Big+Game+Hunting

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Hunting in Alaska may mean walking through muskegs, dense alder thickets, and crossing creeks. Even after all the hard work of finding an animal, experienced Alaskan hunters will say that the work really begins when an animal is killed. Wear good all- weather gear and be good physical shape.

Before hunting any distance from your camp, stop to think about how far you are willing or able to carry harvested game. A bull moose will dress out 350 to 750 pounds of mostly boned meat and will require four to eight round trips carrying approximately 100 pounds per trip through swap, brush and tundra. A brown bear hide can weigh over 120 pounds and can be cut in half if necessary. Even a big bull caribou will weigh 150-180 pounds of boned meat. If it is necessary to make multiple trips to pack meat back to camp, take the time to pack all of the meat at least 200 yards away from the kill site and conceal it under a bush. Birds and other small animals will soon find your kill and can draw in other scavengers like bears. Always carry your rifle when packing meat and be alert each time you return to the kill site and meat cache area in case a bear has moved in during your absence.

