Moose 5-02d

[Mr. Blasty]

Hey everybody, im new to HBC and first time posting but thousands of times reading.

Im on day 5 of my 7 day moose hunt. I finally managed to get a draw after 5 years. I scouted pretty much all of nyland laked, maud lake and as far down the road as i could get. Fthe first 2 days i hunted overlooking a meadow with tons of fresh deer and moose tracks and saw nothing. The last 3 days i hunted a swampy area with tons of fresh moose tracks from before sun up to about 10 am and saw nothing. I was calling for moose all 5 days and never got a reply. I have driven probably 300 kms and walked 50 and have only seen grouse and white tails.

Is anybody else running into this problem in this area. Im from vancouver island and dont usually go this long in the woods without seeing something

Anybody got an pointers, btw i have never hunted moose before.

[mikek blacktail]

Wish I could help you out we have the Sam draw and will be there in the same areas on the first.

[BigSkogButt]

Perservance is all I can say. I've shot moose on the first day and then not seen any more till last light of the last day. And then I've been on trips where I don't see a moose till the last day. Not very helpful but stick with the sign and don't give up. It can turn around in the blink of an eye.

[ElliotMoose]

They should be talking big time by now.. I would say hunt that meadow where you saw all the moose sign. Get in well before first light, start with a couple soft cow calls before sun up. Remember not to over call - it's easy to get carried away and this is one mistake that is made commonly. Spraying yourself down with some moose scent before you head in never hurts either. Good luck and go spank a big one!

[markathome]

When calling before sun up do a few softer cow calls and then move forward into the area. Even better is to split up with a buddy and one guy hunkers in the shooting zone and another guy calls from 2-300 yards behind him. Works for my crew, bulls come in with a mission to walk through the shooting zone on their way to the cow caller.

[hunterdon]

Elliot moose has given you excellent advice. All I would add is since it is your first time moose hunting, you probably don't have much experience if any at moose calling. Don't let that hold you back. As Elliot pointed out it is the peak time for calling moose. Your calls don't have to be good. You calling may even sound pointless to you, but call anyway. Bulls will respond to just about anything that sounds even remotely like a cow moose. The early morning is best and down at the edges of those swamps. Your calls will carry best there and the moose are still feeding in those swamps this time of year. Listen carefully for low bull grunts as he returns your call. As long as keeps coming your way, don't call. Only when he hangs up, then give 1 or 2 soft calls. That will confirm to him your direction, and because your call is softer, he will think you are a bit further than he originally thought. That usually brings them in closer for a goog shot.
Good luck!

[Mr. Blasty]

Thanks everyone for all the good advice, i will keep the calling going into the afternoon. Most animals ive seen have been between 11-3 which confirms my theory that the animals dont like this first thing in the morning frost. Oh mikek blacktail, the best activity ive seen has been out by swift river off of 500r, i saw my first full grown cow today right by the river on the road. Their is more marshes and small lakes out that wat

[f350ps]

If you found a cow stick close to her, she could be yer meal ticket! I only cow call and have had some very good success but make sure you're hidden fairly well as they'll pinpoint ya every time. They can come in grunting and raking like a freight train but they can also tip toe in so listen very carefully! Good luck! K

[tigrr]

Lots of tag soup in 5-02 this year so far.

[Jagermeister]

If you found a cow stick close to her, she could be yer meal ticket! I only cow call and have had some very good success but make sure you're hidden fairly well as they'll pinpoint ya every time. They can come in grunting and raking like a freight train but they can also tip toe in so listen very carefully! Good luck! K
I know the area quite well and it is a tough hunt until the snow flies in the highlands to the east. This usually drives the bulls down. Oddly, bulls in this region and 5-15 are usually in no hurry to "score".
That being said. The advice above offered by f350ps is sound. The only difference would be do bull calls and not cow calls. Cows in estrus are quite solitary and not up to company, not even their calves. And do not call toward her, call 180° from her and stay tuned in. The only thing you may hear would be a twig breaking.

[MB_Boy]

Thanks everyone for all the good advice, i will keep the calling going into the afternoon. Most animals ive seen have been between 11-3 which confirms my theory that the animals dont like this first thing in the morning frost.

I wouldn't necessarily bank on that theory. Cooler weather and frosty morning tend to get the moose moving....but in saying that when they are rutting they'll be going throughout the day trying to find a Chiquita.

To confirm your theory....if you're driving around thru the middle of the day odds are you WILL see more game as you're covering much more ground than on foot.

Some great advice for you thus far in this thread. I'd get into an area before light in the morning and start cow calling but as mentioned don't 'over call'. As hunterdon mentioned....if you get a response, call away from where he is. Keep a keen ear out as was already shared they can come in like a freight train or all of a sudden you'll hear a stick snap and he'll be not far from you. It's amazing how quietly they can sneak through the bush when they want to. :wink:

Over the years I have had WAY more success calling to them in the morning or evening than the middle of the day.

[mikek blacktail]

Thanks everyone for all the good advice, i will keep the calling going into the afternoon. Most animals ive seen have been between 11-3 which confirms my theory that the animals dont like this first thing in the morning frost. Oh mikek blacktail, the best activity ive seen has been out by swift river off of 500r, i saw my first full grown cow today right by the river on the road. Their is more marshes and small lakes out that wat
hope you got one were heading up tonight

[Glenny]

Keep moving while you are calling the place is crawling with cats. No lie.

[todbartell]

Perservance is all I can say. I've shot moose on the first day and then not seen any more till last light of the last day. And then I've been on trips where I don't see a moose till the last day. Not very helpful but stick with the sign and don't give up. It can turn around in the blink of an eye.

x 2 just keep at it and it will happen when it happens. Try to position yourself so the wind is blowing your scent into least likely area for a moose to approach

[Bubba123]

I have a friend who hunts the region and he is known as the most patient hunter out there. He also almost always bags a moose. I consider that sage advice.

[f350ps]

I have a friend who hunts the region and he is known as the most patient hunter out there. He also almost always bags a moose. I consider that sage advice.
I'd like to know how he almost always bags an LEH tag! K

[Rotorwash]

It seems like a really strange year for the moose. I hunted 5-15 and I saw a cow and calf on opening day. After that I didn't see any moose sign . Not a track or poop that looked less than a month old. I called and didn't get any responses. On the 18th day of not seeing anything but wolf and deer track a bull ran out in front of me. I put on a lot of miles and searched all the spots that I had seen them years past. I was beginning to think there wasn't any.

[MRP]

Was up around the same area as you Mr.B. I was invited along as the caller for a old frend. Had cows come in to the call everyday only one had a calf. Some were quite aggressive, I never seen or heard a bull. My hunting partner kept telling me that he could here bulls answering, I would tell him it's a cow. And in a bit a cow would come out barking, never looking back or give any indication of something behind her. Think a lot of hunters got fooled by answering cows, been moose calling for close to 40 years and it still fools me once in awhile. Cows on the desperate hunt for a bull and no caves with them, to me means there's a shortage.

[Jagermeister]

Was up around the same area as you Mr.B. I was invited along as the caller for a old frend. Had cows come in to the call everyday only one had a calf. Some were quite aggressive, I never seen or heard a bull. My hunting partner kept telling me that he could here bulls answering, I would tell him it's a cow. And in a bit a cow would come out barking, never looking back or give any indication of something behind her. Think a lot of hunters got fooled by answering cows, been moose calling for close to 40 years and it still fools me once in awhile. Cows on the desperate hunt for a bull and no caves with them, to me means there's a shortage.
I too hunted that area quite extensively while making Quesnel home.
What the above post suggests to me is that the apparent calf shortage could be the result of predation by bears and wolves.
5-02d and 5-15 are an enigma for moose hunting. Most everyone has the conception that when a cow moose comes into estrus, it's game on and it usually is. Except for 5-02d and 5-15. In the Swift River area that I hunted, there were the odd bull cruising around when the season opened, but most often the area would be devoid of bulls. The first real heavy snow storm would dump a copious amount of snow in the highlands to the east and magically overnight the place would be overrun with bulls.
Back to the cows. They will remain is estrus for quite a while if not breed. From the material that I have read, cows may stay in estrus well into the winter months. In the eastern and northern parts of the country, bulls will collect a harem of cows. This does not happen here. Cows are usually solitary during estrus and quite territorial, meaning they will drive other cows off as well as immature bulls. Cows are attracted to bulls with big racks and will put off breeding until one is found. Only allowing an immature to breed them as estrus continues. Calves born from a late bred cow have little chance of survival, predation taking many and the lack of being able to forage as they are still dependent on suckling from mom.
The bulls in these particular regions have spent the summer at altitude escaping the flies and when the snow arrives they will sash-shay down from the mountain tops. Taking advantage of cows that have remained in estrus.
Here's the secret to a successful hunt in 5-02d and that portion of 5-15 that adjoins 5-02d. Put in for the LEH that runs late October or early November. Prepare to slog heavy snow.

[bearvalley]

What Jagermeister says pretty much nails it down.