BE SURE to always tie your raft up good!
While on the raft subject, I should point out your raft is your only way out. Always make its welfare your number one priority. DO NOT leave food scent in it. If you catch, fish be sure to rinse away all scent at some point before dark. I always completely unload the raft, turn it upside down, and have it near my tent. That's good advice.
Anytime you can get elevation in this country, which is easy most of the time-do so. You can set up a base camp near the river and hike up the side of the mountain behind you to glass. Generally, your camp will be in view of your mountainside perch. If you are in Moose country and did not sound like a marching band upon your arrival, you should see game from perches like these. Rarely does it fail.
Moose like willow brush, which normally grows along our riverbeds, so if you have lots of browse for moose and you see fresh sign, they are there, and you will spot them.
DO NOT SHOOT A MOOSE TOO FAR FROM CAMP. The number one mistake many non-residents make is shooting one of these beasts too far from camp/raft. It is a serious piece of work to field dress a moose and pack out the meat to your raft. The closer to the river you take your game, moose or caribou, the better! Ideally, you should concentrate your attention to areas downriver and not too far away from it.
At any point during your flight out, you could be checked by AK Dept. of Fish and Game, BE SURE to salvage all of the meat from the creature you harvested. It's the ethical thing to do and it's the LAW! Many get citations for this every year.
COLD CAMP OR NOT- Next post about your river float hunt.
