Has anyone experience with moose in Kamchatka during the rut?

[Foxi]

Hello guys,
i am about to spin my strings for a hunting trip to Kamchatka.On the weekend there was a big hunting fair in Salzburg.Several Russian agents/outfitters were there.All said, that without a helicopter search the chance of finding a really strong moose in this swamp wilderness is for nothing, because you can't reach a radius on foot in 12 days hunting.
Two things that keep me busy:
the economic:
the helicopter search-hour costs 3.800 USD, no matter if 5 men are in the helicopter (will be splitted) or only one.
The risk of spending another 10.000.- USD for helicopter flying hours , how big is that usually?
The organizers always play it down, but when you are there, you are at their mercy.

The sporty / ethical variant:

I'm no saint,but rocking through the air with other hunters on a bus for a coffee ride,drawing lots to see who gets to shoot first,and then killing the moose in a good hour doesn't really satisfy me as a hunter.

Has anyone of you during the rut experienced other and can report about it, gladly also by pm.
Greeting +thanks
Foxi

 

[grand veneur]

You are unfortunately too late !

30 years ago I shot three moose in Yakutia and north Kamchatka at the transition from Soviet Union to Russia. At that time the helicopter was already a requirement but costed nothing , was include !

As far as the helicopter is concerned , the area was hardly accessible on foot so it was impossible to hunt without a helicopter. I always shot after a dropping off with the helicopter in the near of the moose and a short approach , but it was possible to shoot a moose from the helicopter. Some hunters did it , and shoot moose and bears in this way. That sounds easy , but it wasn't , it was dangerous and you would have to jump out of the helicopter because it couldn't land.

 

[Scott CWO]

Try going in November or December with snow machines instead? They kill some big bulls in the late season when everything is frozen. After cutting big tracks, you slip up on them on foot if their tracks don't exit the heavy cover. Never done it but sounds a bit more sporting than spotting one from a helo.

 

[grand veneur]

Snow machine was suggested as an alternative later in the season , as far as the weather permits. It is extremely cold and a lot of snow in these regions.

The helicopter was however a normal device of hunting for the russians and also for everything connected with it. For example , we also collected wood for fire with the helicopter. We were allowed to walk on foot in the first days to show us that hunting was not possible. They were right , the area consisted only of swamps or a ground covered with holes due to the frost. It was impossible to walk over a longer distance and there was no mountains for spotting. One quickly saw that it would not work without a helicopter.

The rivers were full of fish that had never seen a spoon lure before.

 

[Foxi]

Try going in November or December with snow machines instead? They kill some big bulls in the late season when everything is frozen. After cutting big tracks, you slip up on them on foot if their tracks don't exit the heavy cover. Never done it but sounds a bit more sporting than spotting one from a helo.

a friend was there,November two years ago.
No snow .............
The PH's refused to go out in the little snow, because they would have destroyed their machines.
@kurpfalzjäger,
could you please share the photos of your Kamchatka moose with us.

 

[enysse]

I wish I could put the costs of these hunts down on paper with success rates. Moose hunts in North America are becoming astronomical high. Not that I want to hunt from a helicopter either but would like to know the costs involved.

 

[Alaska Luke]

We have similar terrain in parts ofAlaska but no helicopter hunting. Solutions are to move to where there is high country or to call them in.

For the price I think you could arrange a good hunt in Alaska or Canada. There are guided options but also DIY hunts were an outfitter drops you off in a good area and you hunt yourself for a week or so. Ethics aside, using a helicopter just doesn't sound terribly fun. I'd rather hang out in the mountains.

 

[grand veneur]

There were only a few hills from which you hardly saw anything.

You also have to fit yourself into the Russian mentality. It went about practical things and efficiency , not sport , and at that time also about meat. They said , why make a needless effort when one have the technical means , you want a trophy , we can help and we guarantee success. The hunt in the Soviet Union was accompanied by professional hunters , they saw it as their work and they wanted to do it well. It was a different kind of hunt when you jump out of a helicopter accompanied by a professional hunter with a radio to keep in contact with the pilot. It looked more like a military operation as hunting.

So it was , and unfortunately it was not possible of a different manner in the three regions where I hunted. I would like to note that Kamchatka is 1200 km long and I can only report on the northern part. There are different regions and climatic zones where maybe hunting is possible differently. All areas where I hunted were military restricted areas at that time which were not all open to strangers , for example the southern and most beautiful part of Kamchatka.

 

[Foxi]

There were only a few hills from which you hardly saw anything.

You also have to fit yourself into the Russian mentality. It went about practical things and efficiency , not sport , and at that time also about meat. They said , why make a needless effort when one have the technical means , you want a trophy , we can help and we guarantee success. The hunt in the Soviet Union was accompanied by professional hunters , they saw it as their work and they wanted to do it well. It was a different kind of hunt when you jump out of a helicopter accompanied by a professional hunter with a radio to keep in contact with the pilot. It looked more like a military operation as hunting.

So it was , and unfortunately it was not possible of a different manner in the three regions where I hunted. I would like to note that Kamchatka is 1200 km long and I can only report on the northern part. There are different regions and climatic zones where maybe hunting is possible differently. All areas where I hunted were military restricted areas at that time which were not all open to strangers , for example the southern and most beautiful part of Kamchatka.

Point of outfitting is almost always the city of Esso, 550 km north of Petropawlovsk airport.
Ergo everything takes place in the northern region.
I like to hunt,not do a military work ,a moose is not a terrorist.
It's enough, that I want to murder him for the trophy.
Thank you for your open words.

Dont forget the pics.
Regards
Foxi

 

[Scott CWO]

I wish I could put the costs of these hunts down on paper with success rates. Moose hunts in North America are becoming astronomical high. Not that I want to hunt from a helicopter either but would like to know the costs involved.

For the November/December hunts, I was quoted $12k-$15k, depending on the agent, a couple weeks ago at the GSCO Show. I didn’t see any helicopter hunts being marketed. Even with the travel involved, I think they are cheaper than AK, YK and NWT.

 

[grand veneur]

We are in the years 1989 to 1991.

I remind again that these were not booked helicopter hunts but that the helicopter was only a mode of transport for the russians like an off-road vehicle or a horse. The helicopter was certainly a very practical vehicle for our purposes.

Some of us did test hunts at the time , but we were warned that nobody know in advance how it would work and what the results would be like. I was in some regions the first foreign hunter and did not know in advance what was going to happen to me. I hunted back then in this way in other areas of Russia , and also on game species that no longer existed in these areas or even never existed. All of these surprises were part of it at the time.

You cannot compare all of this with what can now be booked in Russia with reliable outfitters.

 

[Alaska Luke]

Some moose hunts are surprisingly expensive but I've seen British Columbia hunts for a lot less. I think one outfitter was charging about $6000. Alaska seems to cost more in general but if you meat 12K to 14K in dollars you could probably find something here. I've seen grizzly hunts for that price.

If it was my hunt I'd suggest a horseback moose or Elk hunt in Canada. Even if you don't get a trophy the journey would be an adventure. Its like getting in a time machine and going back to the old west.

Another option would be a boat based hunt. You can float down a river in a raft looking for moose as you go.

Finally Alaska and Canada both have some spectacular mountains. If you can get extra time go hunting then spend a few days driving around. Depending on where you go I could recommend places to visit.

 

[Nyati]

@Foxi , have you looked at Norway/Sweden/Finland ?

 

[Scott CWO]

Some moose hunts are surprisingly expensive but I've seen British Columbia hunts for a lot less. I think one outfitter was charging about $6000. Alaska seems to cost more in general but if you meat 12K to 14K in dollars you could probably find something here. I've seen grizzly hunts for that price.

If it was my hunt I'd suggest a horseback moose or Elk hunt in Canada. Even if you don't get a trophy the journey would be an adventure. Its like getting in a time machine and going back to the old west.

Another option would be a boat based hunt. You can float down a river in a raft looking for moose as you go.

Finally Alaska and Canada both have some spectacular mountains. If you can get extra time go hunting then spend a few days driving around. Depending on where you go I could recommend places to visit.

Foxi is not a US or Canadian citizen so he is required by law to use a guide. High success guided moose hunts in Alaska are more than $20k now.

The moose in British Columbia are the smaller Canadian moose subspecies and the good hunts there go for $11k or so. Alberta moose are smaller on a average and success is lower so you sometimes see those hunts less than $10k. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

 

[Alaska Luke]

Correct but the hunt I mentioned was with a guide.

Its your money Foxi but I would suggest researching North American too.

 

[Foxi]

@Foxi , have you looked at Norway/Sweden/Finland ?

yes my friend ,Ive traveld a lot there.But these are not moose I want to spend money on.
Besides, you'll only get them there on a driven hunt.
Success rate underground

 

[ack]

You might check with Phillip at Khomas Highland on here..He took a large moose and bear last fall in Kamchatka..Very straight fellow...

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Newfoundland is also an option and would be more economical then either Alaska or British Columbia if the prices above are accurate.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

As an added bonus up to two black bear tags are also available when moose hunting Newfoundland.

 

[Alaska Luke]

As an added bonus up to two black bear tags are also available when moose hunting Newfoundland.

Coming from Germany he might save on the plane ticket to.