Yukon Hunt Question

Sportsman · #1 12-10-2007, 09:21 PM

We are thinking about a Yukon moose trip. Has anyone here ever hunted a moose up there and if so please share your knowledge on the outfitter and area you hunted. I don't mind getting a little exercise while hunting but I will be perfectly honest and say that a jet boat and a horse are very appealing to me. Does anyone know the moose numbers right around Whitehorse? I do have the option of just heading up their and hunting with a relative (who doesn't hunt) right out of Whitehorse. Someone told me that the biggest moose in the Yukon aare killed withing two hours of Whitehorse. Is there any truth to this?

#2 12-10-2007, 09:32 PM

Moose hunts in the Yukon are getting mighty pricey (some over $15,000) but if you have a relative up there there are loads of great options. If you really want to increase your odds I'd say fly into a remote lake and there are loads within easy flight of Whitehorse or Faro. The best hunting is definitely east and north east of Whitehorse and while there are occasionally good bulls killed off the road, game numbers are surprisingly low in the Yukon and there certainly isn't game around every corner but if you can get into a remote lake, you have a great chance of killing a monster bull. I've hunted up there several times and it's always a great experience and if you can do it with a friend or relative...all the better.

nof60 · #3 12-10-2007, 09:33 PM

I have shot the odd one up there. Can't really tell you much about outfitters but the bigger ones come from MacMillan area or North of Dawson or on the Kluane River west of Destruction Bay. There is quite a few around whitehorse but not a lot of gaggers as they get a lot of pressure there. If you can hunt with your relative, call Kanoe People in Whitehorse and book their Teslin Freighter for the week in September that the 21rst falls in. Take the boat to Faro and put it in the Pelly and have someone take your truck and trailer around to Pelly Crossing. You will get your trophy bull I promise. If you can access a jet boat I would suggest the Kluane River...If you can access an airboat go to the White river. No need for an outfitter or float plane for moose hunting in the Yukon. Hope this helps. Any other questions please PM me or some people will start an argument and ruin your post.

Walleyes · #4 12-11-2007, 11:52 AM

So what it is it,, does an A.B. resident need a guide or outfitter to hunt the Yukon or not ????

#5 12-11-2007, 11:54 AM

You can hunt some species with a Yukon resident...basically the same as a hunter host here. Sheep and goats are out and grizzly can only be hunted in certain areas with a resident. You can only do it once every three years as well.

Walleyes · #6 12-11-2007, 11:58 AM

Thx sheep..

Another ques,, I heard that there are outfits that will sign you in under them but you can basicly hunt on your own.. with your own gear and such. Is there any truth to this that you know of.. I would be speaking of moose hunting of course...

#7 12-11-2007, 12:02 PM

Not that I know of walleyes....I have guided a bit in the Yukon and the outfitters I've worked with definitely want to get the max out of their hunts and no matter what you'd still need a guide. I guess if you and a buddy went you could be guides for each other but I don't know any outfitters that do that but maybe someone else does.

gunslinger · #8 12-11-2007, 12:08 PM

walleyes if you have a ton of mountain experience and the outfitter knows you and trusts that you will be safe on your own with a friend, you can guide each other but under the laws you cannot harvest your animal within 24 hours of the other guys animal...also once you punch your tag and the other fella harvests one animal your hunt is over, you must harvest your animals before the other guys hunt starts,,,so for example if im guiding my brother and we both have sheep and moose tags, he shoots his ram, then i wnat the other ram he cannot go back to kill his moose, his hunt is over, but i can kill a moose once my ram is harvested.

but if you go on a hunt with a buddy and all you want is to have the outfitter fly you into a area then yes you can both hold a guides license, oh yea and dont forget that you can between the two of you only hold one firearm, you both cannot carry a firearm.

#9 12-11-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

but if you go on a hunt with a buddy and all you want is to have the outfitter fly you into a area then yes you can both hold a guides license, oh yea and dont forget that you can between the two of you only hold one firearm, you both cannot carry a firearm.

I thought guides were permitted to carry firearms in the Yukon or has that changed????

Walleyes · #10 12-11-2007, 12:15 PM

Again thx...

To hunt Moose in the Yukon has been a dream of mine for years but I just can't justify those costs... I have looked into it some what and I just feel that we would be more comfortable on our own.. We meaning the boys and I and a couple hunting buds there would probably be 4 - 6 guys in the hunt but all A.B. residents...

Any info to help get a guy going in the rite direction would be much appreciated..

gunslinger · #11 12-11-2007, 12:17 PM

this rule may be in place sheep so that they can manage that rule, i had a very strict meeting about it before we went into the hills last year.
was i ever glad that i won the coin toss cause then i got to take my old back up 30-06 and my bro had to leave his 300 ultra at the lodge, once my ram was taken outfitter come and got my ram and took my rifle and dropped his off.

this is the way it was so there must be some law about it anyway.

gunslinger · #12 12-11-2007, 12:21 PM

this would be a great trip walleye but the darn moose are so big, and you must take every piece of meat from the animal makes it tough to do on your own if you were gonna make a trip out of it. i mean it takes me 3 pack horses jsut to get one moose out, i couldnt imagine what a guy would have to do if you just went on a drop camp, i nderstand packing one out on your back down to a boat or some thing but to get two or three would be a deffinite workout. unless of course you have a pack string of horses that you are taking in there.

Walleyes · #13 12-11-2007, 12:25 PM

We are by no means mountain people. I have spent 3 seasons hunting the Lynx Creek and Carbondale areas but thats it... We would most likely be doing river hunting.. We do have access to boats..

Another dumb question,, but can you use quads to hunt there...

#14 12-11-2007, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunslinger

this would be a great trip walleye but the darn moose are so big, and you must take every piece of meat from the animal makes it tough to do on your own if you were gonna make a trip out of it. i mean it takes me 3 pack horses jsut to get one moose out, i couldnt imagine what a guy would have to do if you just went on a drop camp, i nderstand packing one out on your back down to a boat or some thing but to get two or three would be a deffinite workout. unless of course you have a pack string of horses that you are taking in there.

We killed a big bull once that we had to pack about a mile down a mountain to a quad trail and it took 3 1/2 days at two trips a day for two of us just to get it that mile down the mountain. I thought I'd seen a lot of big bodied moose until I walked up on that Yukon bull....yikes.

#15 12-11-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walleyes

We are by no means mountain people. I have spent 3 seasons hunting the Lynx Creek and Carbondale areas but thats it... We would most likely be doing river hunting.. We do have access to boats..

Another dumb question,, but can you use quads to hunt there...

Yes you can use quads but there certainly aren't the extensive trail systems you find here or even in BC for that matter. Most of it is pretty remote country. The areas with vehicle access are hunted harder but I know some guys that routinely do well in them. For me personally, I'd do a fly-in to a remote lake or a jet boat trip if I didn't have access to horses.

Walleyes · #16 12-11-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

We killed a big bull once that we had to pack about a mile down a mountain to a quad trail and it took 3 1/2 days at two trips a day for two of us just to get it that mile down the mountain. I thought I'd seen a lot of big bodied moose until I walked up on that Yukon bull....yikes.

Now your just teason....

#17 12-11-2007, 09:56 PM

Hey Guys,

Great post. sheephunter is right - the costs of guided hunts in the Yukon are getting very expensive. He is also right about being able to hunt moose in most zones with a resident - once every three years. They only allow 100 of these 'special guide' licences a year so have your relatives apply early.
My advice is to go for it with your relatives. Talk to some river guide companies to find out which rivers are safe to travel. Some are a little ugly. Nof60's suggestions are solid. I live in Watson Lake, Yukon and some of the rivers out this way have some nasty canyons and rapids. Most people in this area hunt the rivers anyway but know where to go. Lots of people also go north to Frances Lake and Ross River. The moose are very big bodied so, obviously, be a little careful where you knock it down. The Yukon is an amazing place and any hunt will be an amazing trip. Go for it and enjoy!