Once you pick a flying service, go over the topo maps with them and see where they can and can't land. On one trip,we had a 1/4 mile portage from a beaver pond he could land on to the river.A whole day affair.

Call Karl Braun in Fairbanks. He may have some ideas. He is a transporter/135 operator.
I am afraid some of you guys are leaving readers with the idea they can pick a spot and someone will be available to take them there in an airplane. That is not reality. 135 operators are first and foremost concerned with a SAFE landing area. Not every river, lake, gravel bar, ridge, etc. that has good hunting in that area is safe to get to in an aircraft. Additionally, non res. face harder choices on where they can hunt/ get a permit, etc.
Like I said before, unit 18 is currently the best moose country in the state. But only parts of it. Those parts are a Harvest Ticket hunt for non res. Long season, 30 days I believe, and no antler size restriction. Just got to find a way there.

I'll call him and see what he has to say. What exactly is a harvest ticket, draw hunt?

Good point. But this is exactly what makes some of the lesser known ones MUCH BETTER for moose hunting! One tradeoff though is that you may need to have someone fly your route before the pilot dumps you out. It may look terrific on the map, while in "real life" if can be a series of logjams and sweepers that will kick your butt or possibly kill you.

Also be careful just looking from the air. I have seen some that looked "do-able" from the air that turned out to be butt-kickers when we tried to float them. That is how I once spent a week "floating" (actually dragging rafts...!) through a section of the West Fork of the Gulkana that appeared from the air to be relatively logjam free and might take a day and a half to traverse. What did NOT show from the air was that it was only about 4" deep! If you get into one of these deals, it is best to NOT shoot that 60" bull that steps out in front of you. The only thing less fun than dragging rafts through shallows, is dragging rafts full of moose meat through shallows!

Allow plenty of time to do the float. There is really no such thing as "extra time" on a float hunt. If you have time, you can actually HUNT moose, rather than just floating (or, perish the thought, paddling like mad to get to the take out on time to meet your pilot.)

One of the most common mistakes that float hunters make is to happily float for multiple days, expecting a bull to stand broadside on every gravel bar. A much better approach is to float during the middle of the day and actually HUNT in the early mornings and late afternoons.

Another common mistake is choosing a river that has no high banks or little hills nearby to climb up on and glass during "prime time" (early morning and late in the evening.) Sometimes you can find spruce trees to climb and glass, but don't depend on it. And for sure don't be fully convinced that a 50+" bull is going to be standing on every other gravel bar waiting to be shot.

Pete

I have noticed that air taxis charging by the hour can be hard to find during Moose season. They’re all doing the priced hunts then as it probably pays better. There are a few though

Yeah, as soon as tags get released, most of the good pilots get booked up fast. Hope this isn't something you wanted to do this year.

My suggestion, if you are a year out or more, is do your homework and pick the top three places you want to go based on regs, season, success rate, info from the bio's, etc. Then start asking here about specific spots, rivers, lakes, and pilots in those areas to then help narrow it further. You can do it, it just takes some work and time to make sure when you have it nailed you can get the pilot and the place you want.

-TJ

No definitely for the 2019 season. Thanks for all the replies guys, my research continues.

Probably the best to be discovered secret for Yukon Moose. http://www.alaskamonstermoose.com/lodge-hunt-packages

FT :

Interesting site. B.W. suggested for years that the Corp. get into the Game. But they seemed more interested in criticizing him, than utilizing the resource. Maybe they have decided that if you can’t beat them, maybe you should join them.

A harvest ticket is open entry, you just have to pick one up. Draw tags are awarded by lottery the previous winter.

Family trapper, do you have first hand experience with this outfit?

That seems like it might be a conflict for BW if he is involved in this operation. But.....maybe not since it is all unguided.

Who's BW?

W:

B.W. has operated for decades ( Alaska Pike Safaries ) as an outfitter - drop off. Also obtained his guide license years ago as well, but I think the guiding is elsewhere.

I was wondering if F.T. could confirm that this was a Corp operated business.

Yep, I have a friend who has guided for him for a few years. Mostly hunting in the hills to the northeast of the river. I didn't know BW did drop off hunts

He started out by bringing clients up river, supplied with a Lund, gas and weather port - transporter status. This was sometimes in conjunction with his lodge. Has now evolved to bomb shelter type camps. Many years of productive hunts. This is in addition to monster Pike trips. Also guides in another game management unit away from his home area.Very accomplished outdoorsman, as you know. Similar to that famous homestead guy ( but he is much older ! ).

I do not. Just of the area they hunt. Some of the best of the best.

I am assuming that the bw guy your talking about is the outfitter that lives in Holy. It is my understanding that the monster moose guys are the local corp. Don't think they have anything to do with him. I did here that there dropping off hunters in unit 18 which ends Sept 30. And has for years been the top area for hunting in the region. Populations are prob as high or higher down river but upper unit 18 is by far a lot nicer country to be in in my opinion. Better weather and more scenic. The bulls there seem to be getting some strange genetics going and am seeing some odd bulls coming out of the area lately. The winter grounds are being hammered bad in the area all the way to the coast. Never seen it so bad. There wasn't a willow patch along the river this spring that wasn't absolutely thrashed. The lower river corp needs to capitalize on this as well. Moose numbers need to be brought under control. The wolves and liberal hunting season is not cutting it. If we get any kind of winter there will definitely be a culling of the herd. This spring had some effects for sure.

Yes - H.C. guy.

Unlikely the Corp would have anything to do with him and vice versa. As stated, it appears they have finally decided to join him , since they couldn’t beat him - but they sure tried.

So what I'm getting from this conversation is, this would be a good hunt to book?