Hey guys!

Just got an outboard and a donkey lift for my square stern canoe and I'm having trouble deciding where to go for moose this year. I've got it narrowed down to 3 possibilities; Chena River from Chena Hotsprings Road (kind of high traffic, but still a thought), Chatanika River from Murphy Dome Road either up or down river, and the Tolovana River down river from the Elliot. If I stay out of the Minto Flats I don't have to worry about antler restrictions, but the population of moose is probably higher in the Flats. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. It will be me and one other person, and if my pregnant wife is feeling up to it she may drive out and come to camp for Labor Day weekend. The plan will be to do more floating than motoring, using the outboard to get back to the truck and/or up river. Also plan to hike up hills next to whatever river and glass, but would hope to drop something not too far from the river. I know guys go out to Minto and motor up the Tolovana, and that may be a possibility, but not too sure. Any thoughts and input would be greatly appreciated. Ya'll be safe out there!

Temple

Be sure you check the exact area of the Minto Flats Management area..I believe it extends up the Tolovana some, south to the Tanana, and East to the Dunbar trail (basically the hills). Wouldn't want you to put yourself in a spike fork, 50 or 4 browtine area if you don't want to be. That said there are a lot of little potholes and sloughs you could access with a canoe just back from the Chat that most folks won't even attempt to get to!!! Upriver from the Dunbar trail on the Chatanika is in 20B so it's any bull. PM me if you have any questions about downriver from the dunbar.

Pull up goggle earth and do a satalite recon of the area you want to hunt or areas that intrest you. It will show the sloughs closer to the river and good vantage points. I used it this year and impressed is the word I would use.
I would recommend that no matter were you decide to hunt, hunt up stream from camp. Stuff always happens, broke shear pin, gas, motor problems, and it is hard and wet trying to get a canoe back up stream to camp full of moose.
Another thing I found real helpful is one of those lite plastic kid sleds. It is easier to drag a quarter then to hump it out IMO.
Hope you connect!

Went and spoke with a biologist at F and G today, he said of those areas the Flats have the most moose, Chena River then Chatanika, with many dead spots and some pockets of moose on the Tolovana up river of the Flats. Google Earth has been greatly helpful, will use it some more to figure out exactly where I want to go, probably not upper Tolovana. Thanks you guys!

Don't forget the camera!

You got it White!

Gee you can just about go anywhere.......

Cachecreekkid thats an interesting motor mount on your canoe can you tell me about it thanks

Common here at one time. It's a "jackazz" lift.

(Apparently the bad boy filter won't let us discuss donkeys.....!)

It's a klingle lift, he sold the jigs to Pete weaver who sort of made them for awhile and then just quit making them. They're kind of obsolete now that Copperhead manufacturing is making a 6.5 surface drive.

Nice pics Jormah!

What is the exact function of the klingle style mount vs. the standard stearn mount?

The function and idea is the same, to lift the motor without tilting. I think the difference comes in only in the way they mount to the craft. If you look at the aluminum canoe in the last pic, you see where the lift is connected a few feet forward from the stern. The one I bough slips over only the stern and screws tight with the same style clamps that are on the outboard and that's it's only fastening point.

Like aknative said it's for lifting the motor on the fly so when your running shallow or rocky rivers you can adjust the depth of the motor by lifting or lowering the lever. With the Grumman 19ftr. I can go where jetboats and airboats can't and I use alot less gas too. It's to bad neither the Grumman ( now Marathon ) or the Klingle lift are available in alaska unless you find a used one and then when they do pop up they are sold rather quickly.

Here's pics of my setup (it's in pieces, I'll get pics of it put together and put them up after I get back.) Was worried I hurt the motor, put it on today and gave it a decent run and it runs great! Woo hoo!






Had to build up the transom 6 inches to get the motor up out of the water a smidge. Put it in the Chena with 15 gallons of fuel oil (bought at that time for ballast), and a big cinder block in front. The 8 horse may be a little much, got to maybe 3 quarter throttle and it started to scare me! Was planning to go out tonight, but will go out early in the morning. and spend close to a week out there if I don't see anything. Ya'll be safe out there!

If anyone else things they are cool enough that they need one, I have one here at the house that I will sell, since I no longer have a square stern canoe to run it on!

Pete

Maybe you could drop it off on your way to the farm,this fall!

That would be the Funny Farm ???

I am on my way BACK from the Funny Farm....

If you left recently,you probably have wet feet from that hurricane,as that area sure had a lot of rain.