Below are pics of our 2013 Ontario Archery Bull Moose taken Tuesday morning... it has a 62.5" rack. What made this one special are the circumstances around its harvest... story below;
We arrived at the launch at first light on Monday morning, after driving through the night. We quickly unloaded the truck and trailer and got the boat and canoe into the water. Where we hunt, we put into one lake and then portage into a second lake where we set-up a base camp.
We were packed in and set-up by late afternoon. We hunted for three hours Monday evening with no action or response to our calling. Tuesday morning, I dropped off my son at the far west end of the lake and was on my way to the east end.
As I rounded a bend in the lake I spotted a cow on a swampy point. I slowed the boat and eased around the corner. I was hoping that the cow was in heat and was being dogged by a bull... sure enough, I spotted a large bull step out of the timber and make for the cow.
As quietly as possible, I eased the boat across the lake, disappearing into the morning fog. I made my way two bays over to the west where I knew there was a confluence of two main moose trails.
I quietly beached the boat further west to keep any scent downwind and eased my way toward the cow and bull to the east. As I stalked closer, I could hear the bull grunting and raking trees with his antlers and the cow was bawling and moaning, she sounded ready to be bred.
When I got closer to the spot where I was planning to set-up, I realized that I would have to expose myself for about 60 yards in order to get to the ideal location, with the bull coming fast, I decided that it was too big a risk to make my way across the open swamp. Instead, I chose to set-up on the more secluded trail (which I thought was more likely to be used).
Kneeling behind a spruce, I clipped a couple branches with my shears to clear a shooting lane. Straight in front of me was a muskeg cut, about forty yards wide, between two timber tracks. The morning thermals were steadily in my face. As I waited (impatiently) I could hear the cow and bull approaching steadily closer, the bull was really fired up. When they were about sixty yards behind me and still out of sight, behind the timber, I heard the bull mount the cow... for two minutes there was a slapping sound and a lot of grunting while he bred her.
While this was going on, I heard a loud crack in the timber about 500 yards away... the cracking became louder and closer. The big bull mounting the cow heard it too. He dismounted and began to sway up the cut toward me. About 20 yards away the bull started thrashing a clump of alder, and then grunted aggressively at the approaching animal in the timber. From deep in the timber came an answering grunt, taking one more step, the big bull that had come with the cow finally stepped fully into view, broadside at 20 yards.
I brought my Hoyt Spyder 34 LD compound back to full draw and settled the pin behind his shoulder and released. Just as I was releasing the bull let out another loud grunt. The grunt was still echoing in the timber when the Rocket Steelhead 125 tipped arrow zipped through his heart... it went right through the center of a rib on both sides. I mentally told myself that the bull was dead, but to my surprise he did not react at all to the shot, instead he took two more steps toward the intruder. I quickly knocked a second arrow, I drew again and aimed a little higher, with the intent of squaring his lungs and taking away his air and thus his ability to move (it was a big bull and the thought of carrying him afterward loomed large in my mind). The second arrow zipped right through the center of the bulls lungs. He tried to take another step, but his legs gave out and he sat down hard on his rump, and then toppled over backward and with a sigh he was done... expiring approximately 15 seconds after my first shot.
Just then a second bull stepped out of the timber 20 yards away. This new bull looked at the downed bull and began to circle it, seeming puzzled, this brought the bull within 10 feet of my still kneeling form. The second bull circled the downed bull twice, not sure of what to make of it, but pretty pleased with himself none the less.
When the second bull departed into the timber 30 yards away, I arose from my cramped knees. Slowly I started to make my way toward the boat, but when I looked back, there was the second bull standing 30 yards away looking at me... without really thinking it through, I mounted my bow above my head and began to sway, while I let out a bull grunt. Imagine my SHOCK, when the bull charged! He ran straight at me, I quickly lowered my bow and waved my arms yelling loudly. The bull skidded to a halt at ten yards, head low and rack thrust out, I began backing away toward my boat.
When I had put 40 yards between the bull and I, my heart beat slowed somewhat and I began to think that the experience was pretty cool (this was not terribly smart). So, I raised my bow to my forehead again and swayed, while grunting. Again, the bull charged at me! I lowered the bow and yelled loudly, while waving my arms. Again the bull skidded to a halt at 10 yards... we stared each other down for a full minute and I felt that I could almost read his thoughts... he was thinking, "oh, yeah buddy... did you see what I did to that bull over there!"
After a minute the bull retreated into the timber. I turned and made my way the last few yards to the boat. As I eased the boat into the water the transom made a splashing sound. Immediately, I heard brush breaking behind me and hooves pounding the ground. The crazy bull charged out of the timber and stopped 30 feet from me again. The bull turned broadside but continued to glower at me. while standing next to the boat, I casually pulled an arrow from my quiver and knocked it... drawing back I aimed for his lungs, steadied and said out loud "you're dead." With that the bull disappeared in to the timber for a final time.
I shoved the boat offshore and made my way up the lake to retrieve my son for the work ahead. The bull that I had taken, turned out to have a 62.5" rack, with good palms and long tines, his brow palms had four points on one side and five on the other... he was a pretty bull... but even though he dropped a mere 60 yards from the water, he was a BUGGER to get out! (Edit; this bull has a tentative - NOT official; green Gross score of 221 and a green Net score of 210 7/8, which Glenn at P&Y tells me would tie it for #6 in the P&Y World record book)
My son and I both shooting Hoyt Spyder compounds, set-up just days before the hunt;
We took the bull out in two pieces... and it settled the canoe down deep into the water;
Here, we are towing out the bull with our Scott Deep Duck boat;
Here is a frontal shot, shows the rack dwarfing the boats 44" beam;
We arrived at the launch at first light on Monday morning, after driving through the night. We quickly unloaded the truck and trailer and got the boat and canoe into the water. Where we hunt, we put into one lake and then portage into a second lake where we set-up a base camp.
We were packed in and set-up by late afternoon. We hunted for three hours Monday evening with no action or response to our calling. Tuesday morning, I dropped off my son at the far west end of the lake and was on my way to the east end.
As I rounded a bend in the lake I spotted a cow on a swampy point. I slowed the boat and eased around the corner. I was hoping that the cow was in heat and was being dogged by a bull... sure enough, I spotted a large bull step out of the timber and make for the cow.
As quietly as possible, I eased the boat across the lake, disappearing into the morning fog. I made my way two bays over to the west where I knew there was a confluence of two main moose trails.
I quietly beached the boat further west to keep any scent downwind and eased my way toward the cow and bull to the east. As I stalked closer, I could hear the bull grunting and raking trees with his antlers and the cow was bawling and moaning, she sounded ready to be bred.
When I got closer to the spot where I was planning to set-up, I realized that I would have to expose myself for about 60 yards in order to get to the ideal location, with the bull coming fast, I decided that it was too big a risk to make my way across the open swamp. Instead, I chose to set-up on the more secluded trail (which I thought was more likely to be used).
Kneeling behind a spruce, I clipped a couple branches with my shears to clear a shooting lane. Straight in front of me was a muskeg cut, about forty yards wide, between two timber tracks. The morning thermals were steadily in my face. As I waited (impatiently) I could hear the cow and bull approaching steadily closer, the bull was really fired up. When they were about sixty yards behind me and still out of sight, behind the timber, I heard the bull mount the cow... for two minutes there was a slapping sound and a lot of grunting while he bred her.
While this was going on, I heard a loud crack in the timber about 500 yards away... the cracking became louder and closer. The big bull mounting the cow heard it too. He dismounted and began to sway up the cut toward me. About 20 yards away the bull started thrashing a clump of alder, and then grunted aggressively at the approaching animal in the timber. From deep in the timber came an answering grunt, taking one more step, the big bull that had come with the cow finally stepped fully into view, broadside at 20 yards.
I brought my Hoyt Spyder 34 LD compound back to full draw and settled the pin behind his shoulder and released. Just as I was releasing the bull let out another loud grunt. The grunt was still echoing in the timber when the Rocket Steelhead 125 tipped arrow zipped through his heart... it went right through the center of a rib on both sides. I mentally told myself that the bull was dead, but to my surprise he did not react at all to the shot, instead he took two more steps toward the intruder. I quickly knocked a second arrow, I drew again and aimed a little higher, with the intent of squaring his lungs and taking away his air and thus his ability to move (it was a big bull and the thought of carrying him afterward loomed large in my mind). The second arrow zipped right through the center of the bulls lungs. He tried to take another step, but his legs gave out and he sat down hard on his rump, and then toppled over backward and with a sigh he was done... expiring approximately 15 seconds after my first shot.
Just then a second bull stepped out of the timber 20 yards away. This new bull looked at the downed bull and began to circle it, seeming puzzled, this brought the bull within 10 feet of my still kneeling form. The second bull circled the downed bull twice, not sure of what to make of it, but pretty pleased with himself none the less.
When the second bull departed into the timber 30 yards away, I arose from my cramped knees. Slowly I started to make my way toward the boat, but when I looked back, there was the second bull standing 30 yards away looking at me... without really thinking it through, I mounted my bow above my head and began to sway, while I let out a bull grunt. Imagine my SHOCK, when the bull charged! He ran straight at me, I quickly lowered my bow and waved my arms yelling loudly. The bull skidded to a halt at ten yards, head low and rack thrust out, I began backing away toward my boat.
When I had put 40 yards between the bull and I, my heart beat slowed somewhat and I began to think that the experience was pretty cool (this was not terribly smart). So, I raised my bow to my forehead again and swayed, while grunting. Again, the bull charged at me! I lowered the bow and yelled loudly, while waving my arms. Again the bull skidded to a halt at 10 yards... we stared each other down for a full minute and I felt that I could almost read his thoughts... he was thinking, "oh, yeah buddy... did you see what I did to that bull over there!"
After a minute the bull retreated into the timber. I turned and made my way the last few yards to the boat. As I eased the boat into the water the transom made a splashing sound. Immediately, I heard brush breaking behind me and hooves pounding the ground. The crazy bull charged out of the timber and stopped 30 feet from me again. The bull turned broadside but continued to glower at me. while standing next to the boat, I casually pulled an arrow from my quiver and knocked it... drawing back I aimed for his lungs, steadied and said out loud "you're dead." With that the bull disappeared in to the timber for a final time.
I shoved the boat offshore and made my way up the lake to retrieve my son for the work ahead. The bull that I had taken, turned out to have a 62.5" rack, with good palms and long tines, his brow palms had four points on one side and five on the other... he was a pretty bull... but even though he dropped a mere 60 yards from the water, he was a BUGGER to get out! (Edit; this bull has a tentative - NOT official; green Gross score of 221 and a green Net score of 210 7/8, which Glenn at P&Y tells me would tie it for #6 in the P&Y World record book)
My son and I both shooting Hoyt Spyder compounds, set-up just days before the hunt;
We took the bull out in two pieces... and it settled the canoe down deep into the water;
Here, we are towing out the bull with our Scott Deep Duck boat;
Here is a frontal shot, shows the rack dwarfing the boats 44" beam;
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