First time Moose hunt, BC

Suther

Suther

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Location
Fraser Valley
So me and a few friends got lucky with a Moose LEH draw. Between the 4 of us, we are allowed 2 bull moose. The hunt is the month of November, and we're in region 3-37 (Adams Lake area, NE of Kamloops).

The thing is, we're all newb hunters with at best a few years of deer hunting under our belts (largely unsuccessful years too) so I was hoping some of the more experienced moose hunters could give us some tips. What sort of tips? Honestly, I don't even know. Any advice, from tactics, sign to look for, likely habitat, temps/conditions moose like, calling dos/donts... Whatever advice you've got helps!
 
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Prime time for calling is last 2 weeks of Sept. and first 3 weeks of Oct.

Cow calling works best...but you might have to work same location for at least 3-4 days before giving up. Once you start calling stay put. Do not move. A Bull might slip in quietly, he might also thrash trees and gluck/ grunt all the way in. If he is trashing do the same once and awhile. Often times a Bull will hang up IF he does not hear the presence of another Bull. 9 times out of 10 a Cow is actually calling because she is not happy with the immature Bull that is harrassing her and she wants a more mature Bull. So if that incoming Bull does not receive a response to his grunts or raking trees he will become suspicious( especially true IF he has been called in by a human before).

Moose like fresh clearcuts in the Fall. They also like swampy areas because they can evade Wolves and Bears.


Look for fresh tracks, droppings and evidence of browsing twigs. Unless pressured hard Moose tend to stay in same area.

Make sure you stay hidden while calling...especially in a large area. Moose will key in on any movement and bust you. Ground blind or treestands work well.

Sometimes Bulls will be "cowed" up and they will stay with that Cow until she is no longer receptive to breeding. The chances of calling that Bull is almost zero percent. But sometimes you can hear them moaning/ breeding and you can quietly slip in on them and maybe get a shot.

Good luck...
 
Bring lots of Ropes ( in good condition ) bring sharp knives and sharpening stones.
If you can head up before the season begins get out there and scout the area with some help from google earth you should be able to locate some likely areas.
Youll either find something or you wont, thats all I can say.
The dry summer has messed with all the animals as has the fires burning out of control.
http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/dmf-viewer/?siteid=5131184402955244847

Rob
 
Along with the ropes, sharp knives and sharpening stones, I recommend some kind of saw to cut through the bones when quartering up the animal. I find that finding and shooting the animal the easy part. The work begins after you knock one down. Good luck on knocking down a couple of swamp donkeys.
 
I'm by no means a super moose hunter, but I try and find an area with some cover on the edge of an open area to call as long as there's some sign around. I go to the nearest road where I plan on hunting and do cow calls 20 minutes apart from dusk until just after dark. Then In the morning I try and get into my chosen spot before light and bunker down and do cow calls 20 minutes apart for several hours. I won't do a bull grunt until I hear one of them grunt at me.

Watch lots of YouTube videos and practice your calls lots before you go. I'd try and go oct01.

Like the other guys said, bring lots of knives. A cordless reciprocating saw works pretty good for splitting the hind quarters. Game bags.
 
Thanks for all the advice.

350 Mag, thanks for all the insight into moose behavior. We'll be up there the first Friday of November, and at least two of us will be staying for two weeks from that point, with intentions to go up after that on weekends or whatever if there are still tags to fill (I have school, so I'll be a weekend warrior most likely).

I've got the backroads mapbook for the region (just picked it up a few minutes ago), plus topo maps on my phone and I was scouting the area on Google Earth yesterday. I have two specific valleys I want to check out at this point. We are hoping to get up there for some reconnaissance before September rolls around, and Im hoping to head that direction for at least one weekend of deer/bear hunting in September too.

Why do I want a bunch of good rope? How many knives are we talking? I generally have 3 knives in my kit (a mora on my belt, a gerber folder and the boning knife from my good kitchen knives) and a small pocket sharpener.

I have a hack saw and a hatchet in the hunting bin, so I should have at least one of those on my person.
 
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Buy yourself or borrow a good Meartsaw,
I've cut up many a moose, a meat saw ropes and sharp knives are a must.
Old timer Lou
 
Congrats Suther! You may want to consider a canoe. I shot my first moose (calf) across a lake and we had to float and paddle the carcass to the landing zone then haul it up the cut trail to the road for gutting. It was a long night. Good rope for winching / hauling. Also blocks if you have to move it in one direction then another. Good times were had by all.
 
I just realized the hunt is for November not October. I edited my previous posts to include that fact.

So do tactics change in November? My buddy suggested we'd be bull calling, trying to piss off a teratorial bull not cow calling. Does that seem typical for the time of year?

Also, what are moose like in the snow? Do they tend to drop elevation when the white stuff rolls in, or are they content with white on the ground (and if so how much snow will they tolerate?)
 
VanIsleCam said:
Congrats Suther! You may want to consider a canoe. I shot my first moose (calf) across a lake and we had to float and paddle the carcass to the landing zone then haul it up the cut trail to the road for gutting. It was a long night. Good rope for winching / hauling. Also blocks if you have to move it in one direction then another. Good times were had by all.
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My buddy has a small inflatable that we will be bringing (rated for 400kg I think) . Guy #4 also has a canoe so we'll tell him to bring that too just in case.
 
Suther said:
I just realized the hunt is for November not October. I edited my previous posts to include that fact.

So do tactics change in November? My buddy suggested we'd be bull calling, trying to piss off a teratorial bull not cow calling. Does that seem typical for the time of year?

Also, what are moose like in the snow? Do they tend to drop elevation when the white stuff rolls in, or are they content with white on the ground (and if so how much snow will they tolerate?)
Click to expand...

I'll add a couple of things here since it is now a November hunt...
Bring lots of warm clothes and extra fuel and food too.
Leave the rubber boat at home...the canoe no comment ( i dont like Canoes )
Rope will be needed to hang the 1/4's or to tow it out of the bush closer to the road or for setting up Camp.
Knives will be needed when skinning and it will not take long to dull a once sharp knife.
Anyways, head into the tree lines away from clear cuts (beetle kill cuts) as the moose will be just inside those areas.
Calling, I have no advice to offer other than give it whirl as nothing ventured nothing gained (Bull grunts)
Good Hunting !
Rob
 
Another consideration is once the water freezes they are easy pickings for the wolves in the open. They will tend to hold up in the timber and not travel as much.
 
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