Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Guided Moose hunt- British Columbia or Alberta?

My brother, son, and I are looking for a moose hunt for 2013 or 2014 in either British Columbia or Alberta. Are there any hunts that can be had for around $3K in these areas? Or, what should we expect to spend for a 5-7 day hunt?

What have been your experiences and would you recommend someone we could talk to about a hunt?

Thanks,
Bob

For a 1 or 2 day hunt?

I would not sign up for a $3k moose hunt with anyone anywhere, if one could be found.

Cant see a $3K unless you find one on last minute cancellation -MAYBE.

For Alberta, go on the APOS website to look up moose outfitters.

Chinchaga River Hunts gets a vote. A good friend of mine guided for them in the past.

There should be some good moose taken in BC from Ft. St. John up to Yukon border. Did lots of work on the Alaska HWY realignments over the years ....seen some dandy bulls.

Edited my post above.

I've known of several people who went on hunts in BC that were basic Spike camp type hunts for less than $3K and had great success. Tents, horses, and 2x1 guides supplied but they had to supply their own food, cooking, and personal items- sleeping bag, cots, etc....
I would have no problem with that scenario as long as I have a reasonable chance to see a legal bull- doesn't have to be a 65" trophy. Just want to have a good hunt and put some meat in the freezer.

I'll have to check in with others I know who have done this and see who they hunted with and start the phone calling, etc.... Just thought I would check in here to see if anyone had experienced such a hunt and how it worked out for you.

Bob

The outfitter I mentioned will be in Portland for the Pacific NW Outdoorsmen Show Feb.6-10th. Just seen it on their website.

BC has some antler size restrictions - I believe 3pts on the shovels is needed in some districts.

Here in Alberta, 4" nubes is all you need. My moose camp guys are meat eaters for their families. As long as its legal, the bull or bulls go down. Now, like this year we had 4 guys with tags, we got a bit picky you can say. Lucky too!

Good luck on getting your hunt !! Hopefully things pan out for you.

WHEN, did your friends go on Moose hunts here that cost less than 3Gs, even the "dropcamp" type that you mention?

There are some "dropcamp" hunts for BC RESIDENTS ONLY that will run maybe $4500.00 all in for a weekish time and that does NOT include a "wrangler", so, NO horses.

A northern BC legal bull Moose, will weigh about a half ton or more on the hoof and the weather can be warm in the season when "non-residents" tend to come to hunt, plus the flies will drive you bonkers. Sooooo, you NEED horses and capable staff, OR, as happens much more often than one reads about on forums such as this, you LOSE the meat.....and, that is NOT "kosher" with the BC Wildlife boffins.

I would expect to pay about 7Gs per person for any BC Moose or Elk hunt worth going on and there can be further costs above this sum. BC is NOT the "Shangri-La"of big game hunting that the gun rags would have you believe and hunting here is physically very demanding and the game is thin on the ground due to climate, predators, minimal management and, especially, the slaughter by a certain group with "special" privileges.

There ARE some VERY good outfitters and not always the big names that one hears about on the 'net and in mags and these gatherings of largely wealthy trophy collectors.

One I would suggest is Doug McMann of Skinner Creek Ranch and he has a website. He is in the Chilcotin, offers Moose, Goat, Mulies and does a lot of cat and Wolf hunting at this time of year. I might book with him in a year or two as I am getting a bit old to hump huge packs and Doug impresses me as a good, honest and fair kinda guy.

Another is Fredlund Outfitters in the Kakwa area, incredible country and a young guy with an attitude I like.

But, 3Gs, maybe 30 years ago, or, some long weekend on a private ranch in the Peace River area.

kute,

That would be my take as well.

I have hunted moose in BC and Alberta, both guided hunts because that's required of non-residents. Got a nice bull on each hunt and both cost a lot more than $3000. The BC hunt took place a decade ago and even back then the outfitter's price for 5-day, moose-only hunt was $5000, if I recall correctly, and is aroun $7500 now. It involved flying in to a backcountry airstrip, then hunting on horseback. There were a LOT of moose, and I shot a good one the second day of my hunt, the 13th bull I saw.

The Alberta hunt took place 3 years ago. It was a cancellation hunt so I got a discount but even then was $6000. It took place in the country along a good-sized river on the eastern plains of the province, where moose have become well-established in the past couple of decades. Got a good bull for the area, though not as big as my BC bull.

I drove to both hunts from my home in southwestern Montana, taking two days to get to Fort St. John in BC and one day to get to eastern Alberta. That saved money on airfare, and also allowed me to bring the meat back easily and relatively cheaply.

Okay guys, I'm getting the message. Probably not doable in the $3K budget my partner has set. I'll have to negotiate him up to realistic numbers.
I did a cursory check on google and found several outfits that were in the $5.5 range so I know a few are available in that range at least.

The last moose hunt I went on was in Alberta up near the Peace river and Ft. James first week of November? My memory isn't great so I think that is the place. Hunted with an outfitter that had rights to a huge gas exploration lease with just us and 5 other hunters inside a locked area. This was about 8-10 years ago and I've been wanting to go back with a couple of my brothers and my son ever since.

Everyone got their moose and my son and I drove home with 2 large (but not trophies)moose in my truck. 21 hours each way driving straight through.

I got lucky on that hunt and bought it at a hunting banquet for a $5200 bid for 2 people. At the time it stretched my budget a bit, but it was my present to my son for his 5 years in the Marines. Had a great hunt with very good guides and even came home early as we scored on the first couple days.

Any help I could get is appreciated in locating a decent hunt that won't break the bank.

Thanks,
Bob

Alberta

I would at least call Doug, the Albertan hunts take place in some of the most dreary country I have ever seen...spent a solid four months alone in 1993, on "Doucette Tower" in northern AB. Great people, but, GAWD,for a guy from the mountains of BC, that is some UGLY country!

The Chilcotin is still almost pristine wilderness,some FINE Trout fishing and Doug's outfit is largely intended to the "family" style of hunt. BTW, I have never met or spoken to him, we used to scrap on AR for fun and he did impress me as what you Yanks call "the Real Deal".

Also, he has RMGoats and Mulies available on the same hunt. If, I were an American, coming to BC, to hunt, I would just bust my bank and do the longest multi-species hunt I possibly could. The old days are GONE here, the incoming government next spring, WILL change hunting here and NOT to the benefit of any of us, we "resis" included.

Just a hint, the time is now and it is worth the price, IF, you choose your outfitter well.

The best way to get stiffed is to look for the cheapest hunt.

Sheister;
I hope that this finds you well on the first morning of 2013.

As it's a bit buried in the Canada section, I've included a link to a thread that covers a bunch of topics for hunters planning a hunt up here in Canada.

Here it is:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...60/Planning_a_hunt_in_Canada#Post6042560

Anyway, from highway conditions and cameras to current firearms laws, that thread covers a fair bit of ground.

Hopefully it will be useful to you or someone else planning a hunt up here. Good luck on your upcoming hunts wherever they might take place and all the best to you in 2013.

Regards,
Dwayne

The locked area you talk about, was that NE of Peace River? You must of been with Dollard Dallaire?? If so, the locked gate was DMI's and since it was on crown land there could be local hunters there as well. This outfitter thought it was "his land" and controled it this way. The reason I know is a friend of mine dad had a run-in with the outfitter-got pretty heated. Lets just say that outfitter is no longer around...he ended up with a bunch of criminal charges due to illegal hunting activities. Lets just say he spent time in the PEN!! IMO, I think he should of been out on the outside workcrews in ORANGE coveralls....but this was too much of an embarrasment to his family....WHAT EVER!!

Anyhow, hunts anywhere from $5500-7000/hunter for 1 week, 2 on 1 hunt and about $7000-8000 for a 1 on 1 hunt. Maybe you can get a cancellation price on last minute hunt fill-in.

I know its alot of hard work and $$ to set up a camp when our moose camp group goes out (part of the fun). ATV's, fuel, food, camp supplies....but its worth the 6 days we can slip away. This trip is my annual sanity break I need every early October from a busy spring/summer and early fall with work.

Look on APOS website for outfitters, and then click on MOOSE and you will get a list for Moose Outfitters. Hope this helps.

Sounds like an awesome hunt with your son. My dad took me salmon fishing last summer for my birthday. We missed a trip a few years before when it was his 75th Bday and he was sick with cancer. ALL GOOD NOW and he was 79 last year!! WE HAD A BLAST. Going to plan a trip this year.

MP, our outfitter's name was Frank Smith. Kind of a cantankerous type of character and didn't mince words, but had a dry sense of humor that took me a bit to warm up to.
Funny story, on the way to camp we had to stop by to pick up one of his guides- a native who lived in a town close to Fort James. The guide wasn't home and we found out he was still in a bar from the night before and had to sober up before he could report to camp.
Well, he made it to camp and he turned out to be our guide. He was a great guide, very easy going, and spotted my son's moose opening morning across a gas line clearing. The third day, he called in my moose about an hour into the day. Had a great time with him and the Outfitter, Frank. Food was great, accomodations were fair, and we hunted mostly on ATV's as the unit was huge and most of it was only accessibly by way of ATV on exploration trails. Heck, riding the ATV's on some of the trails was worth the price of admission by itself. We had a blast. Riding those same trails with most of a moose stacked on top of the ATV was more than a little interesting.

I'm pretty sure Frank isn't in business any more. He wasn't in good health the year we hunted with him and the next year he was even worse, so I think that was his last. Hard to say who has the rights to the area now, but I would love to hunt there again- in spite of the gigantic grizzly that kept hanging around camp and our hunting grounds.....

Sounds like you and your dad have a great hunting partnership like my son and I do. Hope I can do it as long as your dad, I turn 60 this year but I still feel 30 most of the time.

I've found several websites that have good information and one referral site that I've received a lot of feedback from several outfitters already. Your numbers line up with what I'm getting back from them.

Thanks all for the info, time to convince the wife and negotiate with the hunting partners- but it looks like this hunt will probably be pushed out to at least 2014.

Bob

I felled a decent Shiras bill in southern BC with an outfitter I've liked well enough to use four times. Way more than $3K, but an excellent hunt with a hard working, true gentleman. PM me for details.

FC