Silly question perhaps, but why is the average price of these things so seemingly high? I know a lot can go into it, you get what you pay for, etc. Maybe I'm naive but I still can't imagine there's not a bunch of guys living in remote areas who know what they're doing and would do well charging a few punters $1k-$2k for a few days in the bush, not $5k++. Why does it seem there are so few "middle class" options?
Hunting in Alaska - MeatEater Style
- Thread starter Carbon12
- Start date
Silly question perhaps, but why is the average price of these things so seemingly high? I know a lot can go into it, you get what you pay for, etc. Maybe I'm naive but I still can't imagine there's not a bunch of guys living in remote areas who know what they're doing and would do well charging a few punters $1k-$2k for a few days in the bush, not $5k++. Why does it seem there are so few "middle class" options?
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
The reason is that once you charge people money for guiding/hunting, you generally need a guide license and an outfitters license, not to mention other regulations that need to be followed. Some provinces treat anyone living outside of that province as a non-resident, so licenses won't be available the same that they are to residents and can often only be obtained through outfitters.
Good question
Perhaps the price is influenced by how much the market for the service is willing to pay and how much competition there is. Like any other business it would try to maximize profit in a short season. A “middle” class option would be nice for us middle class hunters though
The question could be how much value a hunter would get for $5k versus $2k.
This is one off the main reasons I started this thread ... it was to learn more in order to ask the right questions and to have enough basic information to research further.
Very true.
It would be a vacation after all and the objective would be to get that moose and bring the meat back to Ontario.
Unfortunately $5k is the middle class option these days. I was guiding “meat hunts” in BC for $4k over 10years ago. These are truck access hunts where anyone with a tag could access. Once the outfitter paid me, fuel costs, food, camp upkeep, the profit margin was pretty low. You want access to remote areas? Now we’re talking about airplanes and wilderness cabins or camps. Double the price. Trophy animals? Add fees. Cost to the hunter escalates pretty quickly.
DIY is the most affordable. Then you can go wherever you choose including really good moose areas. All in, a fly in hunt generally will cost me $2000 if I hunt with a group.
Would this be as an out of province hunter in Newfoundland? or elsewhere.
Sorry, that’s in BC. I have no experience hunting in the east. For reference we drive about 1400 km to our float plane base, then fly in 75-100 km. I don’t know what flights cost in the east but a beaver will run you $10-10.50 per air mile here. That’s round trip. So a 75 km flight costs you both ways. So to get in and out you’re paying for 300 km. If you kill some moose you’ll probably have more flights required to get all your gear and meat back. Plan ahead. Do lots of research. It’s well worth the time and money IMO.
Thank you for the detailed information. I have a brother-in-law in BC and he is an avid big game hunter so that could work for me. I would then need to figure out how to ship a manageable quantity of frozen moose meat back to Ontario ... Frozen meat shipped via air freight in a Yeti cooler? I have no idea what that would cost ... lol I know of a guy who drove back from Newfoundland to Ontario with frozen moose meat ... but BC ... a bridge too far?
Good point! Probably best to make a driving vacation out of it and take it back in a good Yeti cooler. See a bit of Canada while you are at it ...
My brother just moved to the Yukon so hopefully in a years time I will get to go out with him and one of his buddies. if your a resident of the Yukon you then have hunting rights for Alaska as well... going out this summer to check out his new place. Apparently (I don't know 100%) but it is very easy to get a "guide" status as long as your a resident of whatever territory your in... the amount of game that is up there is unreal...
no more hunting rights in Alaska for regular Yukon resident. as a guide status being easy let me know how it goes ... now this is on draw and only 100 special guide residents are issued a year. within 10 years i ve seen a change in that, at the beginning the amount was not used at all, last few years gone in few hours OTC. now with the draw this the luck of the draw.
few members has done the trip here and they will all tell you the same: it takes a lot of equipment to do it.
for the amount of game well this is the north so do not expect a moose hidden behind every tree even on a fly out trip.
at the end this is a paradise but you may work your butt a little ...
I am up for working my butt off for paradise
My brother-in-law went up to Yukon 4 years ago for a fishing trip and he was after pike, and I mean "huge" pike. Pike as long as your leg!
smokin'stoegie
CGN Regular
- Location
- S/West Ontario
The required Yeti coolers to carry an adult moose would be an extra 10 grand..... lol
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Better off buying a used deep freezer throwing it in the bed of truck or trailer and running a generator to power it, much cheaper.
Yes you are right. I do have a Honda 2000 VA portable generator and I could easily borrow an extra chest freezer from my brother. I have heard of hunters doing that but I never had someone recommend that method to me directly. Thank you. I think that is definitely the way to go.
