My son got his first bull moose draw in 2005. We scouted a bit over the summer, and into the beginning of moose season. Not really hunting, waiting patiently for the rut to start. I wouldn’t have turned down a bull standing along the trail, but, I really wanted to call in his first moose.
I knew of a tiny little corner of real estate that the moose seemed to get pushed into during hunting season. Thick alder in the low spots, popular and fir in the flats. Small openings snaked through this little area. These shooting lanes were perfect, except for one thing. Chest high brush. Not a problem for the long legged moose, but a real problem for us. I used tree stands a lot for deer when I lived in Saskatchewan, however, I’d never tried it for moose.
With the stand in place we patiently waited out the summer. Moose season opens September 10th. A bit before the rut but we hiked in for a look out of curiosity. We saw sign along the 3 km trail going in, and were rewarded for our long walk by a cow and a calf feeding in a clearing.
He got off the school bus on September 16th and we hopped into the truck. In the stand well before 5pm I started with a series of cow calls. 20 minutes passed then again I called, a single cow call. A bull grunted, so far off we barely heard it, well beyond the trail we’d hiked in on, 400 meters or more. I waited, 10 minutes, another cow call, a single grunt, closer and circling down wind. A long ribbon of thick alder ran past the stand on the north, and when I called again he grunted so loud and so close it surprised even me. My sons eyes were wide, in disbelief he whispered that’s a bull moose. I grinned and nodded. So close, 30 yards, but impossible to see.
To the east, we could see across the low brush for 250 meters, the south, 80, and the west we had a good view through scattered poplars for over 100. But, to the north, 10 - 15, then the tangled alder rose up like a wall. Behind this he circled, his progress marked by the occasional low grunt. I waited, not making a sound. Now out about 200 yards I cow called. He hung up, grunting behind the alder row, but wouldn’t move. The sun sat low in the west, behind the trees and barely above the horizon. Running out of time I started a series of calls. Unmoving he responded but wouldn’t step into the open. I turned to the west cupped my hands and grunted once, nothing, a second time, nothing. With the light fading I was running out of time. I tried 4 grunts, low and loud.
It’s as if a switched flipped, he grunted, then smashed through the alder band like a freight train. 200 yards to the east and on the move he was circling again, but now in the open. I turned west and tried one short quiet cow call. He turned, walked into 80 yards turned broadside and shredded a small poplar. my son in awe stood unmoving.
“ use the tree for a rest” I told him. He rolled the safety off, at the shot the bull bolted for the screen of alder 30 meters away. He folded up just he reached them. First night out, he had his first bull down.
And now for part two 8)
I knew of a tiny little corner of real estate that the moose seemed to get pushed into during hunting season. Thick alder in the low spots, popular and fir in the flats. Small openings snaked through this little area. These shooting lanes were perfect, except for one thing. Chest high brush. Not a problem for the long legged moose, but a real problem for us. I used tree stands a lot for deer when I lived in Saskatchewan, however, I’d never tried it for moose.
With the stand in place we patiently waited out the summer. Moose season opens September 10th. A bit before the rut but we hiked in for a look out of curiosity. We saw sign along the 3 km trail going in, and were rewarded for our long walk by a cow and a calf feeding in a clearing.
He got off the school bus on September 16th and we hopped into the truck. In the stand well before 5pm I started with a series of cow calls. 20 minutes passed then again I called, a single cow call. A bull grunted, so far off we barely heard it, well beyond the trail we’d hiked in on, 400 meters or more. I waited, 10 minutes, another cow call, a single grunt, closer and circling down wind. A long ribbon of thick alder ran past the stand on the north, and when I called again he grunted so loud and so close it surprised even me. My sons eyes were wide, in disbelief he whispered that’s a bull moose. I grinned and nodded. So close, 30 yards, but impossible to see.
To the east, we could see across the low brush for 250 meters, the south, 80, and the west we had a good view through scattered poplars for over 100. But, to the north, 10 - 15, then the tangled alder rose up like a wall. Behind this he circled, his progress marked by the occasional low grunt. I waited, not making a sound. Now out about 200 yards I cow called. He hung up, grunting behind the alder row, but wouldn’t move. The sun sat low in the west, behind the trees and barely above the horizon. Running out of time I started a series of calls. Unmoving he responded but wouldn’t step into the open. I turned to the west cupped my hands and grunted once, nothing, a second time, nothing. With the light fading I was running out of time. I tried 4 grunts, low and loud.
It’s as if a switched flipped, he grunted, then smashed through the alder band like a freight train. 200 yards to the east and on the move he was circling again, but now in the open. I turned west and tried one short quiet cow call. He turned, walked into 80 yards turned broadside and shredded a small poplar. my son in awe stood unmoving.
“ use the tree for a rest” I told him. He rolled the safety off, at the shot the bull bolted for the screen of alder 30 meters away. He folded up just he reached them. First night out, he had his first bull down.
And now for part two 8)
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