Moose success.

[Moose-Hunter]

Who&#39;s all hunting moose this year and who&#39;s the early bird that&#39;s already bagged their moose? http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif I&#39;m still looking for my bull. I have three more days before I have to go back to work, so I&#39;m hoping luck will be on my side.

Anyone have any moose pictures to share?

[Moose-Hunter]

Damn. Been out three times(went out tonight for a few hours) and have finally spotted my first moose during hunting season. Watched a lone cow for a while tonight. I even did a little calling with no luck. Still a little early, I think. I&#39;m hoping to run into that spike-fork bull that I saw before opening. Who knows. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-rolleyes-green.gif

[marmot]

Just got back. Here is a digital shot of the antlers from my moose. Will post some actual pictures of the hunt, showing the fellowship of it and the beautiful Alaska Fall scenery, when the film is developed. It measures 56 1/2" wide and you can count the points for yourself. We got 4 moose on our trip.



http://server3001.freeyellow.com/akcubdriver/gothim.JPG

[Patrick]

Went moose hunting with my dad while I was out in Wyo. elk hunting. He drew a tag as a resident for the first time.

We hunted two days and only saw one moose. Sometimes one is enough. The moose has a 49 inch spread.

http://www.ia.net/~pjsulliv/Digital_Trail_Cam/Moose_Dad_n_Pat_A.jpg

[Moose-Hunter]

marmot,

Sounds like one awesome trip. Nice moose rack. What&#39;d you shoot him with?

Patrick,

Congrats to your dad. I really like the antler configuration on that bull. Impressive. 49"? I would have taken him in a heart beat.

Thanks for sharing the photo&#39;s guys.

[marmot]

As promised, here are some pictures of the hunt. We float a remote Alaska river and are out of touch with civilization for about 9 days, each year. It&#39;s a great time.

In the first picture, from left to right, shows my buds Steve, Dennis and Dan. Each guy has his own unique talent and each year we work together like teeth on a gear to pull off a great hunt. That is Dan&#39;s moose in the first picture, which was the third one killed.

The short red headed guy, in the third picture, is Dan&#39;s brother Ken who was up from Montana to hunt with us. He is a seasoned elk hunter but this was his first moose hunt.

The moose&#39;s antlers width measured from 56 1/2" to 51 1/2" and are pictured with the smallest in the front, each one getting a little larger.(wierd that they all look the same size when lined up that way) Body wise, the 56 1/2 incher was quite a bit bigger than the others, by 300 to 400 pounds.

Dennis used a 338 mag. Dan and Ken shared a 375 H&H and Steve used a 45-70. I used a 300 winmag, only because I had last minute scope problems with my 375 H&H.

The scenery photo was taken from our camp.

http://server3001.freeyellow.com/akcubdriver/moose2002b.jpg

http://server3001.freeyellow.com/akcubdriver/moose2002e.jpg

http://server3001.freeyellow.com/akcubdriver/moose2002f.jpg

http://server3001.freeyellow.com/akcubdriver/moose2002g.jpg

[Patrick]

Great Photos Marmot!!! Thanks for sharing them.

[Moose-Hunter]

Marmot,

What an awesome hunt and great pictures. Man, you guys did good! What calibers did you guys use on this big boys? See any bears while you were hunting moose?

[Icequeen]

Nice moose...

We were out on Sunday but all we got was a hole lotta mud on the truck, but I had fun gettin it dirty...hehe

If there&#39;s nothin hittin my bear bait by the weekend we&#39;re headed for our old stomping grounds 2hrs. north. We haven&#39;t been in this area long enough to really learn it and we know where the moose are up north.

Congrats guys... http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif

[marmot]

We didn&#39;t see any bears but the guts piled were cleaned up over night. We found tracks from 4 different grizzlies. Looked like 2 boars and a sow with a cub.

[Tominator]

Good Gawd, those are some big ole critters!!!! I&#39;m jealous, that place is beautiful.
Tominator

[snoopdogg]

Man, those are some sweet looking critters; their SIZE!

[Alasken]

Here&#39;s one that my son shot right from our camp last month. Easiest pack we&#39;ve ever had
http://homepage.mac.com/alasken/.Pictures/Josh_Pops_Moose.jpg http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif

[Paul Merrill]

Marmot,
A few questions for ya. What air taxi service did you use? Also, did you rent the rafts? If so from who? Whom? (Don&#39;t know which is right!) Where did you fly out of? What did you to pack your gear in? What kind of food did you take? What would you do different next time? What is the air speed velocity of an un-laden swallow? (Where did that come from?) The reason I ask is we are planning a moose hunt for next Sept. We will be flying out of Bettles. Just trying to get as much info as possible so we can make all the right choices.

Thanks for your help,

Paul

p.s. Awsome animals. Looks like a great adventure.

[Widux]

Shot two this year in Ontario- a spkie bull and a calf- after 25 yrs hunting them in AK I can&#39;t seem to quit-so now I live in Wi and hunt ontario- got a nice 48" bull lasdt yr which is good for there- only hunted big ones 2 times as we were more interested in eating all winter! and "horns make lousy soup" to quote Sidney Huntington, Galena, Alaska

[Widux]

Paul M- who you be flying with- know man yof air taxi guys in that part of AK- lived in Fai for 25yrs I flew mostly with Warbelow Air Ventures and bill lentch of Tamarack Air

[Paul Merrill]

Widux,
Haven&#39;t booked one for sure. I have talked with Brooks Range Aviation and Bettles Air Service. Bettles is cheaper. I still need to talk with the head pilot to see if they can get us where we need to be.
Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for air taxis out of Bettles? Any help would be appreciated.

Paul

[Widux]

Paul:
Give me a couple of days- I&#39;ll email some friends and see who is still operating there-Bettles Lodge- dan klase(sp) used to be my neighbor and do a good job- Gut from Bettles air ser was in Yukon Quest same year as me but don&#39;t know as well.
will pm you later
ralph

[marmot]

Originally posted by Paul Merrill@Dec 18 2002, 12:09 AM
Marmot,
A few questions for ya. What air taxi service did you use? Also, did you rent the rafts? If so from who? Whom? (Don&#39;t know which is right!) Where did you fly out of? What did you to pack your gear in? What kind of food did you take? What would you do different next time? What is the air speed velocity of an un-laden swallow? (Where did that come from?) The reason I ask is we are planning a moose hunt for next Sept. We will be flying out of Bettles. Just trying to get as much info as possible so we can make all the right choices.

Thanks for your help,

Paul

p.s. Awsome animals. Looks like a great adventure.
We flew out of my back yard in my Supercub. The rafts belong to us and are high quality drift rafts with frames and sell for about $3,000.00. We use dry bags for our clothing type gear and food. We use the gun boats for our rifles. Regular camp type food, lots of bacon, bagels, some canned goods and precooked meat, dried pasta. Whatever beer and snake bite medicine we had room for. We ate lots of moose loin.

I have flown past Bettles when hunting sheep and caribou but I hunt moose in the Alaska Range. There are some big ones up the though.

23.372 mph.

The only advice I would offer is take the best rain gear and sleeping bag you can find. NO GOOSE DOWN BAGS! Oh and a heavy duty pack frame.

Practice packing 150 to 175 pound packs around the block for a few weeks before you head up here.

And remember, Mr. Grizz may decide to get in your face at any time, be ready.

[marmot]

Originally posted by Widux@Dec 18 2002, 11:00 AM
Shot two this year in Ontario- a spkie bull and a calf- after 25 yrs hunting them in AK I can&#39;t seem to quit-so now I live in Wi and hunt ontario- got a nice 48" bull lasdt yr which is good for there- only hunted big ones 2 times as we were more interested in eating all winter! and "horns make lousy soup" to quote Sidney Huntington, Galena, Alaska
I met Sidney Huntington about 15 years ago when he was on the Alaska Board of Game. He impressed me as being one of the smartest people I have ever known.

[Widux]

Marmot- you should read the story of sidney&#39;s life-Shadows on the yukon- very good-super cub from MO man I&#39;d have to stop to leak!-hunt sheep without a guide- naughty boy--or did you live there then??
as for pack advice- much too heavy even joe want doesn&#39;t carry over 90-100lb- i had it down to 43lb plus rifle for 10 day trip into Brooks for sheep- two guys sharing 1 tent -1 stove etc- not fancy but worked- hell for horses we only had about 150# plus us as we liked to bring meat out with out pack horses many times.

[marmot]

Super Cub drivers can&#39;t afford to be naughty, ADF&G collects Super Cubs. I lived in Alaska then and still do now. Missouri is my second home.

We packed the 150 pound rear quarters about a mile this year. Longer trips do require lighter loads. Last year we got one of those giant sized moose and had to hack the back quarters in half to haul them. I bet they were close to 200 pounds, whole.

Joe and I do volunteer work to help the ADF&G put on their hunting seminars. He does the Brown bear stuff and I do the Black bear stuff. Don&#39;t know Joe very well but he is very knowledgeable about brown bear hunting. Also, he is a guide and I am not.

[Widux]

It&#39;s a small world- I moved to Fai in 74- took a class on Sheep & Brown bear hunting from Joe in fall of 75 through the UNiv of AK- it was great- and in spring of 76 got a nice Brownie on admiralty and a sheep in Ak range in fall- all using Joe&#39;s methods- kinda different guy but a super guide and human.
At my age(63) I have left lots moose standing if not within about 100 yds of river/lake/ camp/ plane etc- did the 2mi carry in 75- one was enough!