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Old 02-20-2021, 01:30 PM
  #11  
Daveboone
Fork Horn
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tug Hill NY
Posts: 420
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I have been to Newfoundland moose hunting twice, and will happily go again, with the same outfitter. We drove from Upstate NY. It is a drive...from here a day to the Canadian border in Maine, the next day to the northern part of Nova Scotia for the ferry crossing overnight. Day three arrive at the south west corner of Newfie and a five hour drive up to where we hunt. All the main roads are paved highways. We used Patey and Sons, probably one of the largest outfitters, but you wouldnt know it. very personable, very organized. We specifically went with them because we wanted to do a fly in. They have both a Dehavilland Otter (oops, or is it a Beaver?) and a chopper, which they fly you in with. Our tags (and most are) for either a bull or cow. Of course, weather has everything to do with how your hunt goes. Our first year we had a big coastal storm come in, which affected our decision to shoot the first palmated bulls we saw on day one. The 2nd year was very warm, so of course the moose were staying bedded in the swamps and shady areas. Everyone you meet is going to treat you like a long lost brother (not just at the outfitter...at the grocery stores, gas stations, fish shacks, etc.).
Oh....If you take the ferry, get a berth. It is well worth the cost for a good night sleep, and they have a shower in them. The butcher cost average in 2018 for our moose was 170.oo for just steaks, burger and roasts. The only sad part is that where the moose is shot, of course is where it is field butchered/quarterd. That will be in the absolute thickest and worse spot conceivable, and it cant be helped to get a fair bit of debris with the meat. The butcher told us they expect to toss between a 1/4 and a 3rd of the meat due to contamination.
That is a bummer, but we all still brought back about 225-250 lbs of meat.
The locals or outfitters that road hunt, can sometimes bring out the whole carcass, then of course the meat yield is much higher.
Go. You will be glad you did. Be prepared to walk...alot, over difficult terrain. I had a horrible time my 2nd year due to a new onset flare up of plantar fasciitis. LIke walking on broken glass, but the last day there was especially worth it. We saw a monster of a bull on day one, but he kept running (probably still is) and I passed on another, We passed on a few cows also. My hunting partners both got bulls, but I was the hold out. ON our scouting about Wednesday, we found a rock face with early aboriginal petroglyphs on it. Up to that point I was happy just with what we had seen and done. The last day I walked up on the biggest bear I had ever seen, ....guides were estimating 5-600 lbs, and it had no clue what we were and just watched us. but I didnt have my moose yet...We found a valley with five in it, and selected the most likely to tag, and did. While we were scouting, we happily watched several caribou, including a beautiful bull parading back and forth in front of us for a couple hours.
Go.

Last edited by Daveboone; 02-20-2021 at 01:34 PM. Reason: poorly written.
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