Bull moose, size L

[two-feet]

This hunt started like many others: a half baked plan in the back of my brain that was turned into reality through planning, hard work and the help of good friends. After a fly-in for moose last year that landed us on a lake with a large party already set up I figured the only way to get away from people is to go completely non-motorized. This means getting to places that trucks, quads, boats and planes can't reach. Since I do not have horses this results in boot leather hitting the ground.

The planning stage of a hunt is always quite enjoyable for me, pouring over maps and google earth with a cold pint in hand during the long winter months. The LEH gods did not smile upon us this year so the plan was to head North to the GOS, always such a wonderful option to have. I have a friend with a cabin between Dease Lake and the Yukon border that allowed us to stay there. As much as I love camping rough in the bush it was just too good to pass up so a beautiful, well appointed cabin was home base for the trip.

We got going about 2pm in the afternoon from Smithers. The drive North from the Bulkley Valley is world class and it was a clear, sweet day. Once we hit Kitwanga we started to see bears, lots of bears. We must have seen 12-15 by the time it was getting dark and we pulled into Bell II. The great thing about staying at Bell II is... outdoor hot tub! Nice way to relax after a long drive. Up early the next morn, across the mighty Stikine, stop at Dease for fuel and then to the cabin at around 1pm. A quick shuffling of gear and off to the hunting grounds.....

[Caribou_lou]

I been going over Google earth in the same area recently. How timely! The LEH gods are hard on me too

[buckshot]

Looking forward to hearing your adventures. Just what the Dr ordered to pass the long winter nights!

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Looking forward to reading all about how this Hunt went for ya!

[two-feet]

We parked on the highway and hiked in. It was immediately sharp up and down hills, not high but steep and covered in blow down. What on Google earth shows just the slightest bit of texture is in reality a series of eskers, or glacial gravel ridges that we have to cut across at 90 degrees. We were so full of adrenaline for the first hunt of our trip that we motored through 1.5 km in what felt like no time. For the first while there was just older sign, but as we got further in towards some puddles I was aiming for the sign became fresher and more abundant. At one point I bent over to cross some blow down and when I looked up, there was a cow moose staring at me from about 30 yards away. I quickly chambered a round in case there was a bull near, but the cow just ran off and nothing else was around. We kept walking and spread out around a series of small lakes and I was designated caller. About a minute after my first call I see a cow sneaking off beside me in the swamp and I again get ready for the bull. But nothing showed. Several minutes later I see 2 more cows running off across the lake. The wind was good so it must have been my calling that spooked them, which did not make me more confident in my calling! But I was happy to be seeing animals and the day ended not long after.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2Oq3dSP2FrpOWM1WlI5T1FJWno5Q2hISG1zLWNDWWtSSFNJ/view?usp=drivesdk

[two-feet]

Day 2 was hunting from canoes. Now me and my buddy RedMac are passionate canoe hunters, my other friend Mark not so much.We launched on a chilly, clear morning, me solo and the other guys together. The hunting was incredible as it usually is in a boat and the weather was perfect but we saw no moose. However, as I was paddling around I kept seeing schools of sizeable fish scatter out from under the canoe. Other friends have told me this is a great pike lake so after our morning hunt we did a little fishing.http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0408_zpspq1dnghx.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0408_zpspq1dnghx.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

We made a fire and cooked up some fish bush-craft style. As we were roasting them a spruce grouse landed in a tree so we killed and ate it, too. A very nice morning and some good eats. Nothing of interest was seen on that evening hunt.http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0410_zps9zntpzox.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0410_zps9zntpzox.jpg.html)

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Wooohooo!!! Now you all are in canoes? I have yet to try it but have heard great things from some top notch big Moose hunters about this idea.

This is sweet story thus far!

[NChunter]

Great i was just going to go to bed and then I see this story. Guess i can stay up for a bit!

[two-feet]

The next day spirits were a bit lower. No action since the first hike had us a bit nervous and also it was raining. But RedMac gave a good pep talk and I set off solo for the day with 2 cookies and 2 landjaegers. I climbed a big esker and just followed it most of the day, dipping down off the ridge to check out various lakes and puddles. It rained all morning but I was having a great time in the northern forest that I love so much.

I hunted all day, hard. Walking and calling, or calling from a vantage. For the very last push of the day I went over a hill through an old burn toward a bigger sized lake and called there for a bit. I started walking out and decided to just call softly as I made my way through the blow down. Then I hear 4 deep, base drum type grunts. The deep, resonating power of these grunts will be remembered until I die.

I scan the tree line, knowing that those grunts came from a huge moose, and very close. I then catch movement down in a dip bellow me. Antlers, 40 yards off. I quietly slip off my big backpack and take a few steps over. from behind a big root wad all I can see is the vitals, and the tips of his antlers waving up and down. Up goes the rifle for a free hand shot, and down goes the bull in a heap. I climb up a log and see the moose struggling to his feet so I shoot again, he drops again. I walk forward and put a final one in the base of his skull. Now, I would have shot a spike-fork but was pretty happy with what I found. http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0414_zpszyz17ayf.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0414_zpszyz17ayf.jpg.html)

[two-feet]

The previous days I had been using my JC Higgins in .270, but felt I needed the lucky touch of the model 99 in .300 Savage.http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0415_zpsg4nyws9i.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0415_zpsg4nyws9i.jpg.html)

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

AWESOME MOOSE!!!

What a great animal. I'd be very stoked on him if'n he was mine. :mrgreen:

Congratulations!

[Caribou_lou]

Nice bull! Looks like a mature bull past his prime.

[Caribou_lou]

Never mind. I just saw the second photo. Paddles wider than I thought!

[two-feet]

So here is the thing....I shot and dropped him right in his rut-pit! the reason I saw his antlers moving around is because he was in the process off pissing all over his neck and slashing in the love mud he had stirred up. The poor fellow thought he was about to get some sweet cow tail when I put a 180gr federal blue box round nose bullet into him.

Ever try to deal with a huge northern bull by yourself, at dusk? You should. I worked for about an hour and a half, got the guts out a hind quarter off, did some skinning and spread the legs apart to facilitate cooling, put the heart in my bag. I then started the long walk back with the head lamp, it was pretty brutal. Got out to the road about 2 1/2 hours after dark and tried to flag down vehicles so I could get a ride or message to my friends that I assumed were getting worried. Having a rifle and being covered in blood and piss did not help but some suspicious American guy helped me out. We had a few beers that night and got mentally prepared for the next day.

[two-feet]

THE PACK OUT

Next morning we hiked in and started cutting. It was a warm, sunny day and the moose was down right in the middle of and open burn so we felt a sense of urgency. The quarters we figured to be in the neighbourhood of 120lbs each, the rack was around 45lbs. So we entered the hurt locker.
http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0418_zpsrextc3gf.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0418_zpsrextc3gf.jpg.html)

[cyalatte]

Nice bull, congrats...love the Savage, good call although the Higgins is a nice rig too!

[Hank Hunter]

Beautiful moose, great story. congrats

[Spy]

Nice Bull, great story, big Congrats and thanks for sharing :-)

[Danielcan]

Very cool. 8)

[two-feet]

Only those who have had a hard pack out know the pain and feelings of discouragement that can try to make you quit. But there is no option but to carry on, and one of us was usually feeling strong enough to encourage the others. We all had low moments as well.

It took all day, and by the end we were pretty tuckered out. http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0417_zps2wpfyl8f.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0417_zps2wpfyl8f.jpg.html)

As big as this moose was, the meat is fantastic. It is twice as good as the smaller bull I got last year. Here is some heart and grouse stew I cooked with wine, garlic, bacon and potatoes. http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r748/two-feet1/IMG_0429_zpsbgswqphi.jpg (http://s1365.photobucket.com/user/two-feet1/media/IMG_0429_zpsbgswqphi.jpg.html)

[ydouask]

CONGRATULATIONS! Persistance paid off big time for you. Having packed my share of moose I that they only come in two sizes... BIG..... and BIGGER ! YOURS LOOKS LIKE IT FIT IN THE SECOND CATEGORY. Well done.

[Daka]

Great hunt, congrats.
Great photos and read as well.

[CoreShackJack]

Excellent and inspiring read! Thanks for sharing!

[Knute]

Good hunting buddies.....check
Cabin with a view.....check
Couple of vintage rifles.....check
Love sick bullwinkle.....check
Willingness to wallow in rut pit.....check
Back to the buddies and the pack out.....check
Successful and long remembered hunt.....check and check

[604Stalker]

Great story thanks for sharing.

[kennyj]

Great story and awesome bull. Nice long tines on that guy. Ya, there's nothing like walking up on a huge bull far from the road all by yourself. You don't know weather to laugh or cry! Great fun looking back at it.
thanks for the story.
kenny

[Brambles]

Great story and beautiful bull...thx for sharing.

[kilometers]

Nice moose!!

[325]

Great bull!!

[Whonnock Boy]

Quality bull for sure. Thanks for posting up.

[Boner]

Great hunting writeup!

Nice job on the moose, that's cool you used a 99 savage in 300 savage. That's not a cartridge that you hear about every day. :)

[wideopenthrottle]

Awesome adventure..thanks for bringing us along

[Thunderstix]

Really great story and hunt for sure!! Makes it hard to concentrate now though haha

[bcsteve]

Awesome moose! Moose is by far favorite game animal to hunt. The .300 Savage with blue box round nose is a nice touch. :)

[kitnayakwa77]

Great story, awesome moose and a classy rifle too! My family fished on that same lake this year and had great luck with the pike as well.

[smallfry14]

Nice bull! looks like a great trip!

[DeepJeep]

great story! thanks for posting.

[Arctic Lake]

Great bull you got there ! Thanks for posting your story and pictures . That's a scenic drive up the Cassiar Hwy !
Arctic Lake

[Wagonmaster]

That is one nice bull. Congratulations. Sounds like the retrieval process was a tough go. Lucky no wolves or grizzlies visited the carcass overnight.

[wideopenthrottle]

it isn't until you eat some of the freshwater game fish like walleye, pike, perch and bass that you realize how really superior it is to salmonids...Walleye (or pickerel) are by far my favourite and pan frying them while the heart still beats in the gut pile is heavenly...the pike have large y-bones and are quite slimmy (the slime is a bit smelly too) but still great....Bass should be gutted as soon as they are caught to prevent strong stomach acids from tainting the meat....Perch will sometimes have small worm cysts in the meat especially during the warmer season but otherwise excellent table fare

[Linksman313]

Very nice Moose and great story telling and pics, enjoy the fruits of your labour and thanks for posting the story.

[Seeker]

Great story! That will be a story you and your buddies will tell time and time again. You have set the bar high.... they may not want to try and beat that one! Well done.

[ElliotMoose]

Beauty bull. Nothing beats the sense of accomplishment after a pack out like that. Well done and thanks for sharing! I keep procrastinating the posting of our moose hunt this year. Ill get on it this week. Just needed a little motivation!

[HarryToolips]

Well done on the bull, the writeup, and the pics, it could go in a hunting magazine...I know your pain on harder packouts, though not with a moose...what has 'lessened' the pain for me personally, is not only hiking/snowshoeing year round, but lots of squats!!!

[two-feet]

[QUOTE=kennyj;1863968]Great story and awesome bull. Nice long tines on that guy. Ya, there's nothing like walking up on a huge bull far from the road all by yourself. You don't know weather to laugh or cry! Great fun looking back at it.
thanks for the story.
kenny[/QUOTE

of course we swore up and down that we would never go back to that spot for a moose, and of course after about a week that sounded pretty rediculous. Sign me up for another!

[two-feet]

Great hunting writeup!

Nice job on the moose, that's cool you used a 99 savage in 300 savage. That's not a cartridge that you hear about every day. :)

yup. And for a "small" caliber it sure did its job. And it is quite simply a luckier rifle

[two-feet]

Well done on the bull, the writeup, and the pics, it could go in a hunting magazine...I know your pain on harder packouts, though not with a moose...what has 'lessened' the pain for me personally, is not only hiking/snowshoeing year round, but lots of squats!!!

my conditioning is quite good but I deal with tendonitis of both Achilles, that slowed me down a bit. I was expecting to smash the other guys on the pack out but this did not happen

[klondikemike]

Excellent story thanks for sharing. Looking forward for more of your hunting trips here.

[Sitkaspruce]

Congrats an a great bull!!

They are all worth it, even the ones you and your partners swear at and say never again.....until the next time!!!

Thanks for sharing your story!!

Cheers

SS

[Rattler]

Great pictures, story and bull. Thanks for sharing!

[HarryToolips]

my conditioning is quite good but I deal with tendonitis of both Achilles, that slowed me down a bit. I was expecting to smash the other guys on the pack out but this did not happen
Ah gotcha....couldn't imagine doing it with that condition!

[Timbow]

Nice bull and a great read. Thanks for sharing.

[backstrap]

I feel like Tendonitis and backpack moose hunting go hand in hand. Good job, beauty bull!!!

[Brew]

thanks for sharing. Great Bull. These winter time stories post hunting season are great. theres been a couple lately and really good ones.

[Ride Red]

Wicked!!! I felt your pain, but the end result is priceless.

[Shikari300WSM]

Awesome story thanks for sharing man. Congrats on what looked like a great hunt

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Great looking bull! Congrats!!

It sure is nice to have members waiting for the off season to share their stories and adventures.

[two-feet]

Any tips for getting the pictures to work again? I was trying to read the story to my kids, not as fun without pics!

[two-feet]

Wonder if i could edit it and insert pics from imgur since photobucket is so damn lame?

[downsouth204]

see a guy on here using imgur, give it a go!

[VFX_man]

see a guy on here using imgur, give it a go!

I switched to imgur and would hope you could go back and edit your posts and do the switch.

[hunter fisher]

i can't see the pics, but wow sounds like an awesome story, I'm glad the meat turned out good! I've found a couple fresh wallows in the past and boy do they stink

hope you switch your image hosting site so the pics can be seen again!!

[Xenomorph]

Wonder if i could edit it and insert pics from imgur since photobucket is so damn lame?

Imgur or Tinypic

[two-feet]

The pics were gone from this thread for a long time, now they are back! Going to show my kids, this was one of my best hunts.

[HarryToolips]

Definitely a good writeup, enjoyed reading it again, and nice bull....so on the topic of hunting from canoe from the beginning of your thread, any success on moose from a canoe?? I imagine calling from a canoe could be effective, as sound travels well on water, and they have very good hearing??

[two-feet]

Definitely a good writeup, enjoyed reading it again, and nice bull....so on the topic of hunting from canoe from the beginning of your thread, any success on moose from a canoe?? I imagine calling from a canoe could be effective, as sound travels well on water, and they have very good hearing??

I have got 2 bulls from canoe, both at 30-40 yrds. And been right up beside many other moose, they do not seem to feel danger from things on the water. Wind obviously has to be in your favour

[HarryToolips]

^^^^very cool.....

[hawk-i]

Great story, thanks for sharing! :)

[john-brennan]

Great story, looks like a great trip and a nice bull to go with it.

[BStrachan]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing