Solo DIY Alaska moose float hunt ‘26

[RedTag]

My hat is off to anyone that plans to handle a moose carcass solo...especially in a bone-in area. My one and only bull died 60 yards from the camp meat pole and I about blew an o-ring carrying the hinds through the sponge. There were three of us but I wanted the hinds for myself as a personal pride thing.
It was close enough we didn't bother with packs....won't do that again.

My apologies for the gratuitous trophy photo...

View attachment 710030

I like your style of staying in the same camp and consistently hunting the same area rather than constant travel. The time and mental suck of breaking down a wet camp just to do it all over again has kept me from getting excited about a float hunt.

I won’t shoot another moose anywhere we can’t get to it with a machine. And we is an operative word here. This is a team effort, even with machines, as far as I'm concerned. And a good reason to use a gun big enough to anchor a big animal quickly and lessen the chances of escape to a swampy or otherwise difficult area. Yes I have packed out moose manually. No more of that for me. This is not to say that I don’t applaud the efforts of those who do it the hard way, but a man must know his limits. My back just can’t take that kind of abuse anymore.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I won’t shoot another moose anywhere we can’t get to it with a machine. And we is an operative word here. This is a team effort, even with machines, as far as I'm concerned. And a good reason to use a gun big enough to anchor a big animal quickly and lessen the chances of escape to a swampy or otherwise difficult area. Yes I have packed out moose manually. No more of that for me. This is not to say that I don’t applaud the efforts of those who do it the hard way, but a man must know his limits. My back just can’t take that kind of abuse anymore.

Very wise and obviously experienced words. I know exactly what you mean.

So, I said I’m doing this “solo”. That’s a little deceptive. I’m taking a buddy with me now. My buddy is a 125# dog I’m training for draft work. I’m having a harness shop sew up a Seavy pulling rig and custom cotton booties along with modifying a heavy duty, narrow plastic sled for him. He can definitely handle the draft work of 150% of his body weight for a reasonable distance.

 

[Altitude sickness]

How much is the air service charging to fly your dog in ?

 

[Betterinthebush]

How much is the air service charging to fly your dog in ?

I’m dropping the motor and gasoline off the list (except what I need for the stove and lantern 2gal.), so the weight trade off is an even swap.

Pilots, in my experience, don’t charge extra for a dog. I know a lot of guys that travel with their labs and chessies. The only thing they care about is weight and if the dog is sound. If charter services charge more for a dog, that’s new to me.

Every flight bill I’ve paid was based on time and distance to location of drop/pick-up.

 

[Altitude sickness]

That will be nice having your dog along as an alarm and companion.

 

[Hunt anything]

Can’t wait to read the hunting report! I would have loved to do something like that back in my younger days.
The closest I’ll come to a moose is making the short drive up to Atmore to help you eat it!!

 

[PARA45]

Serious question. How do you bring so much meat back with you? I'm with @Hunt anything, I'll help you eat some. I've never had moose.

 

[Betterinthebush]

Can’t wait to read the hunting report! I would have loved to do something like that back in my younger days.
The closest I’ll come to a moose is making the short drive up to Atmore to help you eat it!!

You are welcome anytime my friend.

 

[Betterinthebush]

Serious question. How do you bring so much meat back with you? I'm with @Hunt anything, I'll help you eat some. I've never had moose.

After I get pulled out I’ll take it to either Palmer or Wasilla to have it processed and frozen for the trip home in coolers with dry ice. Some I will do a transfer of possession on (hind quarters) with someone who needs it.

I know a lot of folks in Willow where my cabin was that will great fully and eagerly accept any game meat. Our old church pastor will find a family for us if I don’t have any takers.

 

[PARA45]

After I get pulled out I’ll take it to either Palmer or Wasilla to have it processed and frozen for the trip home in coolers with dry ice. Some I will do a transfer of possession on (hind quarters) with someone who needs it.

I know a lot of folks in Willow where my cabin was that will great fully and eagerly accept any game meat. Our old church pastor will find a family for us if I don’t have any takers.

That's wonderful, especially donating some meat to those in need.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Donating meat is very common and it’s best to have the donation forms filled out and or names for who wants meat.

I usually ask ahead of time for the pilot or who ever is in charge of dropping me off to find me people that need meat. When my last pilot was loading the meat to fly it out. He said he would take what me and my buddy didn’t want. He flew my buddies bull out mid Hunt and mine towards the end of the hunt.

If it’s clean, cooled off and stored correctly. There is no issue finding people to donate it to. If it’s full of hair, dirt and leaves. Then they pass it down the line to people at the end of the line that can’t be as picky.

 

[Altitude sickness]

A copy of the mandatory “transfer of possession” form.

 

[Betterinthebush]

A copy of the mandatory “transfer of possession” form. View attachment 745575

Also one in the back of every game regs book, which every hunter in Alaska should have in their pack in a plastic bag..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If you're dropping the outboard motor off the list, how will you be covering all those miles? Just paddling/oars? That will be interesting if the boat is full of gear or moose. I was going to suggest extra spark plugs and a few tools but no longer needed I guess.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I prefer Muck Boots but I guess you have good reasons to go with waders instead. Breathable I presume if you are taking wading boots?

 

[Altitude sickness]

70-100 miles is not uncommon for drifting a river. We did approximately 75 miles on my one and only drift hunt. 14 days of setting up camps hunting an area the drifting some more.

Unfortunately there were too many locals on the river. Shooting cows and bulls.

Learned you need at least two flights away from Anchorage and no more drifting for me.

 

[wolfhunter]

I think the dog thing is a good idea especially if you have it trained to help you .on my last diy moose hunt my brother and I packed two moose one 1/2 mile to the lake the other one mile that will test your back .we had a Brown bear get into our cash and eat a good amount. When we flew back to King Salmon the warden was there to see things we told him our story they said we still hab more meat than most bring out. 54". 60"

 

[fourfive8]

I see you linked Larry Bartlett as a resource, He knows his stuff about meat care and float hunts. I’ve known Larry for a long time. As you know, too much rain and/or racing, if forced, to the longer 100+ mile pick up, could be buggers.

Good luck on the adventure!

 

[dgr416]

I would get someone who has done this before to go with you .I got left on a drop hunt by myself turned into a survival trip .I lived in Alaska 12 years and it will kick your butt a 1000 ways you never knew .Moose are a chore to clean with two people how well I know .Your trip will be way better going with someone who knows what they sre doing !

 

[Betterinthebush]

I see you linked Larry Bartlett as a resource, He knows his stuff about meat care and float hunts. I’ve known Larry for a long time. As you know, too much rain and/or racing, if forced, to the longer 100+ mile pick up, could be buggers.

Good luck on the adventure!

Thanks, man. I first heard about Larry back in ‘15 (or so. Geez! Hard to believe..) when he selling his book and videos on Alaska Outdoor Forums.

I already had a lot of static camp hunting experience as an a-guide and Larry’s book made doing a float hunt seem a lot easier because he breaks down everything very honestly. He gets into some really remote areas. I respect his ability, experience and how he honestly shares what it takes to safely navigate a river float hunt from planning to pick-up.

Fact is, were it not for Larry, I would never have been able to pull off my first two group float hunts. The guy flat-out knows his stuff.