Effective Tips for Giant Moose Hunt in Alaska
4 min readThe Alaska moose population is the largest of all the states in the United States, estimated at 80,000 animals. This presents a fantastic hunting possibility for hunters lucky enough to get an Alaska Moose Hunt Permit. And the appeal is no secret – each year, moose hunting in Alaska is one of the most prestigious hunts in the state, with an average of 40,000 to 50,000 applications typically issued for 3,000 to 4,000 moose permits.
Tips for a Successful Moose Hunt
Plan Your Hunt
You’ll need to do some planning to make your unguided moose hunt in Alaska successful and enjoyable. Specifically, you’ll want to:
Do some research and strategic inspecting.
About a week before your hunt, explore your forest for areas where Alaskan moose often come in search of feeding, water, and bedding. If you invest your time scouting a week before the hunt, your chances of success will more. Few hunting spots to visit are:
Coastal Area near Nushagak river– these are favorite spots for browsing moose.
Fresh trees zones: Moose are generally found there in the fall. Look for areas with lots of plants, about the size of your arm, and mainly in some softwoods like pine trees.
High terrain: Larger moose can often be found at these locations during the afternoon and early evening. High terrain regions are also perfect for brown bear hunting in Alaska during the fall months.
Near Wood-Tikchik State Park and Coastal area of Bristol Bay– You can frequently see the roaming of Yukon moose in search of food and resting.
Pack Field Butchering, Packing, and Transport Supplies
While many of the strategies used in Alaskan sheep hunting can be used in moose hunting, there is one significant anomaly – you may find yourself on the ground with an animal weighing about 1,000 pounds. Most likely, you won’t be able to drive after hunting the animal, so you’ll need to bring your equipment for butchering, pack it, and carry it to the tagging station. Equipment and things that you require are:
- 2 or 3 large plastic bags
- Game bags, a large quantity of cheesecloth, or several old bedsheets
- Cloth wiping rags
- Sharpening stone
- 1/4″ to 1/2″ nylon rope
- Sharp hacksaw
- Sturdy hand saw, preferably a boning saw
- Sharp, stout knife – at least one
- Heavy-duty pulley or a winch or come-along – 1-ton minimum capacity
- Large sheet of polyethylene (to lay the meat on while processing)
Pack Maps and Spare Vehicle Parts
Take some precautions to ensure you don’t get lost or trapped While going hunting in remote jungles. Bring ample maps of your hunting area, extra fuel, and extra tires for your safari vehicles and trailers.
Choose a Hunting Method that Works for You
There are several ways to hunt Alaskan moose. Here are some to consider:
Ply the Waterways
In moose hunting regions with miles of shoreline along seas and lakes, rivers, and streams, water hunting via boat or raft can be successful, allowing you to attack silently over an unsuspecting moose. Floating, when used in conjunction with calling the bull, can be most effective, allowing you to cover a large area of the hunting zone and get an amazing hunting experience. For an unguided moose hunt in Alaska, you need to be very alert at all times; no hunter would want to miss a chance to get a big trophy.
When hunting near the sea coast, you need to watch every movement of the moose to get the right moment of shooting the moose. But keep in mind that shooting a moose in water can lead to more difficulties. Some will drown, and it is difficult for all to reach the shore.
Walk and Stalk
This is another effective way to hunt the beast. Once you’ve explored some moose habitat areas, using a book of maps and tracking gadgets can create ideal trails for stalking. Walk slowly down the ground, stopping to call frequently, then wait 10-15 minutes and continue your walk. When hunting with a call, give the moose enough time to answer; they often go over a mile to check calls, sometimes without making a sound. With this technique, moose hunting is so easier than brown bear hunting.
Build a Blind
If you know a prime area where moose frequently visit, you might consider constructing a series of wooden blinds over a wide area using the trees and available brush. Apply some attractive smells like scent sticks and fragrant gels to attract animals within range of your wood blind. Choose a location with good visibility where you can comfortably sit to watch the movement of moose.