The Moose Thread (As Canadian as it gets)

I have been bowhunting for moose for 35+ years... and while I don't consider myself a trophy hunter (for any species), I do appreciate a nice representative adult male of whichever species I am after and will pass up lesser animals that present for shots... with moose, more than any other game animal, I tend to lean more to being a meat hunter, as I surely enjoy dining on moose meat... and I appreciate that my entire family feels the same... which they don't for bear, deer, waterfowl, small game, even turkey (except the jerky)... So, it is very difficult to pass up a healthy 2 or 3 year old bull, with a tag burning a hole in my pocket. I have taken close to 20 Canada bulls (to be honest I'm not exactly sure how many, as I'm not really one to tally) ... 6 or 8 of those were over 50 inches, the largest (seen below) was 62 5/8" and gross scored 221 7/8"... We have another bull tag this year and will return to the same area next week, looking for the one that charged me three times after dropping the big lad below...

 
Big bull meat isn't any worse than small bull meat, I've eaten enough Moose to know that well. There is a difference though, and that is that with big animals like Moose you need to get the skin off fast, guts out, and split down the back of the neck so it doesn't bone sour. The bigger the animal the faster this needs to be done, and of course the reality is the bigger the animal the harder that is to do. This of course leaves out the rut, when the big guys are strung out and fighting.

Early season big bull in prime shape is some of the best moose meat going, they are well fed preparing for the rut, and exceedingly healthy. It's all in how it's handled and how fast it's cooled between a small bull and a big bull.


Exactly my thoughts.
 
I shot a 40" bull from about 20 feet. We came across his cow lazing in an old jack trail. She was upwind and certainly heard us, but we were dragging a dried scapula across the willow tops as we walked. She was only 75 feet away and we were kind of panicking on how to get around her without her blowing our cover. That's when we heard the snort come from the thick brush just a few yards to her flank. We got busy with some bull urine in a mister and started "burping" and scraping. That made him mad and he got up and started making his way toward us, zig-zagging and showing us his antlers. He got so close I could almost touch him. Trophy or not, I was taking the shot and waited for him to put some distance between us and when he turned for his next pass - boom. My cheek never touched the stock - just too close. I'd take that any day over a 300 yard shot. Very exciting.
 
I have been bowhunting for moose for 35+ years... and while I don't consider myself a trophy hunter (for any species), I do appreciate a nice representative adult male of whichever species I am after and will pass up lesser animals that present for shots... with moose, more than any other game animal, I tend to lean more to being a meat hunter, as I surely enjoy dining on moose meat... and I appreciate that my entire family feels the same... which they don't for bear, deer, waterfowl, small game, even turkey (except the jerky)... So, it is very difficult to pass up a healthy 2 or 3 year old bull, with a tag burning a hole in my pocket. I have taken close to 20 Canada bulls (to be honest I'm not exactly sure how many, as I'm not really one to tally) ... 6 or 8 of those were over 50 inches, the largest (seen below) was 62 5/8" and gross scored 221 7/8"... We have another bull tag this year and will return to the same area next week, looking for the one that charged me three times after dropping the big lad below...


You sir, win. Absolutely wonderful, extraordinary!
 
My black-on-black Ruger is much prettier, and the moose I hopefully get in a couple weeks will be much uglier.

(I may have those backwards again?) LOL
 
This is the year I almost perished on the operating table.
My buddies drug my sorry arse up north and this kritter had me heart thumping.
Dad's rifle in the photo did all the work.
I sort of aimed, looked up, help Pa, closed me eyes and ker-pow.
Thump.
Waaaay awf yonder I hear a >>>>>>>>>>YEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWW<<<<<<<<<
That old girl has a bark of her own.
She won't fit in a 48" case, so Bullwinkle is just under 50" across.
My only regret was not making more hamburger owtta him ........... :D

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Moose is by far my favorite game animal to hunt. No big monster's yet but one day hopefully. All so far have been "meat bulls" in the 30's and 40's.
 
Moose waiting for a Beaver is pretty Canadian.

I once road a moose in a Beaver. Was going to be 2 trips to get everything out of camp - me and two moose in one trip, the guys and the rest of the gear in the 2nd. They took the seats out and I straddled a couple of quarters in the back. Not the safest thing, thinking back.
 
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