Giant Chukotka Moose
Moose moved onto the upper main-land of the Kamchatka Peninsula over thousands of years. The severe climate conditions, deep snow, shortage of the food stock on the passes did not let the moose natu-rally move deep down the peninsula. In 1978 specialists of the Regional Hunting Department carried out a project transporting 45 young moose to the center of Kamchatka. These moose were brought from the Chukotka region, home to the larg-est moose on the planet. Kamchatka now regularly is responsible for the largest trophy moose shot around the world each season. With a mild-er climate, less snow and an abun-dance of food moose quickly bred and settled along the valley of the Kamchatka River and many other regions. The population for the past 20 years has risen to 3000 animals.
Before 1990 the hunting in the Pen-zhinsky Region, northern Kamchat-ka, was mostly for meat, which was
taken by the local people in fall thru winter. Trappers used moose meat for the baits in their traps.
In the central part of the peninsula hunting began fairly recently; it is limited and under control of the Kamchatka Hunting Department and scientists. Annual legal harvest does not exceed 150 animals, last year just 130 moose were harvested with 40 of them being trophy bulls.
The mature bull can weight approxi-mately 1400 pounds (650 kg). The average antlers’ spread is 63 inches (160 cm). Every year our clients take record class moose, and some of them exceed 74-75 inches (190 cm) in spread and over 100 pounds (45 kg) in weight.
Areas
Central Kamchatka – Milkovo, Atlasovo and Esso areas.
Route
You will fly to Kamchatka via Mos-cow with Aeroflot. This is 8,5-hour non-stop daily flight. In Moscow/ Petropavlovsk you will be met by our crew who will assist you at the customs and accompany you to the hunting ground.
You will be transferred by vehicle or minibus from Petro to the hunt-ing area in Central Kamchatka.
Hunting season
September 10 to October 10 (rutting time)
The end of November to the end of December (on skidoo)
Climate
September/October: During day-light hours the temperature is from 41 to 50 oF (5 to 10 oC) and dur-ing nighttime it is from 23 to 32 oF (-5 to 0 oC). The possibility of rain and snow is high.
November/ December: 5 to 14 oF (-10 to -15 oC) during daytime and -4 to 5 oF (-15 to -20 oC) during nighttime.
Camp & Accommodation
The camps are wooden cabins, equipped with portable cots, stoves, generating sets. Every camp has an interpreter and a cook, who can offer you home style meals. Hot water and Russian style sauna is always available for wash-ing and shaving.
Hunting
During the rutting season we provide the hunt as the classic-style hunt on horseback or foot stalk with the moose call. We often see moose at a short distance. There is a good possibility for brown bear hunt during the moose rutting time as well. At the beginning of the rut about September 20 some salmon are still in the river and brown bears are along the streams. Later bears move toward the mountains to prepare for hibernation.
Once the moose is shot there is a good chance to shoot a bear at the bait - rest of the moose carcass..
Schedule
Day 1 arrival in Moscow, flight to Petropavlovsk
Day 2 arrival in Petropavlovsk, transfer to the hunting area: some areas are reachable 4x4 vehicle from Petropavlovsk, others by helicop-ter from Esso (10 hr. car transfer from Petropavlovsk)
Day 3–10 8 days hunt
Day 11 return to Petropavlovsk, overnight
Day 12 flight to Moscow, departure from Moscow