A Yukon Delta Moose Hunt

I will post more about this too. Today is just a busy day of work, running to the airport to get moose from cargo, and now running to a taxidermist etc.

The two wax boxes in the photo are going to a sausage processor for some brats, hot sticks, summer sausage etc.. There’s about 3X that much in my stand up freezer.

Roasts, hamburger, steaks were prepared by Bill’s Meats in Bethel. I will do breakfast sausage and jerky at home, myself from some of the burger and roast.

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Thanks for sharing one heck of an adventure. Great photo's all around. Glad you got to share this with your FIL that's pretty darn cool.
 
On the 21st, the plane would come to get us.
It had snowed on the mountains a light dusting the night before and all that morning it rained, snowed, and sleeted. It would switch back and forth about every 20 minutes, pushed by a continuous 15mph wind, gusting higher.
The pickup time got pushed back from 9:30 until around 3 and we hoped that they’d be able to come then. Visibility was decent but the lake had small whitecaps. Everything was torn down and staged at the lake shore for pick up, with the exception of the tent, which we didn’t take down until we confirmed via sat phone or inreach that the pilot wasn’t only on his way, but that he was not encountering weather that would make him turn back.

He made it.

It was all my FIL could do to hold onto the plane while the pilot and I loaded it. What a chore. He did this while I carried everything to the float and handed it up to the pilot. For big things like a moose quarter, I’d then climb onto the float and help him place it in the plane.
I went from cold and wet to hot and wet real fast.

You wouldn’t think loading a plane would be so much work for 3 guys, but in the conditions it was rough.

Finally we were in the plane and ready to go.

Back in Bethel, we landed right at the lake PBA headquarters is on. The staff helps quickly unload the plane while wet moose hunters with leaky waders get warmed up.


That night we ordered from the local sushi/seafood/cheeseburger place.

I consumed a 1/3 lb burger loaded up with bacon, mushrooms, and an egg, fries, an order of mozerella sticks, and a pint of seafood soup which was full of fish, clams, shrimp etc.
It must have been a 4K calorie dinner

PBA was able to change our flights for us before we got out of the bush. The moose hunting is excellent but this isn’t necessarily the part of Alaska you’d just hang around in after the hunt and see the sights.
The next day we wrapped our antlers for shipping, organized our stuff and in the evening they took us to the airport.


I really can’t say enough good things about PBA. They handle all the logistical things that would add so much stress and detract from the fun. On top of that, they put you into good moose hunting and the gear of theirs that you use is top notch.
The owners, as well as their pilots and the staff around the dock/lodge are all wonderful.

Whether or not I’d do it again will have to be asked after the pain in my hips goes away, but I’d certainly recommend them.


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