Floating Moose

[Decker9]

We’ve floated a handful or two over the years, from short trips to a few 2-3 hour floats with the canoe. Always whole and never had one sink.

 

[Dogleg]

Just make sure its dead when you tie on, we’ve all heard the stories but I know a Chip fellow up at Cree Lake who it happened to. Dragged the boat a long ways up the shore before they got the rope cut. He doesn’t like talking about it, or getting laughed at but if you see a bull with a yellow rope on it it used to be his

 

[sam menard]

We’ve floated a few bulls out and it worked well. The last one was a big bull with a 52” rack and we noticed that the weight of the rack would have sunk the moose had it not been tied off… make sure you have strong rope and it’s tied off well!

 

[boxhitch]

some take more work than others

 

[starvin]

Here’s a big Alberta bull “kinda” floating in 10’ of water. The bull had only been dead about 10 minutes, woulda been trouble if hunting from shore without a boat.

 

[tracker]

l have seen a moose floated back to camp wearing an approved orange life jacket.

 

[L86 All Terrain]

I've seen them float at the point you think its a rock. Then you get closer and go, why is there flies and small tufts of hair on that bloated rock? Then you realize you don't want to dock there for a piss or it might get messy.

 

[smokeeter]

We have floated many the 3 km back to camp. the hard part was getting them in the water whole if they didn't die there.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

The boys pulled a gutted moose across about 150 feet of deep water with the winch on our old army truck. That moose went completely out of sight. Did it sink all the way? We don't know, but it did vanish. Eventually it crawled up the bank though, 5/8 winch cable is hard to resist.

 

[hoytcanon]

The boys pulled a gutted moose across about 150 feet of deep water with the winch on our old army truck. That moose went completely out of sight. Did it sink all the way? We don't know, but it did vanish. Eventually it crawled up the bank though, 5/8 winch cable is hard to resist.

You have to leave them whole, the gases in their digestive system are what floats them.

 

[hoytcanon]

Whenever possible, it is easier to float moose "ON" the water, rather than "IN" the water...

 

[John Y Cannuck]

You have to leave them whole, the gases in their digestive system are what floats them.

While that's obvious, the moose was far from the water when shot. We would not be able to drag it whole that far.

 

[hoytcanon]

While that's obvious, the moose was far from the water when shot. We would not be able to drag it whole that far.

So then when you get to the water with the carcass, you put it "IN" a boat or canoe.

Or, I guess you can troll for lake trout with it...

 

[riversrest]

If you shoot it trough the lungs and/or surrounding membranes, it''s not floating good.

 

[DGY]

There is a story of some guys up here in the pelly crossing area that dragged a moose behind there boat on the pelly river and they lost everything boat, gear and moose… they say the moose head went underwater and the moose filled up with water sinking the boat and all that was in it! Possible? I don’t know! But since I heard that I try really hard to keep them head out of the water

 

[MRP]

There is a story of some guys up here in the pelly crossing area that dragged a moose behind there boat on the pelly river and they lost everything boat, gear and moose… they say the moose head went underwater and the moose filled up with water sinking the boat and all that was in it! Possible? I don’t know! But since I heard that I try really hard to keep them head out of the water

Even logs being pulled starts to nosedive will sink the biggest tugs out there. Doing anything beyond land's end you got to pay attention.
Reminds me of 60 years ago when we used to ride wooden door behind the boat, like a snowboarding only with a rope to hang on to. When it caught a wake and decided to go down, you let go of the rope fast and the guy on the boat had to cut the throttle immediately. We eventually stop because it was getting way too dangerous.