South-central DIY Bear/Moose -- Realism

[JGH]

Two of us in our mid-30's are starting to plan a DIY trip to AK, and we're looking for realistic input.

Options would include a drop-off caribou hunt in the WAH or a DIY black bear hunt on POW or Prince William Sound. Both sound fun to plan and to hunt.

Then we came up with some new resourses: a 4WD vehicle and pontoon raft in South-Central AK. Does this change things? Could a realistic moose hunt be done from the road system, with or without bears, or should we stick to the more "traditional" DIY trips like Kotzebue and POW?

One of us has been on a DIY caribou trip to Lake Clark, the other rafting and fishing in southcentral AK ... so we are reasonably versed in AK's ups and downs.

Thanks in advance from a new member.

 

[floridafisherman]

DIY

DIY

I'm an advocate of DIY.Start your research with a phone call to the Dept. of Fish and Game and request a copy of the hunting regs. After spending a lot of time trying to digest them a follow up call to the biologist for your chosen area. They are probably an outsiders best source of acurate information. Several very informative books can be found on this forum, Strahans new book, if it ever becomes available, should be outstanding. Dig into the archives on this forum.....personal question....have you learned how to gut your own animal...I remember gutting your first deer!

 

[JGH]

Thanks for the reply ... the state biologists should definitely be called.

As to gutting an animal ... let's just say that we've both got plenty of experience. If there's a moose involved, I'd probably use the so-called gut-less method. Worked pretty well on caribou.

I guess what I'm wondering -- without asking for local honey-holes -- is: Is a moose hunt do-able based short, packable distances from the road system in Southcentral Alaska?

If so, I'll be doing what you suggested ... calling biologists, etc.

JGH

 

[Akres]

Look for areas of high moose densities and low predator densities. Often these occur in close proximity of urban areas. The best road accessable area I know of is south of Soldotna. The COHO LOOP Road is one of the best, as it very recently had a lot of dead spruce removed and the habitat is perfect right now. Just driving around the loop, you will see lots of moose. If one really hunted the area, you would do just fine. Second best area to consider would be around the Delta Junction area. Fine habitat has been recently developed there as well. Third area would be the area south of Wasilla, known as the Pt McKensie area. Lots of farms there that have gone under and the habitat is now moosey.