How was your Moose season?
 

Well Now that everyone has returned from the Archery Moose season
How did they all fare?
My brother in law shot a nice 43 inch bull so we have a freezer full<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
It was the first good day we had up there! After 5 good days of blowing rain!I was beginning to believe we were going tobe skunked!
Thursday am we had our first frost and that night he called this bull in to 8 yards double lunged him and it went about 50 and dropped.
He shot it with an Excalibur Exomag 2117's and 125 wasp Jak Hammer
AL

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Heh Littleal,
Congrats on the moose for you guys! Nothing like a freezer full of moose.
Our season was pretty frustrating to say the least. We were hunting in the Turtle Mountain area here in Manitoba. An area that USED to be crawling with moose. A couple years ago we say moose every day and were practically run over by bulls.
This year we saw two cows and that was it. The weather was almost perfect with frost most nights, maybe a little windy but not bad. A whole week of calling and never even heard anything that we can be sure was a response. Only one party of hunters we ran into had any bull sitings.
Well, maybe I should say one party that didn't have special treaty rights. And that seems to be a large part of the problem. An aweful lot of moose are being taken out of this area by these hunters and the populations are starting to really suffer. Couple this with a bad tick year and there weren't many happy archers in the area.

Oh well, time to start chasing deer!
Next year we'll try somewhere else. Starting to think about a fly out, self-guided type deal. Might cost more but may have a better chance for some action.

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Moose hunting was awesome this year for our group.
2 Bulls in 2 days and could of had 2 more Bulls and at least 6 cows during the week but no more tags.

Rut was in full swing, the first Bull taken opening day at 7:15am , this bull was grunting on his own back in a swamp and a quick grunt back to him had him right on me in less than 5 seconds..... Close as heck, but one shot turned him away and a quick follow-up shot dropped him less than 20 feet from me.

Second Bull fell prey to my buddies cow call after about 2 hours of calling.

Good year , snowed the first two days and temps were between -8c - +2c

MachZ

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Well I didn't have a chance to get out for the Bow season, But I just got back from The Rifle Hunt, and I shot a Nice Bull on Monday Morning at 9:20. It was the first nice morning as well, it was warm and raining all weekend, but Monday morning there was a nice frost and some snow on the ground. I called for the first 2 hrs and nothing was responding. the wind picked up so I decided to just stay quite and watch until noon. But at 920 after pooring myself a Cup of Hot Chocolate a nice 37&quot; Bull showed up crossing my swamp. He was very close to about 200 Yrds when I first seen him. I grabbed the rifle from the Side of the tree and lined up and Fired once, he jumped ahead about 2-3 steps and was then just slowly walking, he went out of site, and I went to see if I had hit him. I found him curled up on the edge of the swamp not 30 yrds from where I first hit him.

It was a great Hunt, Now I can't wait for the deer hunt

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Congrats to those who had success and keep the stories coming!

I just get to read hunting stories now! My season is finished due to surgery
AL

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Ontario Hunter, I hunt the Dryden Area.
I live in Barrie and its close to 18hr. drive but it has been well worth it as I have not been skunked in my 6yrs. hunting there and always get at least 1 bull tag.
I am lucky to have some good close friends that live there, so finding moose isn't really a problem with there pre-scouting.
We stay at a lodge owned by my good buddies uncle for $200/week and have showers/heat/tv included :)

You should look into hunting this area as there's not to many other hunters, and a higher percentage of moose per Sq/M.


MachZ

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

We just got back on Sunday from Ignace, the second week was brutal. A cold front with wind and snow moved in and the moose weren't moving. Hunted for 5 days, saw a cow and bull last Thursday when the weather changed, but couldn't get a good shot off at the bull. Then that night I almost hit a calf on the way back to camp with the truck. The cold and wind returned on Friday through the weekend. Alot of crews had a hard time in the second week, most went home with nothing. Luck played a major factor in moose success last week. Being at the right time and in the right place. That's the first time we haven't come back without filling our bull tag, since I started hunting moose 6 years ago.

Needless to say it was a quiet 18 hour drive home, all night Saturday. Oh well there's always next year.

340

PS: The current leader has a bull with a 59 and 3/8th inch spread up there. Taken Thursday morning.

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

WMU 9A saw alot of big bulls this year and that area for some reason was active at the end of last week when the rest was slow. Really Weird????? I guess the moose were hearding up there for the 2nd rut or winter.

When we drove up two Saturday's ago the MNR had a check station in North Bay, they were pulling in anyone with a trailer or truck going towards Toronto.

The MNR was laying some stiff fines ($190 CDN each) last week, for tagging a moose incorrectly (cutting out the wrong date), having a firearm out after dark, having hunters in the bush past the allowable time limits, cutting the sexual orgins off, no PAL or FAC not only got you the fine but confiscation of the firearm. They were putting up with nothing up there this year. I know a crew that got stopped in the bush while we were up there. They said the MNR Game Warden was actually a really nice guy, asked a huge list of questions but joked around with them a bit also. I guess if you play by the rules everyone gets some enjoyment out of it.

Anyway, our crew was thinking of passing on deer in November and going back up there instead. The drive at that time of year doesn't impress me much. Plus I don't think my boss would be too impressed.

340

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

We had perfect weather for our annual bow hunt in the last week of Sept. in Sask. We managed to arrow 3 bulls out of 6, a nice P&Y bull on tuesday evening, a 35&quot; on Weds. morning and Friday marning we put a nice 40&quot; down , all shot were under 20 yards and lung shots with easy tracking. Personally I never shot anything, but called in 2 out of the 3 so that was worth the trip for me. I also had a brute working but only manged to get him to about 80 yards before daylight faded, i tried to put him to bed, but the next morning spooked what I think was him walking in...oh well. The bulls were calling Sunday night and never stopped. It was nice cause the past 2 years we have taken 3 cows on the next to or last day just to fill the freezer. However it sounds like it maybe the last trip as the ticks took a lot of moose out in the spring/summer and forced closure most of the regular (rifle) and cut the draw in half this year. Sounds as though they might just cancel 03 moose for all hunters...boy I hope not we really got them pegged.

So the DNR are checking for FAC and PAL out east, the western guys say they won't do a think until the RCMP make them. Which at this point hasn't happened, but who knows. I haven't seen a CO all fall....YET! But rifle season opens in a couple of weeks up north and we always see them then. I have mine, so no big deal...but I would like to find out if they are going to say tag, license and FAC/PAL.

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

I was talking to a friend that hunts White River area yesterday. He shot a 57&quot; last week!
That refresh's the dreams for next fall even though it's a different area!
AL

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

We had a very good year this fall. I flew in with the wife at the end of Sept. and we were lucky enough to call in a little bull on the only calm morning we had. Then a week later I went with the guys on our annual trip and we managed to get a bull and a cow for our efforts so the freezer is full. Only bad thing was we couldn't catch any pickerel as the water was too high. All in all a good year though.

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Otis... Sorry for the late reply, been real busy getting caught back up.. Email me and i'll fill you in on the camp details.

340.. I seen quite a few moose hanging up on the way home around english river..... too bad you didn't luck out this year. Looks like the first week was a surplus, but I understand why people waited in regards to thanksgiving holiday.
I have been talking to my buddy in Dryden and they have been getting snow for the last 3 weeks....... makes a return trip a real drag but good luck to you if you all go.

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

We hunt in central BC and had a real good season- got 4 and should have had a fifth. All big bull hunting here is by limited entry so those of us that had a draw are hooped for the next 3 yrs. Anyone out there that thinks the grizzly pop. in BC is in trouble has no clue. We saw 8 different bears in one week in an area no larger than 10 square miles. All those bears and no fall hunt allowed! Saw wolves for the first time in this area in 14 years. May do some culling next year as no tag required.

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Hooked up with a friend of mine that hunts near Sioux Lookout. He said that the reason the moose weren't moving in certain areas was due to the fact that re-foresters sprayed for insects about two weeks before rifle opening and this insectiside drove the moose back into the woods. This came from an MNR rep up there.

I thought it was pure B.S.

Any thoughts, is this possible?

340

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

I hadn't heard of anything like that going on. We were up there the second week of Bow, which is 2 weeks prior to rifle. Mind you we were in area 15a 45 miles from Sioux Lookout.
The first week of Bow my buddies were up there and said the temps were in the 80's. They were actually swimming in the lake! Once we arrived the weather had changed to high winds and intermitent(sp) rain
A couple of times we thought we would hear the moose answer us but then the wind would gust again.
I think I'll just blame it on the weather. But if they were spraying for bugs good for them! They can't afford to lose the moose to West Nile.

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Littleal,

We were hunting 15a too, never seen so much snow in a week before!

It didn't stay on the ground, but it never stopped flurrying.

340

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

No Archery hunting for me this year , but we had a successfull rifle hunt.
It took us four days this year due to bad weather , one of the young guys bagged his first Moose with a 300 Win Mag.
The Beast came into the butcher shop at 719 lbs., with a 50&quot; spread.

He was tending a rather loud Cow when I called him over to the kid .
The Bull walked directly towards him down a winter road from 190 yds. away, the kid had the presence of mind to wait till the last minute before he dropped him at 30 yds , only to pop up again , his second shot was 2&quot; beside his first shot ( Dead on ), followed by his third shot , slightly behind the first two. With 2 Magnums in him he still walked away , but the Beast took a turn for the worst ( for him anyway ) when he turned broad side , the last shot in the neck dropped him for good .<img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>
When we reached the kid he was still standing on the road , he said there was no way he was going into the bush to see the Beast by himself .It's a good thing he didn't have to sign any autographs cause it took him several hours and wobbely pops to get him to stop shaking. WAY TO GO JOHN <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Great Story Circle!
Tell the Kid congrats There's nothing better than someones first whether it be a moose or a deer, and to think he kept his composer to take three shots!
AL

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

I can understand the Moose leaving the area that was sprayed for Insects. We had the same problem in the area that we hunt. The signs, warning of spraying were everywhere. Never saw very much Moose sign in those particular spots .


I'll tell the kid you said hi Littleal.

Also, I found the story of the MNR around North Bay being very strict interesting, cause we used to be bombarded by the MNR in our area , everything you could imagine. Well last year we weren't visited at all, and I don't think half of them had a PAL/POL, funny how that works out EH?

RE: How was your Moose season?
 

I'm a close nieghbour as well Machz I'm in Creemore.
We had an unsuccessful hunt this year as well but I'm not going to blame the weather I'll just blame the shooter who definetley wasn't prepared his equipment wasn't setup properly and he never practices his shooting.we caught an adult bull coming across a clearcut my buddy gave him a bull grunt because the cow call hadn't been working for us .The bull responded immediatly he covered a half mile in minute's. When he turned our direction Kevin ran down the road to tell his buddy that a Large bull was on his way and to get ready
15 minutes the bull appeared on the top of the hill.Buddy gave him a bull grunt, and he marched straight down the road to him this couldn't have been anymore perfect. This bull was right out in the open on a logging road nothing inbetween him and the bull at 20yrd's ,yes 20yrd's ,he aimed and released and whaaaappp he hit him alright .They came back to camp and were very excited about this bull HE'S DOWN HE'S DOWN that's for sure they said.Well we got all the gear that we could possibly need to drag this bull out of the swamp.
When we arrived to the spot where he had shot these guy's run into the swamp and start looking for a downed bull.Darren say's to me that wouldn't it be a good idea if we look for blood trail first before we enter the swamp I figure that that's Our best bet but the other's were already gone.Darren and I find blood immediately but not heavy just little bit's here and there,as we continue we find the arrow ,this is what told the story.The Arrow only had blood 4 to 6 inch's up the shaft the broadhead was mutilated with 3 broken blade's.
Darren and I had come to the conclussion that this could only mean a shoulder shot .We called the guy's out of the bush and decided stay on the blood trail but without any luck.We decided that we would come back tommorrow and look in the day light when it would be much easier to see.Well as thing's turned out we never found him ,but we did have some success with a 300lb bear and a couple close call's on other bull's but thing's wern't just right to take a shot. We seen 3 shootable bull's no cow's and 3 bear's in which we brought one home
We hunt in 21B at White River This is the first year in 8 season's that we came home without a moose ,but there's alway's next year and buddy will learn how to shoot if I have to drag him out myself.
P.S. he sure is taking a kickin for that shot from men, woman and children hahaha
Hope you enjoy this

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RE: How was your Moose season?
 

Our moose season was awesome! First day we had a young bull down by 7 am second day we had a little bit older bull down by 9:30 unfortenuatly that was the end of the hunt we didn't need more meat for 6 of us. Had a blast my first ever hunt I didn't get to shoot one myself but oh well there is always next year!