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Outdoor Life published Scott Haugen’s account of a moose hunt in Alaska that he described as the most difficult of his life. The story centers on the declining health of longtime outfitter Bruce Hallingstad and two clients who said they were more interested in enjoying camp than shooting a moose.
Outdoor Life published Scott Haugen’s account of an Alaska moose hunt he called the most difficult of his life, describing how his longtime outfitter’s health and two clients’ lack of interest in shooting a moose changed the planned trip. The story shows that the strain came not only from hunting conditions, but from a hunt built around shared expectations and an important relationship.
Haugen writes that he had hunted in Alaska for 36 years and had known outfitter Bruce Hallingstad for 19. Their history included earlier trips for coho, ptarmigan, brown bears and moose. Hallingstad invited Haugen back for what they expected could be their last moose hunt together, as Hallingstad was considering selling his operation and had been dealing with health problems.
When Haugen arrived at Hallingstad’s home near Egegik Bay after a 25-mile boat ride, Hallingstad told him he might not be able to travel upriver to camp. Haugen was directed instead to a remote camp run by guide Carl Adams, where he could help two clients, Peter and Stan, before hunting. Haugen says both men were in their 70s and that neither ultimately cared much about filling a moose tag.
On the second evening, Adams spotted a bull that he estimated was nearly 60 inches wide. The account says Peter declined to leave his tent to pursue it, despite repeated encouragement and an offer to use Haugen’s rifle. The bull moved within 517 yards of Haugen, who watched and photographed it. The next day, Peter said he was there to have fun and spend time with the group. Haugen replied that he would wait to hunt until the clients had tagged out; Stan later said he also did not care if he killed a bull.
When Client Expectations Shape the Hunt
The account highlights a practical tension in guided hunting: a trip may be organized around a species and a tag, while clients may value the experience differently. Haugen says the two men had each paid $30,000 for the hunt, yet neither was intent on taking a moose. That left him weighing his own opportunity against his decision to support the clients and the guides.
The story also carries personal stakes. Haugen had returned after back surgeries and thought an earlier moose hunt might be his last. This trip was intended as a final shared outing with Hallingstad, whose health limited his ability to join the camp. The difficulty, as Haugen presents it, was therefore tied to relationships, health and mismatched goals, not simply whether a hunter could find an animal.
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A Long History With Hallingstad
Haugen’s account traces his relationship with Hallingstad back 19 years, when the outfitter invited him to film outdoor television episodes. They later hunted brown bears together, including one Haugen describes as the biggest he had taken, and went moose hunting on the King Salmon River in 2017. Haugen says serious back problems made that earlier trip physically difficult, but two surgeries later he felt well enough to return.
The current trip was planned for a remote camp upriver, where Hallingstad said moose might move as the rut approached. The group traveled by boat with Adams, another guide, Tom Roll, and the two clients. Adams warned them that moose could be close in the thick alders and that brown bears were common in the area. Those details establish the setting, but Haugen’s narrative focuses on the group’s choices and the absent outfitter more than on a technical account of hunting conditions.
“As you can see, I’m not doing that great. Don’t think I’m going to be able to make it up river to camp this year.”
— Bruce Hallingstad, as quoted by Scott Haugen
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The Hunt’s Final Outcome Is Unclear
The supplied portion of Haugen’s story ends after Stan says he also does not care whether he kills a bull. It does not establish whether either client later harvested a moose, whether Haugen took one, or how the rest of the 15-day trip unfolded. The account also does not provide independent confirmation of the clients’ payments or further medical details about Hallingstad; those details are presented through Haugen’s reporting.
The headline calls this Haugen’s most difficult hunt, but the available account describes the circumstances rather than offering a measurable comparison with every hunt he has taken. The article’s central explanation is his own: the hardest part was the human and personal situation surrounding the trip.
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What the Published Account Leaves Open
The supplied report does not name a follow-up event or say whether Hallingstad sold Becharof Outfitters. The next development readers might look for is the remainder of Haugen’s account, which could explain how the camp’s hunt concluded and whether the group’s plans changed. Until further details are available, the clients’ eventual outcomes and Haugen’s own hunt remain unknown.
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Key Questions
What made this hunt difficult for Scott Haugen?
Haugen’s account emphasizes the combination of his longtime outfitter Bruce Hallingstad’s health problems, the personal importance of their planned final hunt together and clients who were not focused on shooting a moose.
Did the clients shoot a moose?
The supplied portion of the Outdoor Life report does not say whether either client eventually harvested a moose.
Why did Peter pass on the bull?
According to Haugen, Peter said he would shoot it the next day and later explained that he was there to enjoy the trip and spend time with the group. The report does not give another reason for his decision.
Was Hallingstad able to join the hunt?
Hallingstad told Haugen he did not think he could make it upriver to camp because he was not doing well. Haugen went to a camp run by guide Carl Adams instead.
Source: rss
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