Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 08:15:35 AM
Had a great time and scored a moose and a black bear.
Water levels were very low and the first two days were tough as we had to drag the rafts a lot, only making about 4 miles the first two days. Had to portage several times because in some places there wasn't even enough water to drag the boats. it was very discouraging. Day three and four were a little better as we were able to actually get in the rafts for short stretches.
We had a good hunt plan, and when we finally got to a good looking area, we were able to stop for a couple of days.
Temps started out in the mid 40s for the first couple days, but dropped to mid teens and snowing.
My brother shot the moose in the late afternoon on about day 6, about 1/2 mile from camp. After processing we moved all the meat (moose weighed about 1400lbs) about 100yds from the kill site to minimize bear encounters, and started packing the meat to the river with the plan of dragging the raft upriver to load. After stumbling through the willows and beaver ponds in the dark, we decided it would be safer to stash our first load (rear qtr., front shoulder, and ribs) at the river's edge and drag the raft upriver in the morning to load it all.
We dragged the boat upriver in the morning and discovered that a bear had gotten into it. The three bags had been tore up, moved around, and partially buried. Very little of it had actually been eaten. While we were cleaning it up, the bear came back and wouldn't scare off. It was only a 5' black bear, but he obviously had a death wish. We were waving our arms and yelling to get him to turn away but he kept coming until I shot him at 10 yds.
For our first float hunt (zero experience with rafting), it was great. An incredible amount of work in dragging the rafts, packing the moose, and rowing 10 hours a day for several days to make the take out ( river was very slow) but I loved it and can't wait to do it again.
We only got one moose and the small bear, but that was enough. We had to drag the rafts quite a bit even in the last 5 miles of the river, and with two moose we would have had to portage most of that.
We had started planning this trip last October and there were a lot of logistics involved. Surprisingly everything went as planned, no one got hurt, and we are looking forward to our next adventure.
I filmed about 50 hours of video with my GoPro, here is a link to a 10 minute video compilation (with soundtrack!):
Alaska Float Hunt 2013 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV93MqKQEGc#)
Enjoy,
Eric
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 08:21:37 AM
Post by: The scout on October 04, 2013, 08:24:19 AM
Post by: Rainier10 on October 04, 2013, 08:29:55 AM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 04, 2013, 08:32:19 AM
Post by: JBar on October 04, 2013, 08:33:34 AM
Post by: Rainier10 on October 04, 2013, 08:36:08 AM
Still the best thread of the day.
Post by: 7mmfan on October 04, 2013, 08:38:02 AM
Post by: h20hunter on October 04, 2013, 08:39:13 AM
Post by: lastmk8 on October 04, 2013, 08:53:17 AM
Post by: Rainier10 on October 04, 2013, 08:54:28 AM
Nice bull and nice avatar...............a 5'er says the avatar won't last morning.Do you think it falls under the "Report Oversized Avatars Here" thread?
Post by: h20hunter on October 04, 2013, 08:55:11 AM
Post by: quadrafire on October 04, 2013, 09:09:05 AM
Post by: fillthefreezer on October 04, 2013, 09:12:25 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 04, 2013, 09:21:36 AM
Post by: eastsidemallard74 on October 04, 2013, 09:22:28 AM
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 09:23:20 AM
Great looking Bull Moose and I can't wait to watch the video later tonight. A float hunt is already on our bucket list (three of us also) so if you don't mind I'll probably send you a PM sometime soon. We are still looking a couple years out for multiple reeasons, but doing it we are!!! Congrats again, you'll have to follow up on this link and tell us all how awesome those steaks are, although we all pretty much have an idea already.
Thanks.
Moose steaks wednesday night, moose spaghetti last night, and moose chili tonight! it is Awesome.
We did a lot of research for this trip. read numerous books, watched tons of video, and lots of forum reading (Alaska outdoors directory forum is great!) I did hire an alaska hunt planner (mike Strahan) for this trip as it was our first float trip and it helped a lot in getting us started in picking the correct river system for us and providing detailed maps with river miles and a hunt plan. It was a little expensive for the planner (1500$) but i think it was a wise choice. I can use him again in the future for no charge.
We had a limited budget (about 4k each (not including the planner)) which included processing and shipping meat home (based on getting 2 moose) and we came in under that. largest chunk was the transporter (air charter) that we used to get from the road system to our starting point and then back to the road system when we floated out. total distance between the road system and the lake was maybe 45 crow miles and they charged us 3900$ (2 flights in and 3 out). this is typical and further distances result in logrithmic cost increases.
gear rental (blue moose rafting) was 3k which included rafting and camping gear. The owner is an awesome dude.
other expenses include vehicle rental or gas to drive up there, sat phone rental 200$, food 500$, tags/license 600$, etc.
processing for our 700 lbs of meat was about 1100$ and shipping was about 450$.
If you do a float from road system to road system you will save a lot of money. there will be others likely on the river (not necessarily a bad thing for first timers though), but it is way cheaper.
I will do this again.
-Eric
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 09:25:16 AM
who did you fly with?we flew with Brooks Range Air out of Bettles AK. you cant drive to Bettles so they either pick you up at Grayling Lake or at Prospect air strip off the Dalton Highway about 6 hours North of Fairbanks.
BRA was very nice people and accomodating.
Post by: lewy on October 04, 2013, 09:30:11 AM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 04, 2013, 09:31:05 AM
And fish hunter gets the best avatar ever award!
It's gone!
Fun while it lasted
Post by: boneaddict on October 04, 2013, 09:31:26 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 04, 2013, 09:35:44 AM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 04, 2013, 09:37:50 AM
.......and as much as I liked your avatar, it was unacceptable for this site and has been removed. Your moose pic would make a great avatar.
Well, there goes your vote for moderator of the day
Post by: sirmissalot on October 04, 2013, 09:37:56 AM
Congrats sounds like an awesome trip :tup:
Post by: pianoman9701 on October 04, 2013, 09:38:41 AM
.......and as much as I liked your avatar, it was unacceptable for this site and has been removed. Your moose pic would make a great avatar.
Well, there goes your vote for moderator of the day
:chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: Rainier10 on October 04, 2013, 09:53:13 AM
Nice bull and nice avatar...............a 5'er says the avatar won't last morning.That was an easy $5. I think D Rock has your money, he should have got online sooner.
Post by: h20hunter on October 04, 2013, 09:56:54 AM
Hate to thread jack this one....
Back on OP.........nice moose!
Post by: Rainier10 on October 04, 2013, 10:00:54 AM
Just reread the original post and saw three of you.
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 10:06:42 AM
Great moose, and as much as I liked your avatar, it was unacceptable for this site and has been removed. Your moose pic would make a great avatar.
WTF! that avatar is used on numerous sites (including BD of washington) and never had any complaints. it is not pornographic or lewd. I don't see the issue with it. I have used that avatar since i Joined this site and it wasnt taken off before. that really pisses me off.....
Post by: h20hunter on October 04, 2013, 10:16:00 AM
Now I really need a like button.
Post by: Knocker of rocks on October 04, 2013, 10:16:27 AM
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,90090.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,90090.0.html)
Post by: D-Rock425 on October 04, 2013, 10:20:14 AM
Post by: Becky on October 04, 2013, 10:21:09 AM
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 10:23:25 AM
PM me if you would like any additional info about my hunt.
Eric
Post by: X-Force on October 04, 2013, 10:31:02 AM
Post by: wideleft on October 04, 2013, 11:06:32 AM
Post by: bowhunterforever on October 04, 2013, 02:59:09 PM
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on October 04, 2013, 03:11:15 PM
Post by: jackmaster on October 04, 2013, 03:14:40 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 04, 2013, 03:54:55 PM
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 04:24:12 PM
awesome hunt, hey when you guys were floating your way out were you able to do any fishin :dunno: just curious if that kind of thing is allowed, i bet there has to be some stud fish in that river :tup: awesome moose and the pics of chicks is even better :tup:Thanks. Lots Of Pike And Arctic Char In The River. Tasty!
Post by: Woodchuck on October 04, 2013, 04:33:16 PM
Post by: fish_hunter on October 04, 2013, 04:35:57 PM
I am very jealous. Great video, any video of the bull going down? Congrats :tup:
[/quote
Yup. It Will Be In The 2 Hour Movie 8)
Post by: carlyoungs on October 04, 2013, 04:51:36 PM
Post by: h20hunter on October 04, 2013, 04:56:45 PM
Post by: D-Rock425 on October 04, 2013, 05:13:23 PM
Post by: JJB11B on October 04, 2013, 05:17:41 PM
Post by: JJB11B on October 04, 2013, 05:20:10 PM
You must have missed the "Great Avatar Uprising" Last year. Just keep your avatar G-rated and all is good. Believe me I got real close to going bye bye. Some people on here get offended really easily. It is what it is man.Great moose, and as much as I liked your avatar, it was unacceptable for this site and has been removed. Your moose pic would make a great avatar.
WTF! that avatar is used on numerous sites (including BD of washington) and never had any complaints. it is not pornographic or lewd. I don't see the issue with it. I have used that avatar since i Joined this site and it wasnt taken off before. that really pisses me off.....
Post by: actionshooter on October 04, 2013, 05:51:48 PM
Post by: Blacktail135 on October 04, 2013, 10:26:12 PM
I'm glad you had a great trip. I've been to Alaska 6 times on DIY hunting trips. Two were fly-in/float-out moose/caribou trips. You're spot on on the labor involved but, it's worth it. Our last trip we got a good bit of rain and were able to float right out (2 days) from the creek we landed at to the river, then 10 day river float. The group the year before had low water and had to drag their rafts many, many miles before floatable water. We did have to drag a little bit (at times) but not much. Sounds like you guys did it the way it's supposed to be done: research,research,research, plan,plan,plan and anticipate,anticipate,anticipate. Lotta stuff can go wrong up there but if your prepared it's just a wrinkle and not a tear.