Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: JoeE on September 19, 2014, 06:17:41 PM

Title: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JoeE on September 19, 2014, 06:17:41 PM: My buddy and took a bush flight into a remote river in the Alaskan interior. We spent 10 days and floated 108 miles. It was warm and the rut really didn't pick up until the end of our trip. On the 7th day out I connected with this bull. He measured 55". Floating out with him was pretty tough because we were weighed down. Two moose probably would've killed us. This was a trip of a lifetime for sure.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 19, 2014, 06:29:05 PM: Congrats, great looking bull.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: Vulcan on September 19, 2014, 06:31:37 PM: Nice!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: X-Force on September 19, 2014, 06:33:34 PM: Congrats! Very Cool

More Pictures :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JODakota on September 19, 2014, 06:35:53 PM: I was literally just looking at these today, could you pm me who you used and some info, very serious about doing this. Thanks! Great moose!!!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: jae on September 19, 2014, 06:40:55 PM: That is an Awesome Bull!!!!!!!!!
I have been dreaming of a float hunt for years. I did not take advantage of my time up in Alaska. I spent 11 summers in the Bristol Bay and Kenai Peninsula areas and miss it dearly (That was 20 years ago).
I have read the books, called rental outfits, and talked to quite a few that have done the trips before. We even had a hunting guide on the boat for a couple of years. He offered to take me on several trips and I was always in a hurry to get home and spend money (Dumb A**)
I had every intention of going in 2015 or 2016 but not sure if it is going to happen now that I am spending a small fortune on three draw hunts this year. Maybe 2016 or 2017.
Please post more pictures and more stories. Keep My Dream Alive!
John
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: lokidog on September 19, 2014, 09:51:05 PM: Like everyone, I'd like to do a float hunt sometime. Had a successful fly-in horseback hunt a few years ago, but the DIY seems much more rewarding. Congratulations!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: washelkhunter on September 19, 2014, 10:14:23 PM: Congrats! Im seriously jonesen to do a diy moose hunt, you gotta share all the particulars. I didn't know anyone even made a canoe raft, what are those things and did you like them. Were they stable?
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JoeE on September 19, 2014, 10:28:16 PM: We had two rafts. The raft we used for both of us and our gear was a Pioneer X stream. Thats the canoe. Once the moose went down we inflated the small raft which is a PR 49. That thing was maxed out with all that meat in it. The plan was if we got another moose we were going to arrange the gear in the Pioneer X stream and put the meat and antlers for that bull in with us.

We planned this hunt for two years and we were specifically looking for a spot that we could fly into that has shallow enough water that jet boats can't access and then float out to a road system. We rented a U-haul pickup truck and floated out to it. We concentrated most of our hunting over the first 9 days on the first 30 miles of the river because the "river" was a steam that no boats could get to. We did A LOT of dragging the raft because we didn't have enough water to float. We had that first 30-40 miles of the river to ourselves. Once we floated further down the water got deeper and then the jet boats started to appear. There were jet boats everywhere. The best part was is that the only dead moose was in the inflatable canoe with us. People were looking at us like we were crazy paddling down that river with that bull in tow.

As for gear we were limited to 65 pounds total each minus the weight of the rafts. That was because to get into the area we were going required a Super Cub landing. So I packed like I was going on a high hunt backpacking hunt. It was hard work but worth every minute of it.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: higunner on September 19, 2014, 10:31:52 PM: Congrats. I just got back,hunted 13c, my buddy got a 50" bull and I got a 53"
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JoeE on September 19, 2014, 10:36:11 PM: I saw your thread hi gunner. Good job! Two moose would've been a lot of work! I think we'd still be on that river if we got another!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 20, 2014, 02:56:29 AM: Nice bull,Congrats :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: bearpaw on September 20, 2014, 04:48:43 AM: Sweet looking bull and great story, congrats :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: boneaddict on September 20, 2014, 08:18:16 AM: You are living my dream right there. I cant wait and forever hope I make it back to Alaska. Congrats on your successful adventure.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 20, 2014, 08:30:29 AM: :tup:t
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: DRENALINJUNKIE on September 20, 2014, 10:37:37 AM: One of my dream hunts! Great job! looks like a lot of hard work which makes for an even more rewarding hunt in my opinion.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on September 20, 2014, 03:06:48 PM: Nice!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: Natures Way on September 20, 2014, 03:16:15 PM: That is a hunt of a lifetime thanks for sharing. Great Bull!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: trophyhunt on September 20, 2014, 03:52:11 PM: Joe, Great job on that hunt! That is really impressive, it really takes guts to go through with a hunt like that and to end up with a great bull like you did, awesome! Congrats on a great bull, when you get the time could you PM me with what it cost to do a trip like that. Thumbs up man!!
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: pashok23 on September 21, 2014, 09:21:30 PM: Congrats :tup: :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JoeE on September 22, 2014, 02:30:43 PM: Trophyhunt I sent you a PM
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: elkoholic1 on October 01, 2014, 01:23:58 PM: sounds like a hunt of a lifetime great bull congrats!!! :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: gunnarnewt on October 23, 2014, 10:50:30 AM: :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: MtnMuley on October 23, 2014, 10:52:15 AM: What an awesome hunt :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: TheHunt on October 23, 2014, 11:36:53 AM: fantastic... I would love to give that a go.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: 250savage on October 23, 2014, 03:53:43 PM: Congrats. :tup: That is a great bull. I'm sure you have memories that will last a lifetime.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: go4itlab on October 23, 2014, 11:32:35 PM: Sounds like a great time, My hunter partner and I lightly talked about doing something like this last year, I imagine it will come up again this dec while sitting around the camp fire.
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: Bean Counter on October 24, 2014, 12:29:22 AM: Great job, Joe! :tup: :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: RB on October 24, 2014, 01:47:43 AM: Thats cool! :tup:
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: ctwiggs1 on October 24, 2014, 08:48:09 AM: Are you the guys that put a chest freezer and generator in the back of your pickup to get the moose home?

Awesome moose and great pics, thanks for sharing!

Curtis
Title: Re: DIY Alaska moose float hunt
Post by: JoeE on October 24, 2014, 10:41:16 PM: No we had the meat cut, wrapped and shipped home by Delta Meats in Delta Junction Alaska.