**2021 AK Moose Hunt** DIY Float Trip

[Buck_jane]

Just seeing this thread. If it's half as good as last years, everyone in is for a treat. Thanks for sharing with us.

[diamond10x]

**2021 AK Moose Hunt** DIY Float Trip

Day 6

I’m up early as the temp dropped pretty low during the night and there’s a good coat of frost on everything. Dad is up as well and has a fire going in the stove so we can all sort of warm up from a cold night. We set a pot of water on the stove so we can enjoy a nice warm shake for breakfast before we have to wade across the river to get to the lake we’re hunting. Along with the frost there’s quite a bit of fog today. Dad decides to stay near the fire and watch the mountainside for bears. Brother and I grab our packs, his rifle, my bow, and head out. As we’re slipping in through the brush on the bank we see that there is a fog so thick over this lake and meadow you could cut it with a knife. Luckily it’s up about 6-8’ off ground level so we can see about 100 yards out. We’re soon joined by a good size flock of teal out on this lake. Luckily, the fog only stays around for about an hour until 8:00 or so. We stay out for several hours, make a few cow calls, but no bulls show up. By 10:30 both of us are ready to thaw out back at the tent and get out of our waders as the water in our boots has about frozen our feet off. We stick out another 15 min before we can’t take it and give into the thought of being able to warm up next to the stove.



Back at camp my dad is relaxing in his camping chair with the spotter in front of him. He’s watched a few bears eat berries all morning. My brother says to him ,”you ready? We’re about to hike up there and get one! Even if we have to force you to.” My dad laughs it off ,” no, it’s way too far, we’re not doing that.” We laugh but each give each other a look like if we have to we’re doing it. My brother and I really would like to see my dad punch a bear tag and are willing to put some real work in for it. After watching bears, warming up, and eating lunch it’s time to try for a moose. We cross the river again back over to the lake. It has stayed cool all day and probably hasn’t gotten above 40 degrees. About 5:30 we rake our first tree, the same spot as the day before. It’s not 10 min after that first session is done that a cow comes in. This is a different cow and she has a calf with her. This cow works her way down this tree/brush line we’re sitting in and the whole time is focused on the my dad raked. She has the same mannerisms and is making the same whining sounds as the cow from yesterday. Almost as to say “hey big boy, I’m over here!” She keeps working her way down toward us. I whisper to my brother ,”she’s going to walk right into us. Then she’s going to get right in front here at 15 yards and smell us.” Sure as can be that’s exactly what happens. In my head I’m just saying over and over why couldn’t that have been a legal bull. It would have been an absolute chip shot right here. Have my bow, and couldn’t think of an easier spot. Oh well it’s bow hunting and it’s moose hunting at that. The rest the evening is as uneventful as every other day we haven’t seen anything.


Watching bears


15 yards

Day 7

We sit on the lake all day with zero excitement. The highlight of the day is some swans flying over, baking chocolate cupcakes at lunch, some delicious shepherds pie for dinner, and a nice warm tent. We’re not too worried about much as it’s still early in the season and still have 13 more days out here to get things done.




Day 8

Same as the day before. The highlight of the day are some teal, pair of swans, and a couple of spruce chickens that end up hanging around us for a while. This is the day the mind games start, for me at least. No bull signs other than tracks. The way those cows were acting. Is there even a mature bull in the area?


Warming our feet up at lunch by the stove

We talk about these things over dinner. The decision is made this isn’t the place it’s going to happen. We’ve given this spot a fair shake and it’s just not panning out for us. We’ll pack up in the morning and head out to give us all day to find some good sign and hopefully get one on the ground.

Day 9

Up early and get camp broke down. There seems to be a storm moving into the drainage. Luckily it’s not raining and just pretty windy. We get on the water about 10:00 and begin the search. The wind is howling once we turn the first bend in the river where we had been protected for the last several days. This makes for some heavy rowing. It’s not a fun experience if you’re having to do it all day just to slowly get down the river with the current of the water.

We stop at the first place we see tracks and check things out. Same story as past days. Some Moose tracks, bear tracks, followed by wolf tracks. After the 4th or 5th bar we come to that has fresh tracks and a good looking lake by it we are starting to get a bit discouraged. There’s no raked trees that we’ve seen yet, making us even more a bit perplexed. We push on looking for more sign and each time the tracks are the same. A lot of these areas we had previously marked as looking good and promising from our e-scouting on onX. One problem we keep encountering when we check out all these lakes is that they are all above normal pool. The water line is obvious by the grass and other vegetation but since it’s been a wet year all these lakes have shorelines basically back up into the spruce. Making for not so easy hunting and then even tougher conditions to get an animal out if we’re to get lucky. Things are really starting to get discouraging just by the conditions. Did the late spring push the rut so far back and the bulls are still up high and not yet down here by the river?



There’s a ridge running parallel with the river. If you were to hike that ridge you can watch the drainage we are in for at least several miles, as well as the small drainage on the backside that feeds into this one about 10 miles down river. I had marked that spot just in case we got a wild hair. After the 9th or 10th bar and lake we check, I pitch the idea of camping at the bottom and hiking up there. We talk it over and decide what the heck we have nothing to lose but just a single day. If we pass it up we can’t come back. We’ll be able to see a big area so we can decide if we want to go after something the next day or see nothing and decide we need to head on. We find the best place we can up in the timber to camp basically at the base of this ridge. It’s a 2000’ climb in about 2 miles so it’s not too terribly bad. We’ve hiked much worse with loaded packs. We’ll only be taking food, water, and guns, then I’ll have my camera gear.

We hurry up and get camp set up because it’s starting to drizzle and having the inside of your tent wet is an aggravating thing. Team effort we level and clear out a spot and get the tent up. While my dad gets the bear fence up and splits some wood he has me and my brother do a little hiking to see if we can make this ascent without waders. We take off and make it up about 800-900’. Easy peasy. We can already see 5 lakes from this elevation that we can watch. Don’t have to wear waders which is a huge plus. Brush and timber ain’t bad, worst part is there’s a few small ridges on the way that will have to be crossed, or so we think. My anticipation is running at its peak for the trip now, I have a good feeling about what kind of reward could be waiting for us for going where even less hunters will go than where we already have been.

Day 10

To be continued…


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[diamond10x]

Heck yeah man caught up now and can't wait to follow along. Thanks for taking the time to do this !

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There's a lot to squeeze in haha

I was going to see about doing a semi live hunt and text you everyday but its a pain just taking time out to send 1 message and then I didn't want to jinx myself

[diamond10x]

last years thread reminded me of the show called "Dropped," with the Keefer brothers. i dont know if its still on but i remember at least 2 seasons and thought it was great.

i didnt even see last years thread until yesterday, and i read the whole thing. sadly, i saw this one today and will now have to wait for updates...lol

This is sort of similar. There is always work to be doing if you're not out hunting like cutting and splitting wood, filtering water, etc.

One major difference is we take food for each day we'll be out there plus a few extras if we're caught because of weather and there's no room for wall tents and cots.

[Bh_liberty]

I’m in


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[WBT]

In for the conclusion!

[RJK70]

Saved. I’ve got to read this when I have time. Looks epic


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[Joel]

Awesome! Hoping for a moose or 2 pack out!! Keep it coming.

I never knew how difficult it would be to breakdown and pack one out, until my moose trip last month. Especially when your cold and it's raining sideways.


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[Sticks&Strings]

I must say this sounds like an extremely physical challenge. The thought of walking in waders with a 65 pound pack on my back for miles sounds exhausting and hot! What do yall do for getting ready physically and how do you keep the stink off your clothes and body? Shower, wipes, ???

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[sasqy]

I love these threads !
Would love to do any hunt this real.

[Lungbustr]

Threads like this that really make me want to hunt Alaska.

This is real hunting.

[Bro. Bill]

Thank you for letting us be a part of your trip!

[ChickenWilly]

There's a lot to squeeze in haha



I was going to see about doing a semi live hunt and text you everyday but its a pain just taking time out to send 1 message and then I didn't want to jinx myself

Shoot I don't blame you at all brother! I wouldn't have minded though that's for sure haha

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[kyle1974]

one day.

what an experience that must be.

[easeup]

still watching the adventure.....choc cupcakes and all