andrewscag
09-18-2016, 09:40 PM
I was lucky enough to get my first ever draw this year so I thought I should do my best to fill it. Srupp gave me some great advice, and I headed up this past week to follow it. I was able to pop up for a few days in August to have a look around so I had an idea of what I was getting myself into. I was solo and it sounds like it's still a bit early for the rut. So I planned to nail down some good spots to call from and come back up with a buddy from the 28-30th. Had a great 'no pressure' few days with perfect weather-- just beating around the bush and enjoying myself, saw a few lynx and a great grey owl, and decided to take a look at the southern part of the zone late Wednesday.
Very glad I did. With some more great info from Gone_Fishin and a belly full of fine Quesnel cuisine, I got right to it. Bright and early Thursday I walked into one of the few cuts with any visibility in the area and heard something in the timber to my left. I'd already jumped a few things this week without seeing them so I was determined to find this one. I crept in to see if I could get a look at it and couldn't. So back down the spur I go when I come to another branch to the left. So like anyone would, I walk down that to try to circle around and catch something out. As I turn around to get a clear view, I catch a glimpse of something big and brown at the far end of the cut against the tree line, about 6-700 m away. A bull moose! Conditions are pretty good to stalk. Quiet ground, not yet sunrise, some fog, good cover, wind not really with me though. I start moving as fast as I can without making a sound so that he doesn't wind me. About half an hour later I'm getting pretty close and he's starting to lift his head up a bit too much. I can't get a shot off yet and he's going to bust me. As I crouch there with my heart pounding, the wind starts to flicker a bit. And then it changed up enough to save me! I've got great cover to get within my range, though I won't be able to see him along the way. Just when I start in on the final stalk I see something else at the tree line. It's a cow moose feeding towards me. So now I've got two more eyes, ears, and nostrils to worry about. No way around it though, so I keep going, moving as she drops her head to feed. Finally I'm at the make or break point. Even though I can hear him off in the same direction that he was the last time I saw him, I can't really tell where he'll be once I pop my head out to look. He could be feeding, head down, pointing away, or he could be staring right at me 75' away. I wait until he starts making some noise and take a look. Perfect. He's still at the tree line slowly feeding. Elbow to knee, butt to shoulder, cheek to stock and he's in my sights at 100-125 yards. He's making his way into the trees now with the sun starting to creep into the sky, so I wait until I have clear vitals, and at the last minute fire. The cow explodes off, he bolts forward and drops! Or does he? He could be standing in some low shrubs. So I fire again to be sure since I have a clear view of him and really don't want to have to look for him or haul any farther than the km I'm already going to have to. He yells and I know he's hit for sure.
Back to the truck for my pack and I let him rest for over an hour. I haven't hunted moose and don't want to make a rookie mistake and push him. I make the 15 minute walk back to the spot I shot from and tie a flag. Walk out to the tree he was by when I shot, flagging the way, and get to the spot to find nothing. No moose, no blood, no broken branches, no fur. Nothing. Bad scene and I'm heartbroken thinking I wounded him and he's suffering kms away from here by now with no way for me to end it. Well I better start a grid and start looking for anything to go on. As soon as I step around a shrub there he is, down and about 15' from where I hit him. Not a great shot, but one through the shoulder, and one that cut the jugular just in front of it.
I've gone on too much already but had the best luck of the trip at this point. The hunters camped next to me showed up with their quads after I'd been working on him for a while and basically saved me from a long, hot, exhausting day or two. Court, Lindsay, and especially Gord are some of the best people on earth and treated the animal like it was one theirs, with smiles and laughter all day. Permanently in debt to them. A short 11.5 hours after the first shot was fired and the meat is hung, hands washed, and scotch is poured. The best week of hunting I've ever had comes to a close. Thanks to everyone that had a hand in this, Srupp and Gone_Fishin, I really appreciate the help. Your turn next!
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/moose%20down.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/moose%20down.jpg.html)
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/me%20with%20head_1.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/me%20with%20head_1.jpg.html)
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/meat%20in%20camp.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/meat%20in%20camp.jpg.html)
Very glad I did. With some more great info from Gone_Fishin and a belly full of fine Quesnel cuisine, I got right to it. Bright and early Thursday I walked into one of the few cuts with any visibility in the area and heard something in the timber to my left. I'd already jumped a few things this week without seeing them so I was determined to find this one. I crept in to see if I could get a look at it and couldn't. So back down the spur I go when I come to another branch to the left. So like anyone would, I walk down that to try to circle around and catch something out. As I turn around to get a clear view, I catch a glimpse of something big and brown at the far end of the cut against the tree line, about 6-700 m away. A bull moose! Conditions are pretty good to stalk. Quiet ground, not yet sunrise, some fog, good cover, wind not really with me though. I start moving as fast as I can without making a sound so that he doesn't wind me. About half an hour later I'm getting pretty close and he's starting to lift his head up a bit too much. I can't get a shot off yet and he's going to bust me. As I crouch there with my heart pounding, the wind starts to flicker a bit. And then it changed up enough to save me! I've got great cover to get within my range, though I won't be able to see him along the way. Just when I start in on the final stalk I see something else at the tree line. It's a cow moose feeding towards me. So now I've got two more eyes, ears, and nostrils to worry about. No way around it though, so I keep going, moving as she drops her head to feed. Finally I'm at the make or break point. Even though I can hear him off in the same direction that he was the last time I saw him, I can't really tell where he'll be once I pop my head out to look. He could be feeding, head down, pointing away, or he could be staring right at me 75' away. I wait until he starts making some noise and take a look. Perfect. He's still at the tree line slowly feeding. Elbow to knee, butt to shoulder, cheek to stock and he's in my sights at 100-125 yards. He's making his way into the trees now with the sun starting to creep into the sky, so I wait until I have clear vitals, and at the last minute fire. The cow explodes off, he bolts forward and drops! Or does he? He could be standing in some low shrubs. So I fire again to be sure since I have a clear view of him and really don't want to have to look for him or haul any farther than the km I'm already going to have to. He yells and I know he's hit for sure.
Back to the truck for my pack and I let him rest for over an hour. I haven't hunted moose and don't want to make a rookie mistake and push him. I make the 15 minute walk back to the spot I shot from and tie a flag. Walk out to the tree he was by when I shot, flagging the way, and get to the spot to find nothing. No moose, no blood, no broken branches, no fur. Nothing. Bad scene and I'm heartbroken thinking I wounded him and he's suffering kms away from here by now with no way for me to end it. Well I better start a grid and start looking for anything to go on. As soon as I step around a shrub there he is, down and about 15' from where I hit him. Not a great shot, but one through the shoulder, and one that cut the jugular just in front of it.
I've gone on too much already but had the best luck of the trip at this point. The hunters camped next to me showed up with their quads after I'd been working on him for a while and basically saved me from a long, hot, exhausting day or two. Court, Lindsay, and especially Gord are some of the best people on earth and treated the animal like it was one theirs, with smiles and laughter all day. Permanently in debt to them. A short 11.5 hours after the first shot was fired and the meat is hung, hands washed, and scotch is poured. The best week of hunting I've ever had comes to a close. Thanks to everyone that had a hand in this, Srupp and Gone_Fishin, I really appreciate the help. Your turn next!
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/moose%20down.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/moose%20down.jpg.html)
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/me%20with%20head_1.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/me%20with%20head_1.jpg.html)
http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/meat%20in%20camp.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/meat%20in%20camp.jpg.html)