Moose Hunting Questions

[AlexPdHJ]

Hello everyone,

I am going for my first moose hunt in 5-13 during the first two weeks of October and I just have a few questions that I was hoping some experienced moose hunters can help me with. This will also only be my second hunt so I have a lot of rookie questions. I will be hunting with a rifle, not a bow, with two other guys.

1) I have heard and read about two very different ways of moose hunting. One is to cover a lot of ground going from slash to slash, swamp to swamp, calling and seeing if you get a response or spot a moose. The other is to stay put and call every 20-30 minutes and bring in a bull from miles away. I was wondering if they are both equally valid, if one is better, or if it is like so many things where everyone has their own strong opinion, but in reality it is just personal preference? The two other guys I am going with are very experienced and swear by the cover a lot of ground method, but that differs from the call them in method that I have read in almost every hunting magazine article I have read about moose hunting.

2) If it's 10 degrees C out, how long can you have a moose hanging in camp before you risk spoilage?

3) Since it's ATV closed area, should I get a game cart or a backpack frame to help if we have to pack out meat a long way?

4) Where can I buy a birch bark moose call in the lower mainland?

5) Let's say I am lucky enough to pull the trigger and I know it was a perfect double lung shot, but like the videos I have seen on youtube the moose runs 30 feet and then stops and is still standing. Should I let it expire naturally after one good shot or try for a hump shot or shoulder to pin it or something so that it drops quicker? It looks like often the follow up shots are not necessary, but then again having a big boy run further from a road or down a slope to make packing it out more work would suck.

6) Does anyone know if a good video or recording of actual cow moose calling during the rut? All I have been able to find is humans doing cow and bull calls and videos of bulls grunting and raking willows. I haven't been able to hear what a real cow moose sounds like, just human imitation.

Thank you so much!!!

[cmac]

you will never regret buying a game cart. Sasquatch fabrication makes a nice one

[Ferenc]

4 - Canadian Tire has them

[Rob Chipman]

If you shoot him and he doesn't fall down, shoot him again.

[375shooter]

If your moose is still standing after a double lung shot, give it another shot right into the lungs. Depending on the cartridge and bullet used, that should put it down for good.

[AlexPdHJ]

I'd be running a 180gr Barnes VOR-TX from a .30-06.

[Liveforthehunt]

From personal past experiences up north you will be in the tail end of the rut and then it gets quite. It varies every year by a few days. Calling can be very effective just sitting in one spot for days ... sometimes it takes a bull 2 days to get to you . I have shot 95% of my moose sitting and calling mostly cow call. Only called in a couple with both calls . Bull calls can make he smaller bulls weary

[AlexPdHJ]

Thanks for the great answers so far everyone :)

[375shooter]

I'd be running a 180gr Barnes VOR-TX from a .30-06.

That's a very good choice.

[ditch donkey]

if you find an area with a good amount of recent moose sign we usually sit and call at first light till mid morning. if we dont have any activity we spend the afternoon walking the bush exploring or covering ground. then usually sit the evening either back where we were calling in the morning or a good vantage point where you might have a good line of sight or a cutblock for that matter. most of our calling success has been in the early morning but moose can be found moving around throughout the day. There are many factors that play a part to calling moose like temp, hunting and predator pressure in your area and timing of the rut. the first part of the equation is to learn to cow call and have a bull respond the second part is to call the bull into your location using bull grunts ranking and other methods. if the bulls in your area are rutting you can usually bring them in on a string, other times if the bulls are not quite ready you will have work to bring him in and every situation can be different. every time you have an interaction with a bull you will usually learn somthing new or become better at knowing what to look for in each situation.
Moose are large creatures so not having a quad to use in your area can add some extra labour to your hunt. Id say having a game cart would be a good tool if you need to haul the moose out by hand. a solid frame pack is good to have as well in case you drop a moose in a spot with very limited access. Also make sure you have a buddy to help i personally wouldnt want to have to deal with a down moose by myself.

[moosinaround]

5-13 what zone, a b c?

[Sofa King]

if the day ends and nothing, do some good, long calls from your chosen spot just before dark.
many times there will be a moose there in the morning.

[AlexPdHJ]

5-13 what zone, a b c?

5-13 C :)

Also, thanks for the great advice everyone. Much appreciated. I'll definitely put it into practice!

One follow up question I do have is about bears. I know I need to stay vigilant and I'll be bringing my 870 as a camp gun. When I am out hunting I'll have my .30-06 and a can of bear spray. I've heard they can come up on you when you are field dressing and quartering etc. Any good tips other than have someone keeping watch while other people are working?

Cheers!

[monasheemountainman]

bears are pussies!! gut that thing and don't even think about them bears, you'll have your gun there anyway

[375shooter]

bears are pussies!! gut that thing and don't even think about them bears, you'll have your gun there anyway

That's debatable. I think its better to err on the safe side and be vigilant at all times.

[Ferenc]

Work on getting that moose out right away if you can..if for any reason you have to leave it overnight... Cut a long pole and place trail marker ribbing on it.... And when you go back in to retrieve it.. Look to see if that pole is there or knocked over....and always take care when going back in for the whole
moose or the 2nd load of quarters...best if you can get em out as soon as you can.
I always stick the pole in the downed moose rib cage.

[REMINGTON JIM]

bears are pussies!! gut that thing and don't even think about them bears, you'll have your gun there anyway

Ben I have shot a lot of bears and some of them are NOT pussies - You have to be carefull as they can loose there fear and become aggressive easily ! Generally any 200-500 gr bullet through the front shoulders gets there attention real good and another in the boiler room ruins there day pretty fast - BUT some bears can take a lot of Bad shots and keep on going ! :shock: JME :smile: RJ

[Sofa King]

bears are pussies!! gut that thing and don't even think about them bears, you'll have your gun there anyway

many a hunter has died from bear attacks while gutting or hauling out game.
many cases, their loaded gun nearby didn't help at all.

[Daybreak]

If you are concerned there may be bears in the area and you have a large animal down you should find a vantage point 2 or 3 hundred yards away and watch the kill for an hour or so, provided it's not 25 C out. That would at least reduce the chances of a nearby bear that was simply responding to the gunshot(s). Be especially vigilant if you are in really thick brush. It always feels more comfortable when you out in an open clear cut and can raise your head intermittently and get a good look around.

Many years ago, I was moose hunting with a fellow and we got two down at once just at dusk. At that point he announced he had to leave. " What" ? I said.

"I have to leave now!" he said again.

"Why, what's wrong"? I asked.

At that point, this 6'4" 240 lb, built like a brick shithouse logger reluctantly informed me he was terrified of bears !

Great, just great. Two moose down, it's getting dark and I have to deal with them alone. Long story short, I sent him back to camp to pack up while I gutted and halved two moose in the dark. Never forget looking up into the night sky and seeing the northern lights shimmering and then around the edges of the clear cut to see little glowing eyes all around me. That was a wake up call but I got it done and he arrived eventually.

[Liveforthehunt]

If you are concerned there may be bears in the area and you have a large animal down you should find a vantage point 2 or 3 hundred yards away and watch the kill for an hour or so, provided it's not 25 C out. That would at least reduce the chances of a nearby bear that was simply responding to the gunshot(s). Be especially vigilant if you are in really thick brush. It always feels more comfortable when you out in an open clear cut and can raise your head intermittently and get a good look around.

Many years ago, I was moose hunting with a fellow and we got two down at once just at dusk. At that point he announced he had to leave. " What" ? I said.

"I have to leave now!" he said again.

"Why, what's wrong"? I asked.

At that point, this 6'4" 240 lb, built like a brick shithouse logger reluctantly informed me he was terrified of bears !

Great, just great. Two moose down, it's getting dark and I have to deal with them alone. Long story short, I sent him back to camp to pack up while I gutted and halved two moose in the dark. Never forget looking up into the night sky and seeing the northern lights shimmering and then around the edges of the clear cut to see little glowing eyes all around me. That was a wake up call but I got it done and he arrived eventually.

Lol I have had that happen before ... it was just one big ******* fort nelson moose... was no clear cuts around only 75 yards off the road in thick timber ... started at dusk and had em all out by midnight hanging ... not going to lie I did shit my pants a little.lol

[BCBRAD]

Ben I have shot a lot of bears and some of them are NOT pussies - You have to be carefull as they can loose there fear and become aggressive easily ! Generally any 200-500 gr bullet through the front shoulders gets there attention real good and another in the boiler room ruins there day pretty fast - BUT some bears can take a lot of Bad shots and keep on going ! :shock: JME :smile: RJ

RJ is right on this one, buy a bear tag and be ready to shoot not reluctant to shoot. Around camp have your 870 at the ready and if you are tenting it, have it loaded and ready to go on the edge of your bunk and don't shoot your truck. In the morning I'll go for a lung shot because I got all day to deal with it , in the evening a shoulder shot because I want to stop him right where he stands, ranges are allot shorter in the evening.

[AlexPdHJ]

I read a lot online and some research suggests that bear spray is more effective than a gun because its effects are more immediate than a poorly place slug or .30 cal bullet fired in a panic. If it ever came down to it I hope I have friends around and use all of the above at the same time. From having taken a blast of bear spray to the face in 2003 I'm not scared of the blowback and would happily take it before a mauling (attempted car jacking on Halloween. It was bad. They didn't get my car. Made it home high on adrenaline. Parents called 911. Adrenaline wore off and I felt the effects of bear spray on my face and *ahem* elsewhere in the shower with the paramedics. That's when it got bad). I hear bear spray hits bears hard because of how sensitive their noses are.

[604ksmith]

I read a lot online and some research suggests that bear spray is more effective than a gun because its effects are more immediate than a poorly place slug or .30 cal bullet fired in a panic. If it ever came down to it I hope I have friends around and use all of the above at the same time. From having taken a blast of bear spray to the face in 2003 I'm not scared of the blowback and would happily take it before a mauling (attempted car jacking on Halloween. It was bad. They didn't get my car. Made it home high on adrenaline. Parents called 911. Adrenaline wore off and I felt the effects of bear spray on my face and *ahem* elsewhere in the shower with the paramedics. That's when it got bad). I hear bear spray hits bears hard because of how sensitive their noses are.

I have never been attacked by a bear, or needed to use bear spray on one. But if it was me, and my gut told me a bear was coming for me or my kill and me, I would reach for the bear spray (should be in hip/chest holster) if the bear was within 50 yards and moving fast. Under the stressful circumstances of a potentially life threatening attack, I would trust my ability to point and spray more than to point, shoot, reload, re-aquire, and re-shoot.

[Daybreak]

Lol I have had that happen before ... it was just one big ******* fort nelson moose... was no clear cuts around only 75 yards off the road in thick timber ... started at dusk and had em all out by midnight hanging ... not going to lie I did shit my pants a little.lol

Yah , the adrenaline is pumping and you tend to forget the position you are putting yourself in. Up to your shoulders in moose guts and blood. Just add few crackers and you'd be the perfect pre-meal snack for a bear. I'm not going to lie either... I was too young, full of bravado and naïve to realize the chance I was taking.


To the OP, don't be on a kill alone and enjoy your hunt. Chances of an encounter with a bear are probably slight and if you are wary even an encounter can be managed.

[two-feet]

Moose are easy to call in with a bit of practice, get on youtube and figure it out. I think it is best done with a partner in an ambush type set-up, the caller should have a good field of view up wind and the other guy should cover access to the caller from the down wind side, they seem to try to sneak in through the timber to get down wind for a good sniff. sometimes they come and stand right on the edge of the swamp for you, but usually they pussycat in through thick brush without even snapping a twig.
After 50-60 hours sitting and calling with no action a bull will materialize out of nothing, be ready when it happens!
Try to have a bit of open ground around you in case you call in bears or wolves.
Scent sprayed on trees can help.
Stick to a cow call if your are not looking for a trophy.
Hunt where the sign is. Hike into lakes and swamps to avoid the crowd.

There is a thread on here called "moose calling 101". Probably the best thread for the moose hunter on this sight.

[Fred1]

All good advice. I waaaay prefer the sit and call game... Calling moose is just as easy as it looks in all the videos. That's what they sound like - and some sounds you just wont believe! Watch the wind and avoid talking. Don't sweat the bears, but be smart about what you are doing out there. The flagpole in the rib cage is a great idea. Draw an imaginary line from the hump down to the front foot and shoot in the middle - he will drop. This is good! Whatever you do, don't let him die in any depth of water! Gun him down before he gets wet! A dead moose in water sucks! (seeing you are in a not ATV area) Everyone brings a back pack/frame pack!! Go have fun with it!

[AlexPdHJ]

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I have been practicing my moose calls on the commute to and from work, copying clips from YouTube. I look crazy and probably sound crazy to the people next to me at the red lights in Vancouver traffic lol.

[betteroffishing]

Been there , done that. My dog Sam used to try to harmonise with my cow calling. Man I miss that dog.

[604ksmith]

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I have been practicing my moose calls on the commute to and from work, copying clips from YouTube. I look crazy and probably sound crazy to the people next to me at the red lights in Vancouver traffic lol.

I do that as well. It's a great way to safely multi-task.

Once at a light, I was practicing an elk call and the truck next to me could hear me as their window was down while mine wasn't. He honked, got me to roll down my window and said "it needs more squeal and to come off unique."

That got me to thinking. Whether for elk or moose, try to make your calls sound genuine. Animals likely aren't walking around saying "hello everyone, is anyone looking to reproduce or fight? Thanks."

Instead they're barking, screaming, or whining: "I'm hoorny" "Hellllooooooo!" or "**** you, I'm the shit bring it!"

[Brno22F]

with regard to bears,
All but one of the moose I have taken have come from the Bulkley Valley and Kispiox areas. There are a lot of bears here and a good number of them are Grizz. I can think of at least 8 different occasions when I left a moose over night in the bush with the guts out and the cavity open to cool things down. Not once have I encountered a bear or, for that matter, wolves or coyotes, on one of my moose.
This doesn't mean that it can't or won't happen. You are right to have a pump gun with slugs along with you when retrieving your animal. Like the Boy Scout motto, "Be Prepared".
One other note, if you do leave a moose overnight, try to get back to it early the next day before the ravens alert the world to your kill site.

[375shooter]

YOU BE THE JUDGE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dry7aDm6ws

I don't know. I'm not convinced that it happened as they say. I'm not saying it didn't, but I wouldn't put too much faith in it. Have you ever tried shooting a rifle from the hip? I have, and my shots never went anywhere close to where I tried to put them. To put a shot into the brain of a charging grizzly, even at 8 feet, seems remarkable to me. Also they seem too proud of their kill, skinning it before Fish and Game have a chance to see it, taking video of the bullet entrance in the skull and of the claws, etc. I would have to see for myself a grizzly in a charge sprayed with bear spray and it keep coming, to believe it doesn't work.

[Fred1]

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I have been practicing my moose calls on the commute to and from work, copying clips from YouTube. I look crazy and probably sound crazy to the people next to me at the red lights in Vancouver traffic lol.

I call elk up and down all kinds of BC hwy's ;)