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johnn, back in the day I was a resident of Alaska so I knew what to do and where to go. I personally never had my raft sliced because I went out of my way to never float navigable waters, but there are plenty of well-publicized examples of that happening. True, no one owns sole access to a river. All I'm saying is that if you are competing with two or three other parties on the same river your experience will be diminished. There are better options than hunting on a river behind other hunters.
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,180
Campfire Regular
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Float hunting for moose is the best. My very first moose in AK was only 42” but got him on a solo float hunt since I didn’t know anybody. Since then I’ve done probably 5 more moose floats and been lucky enough to get a few 60+ inch bulls. I personally think float hunting is the best way to get into moose and caribou, i have only floated for sheep once but some guys do that too.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2010
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During the '80's I owned a 16' Avon white water raft & rowing frame - the whole schnizzle. I did four or five float hunts above the Yukon. If you've seen the movie "The Revenant" then you can have some idea about what a float hunt will be like. After the first camp is broken down and set back up again everything is wet and stays that way the rest of the trip. Constantly setting up camp and breaking it back down every day or so sucks. The wind is ALWAYS in your face, no matter how many twists and turns the river makes. And God help you if you're floating navigable waters where locals hunt. Your raft may well be sliced up when you return to camp from a day of hunting. Overall a float hunt is a miserable option compared to other types of moose hunts.
The ONLY two good points about float hunting versus a fly-in camp are: 1) when you get a moose you don't have to carry it very far, and 2) you can often have nice fishing to augment your freeze dried meals.
I stopped float hunting because even back in the '80's float hunting was becoming very popular. The last float hunt I organized and went on I saw two other camps. In other words I was hunting the same territory behind two other groups. And the river I was on was not easily accessible. It required a half-mile haul from the drop off point to reach the river. That is not why you want to hunt moose in Alaska. If you want crowds just stay in the L48.
If you can be assured of being the only party on the float and if you are assured that you will not have interference from locals along your way then float hunting can be a successful, albeit miserable, way to hunt moose. If you will not be the only party on the river or if you will be floating navigable waters then do not go. We saw plenty of other floaters when we did the Sheenjek in early 2000’s took two moose & a griz, wolf got away 🤦🏼♂️
I'm pretty certain when we sing our anthem and mention the land of the free, the original intent didn't mean cell phones, food stamps and birth control.
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 2,180
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2017
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During the '80's I owned a 16' Avon white water raft & rowing frame - the whole schnizzle. I did four or five float hunts above the Yukon. If you've seen the movie "The Revenant" then you can have some idea about what a float hunt will be like. After the first camp is broken down and set back up again everything is wet and stays that way the rest of the trip. Constantly setting up camp and breaking it back down every day or so sucks. The wind is ALWAYS in your face, no matter how many twists and turns the river makes. And God help you if you're floating navigable waters where locals hunt. Your raft may well be sliced up when you return to camp from a day of hunting. Overall a float hunt is a miserable option compared to other types of moose hunts.
The ONLY two good points about float hunting versus a fly-in camp are: 1) when you get a moose you don't have to carry it very far, and 2) you can often have nice fishing to augment your freeze dried meals.
I stopped float hunting because even back in the '80's float hunting was becoming very popular. The last float hunt I organized and went on I saw two other camps. In other words I was hunting the same territory behind two other groups. And the river I was on was not easily accessible. It required a half-mile haul from the drop off point to reach the river. That is not why you want to hunt moose in Alaska. If you want crowds just stay in the L48.
If you can be assured of being the only party on the float and if you are assured that you will not have interference from locals along your way then float hunting can be a successful, albeit miserable, way to hunt moose. If you will not be the only party on the river or if you will be floating navigable waters then do not go. We saw plenty of other floaters when we did the Sheenjek in early 2000’s took two moose & a griz, wolf got away 🤦🏼♂️ I’ve always wanted to do the sheenjek.
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Joined: Jan 2021
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Anything can happen, Wet, wind, wild creatures. I remember an account where John Harvard was hunting in Alaska and got caught in a wind burst where his shelter literally blew apart at the seams sending everyone scrambling grabbing gear and participating in a overnight survival adventure. Remember that one John?
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,932
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,932 |
Like it was yesterday. ![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/FytSqXE.jpg)
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 5,150
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2001
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That was a breezy night. I pulled the poles in my Sawtooth and rolled up in it until morning.
The South wind was so strong it blew houses off the foundation in Tanacross. there's still evidence of the williwaws in the dry Creek area where trees were flattened over large areas.
Having fished Baja for years, I watch birds for indication of fish or wildlife. When I saw a huge bird circling our area, I asked my buddy to verify my opinion. We both agreed it was a black albatross.
In the 40 Mile Country!
But I've seen worse conditions as it was fairly warm being a south wind. The storm of 9/11 in 1992 was much worse.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Regular
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I had a Tent called the "Bomb shelter" literally explode from wind in excess of 114 MPH. Had two very young hunters and myself in the tent with all our gear, rocks and bags of salt. The next morning the only things still in the shredded bombshelter tent was two bags of salt, and a bunch of rocks we had hauled in. We put earplugs in as a roar of the wind was painful, and we could no longer communicate anyway.
We would have not survived the next full day.......but the boys fathers were at the lodge about 20 miles away, and no effort was reserved to get the lodge owner and pilot to look for their sons.
The lodge is in a very protected sheltered location, and they had "all" guests, cooks, grunts, housekeepers, owners, every one possible inside the company Beaver, or laying on the wings, or standing on the floats, or holding ropes. The airspeed on the tied down Beaver in a protected cove registered 114 MPH.
This thrilling adventure started late afternoon and roared for fourteen hours. My guess is we experienced winds of 130-140 MPH. They said when they landed that the entire camp was in a "straight" line for five miles. This was just south of Iliamna Lake.
Last edited by AGL4now; 07/16/21.
ALASKA is a "HARD COUNTRY for OLDMEN". (But if you live it wide'ass open, balls'to the wall, the pedal floored, full throttle, it is a delightful place, to finally just sit-back and savor those memories while sipping Tequila).
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 48,165
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2001
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Float trips are one exercise i will never again do with inexperienced people. One idiot move can create huge problems and it simply is not worth the extra work.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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ALASKA is a "HARD COUNTRY for OLDMEN". (But if you live it wide'ass open, balls'to the wall, the pedal floored, full throttle, it is a delightful place, to finally just sit-back and savor those memories while sipping Tequila).
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 14,435
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Sheenjek is where u go for bear ... 11 in one day we seen ... every size, shape an color.... river boat with 90 jet , from the bottom , and yea ...we drug the boat over that 20' log jam and ran up enough >that we watched the planes pick folks up at the standard floater pull out..i will not do that again...
I work harder than a ugly stripper....
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 7,403
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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There have been over 200 plus Solar Inflatable jet boats sold mostly in Alaska that can run anywhere you can float a raft where legal. So expect some changes, makes
float hunting from a raft a question of why in my opinion.
kk alaska
Alaska 7 months of winter then 5 months of tourists
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,306
Campfire Tracker
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There have been over 200 plus Solar Inflatable jet boats sold mostly in Alaska that can run anywhere you can float a raft where legal. So expect some changes, makes
float hunting from a raft a question of why in my opinion. I can tell you exactly what's going to happen, the serene peacefulness will be long gone thanks to the jet boats. They'll be running the rivers day and night and the game will move off.
Life is good live it while you can.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 48,165
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 48,165 |
There have been over 200 plus Solar Inflatable jet boats sold mostly in Alaska that can run anywhere you can float a raft where legal. So expect some changes, makes
float hunting from a raft a question of why in my opinion. I can tell you exactly what's going to happen, the serene peacefulness will be long gone thanks to the jet boats. They'll be running the rivers day and night and the game will move off. Yeah, those critters hearing a boat a week are going to run... not...
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 395
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That was a breezy night. I pulled the poles in my Sawtooth and rolled up in it until morning.
The storm of 9/11 in 1992 was much worse.
My buddy was on the Innoko when that storm hit. Put in at Ophir with 3 other guys, 2 15 foot rafts and 2 12 foot trailer rafts. Floated about 5 days, took 2 moose, then wham-0. 2 inches of clear ice overnight. Got on the hand held and arranged for an early pickup, but it was nip and tuck through the ice. They had to leave almost all their gear behind at the pick up site because the river was closing fast. Quite an adventure. No country for old men.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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That needs to VernAK and my signature line. So.....I added it, VernAK you are more then "welcome" to copy it or modify it. [size:11pt][/size]
Last edited by AGL4now; 07/18/21.
ALASKA is a "HARD COUNTRY for OLDMEN". (But if you live it wide'ass open, balls'to the wall, the pedal floored, full throttle, it is a delightful place, to finally just sit-back and savor those memories while sipping Tequila).
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,983
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
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If your considering a “do it yourself” float trip.... I suggest getting this book!....Hunt Alaska Now, by Dennis W. Confer. It will answer questions that you have never thought to ask! Good Luck and wishing you great success!
Obviously, some things have changed ( jet boats, ect.) since the book was written. But, it should still offer a wealth of information! memtb
Last edited by memtb; 07/18/21.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“LETS GO BRANDON”
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Joined: Jul 2004
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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There have been over 200 plus Solar Inflatable jet boats sold mostly in Alaska that can run anywhere you can float a raft where legal. So expect some changes, makes
float hunting from a raft a question of why in my opinion. I can tell you exactly what's going to happen, the serene peacefulness will be long gone thanks to the jet boats. They'll be running the rivers day and night and the game will move off. Yeah, those critters hearing a boat a week are going to run... not... ya, not gonna happen, I did mechanical logging for a few years in the 90's, I'd shut down the Timbco feller/buncher after 8 hrs of running it continuously, cutting down 800 or more spruce trees, making a hell of a racket all day, well, I'd shot big bulls off the machine within 30 minutes, I'd still hear the tik. tik, tik of the engine cooling and the moose would appear out of nowhere and walk right into the area I was dumping the trees in
"The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants".
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Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,462
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1,462 |
There have been over 200 plus Solar Inflatable jet boats sold mostly in Alaska that can run anywhere you can float a raft where legal. So expect some changes, makes
float hunting from a raft a question of why in my opinion. I can tell you exactly what's going to happen, the serene peacefulness will be long gone thanks to the jet boats. They'll be running the rivers day and night and the game will move off. Yeah, those critters hearing a boat a week are going to run... not... ya, not gonna happen, I did mechanical logging for a few years in the 90's, I'd shut down the Timbco feller/buncher after 8 hrs of running it continuously, cutting down 800 or more spruce trees, making a hell of a racket all day, well, I'd shot big bulls off the machine within 30 minutes, I'd still hear the tik. tik, tik of the engine cooling and the moose would appear out of nowhere and walk right into the area I was dumping the trees in In many cases game isn't afraid of heavy machinery.
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WELL WORTH WATCHING...I've donr 6+ drop hunts in Alaska....Plan w ell with quality outdoorsmen,,experianced in the wild...These are tough hunts..Don't shoot a moose 2 miles from camp,,imagine packing 600#'s over rough country..Enjoyable if you'e all fit.,.
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