Moose Hunting 101

[Tim Blackwell]

Hi all from Australia.
I'm looking to plan a Moose hunt for 2025 or 2026, as it's well and truly risen to the top of my bucket list!

As someone who has done all my hunting in the South Pacific and Africa, I'm really not up with US & Canadian hunting. So I'd like to mine your good selves for as much info as I can!

My expectations - well, I'd love an Alaskan bull, but at my budget of $15-20k it's just not going to happen. I don't much care for inches, but a mature representative bull would be fine....and if I cracked 50" I'd be elated.

I don't need luxury accommodation but I don't want to backpack my own tent in either...somewhere in between would do just fine!

So is BC my best bet?
What is the realistic success rate I should expect?
Any recommendations on outfitters/areas?

A second species will be targeted if possible, particularly Elk, Mountain Goat, or Caribou are of interest.

I own the following rifles, which would you choose, given suitable premium bullets? All have Swarovski or Kahles optics and I'm comfortable with them all.

.30/06 Stainless/synthetic
7mmRM Stainless/synthetic
.350RM Stainless/synthetic
.375H&H Wood/blued.

Anyhow, that's plenty of questions for now! But please feel free to add anything you think is relevant, I'm all ears!

Thank you,
Tim

 

[BRICKBURN]

7mm if you are planning on going after a goat as well. Just in case you need to shoot further out.
(They would all work just fine on a Moose.)

BC has been having some issues with Moose management but there are still Moose to be had.



There have also been so many bloody forest fires (wild fires) this year there could certainly be issues.

Many hunts are sold on a one species basis. Add on species tend to be Wolf, Bear, Coyote, etc

Picking the right Outfitter manages your success in North America. Someone with a good reputation will not sell you a bill of goods. (BS)

Have a look at Aaron's website and see what you think.

https://huntfgs.com


I just dropped in and saw this. Sounds like what you are after.

 

[Scott CWO]

I’ve hunted with Gundahoo River Outfitters in BC. Great people and area. Send me a PM if you want Quintin Thompson’s phone number.

 

[HankBuck]

Hi all from Australia.
I'm looking to plan a Moose hunt for 2025 or 2026, as it's well and truly risen to the top of my bucket list!

As someone who has done all my hunting in the South Pacific and Africa, I'm really not up with US & Canadian hunting. So I'd like to mine your good selves for as much info as I can!

My expectations - well, I'd love an Alaskan bull, but at my budget of $15-20k it's just not going to happen. I don't much care for inches, but a mature representative bull would be fine....and if I cracked 50" I'd be elated.

I don't need luxury accommodation but I don't want to backpack my own tent in either...somewhere in between would do just fine!

So is BC my best bet?
What is the realistic success rate I should expect?
Any recommendations on outfitters/areas?

A second species will be targeted if possible, particularly Elk, Mountain Goat, or Caribou are of interest.

I own the following rifles, which would you choose, given suitable premium bullets? All have Swarovski or Kahles optics and I'm comfortable with them all.

.30/06 Stainless/synthetic
7mmRM Stainless/synthetic
.350RM Stainless/synthetic
.375H&H Wood/blued.

Anyhow, that's plenty of questions for now! But please feel free to add anything you think is relevant, I'm all ears!

Thank you,
Tim

The highest Moose density is in New Foundland and anyone can get a Bull tag. Guided hunters enjoy a very high success rate but trophy quality is generally poor - a 40” Moose would be a trophy and 50” = exceptional. Most Outfitters push you to shoot the first legal bull you see - big spike etc.. but some Outfitters specialize in higher quality. Prices are likely the cheapest in North America, my friend just returned and got a small bull - all inclusive 5 day hunt $5500. I think there are better Outfitters that charge more for a chance at better quality Bulls - you will Not get a giant but success is high and they are remote area hunts - cabins, plumbing, good food, ATVs etc.. but Not luxury Lodges. It’s an affordable Moose hunt just Not likely to get a trophy that makes B&C.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Tim Blackwell I did a hunt in BC a couple years ago and I think it will fit what you are looking for and your budget. I've also done an Alaskan moose hunt and got one, but it is a higher price hunt and I can't really recommend the outfitter. The BC hunt, I did not get a moose, but one of my buddies did. Same guy also got an elk. If you are interested, PM and we can set up a Whats App talk or just PM back and forth. Something I'd suggest is to consider using the outfitter's crossbow (or bring your own if you use one) as the crossbow season is during the rut and more likely to score on a bull. Rifle season is post rut and you'll have more hunters in the woods to compete with.

Link to my BC moose hunt.

CANADA: Northern British Columbia Moose Hunt With Horseshoe Creek Outfitters October 2021

I am sitting at home tonight, instead of flying to Vancouver, British Columbia. American Airlines cancelled my flight today, I am guessing due to the severe weather in the Dallas area. So along with my two hunting buddies who are going on this hunt, we spent several hours today rebooking...

www.africahunting.com

 

[WAB]

Have you considered a DIY float hunt for moose in Alaska? Good operators can provide a full camp and raft. Pick the right river and you will have a hard time to stop fishing long enough to hunt moose.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

As someone planning on Moose in the next couple years you’ve got some other other options.

You might want to look at Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan in addition to BC.

 

[Pheroze]

Have you considered a DIY float hunt for moose in Alaska? Good operators can provide a full camp and raft. Pick the right river and you will have a hard time to stop fishing long enough to hunt moose.

I may have to pick your brains on this. It sounds awesome

 

[AimSmall]

Newfoundland has Eastern Canadian moose - size is smaller than BC with Western Canadian. Recommend Arluk Outfitters - great camps, good guides, plenty of moose. Very reasonable. Pretty easy to have meat shipped to states, Australia not-so-much?

BC - moose are larger, tougher hunt, cost a bit more:

Driftwood Valley (Michael Schneider),

Love Brothers and Lee (Ron & Brenda) -- both are great outfitters and have great areas.

 

[DmacD]

I second HankBuck and AimSmall suggestion on Newfoundland. There are more moose there than people on the Rock. Trophy quality does not match that of Alaska or the Yukon, but in terms of getting an authentic experience, Newfoundland is hard to beat. The locals are friendly, as in, give you the shirt off of their backs friendly. Think of them as fun-loving, Irish descendants.
Your stainless .30-06 or 7mmRM would be perfect, as it is boggy, and it will rain, but you will most certainly get an experience.

 

[R eight]

Have you considered a DIY float hunt for moose in Alaska? Good operators can provide a full camp and raft. Pick the right river and you will have a hard time to stop fishing long enough to hunt moose.

An Australian is a non resident alien…..DIY big game hunting is out of the question unless he has a close relative living there.

 

[Alaska Luke]

DIY moose in Alaska is my only experience so far but I live and play in those places.

A horseback hunt in BC sounds like a lot of fun just because the whole trip is an adventure. I believe I might have talked to Gundahoo Outfitters when I was looking at packrafting a river in their area. I appreciated their willingness to help a guy who wasn't about to book a hunt. It's a remote area for sure. I hear good things about other area in Canada but nothing you can't Google.

The DIY drop camps in Alaska can have a good success rate but you might be on a wait list for a year or two so plan ahead. A bigger downside is that many of those hunts are in west Alaska. There might be great moose density but it's pretty flat and swampy. So you might get dropped on a lake and spend a week calling in moose (fun) but the chance of scenery or other wildlife is less (not as fun). There are exceptions but something to consider. And carving up a moose on your own is no joke. Rules about meat salvage are pretty strict.

If you go to the expense of flying up from Australia I would budget time for site seeing too. You probably want a few days post hunt. If you kill a moose you'll have some logistics to deal with. If not you could go fishing or hike up whatever mountain looks cool (not the one with the most moose on it).

Oh I would recommend a light synthetic rifle with a scope you trust, and maybe a backup scope in QD rings. It might be wet and rainy with lots of brush. No place for a nice wood rifle. Good rain gear and synthetic hunting clothes are important. Good boots are important. Get some that are broken in. I'd rather hunt in tennis shoes that super stiff boots that aren't broken in. A friend hurt his toes that way.

 

[R eight]

Hi all from Australia.
I'm looking to plan a Moose hunt for 2025 or 2026, as it's well and truly risen to the top of my bucket list!

As someone who has done all my hunting in the South Pacific and Africa, I'm really not up with US & Canadian hunting. So I'd like to mine your good selves for as much info as I can!

My expectations - well, I'd love an Alaskan bull, but at my budget of $15-20k it's just not going to happen. I don't much care for inches, but a mature representative bull would be fine....and if I cracked 50" I'd be elated.

I don't need luxury accommodation but I don't want to backpack my own tent in either...somewhere in between would do just fine!

So is BC my best bet?
What is the realistic success rate I should expect?
Any recommendations on outfitters/areas?

A second species will be targeted if possible, particularly Elk, Mountain Goat, or Caribou are of interest.

I own the following rifles, which would you choose, given suitable premium bullets? All have Swarovski or Kahles optics and I'm comfortable with them all.

.30/06 Stainless/synthetic
7mmRM Stainless/synthetic
.350RM Stainless/synthetic
.375H&H Wood/blued.

Anyhow, that's plenty of questions for now! But please feel free to add anything you think is relevant, I'm all ears!

Thank you,
Tim

G’day Tim, fellow Ozzie here. I’ve hunted moose in Alaska (Alaska Range) twice…. I still have 2 x unused tags. Great hunts, great scenery, plenty of moose seen, but legal bulls were outnumbered by unicorns.

Hunted BC this year. Great hunt, great scenery and shot my bull.

As to rifle….anything reliable and weather proof. Cartridge…30/06 with premium 180 grain bullet.

Best bit of advice I can give you is that hunting remote North America is not like hunting Africa. That might might be, no it is, a big call from someone who hasn’t hunted Africa. But it is what I’m told by many who have hunted both. In short don’t expect to see game every day.

If you want to pick my brain, feel free to pm me and we can talk on the phone….allow several hours and have a box of tissues ready.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Hi Tim. As others have said, DIY might be an option to consider. My knowledge is pretty specific to SW Alaska. We have 3 sub-units: 17A, 17B, and 17c. C is a residents only unit. B is over the counter tags, and A is a draw hunt but the odds aren't too bad.

I'd be happy to chat and assist if this sounds plausible. Best of wishes on whatever you decide.

 

[WAB]

An Australian is a non resident alien…..DIY big game hunting is out of the question unless he has a close relative living there.

Ah good point, I missed the alien bit, my bad.

 

[yhc]

Since you’re a “nonresident alien” you are required to have a guide in Alaska. So DIY hunt in Alaska is not an option for you, unfortunately.

The following is an excerpt from Alaska Fish and Game regulation.

Nonresident Aliens:​

A nonresident alien must be personally accompanied by an Alaska-licensed guide to hunt ANY big game animal, including black bear, brown/grizzly bear, bison, caribou, Dall sheep, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, muskox, wolf and wolverine.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Oops. Sorry Tim... I did not realize that. Yeah, AK is not cheap at all if you need to have a guide. There are probably better places.

 

[hseII]

Have you considered a DIY float hunt for moose in Alaska? Good operators can provide a full camp and raft. Pick the right river and you will have a hard time to stop fishing long enough to hunt moose.

Can you recommend one?

This sounds wonderful.

 

[WAB]

Can you recommend one?

This sounds wonderful.

Are you a US or Canadian citizen?

 

[Finprof]

Can you recommend one?

This sounds wonderful.

If you can draw a tag in Wyoming or Idaho you can do a DIY hunt. Several public land area in Idaho have more moose than deer. Drawing a tag is the difficult part since there is only one nonresident tag in each hunt unit and only 5-10. Resident tags. The moose are Shiras and tend to be smaller than Newfoundland moose. A 40 inch Shiras is a trophy.
Northern Ontario is cheaper and more accessible than Newfoundland. I used to hunt there until all my cousins died and I had no one to pre-scout for me and no one to mooch off.