This advice is mainly aimed at new hunters, maybe even veteran guys that haven't tried their hand at calling moose, and want to give it a shot.
There's many hunters (much smarter than me) on here, that can chime in with other ideas.
#1. How to call Moose should really be, WHERE TO CALL MOOSE.
The absolute BEST PLACE TO CALL is on fresh bull moose sign.
Bulls will be restless in Sept, but most will kind of pick out their spot, and will be making lots of rubs, even better is if you find Stink Pots/Wallows, where they are digging up the soil, peeing in it and rolling.
Boots to the ground! Search you area and if you can find that, that's the absolute best place to call.
#2. What if you cannot locate fresh bull sign as above?
Next best place to call is if you have a nice elevation, over a valley, river bottom or maybe a lake, where your call can reach out over a wider area.
Old burns and cutblocks are great spots to call, again especially if you have an elevation so the call can go out there a bit.
#3. PATIENCE! Once you have picked your calling location, be patient! More guys lose moose by calling at a site, they don't get an answer then booger off to try another spot.
Next thing ya know, the bull that you didn't know was coming, is at the site you left.
I've seen many times where guys did this, then return to find that a bull came exactly to where they were calling.
My calling strategy has always involved #1 finding that fresh bull sign.
#4. Once you start calling, be PATIENT!
I pick my spot to call cuz it's the BEST spot, so why would I leave it?
I'll call at a location first light until about 11:00 o'clock. Return to camp.
Then return to that calling site in the afternoon and call until just before dark.
Repeat the next morning. I don't know how many times we have called, gotten no answer, come back the next morning, next evening or the next day or 2 days later.
Eventually a bull will show up.
Heck I called in a bull one late afternoon, buggered up the shot, jammed my rifle, the whole clown act went on, but next morning went to that spot and a bull was bedded right there waiting for me.
Easiest moose I ever shot.
#5. Timing - Everything I have said has to be factored in according to the dates. Anywhere from the first week of Sept to the last week of Sept, you will mainly be calling bulls when the rut hasn't started (this for Alberta, dates change the farther north you go). Call it pre-rut.
During pre-rut raking trees and bull grunting, especially if you are on fresh bull sign can be very effective.
Once the rut starts then you will switch more to cow calls, but always have the ability to add in raking and grunting along with you cow calls.
Once the rut really gets going, cows will congregate, herd up with the local big bull(s).
In that situation you are most likely going to be calling younger satellite bulls, as a big bull is not going to leave his cow(s).
This year I had a bowhunting (crossbow) license, and called in a big like 50"-ish moose, which I frigged up (I'd say fortunately).
Then ended up getting my bull cuz I located smoking fresh bull track crossing a road, then went in after that bull and called him out.
But I got that bull because I recognized the situation and took advantage of it.
#6. Learn to call with your hands! Whatever you do, don't fall for buying one of those silly horns that they sell at the local hunting store...
#7. Once things start working you, then go about gaining experience, learning how bulls react to your calling, learning how to respond correctly (which means you will screw up lots), which is when things really get fun.
When a bull calls you a certain way, and you understand, this is a bull that needs to be coaxed, or a bull that wants you to always return their call, and then some just come in like a freight train.
But you will learn all that after 40 some years of moose hunting, as I have.
And it doesn't hurt to have basically grown up in Swan Hills, Alberta. Former and maybe some day again, the Moose Mecca of Alberta.
They are out there!
Remember this: today is the next day of the rest of your life, so enjoy it!
There's many hunters (much smarter than me) on here, that can chime in with other ideas.
#1. How to call Moose should really be, WHERE TO CALL MOOSE.
The absolute BEST PLACE TO CALL is on fresh bull moose sign.
Bulls will be restless in Sept, but most will kind of pick out their spot, and will be making lots of rubs, even better is if you find Stink Pots/Wallows, where they are digging up the soil, peeing in it and rolling.
Boots to the ground! Search you area and if you can find that, that's the absolute best place to call.
#2. What if you cannot locate fresh bull sign as above?
Next best place to call is if you have a nice elevation, over a valley, river bottom or maybe a lake, where your call can reach out over a wider area.
Old burns and cutblocks are great spots to call, again especially if you have an elevation so the call can go out there a bit.
#3. PATIENCE! Once you have picked your calling location, be patient! More guys lose moose by calling at a site, they don't get an answer then booger off to try another spot.
Next thing ya know, the bull that you didn't know was coming, is at the site you left.
I've seen many times where guys did this, then return to find that a bull came exactly to where they were calling.
My calling strategy has always involved #1 finding that fresh bull sign.
#4. Once you start calling, be PATIENT!
I pick my spot to call cuz it's the BEST spot, so why would I leave it?
I'll call at a location first light until about 11:00 o'clock. Return to camp.
Then return to that calling site in the afternoon and call until just before dark.
Repeat the next morning. I don't know how many times we have called, gotten no answer, come back the next morning, next evening or the next day or 2 days later.
Eventually a bull will show up.
Heck I called in a bull one late afternoon, buggered up the shot, jammed my rifle, the whole clown act went on, but next morning went to that spot and a bull was bedded right there waiting for me.
Easiest moose I ever shot.
#5. Timing - Everything I have said has to be factored in according to the dates. Anywhere from the first week of Sept to the last week of Sept, you will mainly be calling bulls when the rut hasn't started (this for Alberta, dates change the farther north you go). Call it pre-rut.
During pre-rut raking trees and bull grunting, especially if you are on fresh bull sign can be very effective.
Once the rut starts then you will switch more to cow calls, but always have the ability to add in raking and grunting along with you cow calls.
Once the rut really gets going, cows will congregate, herd up with the local big bull(s).
In that situation you are most likely going to be calling younger satellite bulls, as a big bull is not going to leave his cow(s).
This year I had a bowhunting (crossbow) license, and called in a big like 50"-ish moose, which I frigged up (I'd say fortunately).
Then ended up getting my bull cuz I located smoking fresh bull track crossing a road, then went in after that bull and called him out.
But I got that bull because I recognized the situation and took advantage of it.
#6. Learn to call with your hands! Whatever you do, don't fall for buying one of those silly horns that they sell at the local hunting store...
#7. Once things start working you, then go about gaining experience, learning how bulls react to your calling, learning how to respond correctly (which means you will screw up lots), which is when things really get fun.
When a bull calls you a certain way, and you understand, this is a bull that needs to be coaxed, or a bull that wants you to always return their call, and then some just come in like a freight train.
But you will learn all that after 40 some years of moose hunting, as I have.
And it doesn't hurt to have basically grown up in Swan Hills, Alberta. Former and maybe some day again, the Moose Mecca of Alberta.
They are out there!
Remember this: today is the next day of the rest of your life, so enjoy it!
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