Drop off hunt

[chris]

Hi
So a friend and I have been talking about doing a drop off hunt for elk, caribou or moose. The problem is that we dont have any friends who have done a hunt like this. We looked at riverjet adventures which would be cool but are also interested in fly in.
Does anyone have any suggestions or names of packing companies for us to contact?
To go for caribou where would a guy even fly out of? I have heard Prophet river come up lots, is that a good area to start our search?
As you can tell this is the very early stages of planning and we haven't even narrowed an area down yet.
Our budget isn't huge because we are both middle class family men.
Thanks for any recommendations you guys have we are planning towards next year.
Chris

[albravo2]

Riverjet is nice in that you get to take a lot more stuff. Airplanes are weight limited.

That said, I went in with Riverjet once but my next will definitely be a fly-in.

I can't recall the outfit off the top of my head but there is a good air service out of Dease Lake. I'm sure a quick google will turn something up.

[porthunter]

BC Yukon Air is out of dease lake. Great company.

If you're looking for caribou, look north west of dease and pick a lake, good numbers of Moose in there as well.

[chris]

Albravo did you have success harvesting anything? Why would you go with a plane rather than the boat? Which river did you end up going down?
Thanks

[geo guy]

Did a fly in out of Dease 2 years ago and am going again this year. Got a caribou and a moose between 2 of us. Had opportunities on more animals as well but limited by weight when flying out so stuck with just the two animals so it would require a second flight. BC Yukon Air is a phenomenal operation and they are all great guys. Lots of real good country around Dease Lake, you can pretty much pick any lake and have a real good chance of success.

[chris]

Geo guy how far did you have to fly from dease lake to get into game?

[tinhorse]

Hey geo guy, just curious what was the cost of the flights in and out all said and done? thanks

[Billysheep30]

I have gone with BC Yukon Air as well as Riverjet. I would say you are in good hands either way.

[albravo2]

Albravo did you have success harvesting anything? Why would you go with a plane rather than the boat? Which river did you end up going down?
Thanks

We came real close on an elk, but no harvest. We were up the Tuchodi river. Amazing territory up there. I'm going plane next time for many reasons, including variety.

[huntcoop]

Anyone used RiverJet since Kevin sold the company?

[geo guy]

Our cost was $1100 each way, took us one flight each way, they joked we were sheep hunters since we took so little gear in with us. We had a specific spot we wanted to fly to that was a decent ways in, but there is definitely stuff closer, we spoke to one group that was just hunting over the ridge, said their flight was less than 10 minutes.. We same game the whole flight in as soon as we got over the first ridge. I counted over a dozen moose and we also saw several herds of caribou on just the flight in.

[Rampager]

Anyone used RiverJet since Kevin sold the company?

I don't think so until at least the start of August rolls around...

[RiverOtter]

If you've never done a drop hunt before, I'd recommend RJA. Partly because weight is much less of an issue, so you can pack a bit extra and figure out your best system for base and spike camps. Also, the meat shuttle service, so if someone in your group gets something early, it doesn't have to hang for a week or more. Another advantage to boat is that they can run in nearly any weather. Sept 2016 was the one and only time that Kevin had to play the safety card due to debris and postpone charters for a day. We went out the following day and the Muskwa had completely altered its course in 2 different places after an epic multi day downpour.

Also, unlike a lake, the likelihood of having groups stacked in the same hunting area is greatly reduced.

Honestly, I'd recommend doing both types of drop hunts eventually, but riverboat is a good one to start with, for the reasons already mentioned.

[460s&w]

U can try double a packers There on the prophet river. Great outfit.

[chris]

U can try double a packers There on the prophet river. Great outfit.

Thanks I sent them an email inquiring about drop off services as I cant afford the $5k for all inclusive. A friend of mine has done the all inclusive with them a couple times and has nothing but good things to say about it.

[RiverOtter]

What's meant by all inclusive?
Obviously they can't guide, so I'm curious what they do besides packing your gear to base camp?

[chris]

What's meant by all inclusive?
Obviously they can't guide, so I'm curious what they do besides packing your gear to base camp?
They provide meals and hot showers as well as have a meat cooler etc.

[RiverOtter]

So basically a hunting 'spa'. Haha.

I'm guessing they horse pack you in and out of camp every day too? Probably a fair price for the services offered, if that's the kind of hunt a guy is into.

If a comfy camp and awesome meals are the main objective, a guy can do 'er up pretty good with a river boat ride for thousands less.

[cuervosail]

Hey geo guy, just curious what was the cost of the flights in and out all said and done? thanks

I flew with them for the past two years. $9.50/mile for the Beaver. 1200 lbs capacity (including passengers).

[chris]

So basically a hunting 'spa'. Haha.

I'm guessing they horse pack you in and out of camp every day too? Probably a fair price for the services offered, if that's the kind of hunt a guy is into.

If a comfy camp and awesome meals are the main objective, a guy can do 'er up pretty good with a river boat ride for thousands less.

I dont, someone cooking for me while I'm out hunting sounds pretty sweet. Warm bed to sleep in at night doesnt sound too bad either. I dont make enough to justify the extra cost though and my small tent will have to do.

[backcountry99]

Fly out of dease if you want variety, flying is far superior to boats in my opinion, most pilots won’t drop more then 1 group per lake. River boating can be a shit show with other boats fighting over trail heads and for bigger game odds are you are packing a lot farther on river hunts then lake hunts.

as stated by others look at region 6 for caribou, they are few and far between in region 7

[338 whisper]

We are flying in this year out of Dease lake for $1250.00 in $1250.00 out we are taking a canoe wall tent ect. We should be the only people on the lake unless the fly in from Atlin or Tatogga but Tatogga is a two flight in and 3 out with meat. We are only hunting moose. Should be good time. It took 3 weeks of back and forth talking to get a lake that was not taken.