Brambles helps an old guy.

[Brambles]

The old guy in question was a co-worker, and one of my mentors at work. One of the best firefighters a guy could hope to have on the hoseline with you. He retired this year at 54 ish.

As a retirement treat he asked if he could apply with me for LEH moose, it wasn't a hard decision as this would be the third successful draw for LEH moose we've had together.

Unfortunatly he's got a black cloud that hovers overtop of his head and game disappears when he's around, and on the previous group hunts he never connected on a moose.

This year He, My wife and I put in together and were drawn for 2 local moose tags. Not a huge moose population but close to home ment we could pound it hard...

[Brambles]

Our first day out was Sept 11th, go into a spot I seen a moose sleeping in November last year....

we hike in, and set up....I throw out some cow calls and grunts....

couple minutes later....we hear a bull start grunting......you've gotta be kidding me....we have to reposition to keep the wind in our favor....and within 10 minutes the bull passes by my buddy at 30 yards but no shot in the pines presents itself.....a few minutes later he passes by me at 35 yards, but still offers no good shot at his vitals....

the little fella gets wise and takes off....

good first day...

[Brambles]

Sept 13th we go after a big bull I heard was in a certain area last year....we spend the morning and afternoon but decide to leave after 6 hours of listening to brush cutters with chainsaws working all day.....we kill my elk that evening, but that's a different thread...

[RiverOtter]

Hurry up, I gotta hit the rack soon.....

[Brambles]

For the next couple weeks we cover a lot of country and see lots of sign but no moose.

i go back to the Sept 11th spot solo and have a close encounter but again at 40 yards no shot...

[Brambles]

Couple days ago buddy and I were covering country and I seen a cutblock and I say " I got a good feeling about that old overgrown block"

Yesterday we go back to that overgrown block and Buddy goes and watches another spot and I head into the thick crap...get into a spot where there are some shooting lanes...

let out some calls and I hear some rustling in the distance...but unsure what it was.....I call a bit more and a few minutes I hear like something shaking some bushes....but I can't hear the hollow sound of big palms so I'm guessing smaller bull.

at what I guess is 60-80 yards he starts grunting......

he gets to what I figure is 40 yards...I can't see him, my shooting lane is 32 yards....and he stops...

i throw out some soft grunts...try and move for a shot...wind swirls and he's gone......

damn, but I hike more and get a good look at the block and get a game plan for the next morning....today...

[Brambles]

So today we arrive nice and early, it's drizzling and foggy...

from the day before I could see some good openings when I was at the top edge of the block....we make our way towards those....

we get set up and I position buddy in a couple shooting lanes.....for now I'm laying off the bull grunts....only cow calls.....the smaller bulls seem to come in very cautious anytime they hear another bull.

a few minutes later we hear him grunting...I tuck back into a small pocket and do some more cow calling..

[Brambles]

Now a lot of the media I watched and read suggest calling lots when they are far away but stop almost completely when they get close......well that hadn't worked the last 3 encounters.

when I stopped calling, he'd stop grunting and advancing about 30 seconds to 1 minute later. So I'd lay on some more sugar, and he ate it up....

I now caught a visual of him and could predict which shooting lane he would likely use, so I got buddies attention and gestured him over to the next shooting lane, our rangefinders wouldn't work in the fog so the closer the better.

As he was coming in he was making a large variety of sounds that I've never heard before.....and he loved what I had to say.

[spear]

keep er comin, this is good

[Brambles]

The moose is now 25 yards from me and danger close to buddy.....I can't call any more..

im thinking, what is wrong, why hasn't he shot, surely he's got an angle.....then the moose goes from looking in my direction, to looking in buddies direction.

At that moment I hear THWACK....and then the arrow ricochet....the moose jolts forward 25 yards and stops....right in front of me. I move to clip onto my string and he now see's me and bolts...

I let out a gaggle of cow calls....as the bull is running full steam downhill......he breaks left....then right...and just before He leaves sight I hear him cough....ohhh I like that....