Got drawn for 214 here which should be a guaranteed moose if you have permission. Since I was able to get permission on just over 30 quarters of land this year, I figured I should do OK.
Scouted on Halloween and spotted 3 single cows (several cows with calves, 8 bulls and two sets of calve twins). All set for Saturday's opener.
Saturday.
Move in on the most promising spot at first light to still hunt through the paddock. As I cross the first fence, I notice two whitetails feeding. I'm able to get within 200 yards before they notice me (the range at which the pic is taken). They watch me until I am 150 yds out and then start to trot for the bush. I lay on my belly and bleat and the bigger buck turns back and starts stamping his feet as he moves towards me. He comes to within 60 yards, me with the crosshairs on him the whole time. I haven't got a look at the paddock yet, the season is about 20 minutes old and the deer is what I would shoot on the last week not the first so I pass.
Anyway no moose in the paddock that had held 6 of varying flavors the day before.
Checked another spot. No moose. There was a stupid coyote though and I had orders to kill all coyotes on sight. I did my duty with a 165 gr.Corelokt at 200 yds.
Went to another quarter. Spotted two calves but decided to hold out for a bigger, single cow. Found the cow. 20 yards on the wrong side of the fence. Had to let her pass.
Went to an alfalfa field to hunt whitetails that evening and passed up on many spikers and does with fawns. I would have shot a single doe but none showed up, all had fawns with them (not against shooting fawns at all, but I was primarily concentrating on moose -- Nov. 30 is "brown is down" day). End Saturday with one shot on a coyote and a round that was lost somewhere without being fired
.
Sunday (God I love being able to write that).
Go to the quarter I saw the calves on for first light. Spend over 3 hours still hunting through the scrub. The big cow pops up about 150 yards away -----------------RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE OWNER'S HOUSE! No shot unless I want to be more unpopular than the porcupine's that ate their front door (shook one of those buggers out of a willow and stabbed him to death -- owners wanted him dead but I didn't want to shoot). Bumped the calves again who stood broadside and pointed to their vitals. Decided not to.
I planned on a half day hunt so I simply stopped into the moose paddock/ deer field mentioned previously without any expectations. Of course I see a s**tload of moose. There is a cow and 2 calves, 3 bulls (one is a CORKER -- too bad it takes 9-10 years to get drawn), and a single cow. She's got me dead to rights and all I can see is her head.
Now the OTHER threads on head shot moose are making me feel a little self conscious so I begin to stalk towards the group as best I can in 15 degree weather and dry leaves. The cow and calves are gone right away. The bulls hang on a little while more but take off and I begin to feel like I screwed the pooch, but the single cow hasn't run through the gap the rest have already so I continue forward.
I round the willow and there she is with her arse pointed at me only 30 yards away. I have no shot but the ass and simply put the crosshairs on her and wait. She lifts hers head, sees me and is off like a shot through the willows and poplar. The shotgunner in me takes over and I notice a gap on her line of travel and swing towards that. I get enough time in the gap to lead her properly and put the 165 gr Corelokt through her neck and dump her on the run. She was still until I approached her, then kicked up a storm. You can see the sapling she snapped off in her throes. She quickly expired though.
Notice the PUKED up stomach contents though. I've shot about 50 big game animals and this is the first time I've seen one puke up it's lunch. It was everywhere, in the trachea, nostrils and lungs. I had to tie off the esophagus when I gutted her to keep the contents from spoiling the body cavity.
Anyhoo. I had to go and ask permission from the adjacent landowners to pull the moose out from their side since it was closer and more convenient. No problem on their part. On my way to ask them, I surprised a coyote (still on the "good to go" land with "shoot to kill" orders) and it took off. I got out of the truck, loaded and pounded it through the neck at about 125 yds on a full run. (No pic, sorry but I simply left it and picked it up later on the return trip.)
3 hours after the shot, we got her out and then halved her and hung her in the garage. A few days work ahead of me if the weather goes cold tonight like they say it will. A mad scramble tomorrow if it stays warm.
Scouted on Halloween and spotted 3 single cows (several cows with calves, 8 bulls and two sets of calve twins). All set for Saturday's opener.
Saturday.
Move in on the most promising spot at first light to still hunt through the paddock. As I cross the first fence, I notice two whitetails feeding. I'm able to get within 200 yards before they notice me (the range at which the pic is taken). They watch me until I am 150 yds out and then start to trot for the bush. I lay on my belly and bleat and the bigger buck turns back and starts stamping his feet as he moves towards me. He comes to within 60 yards, me with the crosshairs on him the whole time. I haven't got a look at the paddock yet, the season is about 20 minutes old and the deer is what I would shoot on the last week not the first so I pass.
Anyway no moose in the paddock that had held 6 of varying flavors the day before.
Checked another spot. No moose. There was a stupid coyote though and I had orders to kill all coyotes on sight. I did my duty with a 165 gr.Corelokt at 200 yds.
Went to another quarter. Spotted two calves but decided to hold out for a bigger, single cow. Found the cow. 20 yards on the wrong side of the fence. Had to let her pass.
Went to an alfalfa field to hunt whitetails that evening and passed up on many spikers and does with fawns. I would have shot a single doe but none showed up, all had fawns with them (not against shooting fawns at all, but I was primarily concentrating on moose -- Nov. 30 is "brown is down" day). End Saturday with one shot on a coyote and a round that was lost somewhere without being fired
.Sunday (God I love being able to write that).
Go to the quarter I saw the calves on for first light. Spend over 3 hours still hunting through the scrub. The big cow pops up about 150 yards away -----------------RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE OWNER'S HOUSE! No shot unless I want to be more unpopular than the porcupine's that ate their front door (shook one of those buggers out of a willow and stabbed him to death -- owners wanted him dead but I didn't want to shoot). Bumped the calves again who stood broadside and pointed to their vitals. Decided not to.
I planned on a half day hunt so I simply stopped into the moose paddock/ deer field mentioned previously without any expectations. Of course I see a s**tload of moose. There is a cow and 2 calves, 3 bulls (one is a CORKER -- too bad it takes 9-10 years to get drawn), and a single cow. She's got me dead to rights and all I can see is her head.
Now the OTHER threads on head shot moose are making me feel a little self conscious so I begin to stalk towards the group as best I can in 15 degree weather and dry leaves. The cow and calves are gone right away. The bulls hang on a little while more but take off and I begin to feel like I screwed the pooch, but the single cow hasn't run through the gap the rest have already so I continue forward.
I round the willow and there she is with her arse pointed at me only 30 yards away. I have no shot but the ass and simply put the crosshairs on her and wait. She lifts hers head, sees me and is off like a shot through the willows and poplar. The shotgunner in me takes over and I notice a gap on her line of travel and swing towards that. I get enough time in the gap to lead her properly and put the 165 gr Corelokt through her neck and dump her on the run. She was still until I approached her, then kicked up a storm. You can see the sapling she snapped off in her throes. She quickly expired though.
Notice the PUKED up stomach contents though. I've shot about 50 big game animals and this is the first time I've seen one puke up it's lunch. It was everywhere, in the trachea, nostrils and lungs. I had to tie off the esophagus when I gutted her to keep the contents from spoiling the body cavity.
Anyhoo. I had to go and ask permission from the adjacent landowners to pull the moose out from their side since it was closer and more convenient. No problem on their part. On my way to ask them, I surprised a coyote (still on the "good to go" land with "shoot to kill" orders) and it took off. I got out of the truck, loaded and pounded it through the neck at about 125 yds on a full run. (No pic, sorry but I simply left it and picked it up later on the return trip.)
3 hours after the shot, we got her out and then halved her and hung her in the garage. A few days work ahead of me if the weather goes cold tonight like they say it will. A mad scramble tomorrow if it stays warm.
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