Moose hunt trip: Florida to Manning, AB

[A207X2]

I'm re-thinking bringing the Ithaca. I don't need an issue at the border saying that I'm going bird hunting with a riot gun.

I'll bring my Winchester SX4. It's a 3 1/2" 12 gauge with a 26" barrel. It's got RealTree Max 7 camo so it looks like a hunting gun. I can pull the plug and get 4+1 should I need it.

[Twisted Canuck]

Re: Igloo Chest cooler, you'd be best off hitting the Costco in Grande Prairie on your way up. They always have them, and better price then anyplace else.

[Albertacoyotecaller]

Originally Posted by A207X2

I can pick up a 15 cf chest freezer scratch ‘n dent for about $500. I have a couple of Champion 2600v inverters. I would bring one of them with me.

Is there somewhere in Manning where I could buy some big Igloo ice chests if I needed them, or do I need to bring them with me?



Great point about the costs. How much are you paying for diesel these days?



The 06 has BuffaloBore 168 gr lead free Barnes TTSX moving at nearly 3,000 FPS. Supposed to be able to knock down anything in N. America.

Diesel is $1.65/Litre this morning. I believe it will be going up another .17 April 1 due to federal carbon tax and provincial tax. Hotels and food are generally more expensive in Canada as well. I have travelled several times across the prairies during my time as I grew up in Southern Ontario. I prefer the US route.

Your bullet choice will work fine. I like heavier bullets but my point really is to get a decent bullet. I had a friend try 225 gr Ballistic tips on a bear because they were the only ones that shot well out of his 338. I hate looking for bears in the dark…

ACC

[Albertacoyotecaller]

Originally Posted by A207X2

I'm re-thinking bringing the Ithaca. I don't need an issue at the border saying that I'm going bird hunting with a riot gun.

I'll bring my Winchester SX4. It's a 3 1/2" 12 gauge with a 26" barrel. It's got RealTree Max 7 camo so it looks like a hunting gun. I can pull the plug and get 4+1 should I need it.

Honestly, I would leave the shotgun at home. Not needed for man or bear here. Make sure the rifle is loaded at all times in camp.

We use a 22lr on chickens.

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by Albertacoyotecaller

Honestly, I would leave the shotgun at home. Not needed for man or bear here. Make sure the rifle is loaded at all times in camp.

We use a 22lr on chickens.

Yeah, that makes sense. I've got a bear fence that I can bring along, maybe that's what I'll do.

I'm also afraid of cougars like this though too:



Scare the daylights out of me the next mornin'

[Albertacoyotecaller]

Bear fencing is probably a better idea if anything. I work most days without a rifle in the Chin. Some days I do carry one. There are a lot of bears in the Chin. One day I counted 13 different black bears. Grizzlies in the Chin can be anywhere but predominantly are in the western side.

Cougars like that can be anywhere. But if you are camping deep in the Chin, no protection is needed! Lol.

Remember, your outfitter will want to keep you alive. Not good on their reputation to have a dead client.

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by Albertacoyotecaller

Bear fencing is probably a better idea if anything. I work most days without a rifle in the Chin. Some days I do carry one. There are a lot of bears in the Chin. One day I counted 13 different black bears. Grizzlies in the Chin can be anywhere but predominantly are in the western side.

Cougars like that can be anywhere. But if you are camping deep in the Chin, no protection is needed! Lol.

Remember, your outfitter will want to keep you alive. Not good on their reputation to have a dead client.

Excellent point! LOL

[Ruger71]

Originally Posted by A207X2

Great info. How bad are the flies/mosquitos/bugs?

When we've been there (anywhere from mid-Sept to mid-Oct) - even in the hottest weather (and we did hit 20 degrees 2 years ago) - they showed up mid- to late-morning....so be prepared if you shoot something in the morning....it got bad one year for one moose we ended up getting. Never had any issues in prime hunting time dawn/evening - always seemed to cool down enough. A small little head net and rubber or light gloves made all the difference when cleaning mid-late morning in a bit of heat.

I will say we found in Manning a local resident that rents cooler space - what a break - we had coolers but were really worried about the heat. Called up - got in on a Sunday with the meat (shot day one, hence the worry about the next nine days) - excellent set up - back up - meat hooks in, winched out of the truck and rolled into the cooler....pick up on the way out of town ten days later...

We hunt from a wall tent with our kitchen and food left in a covered trailer. First year we were there we used a bear fence around the wall tent...but zero issues - ever in camp - from black or grizz. On that early season (mid-Sept) bull we shot in the morning - we revisited the site the next morning and grizzly had been on it and buried it already....so they're there, no doubt. But we've only seen black bear during hunting times...

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by Ruger71

When we've been there (anywhere from mid-Sept to mid-Oct) - even in the hottest weather (and we did hit 20 degrees 2 years ago) - they showed up mid- to late-morning....so be prepared if you shoot something in the morning....it got bad one year for one moose we ended up getting. Never had any issues in prime hunting time dawn/evening - always seemed to cool down enough. A small little head net and rubber or light gloves made all the difference when cleaning mid-late morning in a bit of heat.

I will say we found in Manning a local resident that rents cooler space - what a break - we had coolers but were really worried about the heat. Called up - got in on a Sunday with the meat (shot day one, hence the worry about the next nine days) - excellent set up - back up - meat hooks in, winched out of the truck and rolled into the cooler....pick up on the way out of town ten days later...

We hunt from a wall tent with our kitchen and food left in a covered trailer. First year we were there we used a bear fence around the wall tent...but zero issues - ever in camp - from black or grizz. On that early season (mid-Sept) bull we shot in the morning - we revisited the site the next morning and grizzly had been on it and buried it already....so they're there, no doubt. But we've only seen black bear during hunting times...

Thank you for all that info Ruger.

I can't thank you all enough for all the helpful info everyone has provided. This is going to be a great hunt.

[A207X2]

Just saw this and could not stop laughing. Very appropriate for my trip. I think I would have a fecal fumble if my guide did this to me in camp!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1770803837789491642

[Dean2]

The last thing you need to worry about on this hunt is cougars or bears of any kind. I have hunted the Chin amd areas with even more predators for 55 years. Never had an issue that wasn't easily dealt with. Even shooting bear control for more than 2o years, the bears were causing problems with graineries, crops, livestock, bee hives and the like, but not once were they a real danger to humans. These days, thieves are a way bigger issue than predators and thankfully the Chin is still remote enough that there are few of those problems too.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by A207X2

Just saw this and could not stop laughing. Very appropriate for my trip. I think I would have a fecal fumble if my guide did this to me in camp!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1770803837789491642

We did that 40 years ago at the Lesser Slave Lake golf course just north of town. It was one of those midnight tournaments with the glowing golf balls and semi okay visibility due to long light in summer. We hid in the bush beside one of the greens, and scared the golfers. It was all great fun until we heard a 12 gauge getting racked by someone walking down the fairway. We Di Di Maued it out of there in a hurry and we weren't wearing the bear hide anymore when we left. Hadn't thought about that in years, until I saw the video. Thanks for posting it.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by A207X2

Will definitely keep y'all posted.

I bought the truck used. It's a 2016 that I bought in 2018. It had 20k miles on it, was purchased, serviced, and sold at the same dealership. I got all the maintenance records for it. I paid $39k USD for it - which was a steal in my opinion. I would have preferred 4WD but the only thing I tow with it is a 40', 21k lbs fifth wheel (and also a boat). Down here in FL we don't really have a need for 4WD, so while it would have been nice to have, it wasn't a deal breaker for me.

Sorry, I'm trying to figure out if your first post means the truck is a dually? An unloaded 2wd dually is not a great vehicle for tackling back roads in inclement weather. If thats the case I would not skimp on tires.

During the hunting season I keep a chainsaw and a Jack-All in the truck. By cutting blocking and lifting the truck you can usually self-rescue a pickup out of just about anything. I've been in a few situations where that was literally my only option. Also seen plenty of people who failed to understand it was their only option waste whole days trying everything else, usually managing to get a few of their friends stuck too.

[lmtada]

Originally Posted by A207X2

Just saw this and could not stop laughing. Very appropriate for my trip. I think I would have a fecal fumble if my guide did this to me in camp!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1770803837789491642

Lol. Funny.
Here couple pics of Chinchaga area from our hunt a few years back. Unfortunately no moose.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by lmtada

Lol. Funny.
Here couple pics of Chinchaga area from our hunt a few years back. Unfortunately no moos.

Pretty sure that Sasquatch would be satisfactory too.

[Smokinyotes]

Last time I was up there, one morning there was a huge bear track about 100 yards from the tent. It had came from the East and had walked about a qtr mile towards our tent then wandered off to the North.

Kind of glad I had 3 strands of hot wire around the tent.

[HyperMOA]

I didn’t read all of the posts here; so apologies if its been mentioned. There was a fellow “eaglemountainman” if I am not mistaken that was posting a few weeks ago. He was coming from Florida the first week of Oct to hunt moose in Falher which you will be passing through. He was posting about hunting moose with a 7-08. You guys should maybe try and meet up somehow, probably make a long trip nicer and be easier in the end.

EDIT: Found the link
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=430018

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

I didn’t read all of the posts here; so apologies if its been mentioned. There was a fellow “eaglemountainman” if I am not mistaken that was posting a few weeks ago. He was coming from Florida the first week of Oct to hunt moose in Falher which you will be passing through. He was posting about hunting moose with a 7-08. You guys should maybe try and meet up somehow, probably make a long trip nicer and be easier in the end.

EDIT: Found the link
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=430018

Thanks. I just pinged him on PM. Turns out he's flying up and back.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by A207X2

Thanks. I just pinged him on PM. Turns out he's flying up and back.

That is too bad. It seemed rather serendipitous that your trips are so alike. I would work him over a little and tell him his airline tickets are better spend elsewhere and he can accompany his meat home.

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Di Di Maued

😂😂😂
What movie was that from?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

😂😂😂
What movie was that from?

Any war movie about Vietnam that was made in the late 70s or 80s.

[Big Grey Wolf]

A207X2, I must congratulate you with your posts on your Northern Alberta moose hinting trip. You woke up All us hibernating hunters from a late spring sleep.

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Any war movie about Vietnam that was made in the late 70s or 80s.

LOL or just "di-di" for short.

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

A207X2, I must congratulate you with your posts on your Northern Alberta moose hinting trip. You woke up All us hibernating hunters from a late spring sleep.

It's just around the corner guys! Start sightin' 'em in!

[A207X2]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

That is too bad. It seemed rather serendipitous that your trips are so alike. I would work him over a little and tell him his airline tickets are better spend elsewhere and he can accompany his meat home.

We've been pinging back and forth on PM.

Bonus points for serendipitous!