I'm thinking it is time to go moose hunting again. My hunting partner and I have hunted moose successfully as a drop-hunt in the Yukon Delta (out of Bethel). Now we are thinking of doing it again, only somewhere a little drier, a little more hilly.

The Brooks Range is appealing to me, but any place in AK that has some topography and moose would be considered. We prefer to be dropped somewhere and left for 7-10 days or so as opposed to a float hunt.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Brent,

My best advise is to think about three things. The Brooks is not the best destination for a moose hunt. I think you'll find more moose further south. Wherever you hunt you need to be hunting the rut period and finally you have to be able to call. You might be in moose Heaven but if you can't call you may never even see a bull.

Mark

Jeff Kruse, at Bushwacker Air, He might be booked for this season but its worth giving him a call. Flies a really nice Beaver, and does well with moose drop offs.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Brent,

My best advise is to think about three things. The Brooks is not the best destination for a moose hunt. I think you'll find more moose further south. Wherever you hunt you need to be hunting the rut period and finally you have to be able to call. You might be in moose Heaven but if you can't call you may never even see a bull.

Mark

Mark, part of wanting go to the Brooks is to see the Brooks. But I'd certainly listen to other suggestions. I just want to go somewhere different than the Yukon Delta area. Been there done that.

As for calling, we can do that, did that. Killed a moose. The other was spot-and-stalk because that's just the way it worked out. We were ahead of the rut but that was intentional and worked fine. The bulls didn't come to calling but they did grunt back and thrash branches and generally give themselves away.

Anyway, I'm looking for anywhere that is more scenic than the delta and not in the middle of a shooting match like some areas I read about.

quote:

Originally posted by AKsheephunter:
Jeff Kruse, at Bushwacker Air, He might be booked for this season but its worth giving him a call. Flies a really nice Beaver, and does well with moose drop offs.

Thanks. I will drop him a line and see what he says. I'm not looking for anything before 2018, and maybe 2019 would be better.

I do love a nice Beaver. This is one that we flew up to the Yukon. Made in 1957. It was almost as much a feature of the trip as the moose.

I would second Jeff for the South Brooks. I've only hunted in the South Brooks once and it was the sheep opener August 10. We saw 3 very nice bull moose hanging around the landing strip on a nearby mountainside 3 or 4 different days during our 12 day hunt.The little guy was 58-60" with beautiful 4x4 brow palms. The other two were low to mid 60's, but with weaker brow palms.

I'd hate to think about flying in to where I was in September. I'd be afraid of getting snowed in. If you do a drop hunt I would definitely take advantage of the late 25th season close date. I would minimum give yourself the 16th-25th to hunt to allow for bad weather and unproductive days. If two of you are serious about taking a moose each I would really give yourself 12-14 days. Those areas do not have high moose densities, but when you do call in a moose to camp it will likely be a big one. I believe the densities in many of those areas are around .25-.33 moose per square mile.

Brett

It's not the Brooks, but you might also contact Joe Schuster of Sportsman's Air Service if you are willing to hunt Western Alaska. He dropped me off in 2014 and both of us hunting were able to take very nice moose and saw several more we didn't take, but could have in a 10 day hunt.

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by BrettAKSCI:
It's not the Brooks, but you might also contact Joe Schuster of Sportsman's Air Service if you are willing to hunt Western Alaska. He dropped me off in 2014 and both of us hunting were able to take very nice moose and saw several more we didn't take, but could have in a 10 day hunt.

Brett

I agree. A buddy and I did a self guided hunt with Joe in 2013 and had successful hunts and a great time. http://forums.accuratereloadin...8521043/m/6891086291

http://www.bushwhackalaska.com/

I haven't hunted with him, but really enjoyed talking to him about his area at DSC. We didn't go last year, but talked to him for quite awhile the year before. His drop camps are from boat. You rent a care in Fairbanks, drive to his lodge, and then he takes you to the hunting area by boat. His guided hunts are also in the same area, and they are all from boat too.

When I decide to go, he will be on my short list.

Thanks. This looks really promising.

Looks like a 7 hr drive or so from Fairbanks to Wiseman. Is that where the lodge is at?

quote:

Originally posted by EddieWalker:
http://www.bushwhackalaska.com/

I haven't hunted with him, but really enjoyed talking to him about his area at DSC. We didn't go last year, but talked to him for quite awhile the year before. His drop camps are from boat. You rent a care in Fairbanks, drive to his lodge, and then he takes you to the hunting area by boat. His guided hunts are also in the same area, and they are all from boat too.

When I decide to go, he will be on my short list.

I did hunt sheep with him in 2013. I am going to hunt brown bear with him in 2019. While I did not get a sheep, I was happy enough to book a bear hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:
Thanks. This looks really promising.

Looks like a 7 hr drive or so from Fairbanks to Wiseman. Is that where the lodge is at?

Wiseman is a small village in a fairly remote area. Erik has built himself a pretty decent house there. He has a landing strip right there. There are a number of cabins where the clients stay. The cabins are pretty basic but certainly more than sufficient.

Once can catch a flight to Coldfoot which is a very short drive from Wiseman. It is an inexpensive flight. I have forgotten who services it.

I imagine Wright's Air Service would fly to Coldfoot out of Fairbanks.

Brett

The only thing I would bring up with regard to that general area is the concept of state vs federal land and hunting it as a self guided hunter. ANWR is all exclusively concessioned and the guide pressure will come from 1 outfitter with a predetermined number of hunters (or less if they don't sell all their hunts). State land which I believe he hunts is a free for all. Don't get me wrong it COULD still be great hunting, but there will be no limit on the number of guides operating there or the number of hunts they sell. Some guides on state land do a responsible job of stewardship and others don't. Some state land can be GREAT hunting and other state land can be pretty tough for a new to the area self guided hunter competing against more knowledgable and locally experienced guides. Just a thought, but if I was considering hunting moose in the Eastern Brooks Range, no brainer I'd be in ANWR. It's farther from the roads and will be more expensive to fly to, but you're likely to have less guide and resident pressure due to concessions and the increased cost of access.

Brett

Brett, thanks for those comments. But if ANWR is divided into guided concessions, it doesn't sound like I would be able to hunt there at all w/o a guide, and frankly, I don't want one (and can't afford one).

When we hunted the Yukon Delta, I suppose we were on federal ground but we had no hunting pressure at all. Just us. I actually don't remember what the ownership of that land was, but I suppose it was Federal... Now that I look again it was National Wildlife Refuge land.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:
Brett, thanks for those comments. But if ANWR is divided into guided concessions, it doesn't sound like I would be able to hunt there at all w/o a guide, and frankly, I don't want one (and can't afford one).

Not at all. It means IF you did a guided hunt you would have 1 choice as to who you hunted with in each concession. If you chose to do it yourself in those areas as nonresident you still can. All you need is the ride there. Find a transporter who will take you. There are several out of different places including Fairbanks and Coldfoot.

Brett

Thanks Brett. I misunderstood. It would be pretty cool to hunt in ANWR