Hunting float trip

[bartcanoe]

In May, I'm going to attend guide school for oar rafts on the Rouge River in Oregon.  Although, I love whitewater and rivers, I have no plans to become a whitewater guide.  Learning these skills was to allow me to access wild places not only to enjoy their beauty, but also to hunt.

So the question is, if you could pick any floating hunt trip, what would it be?

[GrayRhino]

I'd love to do an interior AK float hunt for moose again.  No moose were harmed on this trip, but it was great nonetheless.

[bartcanoe]

What river was it, and how long of a trip was it?

I've always wanted to hunt Moose.

Dave

[maineac]

Sounds like a great plan

[maineac]

Let us know how it goes

[bearsfeet]

I'm a fish bum so I'm in the drift boat quite a bit. I have had a few cracks at decent bucks on the river while fishing but chose not to shoot or things didn't pan out. I love being on the river so hunting using a boat for transportation fits in well. There are not a ton of good spots for this here in oregon but there are quite a few options.

Have fun on the rouge! You should see quite a few bears down there

[bartcanoe]

Bears feet,

So would the Rouge be a possibility for a hunting trip?  If so, what animals?

Dave

[Outwest]

Snake river through Hells Canyon would be nice. I have hunted it from jetboat a few times, it could be done in a raft of appropriate size.
I have also hunted the Deschutes several times by boat and it is also good hunting.
John Day river would be another.

John

[Dawnpatrol]

Last weekend I did a three day float/hunt along the Eel River in northern California. It was 47 miles of wild country. We found a great hunting spot for hogs and deer. Even found an atypical antler from a very fine specimen of a deer. Float trips are a lot of fun. One benefit is that once the animal is down its almost always a downhill haul back to the boat.

[David Yukon]

That is what we do for moose most of the time, from a few hours, to up to about 10 days. We use canoes, since that is what we paddle efficiently. I think it is a great way to do things, since you have a "lot" of room for comfort. We bring our small wall tent and stove... on late season hunts!!
Good luck

[pruiter]

Rafts great way to hunt,

[bartcanoe]

I've been doing a little internet research, and I've found some alaskan outfitters that offer unguided moose hunting float trips.  That sounds pretty tempting, I'm thinking a 2014 adventure.

Dave

[Orion]

If you want to do Alaska, check out Ernie Holland.  I believe he still outfits on the "Moosejohn" River that Jay Massey made famous.

[GrayRhino]

David, it was a fly-in 10 day trip in the interior of Alaska through prime moose country.  We called in two bulls but didn't have shot opportuntities at either one.  Jumped another one that was bedded on the riverbank as we drifted by, but again, no shot.  Great fun and great memories.

You can see our camp - the orange tent - on the river below.

 

[bearsfeet]

Originally posted by bartcanoe:
Bears feet,

So would the Rouge be a possibility for a hunting trip?  If so, what animals?

Dave

No as far as I know the wild section you are probably floating for guide school you are to allowed to hunt within a mile or something like that of the river. The bears are pretty tame in that stretch and it would not be very sporting anyways. It's a VERY high traffic stretch of water during late spring and summer.

The snake, D and John day would have some good hunting options. Throw in a fly rod for any of these floats to because depending on the time of year you can have some good fishing to. Floating the snake in the fall for deer and elk would be a fun trip and throw in a day or two of fishing to rest your legs ever few day because its steep!