COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 12, 2006 I knew I shouldn't have gone to the expo today! I booked a Moose/Caribou combo hunt today with my buddy. There was two last minute openings available and we snatched em up. The hunt is this Sept. 5 2006 in Alaska and they kill book bulls of both specie every year. It is a un-guided hunt so all they are doing is flying us in to a already set up and furnished camp and dropping us off. They said and have pic's to prove it, that the Caribou success rate is usually 100% and they boast they have the highest rate for un-guided Moose success at 50% and the world record was killed in the same area last year! I have always thought these hunts were very expensive and never thought I could afford to do it, but I'm getting this hunt with airfare and all combined expenses for less then I spent hunting Mexico this year! I have always dreamed of hunting these animals but never paid much attention to any details about these animals in regards to hunting tactics or habits or anything else related to hunting them. Does anyone know of any books or videos I could check out that would help me? Any suggestions on what I should do to prepare, gear I should have, preferred rifle caliber/bullet weights, things to avoid? My dad knows the guy I booked with so I feel comfortable with that choice so far but I don't have the slightest clue where to start now, I only have 5 months to get ready. Sorry for the long post but I'm real excited and can't wait to get started. Thanks in advance for any info! JIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wetmule Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Sounds like fun, my advice would be to find your moose right outside your tent door. Just in case that doesn't workout, buy the biggest packframe you can find and load it up with about 250 lbs. of rocks and practice carrying it on two mile hikes while wearing your hipwaders, that should help prepare you somewhat for what you may be in for. Have fun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted March 12, 2006 For September in Alaska, take a supply of Deet. Mosquitos in that part of the world can get as big as sparrows with spears. As for a rifle, anything in the .270, 7mm RM, .30-06, .300 Win Mag range is plenty for caribou and entirely adequate for moose. As with anything else, bullet placement is everything. You can expect rain for sure, and on a "drop" hunt you need to be in especially good shape physically. Take good raingear, good boots, a good packframe/backpack, a knife and sharpening stone, a take-down meat saw, your optics and more ammo than you expect to need. Depending upon the year and where you are you could have great to miserable weather, so pack clothes and sleeping gear accordingly. If you shoot a moose more than a mile or so from where you were dropped off you will be sorry you pulled the trigger. You cannot imagine how big moose (especially the Alaska-Yukon variety) get until you've walked up to one you've just shot. Just imagine dropping a Budweiser draft horse and having to cut it up and carry it out. I suggest you do not gut your moose as you would a deer or elk. Instead, remove the cape, head and quarters, leaving the neck, backbone, legs and entrails intact for the wolves and ravens. Be sure to buy wolf licenses. BillQ A tip for anyone who will be flying in SuperCubs and other small bush planes: Pack your rifle in a soft-side gun case inside a hard travel case. The hard case is for your commercial flights; leave it at your stop-over hotel or with your outfitter and carry the rifle in the bush plane in the soft case (unless you will be in a big Beaver or Otter). For long trips to Africa and Asia I removed the foam from my hard case and stuffed my clothes, underwear, etc. around my rifles I'd put in soft cases. You're allowed to check just two bags (they consider a gun case a "bag") on overseas flights. Another tip for long flights with guns: Leave plenty of time between connections, especially if you will be changing airlines. You may be able to run to catch a flight, but your luggage can't. Good luck. I envy you. There's nothing like your first hunting trip in an unknown environment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZP&Y Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Hey Jim, A book that I would suggest is " Hunting Hard in Alaska" by Marc Taylor. (book one)- It centers around the "self guided" hunter, which based on your comments is what is going to be the case. Subtext: -" Prepare Yourself to Hunt the Last Frontier". From the back cover- " The book will be invaluable in the planning and execution of your Alaska hunt, whether you are a seasoned veteran " of the greatland" or planning your first trip. I've been to Alaska 11 times and each one is very unique and it constantly calls me to return. September can be fantastic Silver Salmon fishing, so consider a day or 2 of BIG COHO's to fill your cooler! Hopefully some cool weather will subdue Alaska's state bird (the mosquito) but I've generally got by with a head net and passed on the toxic deet, but it can save you as well. I bet you're really excited and I know you're in the for the Hunt of a Lifetime! Regards, Doug AzP&y Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZP&Y Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Oh and as BullWidgeon put in a recent post...Mtn. lions give a great addition to the hunt and "wild" nature.. You've got to have your GAME ON - when headed to the Last Frontier as another creature awaits with great anticipation! Nose to the wind! - This is a sub-adult (punk teenage bear).. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Thanks for all the valuable info thus far! I will look for that book Doug and I'm taking along some fishing tackle because they said I can fish the lake right next to camp and catch big fish. I saw alot of pic's of hunters fishing there and they were catching fish that looked like the one you are holding but not as big. That looks like a big silver salmon you caught there! My parents booked a guided Halibut/Silver Salmon trip with the same outfitter for the month before I go. So I figured I'll get a heads up on what to expect. BillQ I actually was surprised to see you mentioned the .270 as being good for moose? That is my favorite gun and would love to take it but I thought it would be too light for the moose? I have a .300 Win and a 7mm RM I can take as well and was going to spend my time and $ on one of those guns instead. Like you said bullet placement is everything but I am not that good at bullet placement so I would feel better with some more punch just in case. I was thinking my .300 Win with a 180 gr. bullet of some sort? The Grizzly's are definitely going to add some spice to the experience, I hope to see one but, just not too close! Wetmule, thats good advice, I do alot of scouting in July and August and I will have a big heavy packframe on while I'm out there! Thanks guys! JIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted March 12, 2006 "BillQ I actually was surprised to see you mentioned the .270 as being good for moose? That is my favorite gun and would love to take it but I thought it would be too light for the moose? I have a .300 Win and a 7mm RM I can take as well and was going to spend my time and $ on one of those guns instead. Like you said bullet placement is everything but I am not that good at bullet placement so I would feel better with some more punch just in case. " I grew up hunting before all the magnums came out and bullet placement was everything (just as it is today). My only moose were killed with my 7 mm Rem Mag, but I would not hesitate to take my .270. If you're "not that good at bullet placement" I suggest you do a lot of shooting on and off the bench. A poorly placed bullet from a .375 H&H Magnum or even a .458 Win Mag is not as effective as a properly placed one from a .270, 7mm or .similar rifle. Unfortunately, for many of us "more punch" means more recoil and more recoil too often means less accurate shooting. Compared to elk, moose are relatively easy to put down and a .270 with 150 grain bullet is perfectly adequate for them. Read O'Connor and see how many moose and grizzly bears he and his friends killed with theirs, and remember that they were shooting bullets that were far inferior to those we have today. BillQ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Thats great advice Bill. I'm not as bad as I say at bullet placement and I place alot of emphasis on accuracy. Being a guide, there is nothing worse than putting all the effort into a hunt only to have it end with a miss or worse a wounded animal! I put alot of time and money into my .270 last year and was rewarded with three beautiful coues bucks. I still need to have the trigger lightened up but I feel very confident with it and more so when the trigger is finished. That would save me alot of time and $ if I took the .270. Would you definitely stay clear of the shoulder on a Moose with a .270? Even with a larger caliber? What range would you say is the max distance for a shot on a Moose with a .270? What type of bullet would you choose in the .270 caliber for Moose? Sorry for all the questions, I just have no clue on Moose! Thanks, JIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted March 12, 2006 Thats great advice Bill. I'm not as bad as I say at bullet placement and I place alot of emphasis on accuracy. Being a guide, there is nothing worse than putting all the effort into a hunt only to have it end with a miss or worse a wounded animal! I put alot of time and money into my .270 last year and was rewarded with three beautiful coues bucks. I still need to have the trigger lightened up but I feel very confident with it and more so when the trigger is finished. That would save me alot of time and $ if I took the .270. Would you definitely stay clear of the shoulder on a Moose with a .270? Even with a larger caliber? What range would you say is the max distance for a shot on a Moose with a .270? What type of bullet would you choose in the .270 caliber for Moose? Sorry for all the questions, I just have no clue on Moose! Thanks, JIM <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I would try to put your bullet low and just behind the "elbow," angling into the heart. Failing that, I'd try to hit both lungs. At the distance you'll probably shoot your moose I wouldn't expect a problem getting through a bull's shoulder with a good 150-grain bullet from a .270. Ditto with the 7mm and .30 calibers. The key words are "good bullets." You have lots of choices of bullets today. I've always loaded Nosler Partitions and they have failed me only once, and that was on a far-off mule deer of medium size. Swift A-Frames and several other brands have good reputations although I've not tried them. Your shots at a moose probably will be at 200 yards or less. I'd pick a bullet designed for "controlled expansion" that won't blow up on a shoulder but still will open up where it counts. Moose are relatively easy to stalk compared to our whitetails. You usually will have plenty of time to get off a well-aimed shot. Bill Quimby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted March 12, 2006 take a .338 win mag and be done with it! will lay the heck out of any moose out there! in 100% honesty, i am super jealous. i hate to admit this, but i think i would rather go on a guided moose/caribou hunt in alaska than a guided coues hunt in mexico! i dont know why that is but i think i would. have fun and when you kill a moose, you better send me a few pounds of meat! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZP&Y Report post Posted March 13, 2006 fIRSTCOUES80- You'd have a blast and probably not return to ARIZONA! It changes you forever. You look at things on a grand scale and think wow, it's twice the size of Texas and 1/5 the size of the entire United States... There is nothing like or will ever be like Alaska from a US hunting perspective! Worry about the draw? What's that? This is a fast forward picture of Coosefan! ANOTHER SUCCESSFULL CARIBOU HUNT! 5 months will be here in a flash and it'll be here before you know it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted March 13, 2006 I wouldn't spend a lot of $$$ building up the accuracy of the rifle. Your shots at Moose are going to be 100 yards or so most likely. It's not like you're going to be shooting across a 400 yard canyon at a 30" tall, 90lb Coues buck. You're going to be shooting across a 60 yard river at a 60" high, 850 lb bull Moose. If you are going to be in Brown Bear counntry, I would take the 300, just to be safe. Good luck and have fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted March 13, 2006 DesertBull: SCI lists the Alaska-Yukon moose -- the largest of North America's moose -- as weighing up to 1,400 pounds and standing around 7.5 feet tall at hump. I always thought they were a heck of a lot larger than that, but that's only because I had to cut them up and load them on horses. If I had to carry them out on my back I'd add at least another 1,000 pounds and swear they were 12 feet high. Coosefan: Take your .300 if it makes you feel more secure. I only wanted to point out that thousands of moose have been and still are killed cleanly with the .270 and similar calibers. Heck, the Indians up there use .22 Hornets on them. Get close, which isn't hard to do, and put your bullet into the right spot and you've got 3/4 ton of meat on the ground -- enough to keep you busy cutting and carrying for the next three or four days. The antlers alone on a good bull are a chore to carry. I've attached a pencil drawing I did based on a painting by Bob Kuhn. If the top of the hump is 7.5 feet up, the head of a man of average height will not quite reach the eye of this bull. BillQ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted March 13, 2006 Sorry, but I couldn't post the drawing for some reason. But take my word for it, the moose of Alaska and the Yukon are huge. They make the Shiras moose of the lower 48 look like runts. BillQ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COOSEFAN Report post Posted March 13, 2006 AZP&Y, I hope I have a pic like that but with me in it! That is an awesome bull! firstcoueswas80, I don't have any freezer space left so if I'm successful, I will need to give some away and I will contact you for sure. Thanks again for the info Bill, I appearantly have alot of research to do in all aspects of this upcoming hunt. I'm going to get working on both my .270 and my .300 and see which one i am more accurate and comfortable with and decide then, it's good to know the .270 is sufficient though. DesertBull, that is a good point about the bears, I don't yet know if that will be a major concern where I'm going or not, but I would bet there is bears there! I would rather shoot a bear, if I had too, with the .300 than the .270! The country I saw in all the kill photos they had was very bare and flat for the most part, so I would guess shots can be long at least on the Caribou and some of the Moose pic's were in the same bare, flat tundra stuff? They did tell me that most of the Moose are killed within a couple hundred yards of the lake, so maybe its thicker stuff around the water? They are sending me all the info I need and a video that the Game and Fish people up there have that we are supposed to watch? I guess it is like an orientation video about hunting in Alaska?! Thanks for the info, I'll let you know when I hear more about the details of the area/hunt etc. JIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
