PLANNING A MOOSE HUNT IN ALASKA

Kyle Sturko of The Fever, used the Moose II decoy to stalk within bow range of this 51" velvet Alberta Bull Moose.

You’ve been planning the trip for years. It’s a long flight from the lower 48 to Alaska, where, after having your equipment inspected three times by TSA and finally claiming your bags, you’re off to catch a Cessna for yet another leg of the trip into the wilderness where roads do not exist and probably never will. Upon landing in the rough terrain, unloading your gear and repacking it onto horses, it’s time for the trek to basecamp.

But that’s all part of the adventure – one you’ll likely never forget. Besides the tiring elements of travel, the hunt itself will be physically and mentally exhausting. Bad weather could confine you to camp. Bears or wolves might scare the moose deep into the landscape. Nothing we’re saying here is meant to quell your desire to hunt moose in Alaska. We just want you to understand the importance of being ready for what’s coming when you arrive.

Find a Guide or Outfitter

You can do this one of two ways:
1. Hire a guide who will stay with you the whole time.2. Line up an outfitter to take you in and get you out.
There will be plenty of websites out there advertising various services, so do ample research to find the ones with a good reputation. Reviews from past customers will provide the best information available. Those with experience - good or bad - will typically tell you exactly what you need to know.

Get in Shape

Maybe this is the excuse you needed to finally do it. You don’t want lung capacity to hinder any hunt, and especially not a backcountry adventure where medical help wouldn’t be immediately available in an emergency. A healthy body is more capable of quickly overcoming slight illnesses and physical tweaks. Plus, when you know you have to tromp up just one more hill to get that shot of a lifetime, you certainly don’t want that opportunity to slip away because you just couldn’t make it.

Clothe Yourself

The unavoidable fact is, you get what you pay for when it comes to the necessary equipment for extreme terrain or weather. Alaskan weather is rather unpredictable. Clothing is the most important element because you’re likely going to wear the same thing the entire time with maybe one extra shirt or pair of pants. (That said, do pack multiple pairs of socks.) You’ll want a moisture-wicking base layer to dry sweat and protect you from cold rains and snow. The same applies to your outer shell, which will be the first defense against whatever elements Alaska throws your way.

Choose Your Weapon & Optics

Regardless of whether you choose a rifle or a bow, practice, practice, practice. By the time you leave, you should be consistently making lethal shots at 60 yards with your bow or 300 with a rifle. That’s not to say you’ll need to shoot that far, but mastering those longer shots will make the moderate ones seem much closer.

A 10x binocular or greater will save your eyes in the big country of Alaska. You’ll spend a lot of time glassing distant hillsides and open tundra before making a stalk on an animal. Also, with ample moisture in the air, pack optics that are argon or nitrogen gas purged and o-ring sealed. It’s taxing to stalk within range of a bull moose only to realize he is not a shooter

Combine Decoys and Calls

Ol’ Bullwinkle is bound to be more drawn to a visual in conjunction with the sound of a cow call. Especially if you’re bowhunting, which could max out your shooting range at roughly 60 yards.
The Moose II decoy is constructed of a durable polyester fabric with a spring-steel band inside the body to hold it erect. Poles with step stakes are then used to support the decoy while it’s in the ground. The decoy body has a high-definition photograph printed on both sides, giving the 2D decoy an incredibly realistic look.
It’s also super simple to set up and break down. Pop the decoy open, insert the fold down the back pole, then the two leg poles and you are ready to go. To take it down, remove the poles and use a simple twist fold technique on the decoy body. Watch the “how to” video here.

We’ve listened to veteran moose hunters and outfitters who have studied the habits of bull moose for countless seasons. This decoy is the result. Nothing good comes easy, but we would bet the Moose II will at least improve your chances, and maybe even save your hunt, kind of like it did here: