Ketchum went out of business years ago after the divorce.

I believe Rust's has owned K2 for years now.

Since Craig sold Regal Air. There have been two new owners I believe, both with crash problems.

I didn't know that Ketchum was no longer.

I do seem to recall that Regal lost a beaver in the last couple years.I had forgotten that.

Thank you Everyone!!! The advice is greatly appreciated.
It’s very difficult to pick an area to kill a moose in a place I have never been. For example….if I do end up going with Rusts what is the range of a Cub? Should I be looking at some water within 100 miles of anchorage ? Or can they go 150-200?
I guess that’s why people pay the big money to just have someone handle everything for them because it is so overwhelming.
Although the research is part of the hunt. Just a lot of places I could randomly pick. Just hope I don’t burn myself out trying to find

Is Glen Alsworth still flying? I used him on a hunt and was very satisfied.

The range of a Cub can vary depending on the modifications that have been done to it. 100-300 total miles would be pretty easy as long as it leaves the pilot adequate reserve in addition to the fuel required to return to base.

But you can be pretty certain that the Cub will fly further than you want to sit in it.


Just ask ADFG for harvest numbers for different game management units for the past five years or whatever they can give you. It's likely tabulated in a spreadsheet already.

We have ADF&G people on this website or just pick the area biologists for the areas you think you might be interested in.

Didn't you say the trip will be you and 2 others? A cub is not going to provide the transportation you need for 3 people to a hunting spot and back. Especially if there is meat to bring back. I suggest you will want to hunt an area with over the counter tags for non residents. Anywhere a draw tag is needed likely means all 3 of you won't get to go.
One of the limiting factors to your success is finding a transportation provider. Anyone providing transportation services to hunters who is NOT a guide is supposed to have a transporters license. That includes ground transportation like boats. You may be able to rent a boat somewhere and people providing rentals do not need a transporter license but the renter cannot accompany you into the field.
I think it will be difficult to get away from the crowds, so to speak, flying out of the larger cities, Fairbanks and Anchorage. Flying out to a hunt area is the most logical way to get away from other hunters but also the most costly. You also want to hunt an area with a good moose population. IMO units 18, 19, and 21 are the only 3 units that offer you most of what you want. A small possibility would be unit 24 out of Bettles.
Unit 18 hunts would be out of Bethel or possibly out of Unalakleet. I think Jim Tweto offers fly out service into some of the unit 18 area from Unk. There could be unit 18 service out of Aniak but I am not aware of anyone currently there.
Unit 19 would be out of McGrath or Aniak. White17 would hopefully know more about that than me.
Unit 21 service could also be out of McGath or Fairbanks.
Aircraft service to remote areas is on wheels or floats. High water years will limit wheel access to some areas. Low water years will limit float plane access in some areas.
Happy New Year and good luck on the hunt.

Yes, Lake Clark Air.
I use them probably at least once a year, they along with nearly everyone else have gotten pretty spendy in the past couple of years.

Another area that used to produce moose, (some real giants), were 9B, and 17B. Accessible from Illiamna.
I don't know the current situation, but hunting out of Illiamna was very affordable, lots of planes available, and success was good.

If I were you I would forget about starting my hunt out of Anchorage.

Alaska Airlines has jet service to several cities in Alaska. Other than basing out of Fairbanks, other smaller towns that are served by AA that might be good for basing a moose hunt out of might be; King Salmon, Dillingham, or Bethel. Getting as close to your hunting area on AA will probably be most economical.

Fairbanks might not be a bad choice either; I've flown out of there with both Warbelow's and Wright's; it's been a few years, but I think Wright's might be your best bet for hunt related flying.

Thank you!!! This is a ton a great info.

I thank you!!
I will check it out!

Waggler, sent an email to Wrights.
Thank you for the intel!
John

You guys Rock!! Thank you ALL. Incase I missed someone. I will check back when I narrow things down. It’s looking like it’s going to be 4 of us so we will split and go to two different locations but using same air taxi.
Happy New Year
John

Wrights flies Helio Couriers out of Fairbanks, and that is a pretty capable aircraft. I believe it can carry almost as much weight as a Beaver, and more than a C185. Only their senior pilots fly their Helios. Also, Andy Greenblat of Shadow Aviation flies a Super Cub on wheels, and a C185 on floats out of Fairbanks. He is a top notch pilot.

I chartered Wrights Heliocourier on skis a year ago and weight limit they allowed me was 750 lbs including myself. I typically fly w Shadow Aviation (4 days ago in fact) and you’re correct that he’s excellent. Moose season is a really busy time for them all so plan and book early. In my experience it gets more and more difficult to find an air taxi by the hour during hunting season. A lot of really good info and advice on this thread.

Andy at Shadow air is top notch as is Jessie at Golden Eagle in Delta Junction................................

Ah, the Helio! I flew in one one time, (ironically for a moose hunt), out of Haines, piloted by Lynn Bennett.
We flew in myself, my hunting partner, a 12' Zodiak, 2 tents, all our gear, and food for 8 days.
Lynn had a meadow in mind, way up the Chilkat river, just below the border. He hadn't been in there in years, but was pretty confident.
When we started our decent, I asked him just where, exactly, he was going to land?
He pointed to a tiny meadow, about 200 yards from the river, surrounded by 100' spruce trees!
We managed to land with a thud, but now the concern was him getting out. He did make it, brushing a treetop with his wheels, and we floated out.
I went to see him after that trip, and he simply replied, "Well, guess I can't go into that one, anymore. Those trees sure grew fast."!

Been four since 2017 . Three dead pilots.

Never hurts to bring a chain saw and loppers to lengthen and widen airstrips. Seems I have spent some time doing this.