We try to tell hunters that whoever they choose to go hunting with, DO NOT fly to the bush from the Anchorage area. Sure, it is cheaper; you can fly into Anchorage, hop in a bush plane, and be hunting right away. You do not have to spend more time and money taking a commercial flight into another town before you get on the bush plane and go hunting. It’s easy to do, and there are many large air taxis based in Anchorage competing for the same areas to hunt.
You might say, "Why McGrath?" Good question, since we have no facility there, and it is quite a commitment on our part. We go there because it is the closest town to what we have found to be the best moose hunting in Alaska. It is also a friendly town with excellent accommodations. If you are a serious hunter and want a trophy moose, you should consider Willow Air. No one will work harder to make your hunt an enjoyable experience.
We request all our hunters be in McGrath the day before you are scheduled to fly out to the bush. This gives you time to get your luggage if it has been bumped to the next flight due to an overfull flight. It also gives you time to do your last-minute shopping for fresh foods, salt, propane, butane, etc. We plan our next day of flying the evening before, so if you are not in McGrath the day before your hunt, you will not get flown out on your scheduled day. You should also plan to spend at least one night in McGrath at the end of your hunt so you can sort gear and get all the final arrangements made to get your gear, meat, antlers, and cape home.
