and change out at lunch time or more often. I'll assume rubber boots/waders are being used. I hate the slimy feeling my feet get in them and like to change out my socks a couple times a day.

Everyone else has given you good advice. No clue about the quality of the outfitter or area.

Attitude and expectations are everything. If you truly have a lower end size, stick to it and be OK with going home empty. Otherwise, talk with your guide first thing about what is average, and what is top end for the area. Adjust, and enjoy the hunt.

You will be hunting in Alaska. Need I say more? Good luck, be safe, and have fun!!

Jeremy

I have hunted AK quite a bit, but since we are talking about gear here is one thing I haven't seen on this thread: ditch the hip boots. Go to Bass Pro and get their Wind River wading pants, the kind where you wear a wading shoe, not integral boots. Either get a pair of wading shoes or a pair of oversize hunting boots. This setup is far better for hiking that hip boots. I can't walk a mile in hip boots without getting blisters. Lately the only guys in AK wearing hip boots are bush pilots; all the guides have gone to this setup as well (I did it decades ago when I found I can't use hip boots).

If you put a soft pair of pants on over the boots you will be extremely quiet as well.

Ditto what Farbedo said. I take Sitka breathable and and a Helly Hanson parka. The above wading pants keep my legs dry, but if you are sitting and glassing and it is raining, your butt will get wet unless you have something like a Helly Hanson parka. And I agree about the socks: I would rather change socks every day than underwear if I had a to make a choice. Bring a 100 pack of baby wipes if you are going to in a spike camp and use them to keep clean. You would be surprised how clean you can stay, and wiping down your feet every night really helps.

Don't eat anything !

quote:

Originally posted by frankinthelaurels:
Don't eat anything !

Well, I'd recommend eating any and all wild blueberries and rainbow trout you can get your hands on. Grayling too.

All three may be available where one would moose or bear hunt and all are very tasty.

Sit, glass, and be patient. Move when you see a shooter. Otherwise don't stink the place up.

Brett

I wear quiet hip boots nothing worse when moose hunting than swish swish boots and gear.

My green buddy insisted on wearing his swish swish gortex pants on a moose stalk, I let him! I used the noise they created to let the moose watch him as I slipped in and shot the bull! Moose have ears like radar!

quote:

Originally posted by kk alaska:
I wear quiet hip boots nothing worse when moose hunting than swish swish boots and gear.

My green buddy insisted on wearing his swish swish gortex pants on a moose stalk, I let him! I used the noise they created to let the moose watch him as I slipped in and shot the bull! Moose have ears like radar!

That is why I said put the soft pants over - that came from a guide, and like I said, I can't remember the last time I saw a guide wearing hipboots; they all wear waders with wading shoes/boots. Once you try it, you will never go back - at least no one I know has.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by kk alaska:
I wear quiet hip boots nothing worse when moose hunting than swish swish boots and gear.

My green buddy insisted on wearing his swish swish gortex pants on a moose stalk, I let him! I used the noise they created to let the moose watch him as I slipped in and shot the bull! Moose have ears like radar!

That is why I said put the soft pants over - that came from a guide, and like I said, I can't remember the last time I saw a guide wearing hipboots; they all wear waders with wading shoes/boots. Once you try it, you will never go back - at least no one I know has.

I am a guide,, I will be guiding brown bear hunters in 6 days,, I see about 1/4 of my fellow guides using waders. Maybe where you hunt they do but not where I do!

quote:

Originally posted by waterrat:

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by kk alaska:
I wear quiet hip boots nothing worse when moose hunting than swish swish boots and gear.

My green buddy insisted on wearing his swish swish gortex pants on a moose stalk, I let him! I used the noise they created to let the moose watch him as I slipped in and shot the bull! Moose have ears like radar!

That is why I said put the soft pants over - that came from a guide, and like I said, I can't remember the last time I saw a guide wearing hipboots; they all wear waders with wading shoes/boots. Once you try it, you will never go back - at least no one I know has.

I am a guide,, I will be guiding brown bear hunters in 6 days,, I see about 1/4 of my fellow guides using waders. Maybe where you hunt they do but not where I do!

I will let you know what mine on the Peninsula wears - last year 4 of 4 guides I met used waders, not hip boots. Good luck hunting!