I just ordered a Wooldridge river boat and Sept 08 I plan on launching at the haul road take out and running up to the Koyukuk for moose. It is a trip I have always wanted to accomplish. My son and I will be doing it together and we would appreciate any advise from folks who do or did this hunt.
Thanks

well the days of old are gone and pretty much either just memories or it is not the same. one thing that does not change is the need for communication if the situation or the need demands. A sat. phone can be a handy item to carry along. also whether you plan on carry enough gas or not the price of gasoline in the bush is extremely high and of questionable quality. another handy item to have is a gps-don't know how or what you plan to do or go but to just travel and not have any particular spot in mind is a risk in itself.

I would do a stainless prop over a aluminum not knowing full well if the river is going to be high and loaded with drift. If jet unit is the mode then certainly enough pump grease to wash out the silt.

yep, moose around every corner- good luck.

Snow,

Griz is correct about the quality of fuel. On my skiffs I have installed the Raycor water separator/ fuel filter that I think alleviate alot of potential diasters. I would also advise against hauling any more fuel from the boat trailer than you have to. I'm sure you'll want the ability to carry a couple hundred gallons when you want, but in my experience, the extra weight really goofs the skiffs performance and fuel economy.

I think that most of the villages you encounter along the way should have City offices, and they should be able to tell you about gas availability. One caution, call each City office more than once on different days talking to different people to make sure you get the correct info. It wouldn't suprise me at all to have someone tell me "Nope, no gas for sale here," in order to discourage me from moose hunting around their area.

Ok, come to think of it,.....thats my favorite trick.

Have either of you guys made this journey in a boat?
My boat will have a fuel filter/water separator on it and I plan to carry spares as well. The tip about calling in advance is good to know but I can easily haul enough gas to get to Galena where fuel should be plentiful. $If 5 a gallon is what it costs then so be it. Thats why I started saving now
Good advice on the sat phone as well.

I made this trip in 2005. Quite an adventure. My hunting partner had made it 3 other times over the previous decade. It was an adventure. Boat problems, interaction with the "locals", and ever changing river conditions. This is not for the faint of heart. I did enjoy the trip, but was ever so thankful to see the bridge when we finally made it back.
Do you have an idea how far up you intend to go?
Bill

No I haven't. I've traveled the lower Yukon and here on the Nushagak.
I used to load up my boat here in town on fuel and then launch like a big barge and grind my way up river, watching my fuel go away almost as fast as I put it in due to all the weight I was hauling. I think I killed any savings I was hoping for in per gallon price by ruining my gallon per hour consumption.

To be sure there'll come a point when you have to load up on gas for the final leg into the hunting area, but I would think that for the travel in between towns on the river, if you were just hauling what you need you'd be better off. Another reason is ofcourse the weight of gas in your skiff when you're trying to get it off that unseen sand bar or log.

When I'm out running, I check my Racor filter every morning, and usually drain some water out of the filter. Yes, every morning! The fuel we get around here can be horrible. I don't bring one, but maybe you could think about bringing an extra filter cartridge.

Also, when calling ahead to find out about fuel, don't tell them "This is Scott from Anchorage," or Fairbanks, or Chicago. Know what I mean? There's no doubt in my mind that the folks on the Yukon are great people, just like here on the Nushagak, but I can tell you with authority that the City of New Stuyahok receptionist isn't going to be inclined to be too helpful to an "Outsider" hunting "his" or "her" moose. It's not personal, just the way it is.

Llamapacker,
Not sure how far up the Koyukuk we will go as a lot depends on fuel.
The boat will be a Wooldridge 20 foot Alaskan II which is being built as we speak with a delivery of August. I plan on installing a Yamaha (25in shaft) 150 jet on it. This shaft length allows me to remove a spacer and remount the lower prop unit back on without having to remount the motor. Plan is to run the prop as long as possible for better fuel economy untill (if) the jet is needed. The boat was also ordered with dual headlights in the bow so if worse came to worse we can run at night. This boat is bascially being built for this hunt although it will be used for chasing kings and other salmon as well.
Fuel tank on the boat is 47 gallons and I plan on carrying another 100 on deck. But I will only carry what I need to get to Galena and fuel up the extra containers there.
Good tip on the Racors. I think when I get my boat I will add the filter type with the drain in the bottom of it. These boats are known for carrying heavy loads and being able to get on step easily.
Coming out, if we have two huge bulls we can always opt out to have the meat air freighted from Galena back to Anchorage if we are overloaded.
Keep the good ideas coming as I have a lot to learn and have plently of time for planning. Trip is scheduled for Sept 08.
Just curious, how is the moose hunting along the Yukon before you get to Galena?

you know what is kind of handy is using googlearth for some detail pics ie.. lakes, ponds and landscapes of sundry kinds. take your cursor and mark coordinates and plug them into your gps for improved scouting ventures along the way. on the yukon you will generally have to put in the small back sloughs and do some grunting, cow calling and bone work to be successful, more than being "on the river".
I hunt upriver from the bridge and in towards the brooks range aka. Venetie. Hunting and being successful will require those short "pokes" into the sloughs and such. If high water is about you can bet some old dry sloughs are full and can take you way back and "if" for some reason you are back there and the water receded you are literally "humping" it back-but that is what the sat. phone is all about. I don't use them but see the practical use of it. When you are back in there you will assuredly do well or that is what I find to be beneficial for me anyways.
carry a good supply of bug dope-never know about the el-neno` or whatever.
enjoy,

I have traveled extensively up and down the yukon. From the yukon bridge all the way to Huslia. Galena is probably the last place you will be able to buy gas and it will cost you about what you figured, $5.00 a gallon. From the bridge to Galena is about three hundered miles. I usually send four barrels to Galena a month before hunting and carry just enough to get to Galena. You will not need a jet until you get to where you want your base camp. You want to make sure you have all the proper equipment on board, fire extinguisher, float coats, float rings, ect., the fish cops will fine you if you do not have it. If you do not know the river I would probably take a couple of alumnium props, they are more forgiving that stainless steel, and on the way back you can put on your stainless prop. I grew up on the Yukon and know a lot of people if you need contacts I can help you. Good luck.

Doug,
Thanks for the information. Will I have any difficulty buying fuel in Galena? When you talk about sending barrels there do you mean empty ones that you then get filled?
How far up the Koyukuk can your run before you need to switch over to a jet?

What I meant was I send four barrels of gas from Nenena on a barge. You can run all the way to Huslia on a prop, its just the little rivers a jet would be nice. Getting gas is not a problem in Galena. There are two places to get gas: the liquor store and Yukon Fuel. Galena has all the neccessities you will need. Later Doug

snowwolfe, yrs back when I ran the koyukon river (my pronunciation) jets were not a necessity always a prop-still are. There is fellas that have you're style of lift and surely you do that with either electric or hydraulics to trim and tilt to accomedate for shallow. I prefer Solas stainless as it is more forgiving than powertech or others, kind of gives and folds -softer in my experience. can shape them easily enough when you need to. In my learning days I have figured I had about 40 impacts of sorts to my prop shaft before I myself swapped them out-easy to do. Might want to ask your shop service what is entailed for you do that and have an extra on hand. There is gas available all the way up to Bettles. It is a premium price to pay.

I may be on to something asking you guys for advice!
I was planning on building up the jet boat for fishing, then reinstalling the prop for the run up river to save fuel and then switching back to the jet.
Do you think it possible to go up the Koyukuk to get into decent moose without reinstalling the jet?

How much fuel do you guys generally carry after you refuel at Galena and head up the Koyukuk?

I have always stayed with a prop up as far as Huslia. I haven't been further. It is the side rivers / sloughs where the jet can be nice. Fuel is not always available in Huslia, at least if you are white. 10 gallon maximum sale! I left Galena last time with 260 gallons of fuel. Quite a bit was burned during the hunt.
Returned with 6 left. A little nerve racking.

Running at night on this river is not for the faint of heart, no matter how many lights you have on the boat. Forgetting sand bars for a moment, the amount of debris in the river is staggering. It is rarely worth the risk.
Good luck,
Bill