Okay, Yay! You got your moose, but it's in a swamp a km from the road. Now what?

You're assuming you can get a boat into the pond. Gutting and quartering a moose balls deep in October water isn't much fun. :)
Lake is no problem, but swamp and reeds..........

enter the fly fishermans float tube and a set of chest waders...... every serious moose hunter should have one in the trunk ;)
 
Been there, done that, if you hunt in good moose area this is going to happen. Remember moose live in wet lands. Plan your hunt and have good equipment, surround yourself with hunters who know how to get it done. Last year was the first year in over 30 some odd years of moose hunting that we missed out on a moose, many, many have been in very wet swamp land. Have fun.

Cheers Bill
 
You're assuming you can get a boat into the pond. Gutting and quartering a moose balls deep in October water isn't much fun. :)
Lake is no problem, but swamp and reeds..........

I don't cut them in the pond..... I pack gear to drag them to dry land on the friendly side..... And have stripped down to get them hooked to the rope when necessary (rare, you can usually walk around the pond).... And yes it is not fun, but as the saying goes, once the tigger is pulled the work begins......
 
Now you have a huge job. You better have some strong friends and hope it is in the morning and not last light, as its not going to be fun. I have been a part of a few big recoveries and any mechanical advantage you can give yourself is a blessing. I dont know very many men that can pack a front quarter of a big moose themselves. Last year I got one on the road, and managed to get it in the truck myself. It took me 2 hours and I was done like dinner at the end of it.
 
ya maybe that's it LOL (spelling?)
I was first introduced to this tool as a bridge builder , very handy for getting stuff to move that doesn't want to and when a vehicle winch just won't do the job or can't access.

It looks real handy, I've never seen one before but I'll be adding it to the random Craig's list searches for sure!
 
It looks real handy, I've never seen one before but I'll be adding it to the random Craig's list searches for sure!

To be honest, based on google search results, I thought 45 had a better option (images look more robust than what I have).....

Truth is we are talking the same thing...... Go to crappy tire site and search come along and there you go!.....
 
The best thing about the tirfor is it doesn't just make difficult retrievals easier, but where it really shines is in camp when you are able to get the whole beast out with the hide on to protect everything, then hoist it up the game pole for cleaning , skinning and quartering. Why hurt yourself when there are tools to get er done.
first pic is my huntin partner up the ladder attaching the snatch block to the game pole. The business end of the turfer cable is inserted thru the snatch block.


then the business end is attached with a strap around the head which is also how we attach for dragging out of the bush when needed


then up into the trees it goes.


you can see the green object in the pics with the cable going thru it, that's the tirfor.
hoisting even the largest of moose is childsplay for one of these units..... where I've seen some come alongs blow apart, these will not ;)
 
Thomas, just a bit of feedback, the tirfor works great.... As I said, we call them come alongs...... The addition of a mobile pulley that you can hook to a sturdy tree multiplies the capability both in the field and at the meat pole......
 
I get it hehehe :)

last week I got my cow elk right at the end of the opening. we had to get it about 600 yards out of the bush to the quad. dressed and quartered at killsite, game bagged and then we used a lodge pole and lashed on a quarter, each shouldering one end of the pole and walking them out one by one. Shot the elk 1/2 before sundown, sat down on my cot in the tent after a job well done at 3a.m. LOL sometimes no matter what tools you have at hand.... physically carrying pieces is the only way ;)
 
Last edited:
The BC moose hunting thread got a couple of us thinking:

So you've followed the advice of the experts and got away from the road warriors, done your research with maps and Apps and Google Earth and everything else at your disposal, hiked a 1000 metres along a boggy stream away from the road to a cute pocket moose meadow with a little pond and a huge moose in it and you shoot the moose.

Now what?:confused:


Now you learn why some of us truck hunt;)
 
When you're young, you do silly things, like shooting a moose in some water. After a couple of times, the novelty wears off, and you may well decide to be more selective about just where, when, and with whom you are willing to drop a moose of any size. I will repeat here what my brother-in-law said as we looked at a very large moose in a very ugly spot," Nothing ruins a moose hunt quite as much as actually shooting one."

The older I get, the more I agree with him. I've also found it pays to hunt, as much as possible, with young, athletic men who are willing to get wet and dirty so the old guy doesn't hurt himself.
 
When you're young, you do silly things, like shooting a moose in some water. After a couple of times, the novelty wears off, and you may well decide to be more selective about just where, when, and with whom you are willing to drop a moose of any size. I will repeat here what my brother-in-law said as we looked at a very large moose in a very ugly spot," Nothing ruins a moose hunt quite as much as actually shooting one."

The older I get, the more I agree with him. I've also found it pays to hunt, as much as possible, with young, athletic men who are willing to get wet and dirty so the old guy doesn't hurt himself.


good advice ^^^
 
I don't cut them in the pond..... I pack gear to drag them to dry land on the friendly side..... And have stripped down to get them hooked to the rope when necessary (rare, you can usually walk around the pond).... And yes it is not fun, but as the saying goes, once the tigger is pulled the work begins......

Our moose and ponds must be bigger. I've never tried dragging one across by hand nor had enough rope to stretch across.
I find it easier to shoot them before or after they're in it. :)
 
Humping a moose a mile out of the bush isn't that far really. Some places I hunt it's three times that far before we even get to where we start hunting. Sometimes ATV's can be used, sometimes canoes, sometimes it's packing out deboned meat.... Whatever it takes!!!


PS: getting wet and dirty is half the fun....
 
The reason I asked if it is knee deep is that it is unlawful in Alberta to shoot at big game while it is swimming and the OP didn't indicate province. If it is just walking around no biggie hence why I answered the way I did. From Alberta Hunting Regs:


BIG GAME

It is unlawful to: (under para 2)


discharge a weapon at a big game animal while it is swimming.
 
The reason I asked if it is knee deep is that it is unlawful in Alberta to shoot at big game while it is swimming and the OP didn't indicate province. If it is just walking around no biggie hence why I answered the way I did. From Alberta Hunting Regs:


BIG GAME

It is unlawful to: (under para 2)


discharge a weapon at a big game animal while it is swimming.

Interesting.... And Ontario has the same law..... But I hardly see how an animal with four feet planted firmly in ground is "swimming"......
 
Back
Top Bottom