That's because they don't really exist. Lol Moose are expensive to get to and get out of the field even if you skip the guide. I've put in for two draws in Alaska, hoping to pull one of them... If not ill have to make other plans or go to an OTC area instead. I set aside $6k for my dream fall next year and Moose will eat up well over half of it.
The only place even close to a budget moose hunt is NL, it's a great hunt on the rock but it's a different world then AK. I prefer a DYI hunt over anything, but if your looking for a way to cut your teeth on moose with a bow NL is super..great country and experience and won't kill you price wise.
I'm hoping in a couple more years I should draw a moose tag here in Utah. I have 14 preference points and it takes around 17 or so. I could get lucky before then.
At least once I want to do a drop camp or float in Alaska for moose...one day. Whitetail Elk Caribou Moose Muley Antelope Maybe a Black Bear I compiled this list about 10 years ago while in high school. All animals meeting the minimum P&Y score. Whitetails have been taken care of twice now, but I'm ready to expand and see how I handle different challenges.
Scott, I'm in the planning stages of an elk hunt myself. It won't be this year (unless I'm lucky enough to draw a non resident KY tag) but I hope to make it out west 2015. This has been a great resource and you should check it out. This guys covers everything. Sole Adventure | How To Hunt Elk On Your Own
A lot of great info in there. I'll definitely check it out more as the months wear on. Another site I've been lurking around on is Rokslide. A lot of knowledgeable (and familiar) members over there. After taking advantage of a 20% off sale on Kuiu tonight I think all the major gear I wanted to purchase is taken care of (assuming it all is to my liking when it comes in). Just to fill the pack and start getting in better shape for the next 9 months.
I just checked out Kuiu (never heard of it until you mentioned it). There's a lot of great looking gear on there. It's gonna be expensive for the first hunt just to get all the gear I want/need but I plan to hunt elk every few years after my first time. That's the plan anyway.
The gear buying will suck you in. It's too much fun! LOL I just dropped another $900 on a new bow yesterday. More gear to buy before bear season but I am just about done...at least my wife thinks so.
I'm looking forward to all the spending. I"m sure I'll picking your brain along the way as I prepare.
Yeah getting the gear is going to be like a late Christmas for me! It's expensive, but I should get several years of use out of it all.
Any more with the manufacturing tolerances it's possible to make lifetime investments on a lot of gear. But, where's the fun in that?
LOL. This is so true. However I am honing in on a gear list that allows me to be set for backpack hunts. By this fall, I'll have everything I need and won't likely change for several years to come.... But if I land a job in Alaska and start into the fly in drop camp type hunts, that opens an entire new door of gear "needed" and I can't wait. haha
Trevor what's your experence with shipping times with Kuiu? I know they have their issues, but I believe all my items were in stock, but the order is still being "processed". Not really a big deal, just me being bored and impatient while snowed in today.
If it was in stock I've always had mine ship within a week. The problem w Kuiu is when something is backordered. I've had a bino harness on backorder for a month, some guys have supposedly been on the list since late October. Not sure if they are waiting for a new year model at this point or what, but months is ridiculous.
Kuiu finally shipped, but the weather here has everything delayed, no big deal though. I have loaded up the X2 pack and have to say it felt really good. Granted I don't have much to compare it to, nor do I know how it'll handle packing meat out. As far as a day pack goes, I think it'll suffice. Went ahead and found a steal on a pair of Asolo boots with good reviews, so I couldn't pass it up. How complex should a first aid kit be in a pack?
I sure don't do much...in pack: -Ibuprofen -Few feet of duct tape -disposable poncho & emergency/reflective blanket -chapstick I figure the duct tape will handle any minor cuts/bleeding...cord/belt/zip ties for anything else major or bracing a bone. Pain reliever for the rest For those that burn easy, sunscreen would be my only recommendation to add. At camp: Tweezers, moleskin, blister care...and regular "in car" first aid kit. Luckily in multiple camps we have only needed a bunch of pain reliever (sore knees, backs, ankles, & headaches) and occasional blister care.
First aid is all about taking as little as you feel comfortable with. Bandaids are a waste. I do take some butterfly strips for deep cuts, some gauze patches, duct tape, and a few different medicines (antiemetic, Motrin, and Benadryl, I leave some doxycycline in camp in case of infection setting in). I also keep an epi pen in my pack at all times in case I step in a hive of yellow jackets or something along the way.
I've never thought of having an Epi pen in my pack. Will have one from now on. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
