I can't tell you exactly why I want to do this so much, other than it sounds like quite the adventure, and it's definitely something way different than I've ever done. Can get some meat shipped home too, so that's always a bonus.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
Another question for those who have traveled via Air Canada. I see where they charge $50 to transport your rifle as baggage. I would be leaving out of Dallas, with two stops. Is this $50 fee per leg, or per final destination? Obviously it makes a big difference. Thanks.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
I can't tell you exactly why I want to do this so much, other than it sounds like quite the adventure, and it's definitely something way different than I've ever done.
Seems like the perfect reason to me! Good luck to ya JG.
I'll throw out a recommendation for Next Ridge Outfitters. They do a high quality fly in only (helicopter) hunt, essentially 100% success on good for newfie bulls. Everything about it is excellent, wooden floor heated wall tents, camps regularly rotated, above average food, see about 20-25 animals each day. Shane Mollon the owner is very interested in providing top notch quality. Kind of surprised me a little after the hunt when the first thing he asked me is what can he do better to improve the hunt. Haven't linked to it in years so not sure if it works but a small album of the hunt with my flintlock.
Has anybody hunted with Hinterland Outfitters? They seem to have a very fair price and I have heard of some good experiences with them. I think fly-in is probably is a good thing, just that the price seems to go up considerably. Trying to not get into the $8000-9000 dollar range if I can help it.I know you have to pay to play though.
Like I said in the thread you started on this subject that I (and a friend of mine) used them. Craig Pomeroy is a nice guy and runs a good operation. Unless you really like to fly, there is no reason not to use a drive-in operation. You take a jeep trail then an ATV trail to the lodge. The area they hunt is very nice (the lodge is on a lake) and there is plenty of game. We all saw and bagged a moose and I saw Caribou. There are plenty of Bears there too. The accommodations were excellent.
Are you planning on flying to Newfoundland or are you driving to Nova Scotia and taking the ferry? When we went hunting, we drove and took the ferry. When my wife said that she had never seen a Moose but wanted to, we vacationed there and flew into St. John's and rented a car and drove from one end to the other. She saw many Moose. The one thing to consider about a drive-in vs a fly-in operation; with a drive-in you won't have the chance of poor flying weather keeping you out of camp.
I'm planning on driving, for the reasons you state. I flew my first hunt to Saskatchewan, and wouldn't do it again. Too many problems. I'm about 16 hours from the Nova Scotia side of the ferry, and figured I'd get a room and rest on the ferry ride. I don't mind a fly in camp, but I don't insist on one either. This outfitter seems like they produce good bulls for a decent price. I see some costing much more, and while they show some very nice bulls, most have at least some, if not a lot, of pictures of small bulls taken. I'm not holding out for a 40" bull, but I also am not shooting a bull moose that has smaller antlers than my Saskatchewan whitetail bucks lol. This sounds very promising and I think I'm on the right path for what I want. Thank you for the response and information.
I've hunted moose in Newfoundland several times and have always taken the ferry. I book the ferry several months in advance to reserve my place for the truck & trailer and to hold my stateroom. It works out well to take the 11pm ferry and to get a good night's sleep in a private room. All the rooms have a small bathroom in the corner which has a shower too. There is a bar onboard for a nightcap and breakfast is available in the morning. If you're pressed for time in the morning you can grab a coffee and a roll on the way to your truck. During moose hunting season the ferry will be PACKED so plan in advance.
Most outfitters are within easy driving distance from the ferry terminal. If you want to get to your outfitter early in the day then take the ferry a day earlier and stay overnight in Newfoundland. Deer Lake would be a good overnight destination and will greatly shorten you drive in the morning.
Keep the ferry terminal's phone number handy because if you get a moose early in the week and decide to travel home a day or two earlier you can change your reservation and beat the crowd trying to get off the island. However, if you have the extra time you may want to travel up the west coast and stop in at the seaside communities for some site-seeing and local dining. Newfoundland is a wonderful place to visit.
Looks like my Sept 11th moose hunt will be canceled, so maybe next year. I was really looking forward to it.
Johnny,
Has that been formalized? My BC outfitter is still holding out. His email.
Hi Guys
Sorry for the group email, but we wanted to update everyone and try to do a better job of communicating how things are looking for the coming season.
We have been working with our local Outfitting Association closely and they are working directly with the government around how things would work in a quarantine situation, as well as when we are looking at an open border scenario. Unfortunately, it's been a slow process. So far we don't have anything concrete.
As we approach your hunt dates we will have to make a call on whether we will be operating on your dates, deferring to later in the fall, or deferring to a future year. This could potentially be right before your hunt. If you are booking flights, book flex fares- or plan on driving.
It costs a lot of money to be prepared for the season; 190 horses ate all winter, the plane has a fresh annual and is ready to go. We spent 3 months trapping wolves and many other preparations. If you did purchase trip insurance before covid hit please advise as that will greatly reduce the strain of this if we are unable to do the season. Our goal going into this fall was that if the worst case scenario did happen we would be able to move everyone without cost sharing the expenses from this year. Unfortunately, if we lose the entire season we don't think we will be able to do so without impacting future hunts severely. Our goal has been to downsize both Stone and Folding Mountain and improve the quality, providing the best trips that will be available. We don't want to move this year's hunts to the future by simply adding to the harvest in those years. It wouldn't work well and we would be doing a poor job for those future hunters also, some of which could potentially be you. If hunters are being moved to a future hunt year, they will be placed into existing openings, so that we are not putting excessive pressure on the area by over harvesting.
Please understand that if you are considering canceling your trip this year we will be unable to sell it to another and you will lose your whole deposit. If you bear with us, we will know what moving your trip to a future year will cost by the end of the fall and as long as we are not dealing with a total closure for the whole season, the expense should be minimal to nothing.
Thanks for your patience, there is just a landline up here, no cell service so if you are having a difficult time reaching us and would like to speak over the phone, please send me an email and we will connect with you as quickly as we can, often the quickest and easiest way to reach us is email.
We will absorb as much loss as we are able to without impacting future trips. These trips we do are beyond personal to us. We want to make sure that you as our hunter know that you are in the right place, even if it ends up being at the wrong time as we go through this. We look forward to hunting up here with you in the future, hopefully really really soon!
Ed, not officially yet, no, but the outfitter doesn't hold out much hope. I should have been more specific. I hope you get to go though. Sounds like a great trip.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
I hate to be a wet blanket but I can't see where our government will agree to the border being opened by Sept. or October. Unfortunately for you Trump mishandled the pandemic from the beginning by not giving it credence. Things are so much worse with regard to covid 19 in the U.S. as compared to Canada that I can't see the government agreeing to open the border and thereby endangering our population.
This is unfortunate for not only the hunters but also the guides and outfitters who are impacted. Just keep in mind the thousands of people who would be impacted by a border opening at this time.
Definitely Westwoods Outfitters! I began hunting with them 2006. Their spaces are filled very early. 2020 may be filled now. Many of their hunters are repeat clientele who scheduling the next years hunt before leaving camp. Make reservations early.
Click here; http://www.westwoodsoutfitters.com/, click on Gallery, look at slide 52. I shot the 16th moose that I saw on the first hunt. My 270Win 130TTSX @ 3100fps will do the job.
We here in the Atlantic Provinces have a near zero covid problem so am looking into a few outfitters close to the ferry. It's not looking like they are going to open the border any time soon for travel either way so there may be some deals to be had for us who can go there.