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Thread: 2019 Bull Moose

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    73

    2019 Bull Moose

    A handful of days ago, Tim and I started making our long drive to northern BC. We arrived at our destination close to 1pm on the 26th and had our camp setup later that afternoon. With a bit of free time before dinner, we decided to head down to the river to make a few calls.
    The sun was setting and we just finished having our supper when I heard the faint grunt of a bull moose. We quickly grabbed our rifles and headed towards the sound of the call. We made it to the river and in the distance I could make out the paddles of a moose antler and part of its head looking in our direction. Tim also saw the flash of white paddles moving off just inside the treeline. The moose facing us was getting louder as he kept grunting at us as Tim made a couple cow calls. We could barely see the moose and since there was barely, if any, shooting light left we decided it would be ethical to leave him be and call him back in the next morning.

    To our dismay, a cow moose started calling out shortly after. She wailed and wailed and the bull was grunting back at her. This went on for a good half an hour and it was amazing to witness. Unfortunately this could be a problem for us. If that cow is in estrus and accepts the bull when he finds her, then most likely we would not be able to call him away from her.

    We woke early the next morning before the crack of dawn, eager to start hunting. We expected him to come out grunting right away once we started calling but all we got was silence. We called all day, letting out a cow call every 15 minutes or so, only taking a short break to have a quick lunch. By late afternoon we still haven't seen or heard any sign of moose. Frustration sets in and regret crosses my mind, maybe I should have just taken the shot last night.

    We decided to have an early dinner so that we can be back down at the river just before sunset. It was just before 7pm when we heard a faint grunt of a bull. We called and he kept grunting back, getting louder as he got closer. Finally I could see him grunting as he stood there and faced us in the tall grass. I shouldered my rifle and had him in my sights, the bull moose faced me 180 yards away. I didn't have a great shot as his body was partially hidden by the grass and I didnt want to shoot him in the head.

    Tim let out a few more cow calls to get him to turn and perhaps come even closer. I kept the bull in my crosshairs the whole time and finally the moose turned. Once he gave me his side I aimed behind his shoulder and fired. I hit him in the lungs but the bull did not go down, instead he ran into the river. The last place we wanted him to be. I hit him again and he turned around towards land. He took a couple more steps and dropped just before the shoreline where he expired shortly after. The bull moose measured 58 inches and was shot with a Fierce CT Edge in .300wsm with a 180 grain Nosler accubond.

    We were ecstatic that we had a bull down on our first actual day of hunting but the day was not over yet and neither was our hunt.
    I was still looking at my moose with half his body in the water when I saw some movement. Another moose had come out of the timber and headed towards the moose I had just shot!

    It was a young bull, perfect for eating and exactly what Tim wanted to shoot. I got out of his way so that he could shoulder his rifle to take the shot. The bull was about 200 yards when he fired a shot into his lungs. The moose ran into the water as well, but turned around shortly after and went back towards land. He almost made it back to dry land when he turned around once more towards the water. Tim fired once more and the moose dropped with half his body in the water. The bull was a 2x2 and was shot with a Sako in .338 winmag with a 200 grain Hornady bullet.

    We got the boat in the water and went over to take a quick look at our moose. There wasnt much we could do since it was getting dark so we had to leave them where they lay. Our hunt was now over with two bull moose down at the end of our first day of hunting.

    We got up at 8am the next morning, had breakfast and made our way across the river again. We spent the whole day using a come-a-long to get the bodies onto dry land and harvesting the meat. It was around 6pm when were finished dealing with both moose. We were exhausted but got the job done and we are now on our long drive home.






















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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Williams Lake, BC Canada
    Posts
    14,168

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Hmmm extremely well done to both you guys..T & T...
    However you guys are not happy till your up to your elbows in water grinning over the newest hunting fatality. Lol
    Seems to be a pattern..but a happy one.
    So do you feel your new rifle has been adequately broken in ? Man I sure hope so.the video and photos were awesome and up to your high standards.
    Thank you again for sharing your adventure..and Chinese noodle contribution..chuckle..
    Enjoy your deer trip coming up.
    Cheers
    Steven

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    73

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Thanks Steve!
    That wasn't me shooting in the video. I was the one filming.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Fraser Valley
    Posts
    443

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Looks great with the water, congratulations!

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    4,594

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Great job guys!!!
    If you can pack it in, You can pack it out !!!

    UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL !!!


    BCWF
    WSSBC
    CCFR
    " The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new"
    Socrates.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    373

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    great job nice bull

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Horsefly BC
    Posts
    2,253

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Well done!
    I shot my first on a bed of sinking muskeg. 80 feet from the edge of the muskeg. 80 feet from the boat. Best tasting moose ever!!
    The challenge of retirement is how to spend time without spending money.
    The worst day slinging lead is still better than the best day working.
    Look around is there someone you can introduce to shooting because that’s the only way we will buck the anti gun trend sweeping Canada! "tigrr 2006"


  9. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    738

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Not sure how far from a good tree you were, but highly recommend a snatch block over a come along. Tie rope to moose antler, run through snatch block on a tree and back to tow hook on the back of the jet boat. Pick your spot and snort him up onto good ground. Have done this with much success.

    Thanks for sharing the story.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    West Kootenays
    Posts
    897

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Wow Two bulls ! Great work... and seeing that water does remind me of some serious work on several occasions !

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    73

    Re: 2019 Bull Moose

    Thanks!

    We had a tree nearby but no jetboat. the water was quite shallow in certain spots and we just rowed a 12' aluminum boat across the river.

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