Ak. Moose Hunt

Snug 2 · 09-28-2005, 06:37 AM

I just returned from a 9 day float hunt in unit 25A. Two friends from Fairbanks and I headed down a "no name" creek in search of moose, caribou, and bear. We saw 4 caribou cows and one griz. at a great distance. We did manage to shoot 3 bulls (50", 55", 63"). I got the biggest. Call it beginners luck. All in all it was a great trip. I shipped home 250 pounds of meat and the horns.

I shoot a Winchester 300 win mag. I was using 180 gr. factory loaded trophy bonded bear claws. Two shots just behind the left shoulder (perfect lung shot). Recovered both expanded bullets against the hide on the other side of the moose. Range 136 yards.

danger · 09-28-2005, 06:44 AM

Wow...Story?...

PS I'm stopping by for moose burgers!

Grantspastor · 09-28-2005, 06:47 AM

Nice Bull! I miss Moose hunting more than anything else about Alaska

Keeper · 09-28-2005, 07:12 AM

Wow!

Great story and pictures, thank you for sharing.

weekender · 09-28-2005, 07:22 AM

Sounds like a great time. One question though, how do you deal with that thing when its laying in the creek like that? Do you have to drag it out whole and then quarter or bone it, or do you just go to town on it where it lays?

Snug 2 · 09-28-2005, 07:46 AM

Great Question. Of the three moose this was by far the easiest and cleanest one to deal with. The moose died in about 4-6" of water on a solid gravel base. We were able to float the raft to within 5' of the animal. Normally we would split the hide down the back and peel it forward. This time we went up the belly and peeled it back. As we cut the quarters off, we laid them on the hide, rinsed them off, sprayed with citric acid, and dropped them into the TAG Bag game bags (breathable synthetic material). We then loaded them onto the raft. Once the top side was done, we fairly easily flipped the beast over and did side number two.

If it would have died in 6" of bog water or in the mud, we would have had one hell of a time getting him clean. My partners dropped one in deeper water once. They attached the boat air pump to the various holes and pumped a layer of air under the skin. They said it assisted them in moving the animal into shallower water.

Moose one was shot about 300 yards in the bush. We had to clear an area to work and then made a litter with oars and straps and hauled the meat to the boats. Moose two, mine, was in the water. Moose three was shot from the raft about 20' off the water. No trouble with that one either.

Ni! · 09-28-2005, 08:13 AM

Very cool. I'd love to make it up there for a moose hunt one day. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Ni!

09-28-2005, 08:37 AM

:grin:Why did you shoot it in the creek :grin:

It seems like a moose will head for water when shot. The moose I shot on the Unuk River went wast deep into a glacier fed creek to die and I

froze something off

wading out to get it.

jokester · 09-28-2005, 08:46 AM

VERY NICE

Congrats on the bull

-jokester

Snug 2 · 09-28-2005, 08:57 AM

The moose was next to the river when I shot him. He was probably coming out to kick our butts when we saw him. He was hit twice as he walked into the water, turned back towards the bank, walked about 15' and fell over dead. If I did not hear to "whop" of the bullet, I would have never known I hit him at all.

09-28-2005, 09:05 AM

I shot mine the same way, two 200gr .30ca bullets in the lungs, 3 steps (15') and he fell down in the creek. I had to go back to the boat, about 1 mile down river, and cross the river to get to the moose. By the time I got to the moose, about 1 hr, the liver was chilled by the water and the guts were cold! The moose was in the creek about 1/4 mile below the glacier and the creek was just above freezing. About 1/4 of the way through quartering the moose a brown bear showed up and made the job far more interesting.

fishinpal · 09-28-2005, 09:33 AM

Nice Bull!! I always wanted to hunt up there!

Tilla · 09-28-2005, 09:35 AM

Nice!
Funny how exit wounds are not common on these tasty beasts.

Grantspastor · 09-28-2005, 10:37 AM

I like your way better! The last five we shot were a 1-2 mile pack. We once shot two bulls at the same time (they were fighting) We knocked them down just after daylight on a Friday morning, and got the last load to the boat just before dark on Saturday

Twitchs_Tackle · 09-28-2005, 01:43 PM

Sweet pics, congrats!

STRUTTIN-1 · 09-28-2005, 02:35 PM

Sweet

. My buddy is over their now. Got his but cannot get back till next week because of the storms.Looks like you went at the right time.

I like the in the river pic.Good shot.

alaskan · 10-04-2005, 01:04 PM

Nice bull. You gotta love those short pack jobs. Float hunts are a great way to hunt those big guys.

sturgophile · 10-04-2005, 01:31 PM

Great hunt, inspiring pics. Did you guys use an outfitter, or do it on your own?

Snug 2 · 10-04-2005, 02:30 PM

It is basically a do it yourself hunt. My hunting partners are AK res. and know the state very well. I just tagged along... My job was to row and provide the flask of scotch after the animals were down and in the game bags.

HntnFsh · 10-05-2005, 07:17 AM

Awesome!!!

Do you need an apprentice for your job?

Salty Walty · 10-05-2005, 10:08 AM

Nice Bull Andy. Your method or hunting would make any Native of AK Proud.
- Shoot it from the Boat.
- Drop it on the Bank.
- Pull the Boat up to it.
- Cut it up and Load it in the Boat.
The Natives that lived downstream from our Lodge always laughed at us and our clients when we would get out of the Boat. Hike a few miles off the river and drop a Bull and then have to pack it out. "Not very smart hunters." Is what they would say. Enjoy the best game meat there is.

Snug 2 · 10-05-2005, 03:40 PM

Thanks Walt. I was not in the boat, but leaning across it :smile: We packed the first one. Mine and #3 were so much easier.

MORGANCREW · 10-05-2005, 11:53 PM

Nice... Congrats!!!

RAGHORN! · 10-06-2005, 07:46 AM

Awesome! That 1st picture is probably the coolest picture I've seen all year.

OuterLimits · 10-16-2005, 07:48 PM

The moose fell in the right spot. I have shot two moose in the muskeg and it is alot of work. One moose was 5 miles away from the airstrip. Took 13 backpack loads to get that one out!!

Snug 2 · 01-06-2006, 08:01 AM

The moose hunt has now become a professionally designed DVD by the folks at Pristine Ventures in AK. I will be able to get them at cost and will sell them to you all at cost plus shipping, plus $5 donation to ifish. The DVD will be 108 minutes long. I haven't seen it yet, but I ain't complaining when my moose is on the cover of it.

SLEDDER · 01-06-2006, 11:17 AM

I'll take a DVD! Congrats!! Very nice looking bull!