Best way to go on a moose hunt without having to draw? $9000.00 budget

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RidgeRebel

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Looking for some advice fellas,

My sweet wife knows I have been dreaming of a moose hunt my whole life and I may never draw a tag, so for Christmas she gave me a letter telling me she had $9000.00 saved for me to go. I know right! she's awesome! Anyway I would like your advice on the best way to go moose hunting (Canada, landowner tag, Alaska, DIY, Guided?). I am hoping for something more that sitting a farm field in Canada though. Please let me know what some of you have done on a budget. The $9000.00 has to cover everything from the time I leave my house.

Thanks
Bob
 
Check out Newfoundland. You may be able to do a moose & caribou with that budget.
 
Another place to consider is Ontario. DIY can be very reasonably priced, and guided didn't seem that bad when I was looking. Success rate may not be as high as other places though.
 
Newfoundland hands down is my opinion. We went this year 8 for 8 on nice bulls with Ironbound outfitters. We saw tons of moose bou and bear. My partner and I probably saw between 50-70 moose out of our camp in a week's time. You may be able to add bear also easily for that price. We saw some giant bears. I posted a thread here on the hunt check it out. If you go to Newfoundland make sure you do the fly out. Ironbound is more active on Facebook with updates it seems these days.
You have a keeper wife that's a good present man.
 
DIY float or drop hunt in Alaska. You can do that for well under your budget. We did a float hunt 2 years ago with Aniak Air Guides. Rob is awesome. I think after everything we were into the trip for about 7500. But look around anywhere in Alaska diy and you can pull that off no problem.
 
There’s a sticky on top the ‘moose’ forum on rockslide with some good info about Alaska DIY.
 
I've done two moose hunts to northern BC with the same outfitter, the first was a combination hunt which is out of your budget. Now probably around 14,000. My second hunt was this September and it was a two on one hunt with my son and it was 10,500 each. Right now you're probably looking at 2019 for your hunt, most outfitters are close to full and I say the same air guides. So if you have a great friend that wants a great adventure 2 on 1 is a great hunt. Mine was a horseback hunt. my only caution is take your time picking an outfitter/ air guide. If you pick the right one like I did you'll be friends for life!
 
I would go DIY in Alaska personally. You could certainly do either Ontario or Newfoundland on your budget, but I think those both have major drawbacks. Ontario has some nice moose, but especially on a fly-in hunt you are limited pretty much to a single lake system where you get dropped off. If the moose aren’t there, you are out of luck and stuck there for the rest of your hunt in most cases. Travel on foot in that part of the world is usually very difficult due to thick forest and wet, swampy terrain. I have done a decent amount of flying in northeast Ontario for fishing and the moose densities are not high. They also seem to have declined in the last 10 years. As for Newfoundland, the moose density is pretty high, but size seems to be lacking. I had a friend who hunted there this fall and he was successful. However, his moose was tiny. The spread was probably only around 30 inches. I think the extensive logging road system where he hunted contributes to higher hunting pressure and smaller moose in general.
 
Great job to your wife. Hope you got her more than a charm bracelet. Funny SNL skit this year.

I went to Quebec for about 2700 for everything. Wife thinks more like 3000 with the new waders and other permanent gear. I would suggest a pair of lightweight stockingfoot neoprene waders and a backup pair. Dad got hole in boot in bootfoot cause pine deadfalls have tons of sharp little daggers sticking out from them. At that price you could take someone (wife, kid, friend, hunttalk member with knowledge of area lol) Quebec requires 2 hunters per tag. Some outfitters will allow you to go on their tag for more money to get past this. The place I went with limited number of parties to two per year max in any area. Bulls shot are 30-40 inches. From comments I have read on this site A big bull can be tough. The meat we had was some of the best game I have ever eaten. I would go again just to get the ribs and leave wholeish. I would bring chainsaw with veg oil for bar chain oil.

You are from CO so I would consider transportation costs. I would drive and then Western Ontario would look really good. Can shoot a moose per tag and at your budget could go guided if only to get into better area. You often get a better price the more people you have in your party. So again take from above list.

With your budget I would look at Alaska also. Newfoundland will have bigger bulls on average that what I have said but logistics are about the sane for you to go to Alaska. I don't have that money so I am looking at Ontario for my next hunt.

Where ever you go bring fishing gear being in wilderness you can experience fishing like nowhere else.
 
As a youth I always dreamed of Alaska. As an adult, a dozen trips have done nothing to quench my thirst. If there is a better place to hunt moose I will never know it. I have hunted moose in Idaho with my daughter and again with my wife. The draw odds in Idaho are good and a moose hunt would come in about 1/3 of your budget if drawn. Chances of success are probably as good as anywhere except Newfy or a guided hunt. But I say “ go big or go home”. Alaska my friend. I have hunted caribou 4 times and moose twice in Alaska and have never spent $5000. Close though. I also have not actually shot a moose which would definitely add to the cost putting me over $5000 total.
I have flown in on all my hunts. 1 Hunt was a float hunt through an area where I would love to return some day. Suppose the following.... what if you could do the whole hunt for $6500? That would leave $2500 for 2 multi destination airline tickets from your home, to Seattle, and from Anchorage back to your home town. Go to Seattle and get on a cruise ship with your wife. Spend 7 days on the inside passage thanking her for the trip. When you get to Seward Alaska, rent a car or shuttle to Anchorage where your hunt begins. Ditch your wife at the airport to go home while you go on your hunt. Return 10 days later and you fly back to the house. At the very least, you should consider it.
 
Thanks for the ideas fellas, I really like the Alaska DIY thought. I have always been a DIY guy so that sounds like more of what I'm into.
 
You could go to AK twice for that budget....if, you do your research, do it on your own and don't mind putting in the work.
 
Guided: Canada
DIY: Alaska. I personally believe DIY you will have a better experience as there is just something about doing it on your own and being successful.
 
Apply in ID.. there are some great units with great odds to draw and save a ton of money. Units you can draw 1-3 years
 
If you live in CO, there are some guided moose hunts in southern BC comparable to Newfoundland.
Newfoundland is a great hunt, but do the fly in, not a drive to camp. BC has better logistics.

Alaska DIY is a great option,but beware. There is much more pressure on moose than 20+ years ago.
Some trophy areas are draw. Some Transporters also service outfitters. Who do you think gets the better areas.
Yes there are some good ones. I used Wright air out of Fairbanks. But do your homework. Some pilots guide/outfit/and transport. It is a hunt that would be better with two men. Figure at least 10 hunting days. You may loose some to weather.

Remember bullwinkle always has the last laugh. Don't shoot him in water, you'll be sorry!!!
 
If you plan to DIY in Alaska, you will need a friend (preferably a strong, easily influenced one) to come along, vs guided in Canada.

The moose hunting in Alaska is as good as its ever been, and pressure is actually less than 20 years ago for a number of reasons... More publicized, yes; fewer transporters, yes; but hunter numbers are down 15+% for most all species including moose. Its just gotten too expensive for most people, and IMO, many just don't want to work that hard for an animal or have the time.

The last few years of mild winters have really helped bull survival, and predator management is paying off in some areas, big time. This winter is stacking up to be a very mild one again, and I would expect moose hunting to be even better this fall. Very little snow, and cold weather, in late fall and early winter, help those bulls recover from the rut. A couple taxidermists I talk with on occasion, said they got in more big bulls this last season than any time in the past 25+ years, and last year they said the same thing. The good ol days of moose hunting in Alaska are right now...

Personally, I would take the wife to Africa for a safari/tour. Shoot a few critters, tour some parks, have a good time. Moose hunting while neat experience, is generally a pretty miserable one on many levels... :D
 
For me, Alaska beats Africa HANDS DOWN.

But you are right, the fun stops when the shooting ends.

I did some web surfing after one of the Newfoundland threads. And boy did I get sticker shock. My uncle hunted Newfoundland caribou for $1000 add on. Some places $12,000 now....

What they are getting to hunt moose ,sheep and elk ....... So sad my nephews will NEVER Be able to duplicate 1/8 of my adventures. And I am so thankful I did every hunt I wanted to while I could.
 
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