I must be friggen crazy .... moose hunting solo
- Thread starter 45ACPKING
- Start date
figured I'd throw this out there.
any of you new or newish hunters here that have read my mentoring thread.... if you got yer own camper and quad and a way to get it north into region 6.... for the 20th to 26th
shoot me a message
Awww man. I'd be happy to join you, but school is a gong show this semester. Hell Im having trouble finding time to get out for a day or two after deer this year, its rough having no free time. I didn't even have time to contact you about a weekend in Pemby at some point this year...bah!
Cerakote B.C.
Expired Business Member
On the other hand, hunting with a great partner this year made it the best time ever. The moose was just a bonus. Plus hangin with Thomas was awesome. You just don't get that solo. I still do solo occasionally though. Sometimes you need the quiet.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I've done lots of moose hunting solo.
you just have to be prepared to do a lot of work once the wee beastie is down
bring some spare rope, you'll need it.
I also drag the moose with my quad whole (once its gutted) not a big deal as long as the ground is not mud, a little skiff of snow is nice.
you just have to be prepared to do a lot of work once the wee beastie is down
bring some spare rope, you'll need it.
I also drag the moose with my quad whole (once its gutted) not a big deal as long as the ground is not mud, a little skiff of snow is nice.
yup. the saw comes out after the hide is off. At camp, the saw makes it like childsplay once it's all rigged up to the game pole.
In the field, a little more challenging. Generally same as with a hand saw tho. cutting across spine to make two 1/2's , standing them up with the spine vertical and sawing along the ridge between the backstraps. Anywhere the saw goes that meat is , the meat is cut back from the saw cut first. like neck and across spine. I like to pull the tenderloins and bag those first tho
what I have observed the past 4 years where I hunt...... cows cruising around with 2 and 3 year old bulls in tow. a few times more than one bull.
When I call I don't do any bull calls or grunts except if needed when they hang up. usually I start with long broadcast calls and once I either see moose or hear moose, or find fresh sign in around a calling spot after I've been calling there... I switch to cow in estrus calls.
The funny thing is, I'm starting to to think the cows are bringing the bulls to another cow (my calling) because they are tired of being harassed by the horny young fellers.
I dunno but calling has gotten us 3 of the bulls we've harvested in last 4 years, in the exact same location, same hunting dates, at the calling spot.
it's probably just horseshoes in the ass luck LOL
When I call I don't do any bull calls or grunts except if needed when they hang up. usually I start with long broadcast calls and once I either see moose or hear moose, or find fresh sign in around a calling spot after I've been calling there... I switch to cow in estrus calls.
The funny thing is, I'm starting to to think the cows are bringing the bulls to another cow (my calling) because they are tired of being harassed by the horny young fellers.
I dunno but calling has gotten us 3 of the bulls we've harvested in last 4 years, in the exact same location, same hunting dates, at the calling spot.
it's probably just horseshoes in the ass luck LOL
I have taken more Moose on solo hunts that when having partners.... hauled most out by myself, using a game hoist with electric winch usually split, quarter, and bag them. It's more work usually takes 4 hrs from when he is down to bagged and hung. I just seem to hunt better when I am by myself???
You can call them in for sure, as long as they are close by.
well folks, all packed up, camper is loaded, quad is on the trailer , rifles are ready.... ruger m77 mkII 7mm rem mag (custom by dlask) and my LRB M25 .308 is gonna join me as well as a back up and camp gun with the "enfield" mags on hand
I'm leaving in the wee hours of the a.m. , see ya'all in a week !!
I'm leaving in the wee hours of the a.m. , see ya'all in a week !!
well folks, all packed up, camper is loaded, quad is on the trailer , rifles are ready.... ruger m77 mkII 7mm rem mag (custom by dlask) and my LRB M25 .308 is gonna join me as well as a back up and camp gun with the "enfield" mags on hand
I'm leaving in the wee hours of the a.m. , see ya'all in a week !!
Good luck to you on the hunt....have fun and enjoy!
Piece of cake have taken 12 moose solo ,,, have at least 2 50 ft ropes a good hand saw for splitting up quarters ,, 1st step gut your moose open up body cavity to cool ,, go get your quad to drag out moose ,, oh yea make sure you have a chain saw with you to cut a trail in to recover moose with quad ,, side note forgot mine this year took 3 hrs with the hand saw to cut trail in ... drag moose back to truck skin and quarter ,, I use a plastic tarp and quad ramps to load moose into truck ,, it's just that easy ! good luck and shoot straight
can't sleep hahaha
ya fellas, I've done loads of hunting and humping out animals. Most of my deer have been solo over the years and lots in real tough terrain.
On our moose hunts with the usual crew I am also usually hunting alone more often than not as we like to spread out to our favorite spots. This means I'm real familiar with breaking down a moose and have done my fair share of skinning , gutting and quartering while I'm waiting for the lads to come help haul it out.
I do get nervous in bear country tho without the second set of eyes and rifle on guard while dealing with the tasks at hand. I appreciate all the positive words tho hehehe
Might have to do my winter elk hunt solo too this year..... we'll see
ya fellas, I've done loads of hunting and humping out animals. Most of my deer have been solo over the years and lots in real tough terrain.
On our moose hunts with the usual crew I am also usually hunting alone more often than not as we like to spread out to our favorite spots. This means I'm real familiar with breaking down a moose and have done my fair share of skinning , gutting and quartering while I'm waiting for the lads to come help haul it out.
I do get nervous in bear country tho without the second set of eyes and rifle on guard while dealing with the tasks at hand. I appreciate all the positive words tho hehehe
Might have to do my winter elk hunt solo too this year..... we'll see
Curious why how far north , colder temp ? And isn't the rut over , or are they still interested in socializing ?
The latest I ever called one in was Oct. 18. I believe the RUT was starting to wind down but we happened upon a spot out for a quad ride that had some real fresh Bull activity a bunch of broken off poplars and fresh tracks. We parked the bikes at end of old logging staging. After 2nd set of cow calls a old big bodied bull started coming out grunting and smashing every tree in sight. He only took about 10 minutes to make it to the clearing we were in when he stuck his head out where I could see I took him with a head shot Moose. This was in North East Sask around Flin Flon area... The 3 days previous we called 2 other Bulls that didn't show themselves.... we heard one and the other left fresh tracks in our quad tracks.
There is also a second RUT in mid Nov. where cows that didn't get bred will also come into extras.
I still think the best time to call is just as the RUT is starting or just as it's ending..... in the middle of the RUT the big bulls are for sure with cows and I have never met a hunter yet that could call a mature Bull away from a hot cow.
Cold or heat does not matter.... mother nature times the RUT so the calves are born in the Spring so the calves have Summer to fatten up b4 Winter.
Some of the hottest days of the Fall I have found myself cleaning a Moose.
On Sunny Fall days your calling will only be effective for about 2-3 hours in the morning.... if it's hot and sunny in afternoon your probably better not calling until 1 hour before legal time expires, especially true if windy out.
Biggest enemy for calling Moose is the wind... anything more than a breeze and your not going to have much action.
The key to late RUT is find fresh sign whether you cut a fresh track on road or RUT sign. Pretty sure you can call them in right until 23-25th.
