Well if there is one goal I had this year going into the season it would have been to take down the beast I called Moose. I have had my sights set on trying to tag this beast all summer, with multiple sightings and good trail cam pics I was able to determine his home turf and set the stage, the rest was up to lady luck and me being calm enough to make it happen. After a great opening morning sit with multiple sightings of doe, young bucks and a potential shooter I shifted for the afternoon sit a little closer to the food source. With steady west winds and warmer temps I knew activity would be limited to the last hour and I was right, about 5:30 4 doe worked their way toward me and into the beans the went, about 10 minutes later I hear the sound of disappointment in the form of a four wheeler puttering my way, the wheeler stops I see a big deer trotting down the hill towards me and it stopped, throwing up the Nikons I immediatly recognize the massive narrow rack, it's Moose, and he is standing 70 yards out and now my heart is beating out of my chest and I'm shaking uncontrollable (got to love it!). After telling myself to calm down I look at him again, I'm thinking he is going to bolt any second as the wheeler stops and shuts down, then the wheeler starts back up and starts to creep along as if he had seen the beast cross the road. Moose doesn't appear nervous and starts to walk right at my morning set Doh! But then he turns and commits to the trail leading right to me, 40 yard window I'm saying be patient and calm down, 30 yards same, don't rush it he is walking to you, 20 yard window I'm at full draw I bleat he stops right behind a 12" beach tree, Oh man I'm at full draw for 5 minutes and had to let down. As he stands there I'm thinking he is 5 feet from catching my wind please let my insane scent control work. He starts to walk again I come to full draw he is broadside but with twigs in the way so I crouch all the way down to squatting, bleat, and touch the trigger and watch the Rage and fletching bury right through the boiler and into the ground on the other side. Moose wheels 180 runs up the hill, turns, runs back down stops at the bottom about 45 yards from me looks around starts to wobble and tips over and it was all over and there I stood shaking like crazy still in disbelief that it really just went down like that. What a day one I surely will never forget. He is not the widest buck in the woods but what a beast with insane mass, palmation, and character and more importantly the age structure of a big dominant buck. Good luck to all I hope you enjoy success as much as I did.
For the record Moose weighed in at a healthy 189lbs supports a 6 x 6 mainframe with a awesome little dog claw bur point which I haven't measure up yet but I believe will make him a 13pt. Enjoy the pics.
I will get him scored up ASAP and get us some points on the board!