Hi folks,
This is a bit on the late side but between work, hunting and then moving into our new place and all that comes along with that I haven’t had a lot of time…However, better late than never, here goes the tale of my ’09 moose hunt.
After patiently waiting until October 4th for my residency requirement to pass, I picked up a couple of deer tags and a moose tag and headed for my home town in the central interior on October 9th. The weather was shaping up to be perfect for moose hunting, cool and calm. I didn’t have an LEH so I would be looking for either a calf or an immy bull…
The first few days of the hunt were spent checking out my old haunts, which had basically all grown up with dog hair thick willow and evergreens, but I guess it has been a few years since I left BC and headed north to Nunavut...There had been a couple of new blocks harvested in the area but luckily the head end of a certain valley still had blocks that offered the perfect amount of visibility and forage. Since this was my favourite old haunt I figured why change, I'll concentrate my efforts there...
I spent each day beating the bush, glassing favourite slides etc and was rewarded with the sight of one cow moose, three quarters of the way up a mountain. I had been on that particular mountain numerous times in the 1990’s and spent my fair share of time pulling moose off of there. I once spent three days helping my cousin get his moose out of a nasty thicket on that hillside. I didn’t want to go up there but if that moose would have grown two points I would have been over there. After four days, even though I was glad to be back hunting in the mountains with my father, I found myself getting a little bit discouraged with the lack of fresh sign. I was also running into a lot of other hunters which isn’t normal for this particular area of the trench as well.
The morning of the 14th arrived, and there was a fresh blanket of about 2 inches of snow covering the whole area! Perfect, I'll be able to see exactly how much animal movement has been occurring. I drove up to my drop point, dumped the ATV off and continued up the valley. My dad figured that he would go back and hunt another area and we would meet up along the road later in the morning as I had to be at the bank by 11:00am.
I was slowly motoring up the road looking for tracks when another ATV with 2 people on it roared past me. I knew that there would be at least two other people up there as they had basically slept near the rock slide each morning in order to be the first ones into the back end of the valley. I almost turned around and headed elsewhere but then I figured, what the hell, I'll go check for tracks at least.
I waited for a few minutes and then continued up the FSR. I stopped to glass a cut block, nothing, so I continued on. Upon arriving at the fork I noted that the ATV that had just past me had continued straight up the road and into the back, while the other guys had crossed the river and entered the block on the north side of the valley. I knew that they had been hunting the block closest to the river in the early morning so I figured I would go across and see if one of them had went up the road that went to the east. If one of them had then I would turn around and GTFOT; both of them had gone into the big block to the west...
I normally park at the fork and hunt on foot but I figured that since two ATV's had broken the silence already that I would drive up the old road to the east about halfway to the cut block and then walk the rest of the way. I got to the edge of the block and looked up at the top, and there, standing right at the timberline, was a moose! I peered through my EL's noting that it had small antlers...Could it be; the second moose that I have spotted would be the mythical immature?! It turned its head to the left and I counted three tines, damn it sure pays off to have premium glass, but I couldn't see the other side. I grabbed my Leica LRF and lased the animal at 402 yards, quite a poke, but well within what I consider my comfortable range if a long shot is needed.
The bull was just standing there, looking down the hill to my right, hardly moving at all. I figured that I would give a few low cow calls and see what happens…The bull immediately swung around and took a few steps down the hill, looking straight at me. I threw the binoculars up and figured that I saw two points on the left antler. A few minutes passed by and I let out another low call and the bull came down the hill another few steps. I then confirmed that it was indeed a 2x3, perfect, now I just needed to get a shot!
I started searching for a rest, trying to keep out of sight, then I thought, hell he’s come a little ways down, let’s see if he will come a little further. I call again and this time the bull starts walking down the hill. I wait until he gets behind a couple of spruce trees and I start up the hill towards him. Damn, I’m starting to get a bit excited.
I made it up the hill about forty yards when the moose suddenly appears about 225 yards away, walking towards the timber. I’m caught in the open and the animal has me pegged but luckily it stops and looks at me, broadside. I have to take the shot, the stump I was trying to get to is still about 15 yards away, so it has to be offhand. I try to center the crosshairs on the lungs and as soon as I pull the trigger I realize that I have the worst case of ‘the fever’ that I have ever had!!
BOOM…The shot echoes, snow cascades off of the surrounding willows from the muzzle blast and I know that I have missed!! The moose doesn’t move a muscle. As I quickly work the bolt of ol’ faithful, my remy 270 win, I give myself a mental slap, actually shake my head and tell myself to settle to f%@k down and lay this moose over! I shoulder my rifle, place the crosshair on the lungs of the bull and gently squeeze the trigger.
BOOM, whack, I hear the welcome slap of lead on meat and the bull’s head drops almost to the ground and down the hill he bounds! It goes out of sight in a gully and I run up to a stump, reaching it just as the bull comes out of the gully and stops on a knoll. I center the crosshair on the bulls shoulder and send another trophy bonded bear claw on its way. WHACK, down the moose goes, yes, my first moose since 2002!!
I work my way up to the animal, what a beauty…I check to make sure it is dead and then take a few minutes to check out the scenery and revel in my success. After a few minutes I remember that I have to be back in town by 11:00 in order to make my appointment so I get to work gutting the animal out. With that done I hang my hi-vis vest on a small spruce and begin my trek down the block, scouting the easiest route to bring the ATV in along the way.
After making the appointment the old boy and I retrieve the necessary equipment to facilitate getting the ATV to the moose and head back up the hill. We cut a trail through the debris in the block and make it up to the moose relatively easily. After a short picture taking session we hook the ‘skidder’ up to the bull and pull the bull out. I was surprised at the size of the animal; it weighed 403 pounds on the hook and is damned fine eating…
I spent the rest of my trip trying to find a moose for the old boy and looking for some deer, unsuccessful on both endeavors, but with one in the cooler, it wasn’t that big of a deal! It was just great being out hunting in my old stomping grounds with my dad once again. This, in the end, is really what it is all about…I realize this more as I get older and I see my aging father, at 71, and wonder how many more hunts we will get to go on together…Then I look at my son, now at 17 months, and I can’t wait to get him out when he can hunt on his own (already had him out hunting deer with the wife and I in November) and pass our great heritage on to him!
The moose(s)
:
The machine:
The old moose hunter:
The valley:
Future moose hunter:
Recovered bullet:
The bullet weighed 140 grains originally and weighed in at 111 grains (as per the photo, shed 1 petal) after travelling through the moose, leaving a nice hole through each shoulder blade and stopping just under the skin on the far side.
Enjoy!
'rifle
This is a bit on the late side but between work, hunting and then moving into our new place and all that comes along with that I haven’t had a lot of time…However, better late than never, here goes the tale of my ’09 moose hunt.
After patiently waiting until October 4th for my residency requirement to pass, I picked up a couple of deer tags and a moose tag and headed for my home town in the central interior on October 9th. The weather was shaping up to be perfect for moose hunting, cool and calm. I didn’t have an LEH so I would be looking for either a calf or an immy bull…
The first few days of the hunt were spent checking out my old haunts, which had basically all grown up with dog hair thick willow and evergreens, but I guess it has been a few years since I left BC and headed north to Nunavut...There had been a couple of new blocks harvested in the area but luckily the head end of a certain valley still had blocks that offered the perfect amount of visibility and forage. Since this was my favourite old haunt I figured why change, I'll concentrate my efforts there...
I spent each day beating the bush, glassing favourite slides etc and was rewarded with the sight of one cow moose, three quarters of the way up a mountain. I had been on that particular mountain numerous times in the 1990’s and spent my fair share of time pulling moose off of there. I once spent three days helping my cousin get his moose out of a nasty thicket on that hillside. I didn’t want to go up there but if that moose would have grown two points I would have been over there. After four days, even though I was glad to be back hunting in the mountains with my father, I found myself getting a little bit discouraged with the lack of fresh sign. I was also running into a lot of other hunters which isn’t normal for this particular area of the trench as well.
The morning of the 14th arrived, and there was a fresh blanket of about 2 inches of snow covering the whole area! Perfect, I'll be able to see exactly how much animal movement has been occurring. I drove up to my drop point, dumped the ATV off and continued up the valley. My dad figured that he would go back and hunt another area and we would meet up along the road later in the morning as I had to be at the bank by 11:00am.
I was slowly motoring up the road looking for tracks when another ATV with 2 people on it roared past me. I knew that there would be at least two other people up there as they had basically slept near the rock slide each morning in order to be the first ones into the back end of the valley. I almost turned around and headed elsewhere but then I figured, what the hell, I'll go check for tracks at least.
I waited for a few minutes and then continued up the FSR. I stopped to glass a cut block, nothing, so I continued on. Upon arriving at the fork I noted that the ATV that had just past me had continued straight up the road and into the back, while the other guys had crossed the river and entered the block on the north side of the valley. I knew that they had been hunting the block closest to the river in the early morning so I figured I would go across and see if one of them had went up the road that went to the east. If one of them had then I would turn around and GTFOT; both of them had gone into the big block to the west...
I normally park at the fork and hunt on foot but I figured that since two ATV's had broken the silence already that I would drive up the old road to the east about halfway to the cut block and then walk the rest of the way. I got to the edge of the block and looked up at the top, and there, standing right at the timberline, was a moose! I peered through my EL's noting that it had small antlers...Could it be; the second moose that I have spotted would be the mythical immature?! It turned its head to the left and I counted three tines, damn it sure pays off to have premium glass, but I couldn't see the other side. I grabbed my Leica LRF and lased the animal at 402 yards, quite a poke, but well within what I consider my comfortable range if a long shot is needed.
The bull was just standing there, looking down the hill to my right, hardly moving at all. I figured that I would give a few low cow calls and see what happens…The bull immediately swung around and took a few steps down the hill, looking straight at me. I threw the binoculars up and figured that I saw two points on the left antler. A few minutes passed by and I let out another low call and the bull came down the hill another few steps. I then confirmed that it was indeed a 2x3, perfect, now I just needed to get a shot!
I started searching for a rest, trying to keep out of sight, then I thought, hell he’s come a little ways down, let’s see if he will come a little further. I call again and this time the bull starts walking down the hill. I wait until he gets behind a couple of spruce trees and I start up the hill towards him. Damn, I’m starting to get a bit excited.
I made it up the hill about forty yards when the moose suddenly appears about 225 yards away, walking towards the timber. I’m caught in the open and the animal has me pegged but luckily it stops and looks at me, broadside. I have to take the shot, the stump I was trying to get to is still about 15 yards away, so it has to be offhand. I try to center the crosshairs on the lungs and as soon as I pull the trigger I realize that I have the worst case of ‘the fever’ that I have ever had!!
BOOM…The shot echoes, snow cascades off of the surrounding willows from the muzzle blast and I know that I have missed!! The moose doesn’t move a muscle. As I quickly work the bolt of ol’ faithful, my remy 270 win, I give myself a mental slap, actually shake my head and tell myself to settle to f%@k down and lay this moose over! I shoulder my rifle, place the crosshair on the lungs of the bull and gently squeeze the trigger.
BOOM, whack, I hear the welcome slap of lead on meat and the bull’s head drops almost to the ground and down the hill he bounds! It goes out of sight in a gully and I run up to a stump, reaching it just as the bull comes out of the gully and stops on a knoll. I center the crosshair on the bulls shoulder and send another trophy bonded bear claw on its way. WHACK, down the moose goes, yes, my first moose since 2002!!
I work my way up to the animal, what a beauty…I check to make sure it is dead and then take a few minutes to check out the scenery and revel in my success. After a few minutes I remember that I have to be back in town by 11:00 in order to make my appointment so I get to work gutting the animal out. With that done I hang my hi-vis vest on a small spruce and begin my trek down the block, scouting the easiest route to bring the ATV in along the way.
After making the appointment the old boy and I retrieve the necessary equipment to facilitate getting the ATV to the moose and head back up the hill. We cut a trail through the debris in the block and make it up to the moose relatively easily. After a short picture taking session we hook the ‘skidder’ up to the bull and pull the bull out. I was surprised at the size of the animal; it weighed 403 pounds on the hook and is damned fine eating…
I spent the rest of my trip trying to find a moose for the old boy and looking for some deer, unsuccessful on both endeavors, but with one in the cooler, it wasn’t that big of a deal! It was just great being out hunting in my old stomping grounds with my dad once again. This, in the end, is really what it is all about…I realize this more as I get older and I see my aging father, at 71, and wonder how many more hunts we will get to go on together…Then I look at my son, now at 17 months, and I can’t wait to get him out when he can hunt on his own (already had him out hunting deer with the wife and I in November) and pass our great heritage on to him!
The moose(s)
:
The machine:
The old moose hunter:
The valley:
Future moose hunter:
Recovered bullet:
The bullet weighed 140 grains originally and weighed in at 111 grains (as per the photo, shed 1 petal) after travelling through the moose, leaving a nice hole through each shoulder blade and stopping just under the skin on the far side.
Enjoy!
'rifle
