Moosey

Retired-Guy

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Anyone have first had experience with a good outfit for a guided moose hunt in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Youkon, or Alaska? I am getting up there in the years and don't want a hunt where I have to hike 20 miles a day at 10,000 feet elevation and don't want to carry all of the bugger out on my back. Looking for first or second hand intel here...not from a guy who knew a guy who knew a guy etc. Thanks in advance for any good reliable references.
 


Big C

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Guy - I went on a guided moose hunt in Manitoba this year and had been looking for some time. Things that I considered were:

Do I get the meat? Some places have what sound like great hunts but a large portion or nearly all is required to be donated to locals.
Do I have to pay $$$ to fly the meat home (e.g., from Alaska could be high dollar)?
Do I want to kill a moose or have a moose hunting experience? There are some nearly 100% hunts during late fall/winter where you essentially shoot them out of a corn field in Canada.
Do you want a trophy?

I ended with wanting a moose hunt in moose country and was not worried about a trophy, but I already have a moose on the wall. I also wanted the meat - it is excellent. I went with Jackson Lodges in Manitoba. Exceptional experience, no regrets at any level. I shot an average sized moose but the guides were great, the accommodations wonderful, the air service (all are fly in) was lots of fun, food was excellent, etc. etc. They are typically booked out two years but check them out. PM me if want further info.
 

SDMF

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I hunted moose North of the Peace River in Alberta in 2013. We had fun! We used ATV's to get near hunting areas then stalked in and sat on clear-cuts or small ponds. We were about 3 weeks ahead of the rut so not much calling. The temps were HOT that week, we ended up taking 2 smaller bulls, buddy on 2nd to last day and me on last AM. We were able to use the ATV to get to and recover our moose. No backpacking quarters.

We drove to camp, no airplanes. We were able to bring all of our meat/heads/hides home. We put a freezer and small generator on an ATV trailer

Alberta is not a draw, outfitters are allocated licenses so if they have an opening, you can get a tag.
 
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Retired-Guy

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I hunted moose North of the Peace River in Alberta in 2013. We had fun! We used ATV's to get near hunting areas then stalked in and sat on clear-cuts or small ponds. We were about 3 weeks ahead of the rut so not much calling. The temps were HOT that week, we ended up taking 2 smaller bulls, buddy on 2nd to last day and me on last AM. We were able to use the ATV to get to and recover our moose. No backpacking quarters.

We drove to camp, no airplanes. We were able to bring all of our meat/heads/hides home. We put a freezer and small generator on an ATV trailer

Alberta is not a draw, outfitters are allocated licenses so if they have an opening, you can get a tag.

Did you hunt with an outfitter? Saskatchewan requires that big game hunters hunt with an outfitter.
 

SDMF

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Did you hunt with an outfitter? Saskatchewan requires that big game hunters hunt with an outfitter.

Yes, guided. It's required in AB as well

http://www.albertaoutfitting.com

If Rick Kamieniecki is still guiding for him that's who I'd want to hunt with. I'm sure Louis (outfitter) has other guides that do a good job as well but we had a LOT of fun hunting with Rick.
 


Retired Educator

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Never been on a guided moose hunt but do understand what you are looking for. I've been on guided elk hunts and have the same issues as you when you reach a certain age. When I was younger a DIY hunt would have been enjoyable. Now there is a reason I like guided hunts. Good meals are all prepared, camp is comfortable and all ready when arrived. Good horses get you up the mountain and when successful a couple packers come in to help bring the animal into camp. DIY would be cheaper if allowed but I've reached the age where the cost isn't much of an issue. I'm sure a guided moose hunt would be pretty similar unless you happen to get a fly-by-night outfitter. Good research such as you're doing will help prevent that problem.
 

BrokenBackJack

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Getting old sure has its drawbacks.
I turned into the guy that i used to make fun of when i was younger! Slow, can't walk very far, can't lift anything heavy, and don't know if i could hit a bull in the ass with a scoop shovel any more. Used to be a good shot and shot lots of big game when i was younger. Now after many neck and back surgeries and a major stroke, i know i couldn't shoot very well so gave up hunting. Have fun while you are younger people, as you get old waaaay too soon!
Love hearing about your hunting stories so keep them coming.
 
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snow

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Well for what could be a trip of a life time consider Alaska,number of great outfitters are stationed on lake Hood in anchorage just google them, one time alaska required NR's to have a master guide on your hunt as bull moose requirement's are strict no half ass bulls allowed,last time for us was a minimum inside spread of 52"s so need your guide to call shot as they all look huge through spotting scope
 

Retired Educator

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Don't think about a single hunt as being "once in a lifetime." It might be and then it might be so much fun that you want to do it again. The first elk hunt I went on my wife called it a "once in a lifetime" so she was OK with it. After the hunt we were talking about how much I enjoyed the hunt. She told me "I'm glad you had fun on your once in a lifetime hunt." I laughed and told her "I enjoyed it so much that I've changed it to "Once a year in my lifetime." Hasn't been once a year but has been more than once.

Everybody's different on how to pay for the extras like hunts. For me I do quite a few odd jobs. Use that money for 'special projects' like hunting trips.
 

Retired-Guy

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Guy - I went on a guided moose hunt in Manitoba this year and had been looking for some time. Things that I considered were:

Do I get the meat? Some places have what sound like great hunts but a large portion or nearly all is required to be donated to locals.
Do I have to pay $$$ to fly the meat home (e.g., from Alaska could be high dollar)?
Do I want to kill a moose or have a moose hunting experience? There are some nearly 100% hunts during late fall/winter where you essentially shoot them out of a corn field in Canada.
Do you want a trophy?

I ended with wanting a moose hunt in moose country and was not worried about a trophy, but I already have a moose on the wall. I also wanted the meat - it is excellent. I went with Jackson Lodges in Manitoba. Exceptional experience, no regrets at any level. I shot an average sized moose but the guides were great, the accommodations wonderful, the air service (all are fly in) was lots of fun, food was excellent, etc. etc. They are typically booked out two years but check them out. PM me if want further info.

You bring up some very good points. I do want the meat. Willing to haul a chest freezer and generator to keep it from spoiling. Would like to drive to a point where the meat can be stuck in the freezer. Don't want to hunt in a corn field. Don't want a trophy. Just want some good meat.

Jackson's Lodge web site is kind of confusing. What all is included with there pricing? Is a guide included? Seems like you need to bring or order your groceries and cook them yourself. What happens after you shoot a moose? Do you process it yourself or take it to a processor? Thanks for your response but could you provide more details? Your information is so much appreciated. Thanks.
 


Big C

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Agree, the website was a bit confusing. They were very responsive with any questions I had, so ask away with specifics, but here are my answers to your questions.

I think the confusion comes in where most of their business is fishing and for fishing they provide a cabin and boat. You provide the groceries, do your own cooking, clean fish, etc. This is also an option for resident moose hunters to go into some of their lodges. In Manitoba you need a guide as a non-resident.

For our hunt the two of us were the only two out of the entire lodge, no other hunters or fisherman at that time. We each had our own guide. All meals were provided, homestyle cooking where you eat with the guides, lodge manager, cook, etc. Very good food, I didn't lose any weight! If you connect with a moose, the guides will quarter it for you (with your help if you are able), get it into the boat, and transport back to lodge. Quarters are wrapped in cheesecloth and hung to cool. If it is warm, wasn't when we were up, most times a plane will stop by and pick up the meat and store in their walk in cooler at the airport for you. You stay and fish, laze around camp, eat, explore. Getting you quality meat was very important to the guides and the entire operation. I think their overall success rate is about 70%. We each tagged out in our group but it is not a for sure hunt.

We brought the quarters back and cut it up ourselves once home. The hunters before us essentially processed the meat at camp and then froze it there as they have chest freezers. We didn't want to do that as wanted to fish.

Entire camp runs on a generator so electric lights, running water in cabins, showers, and all the comforts of home. Heat was from a wood stove.
 

Retired-Guy

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Agree, the website was a bit confusing. They were very responsive with any questions I had, so ask away with specifics, but here are my answers to your questions. /QUOTE]

Thanks so much Big C. Your response clears a lot of things up for me. I will definitely contact them.
 

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