Moose calf hunt

[Hugh]

Has anyone hunted calves before? During and after the rut, do the calves follow the Bulls in the background? Do they respond to calls? After the rut do they go with the Bulls into hiding or do they hang around below the snow line, any information will help. Hugh

[bighornbob]

Never hunted them but would assume they would be hanging around with the cows and not the bulls through their first winter.

BHB

[Spy]

Why hunt them?

[takla1]

Calves will stay with their cow till their weened and get pushed off by the cow usually thier second yr come fall especially the bull calfs .In all my moose hunting yrs I seldom see cow/calf pairs while hunting and anyone with a cow draw would be shooting the cow for the difference in meat alone.
Calves will stay with their mom no matter what so no they wont respond to a call but the cow may.Ive called in cow moose with a calf once,spoted the cow from a high ridge and thought it was a bull.Went down and started calling and the cow came right to me with the calf in tow.
After the rut and during the cows will be lower so valley bottoms ,when the breedings done the big bulls will stay lower also as the snow deepens.Ive seen groups of bull/cows/calves cruseing the lowland roads brousing on willow along the roads when the snow gets too deep up high

takla

[Boner]

In all my moose hunting yrs I seldom see cow/calf pairs while hunting and anyone with a cow draw would be shooting the cow for the difference in meat alone.


Sorry but I strongly disagree with the statement that an LEH holder of a cow/calf draw would shoot a cow based on there being more meat. The hunter is supposed to harvest the calf given that choice.

An ideal situation if at all possible is to have a youth or senior target the calf during the gos and the LEH holder harvest the cow at the same time if the draw lines up with the calf gos.

[Caribou_lou]

Calves will be with the cow through the winter and into the spring until the cow is ready to birth their next calf the following spring. Then they will ditch the calf!

[IronNoggin]

Why hunt them?

I'm more or less with Spy on this one.
Given the sorry state of BC's moose populations overall, I have made the personal decision NOT to shoot any cows nor calves for the foreseeable future...

Cheers,
Nog

[Rupert Retired]

I have never shot a calf (or a cow) moose, but for conservation reasons selecting the calf is the better strategy, leave the breeding cow alone. Also, the meat just has to be so tender! hmm, I think I may be talking myself into it...

[takla1]

I'm more or less with Spy on this one.
Given the sorry state of BC's moose populations overall, I have made the personal decision NOT to shoot any cows nor calves for the foreseeable future...

Cheers,
Nog

Same here,never have applied for a cow/calf tag limited entry,seen enough moose shortages over the yrs,like to see them ladys running around.Always lots of bull moose tags available LEH if you apply for area's with good odds.
My last 20 yrs after ANY Bull seasons got cut in our area's we always got a draw and put meat in the freezer

takla

[Spy]

I'm more or less with Spy on this one.
Given the sorry state of BC's moose populations overall, I have made the personal decision NOT to shoot any cows nor calves for the foreseeable future...

Cheers,
Nog
I agree I even stopped hunting moose because of the shortage, I think we should give them a chance and target other more plentiful species.

[Wild one]

I agree I even stopped hunting moose because of the shortage, I think we should give them a chance and target other more plentiful species.

Many moose population I won't hunt at this time either and know others following suite. Sometimes a hunter needs to choose what they feel is right vs what regs allow

will still hunt northern populations that are healthy

[Spy]

Many moose population I won't hunt at this time either and know others following suite. Sometimes a hunter needs to choose what they feel is right vs what regs allow

will still hunt northern populations that are healthy
This is a personal choice and I don't hold anything against anyone who wants to hunt them.

[Wild one]

This is a personal choice and I don't hold anything against anyone who wants to hunt them.

As it should be not against anyone's choice legally hunting moose. It is a personal choice same goes for most others who choose not to hunt them

I don't blame legal hunting for the issues with moose

[BCBRAD]

The idea of animal conservation, especially when it comes to harvest, is to take a cross-section of the population while maintaining the proper scientifically prescribed ratios. It's not farming or ranching.

Another reason calves are included is that they generally support the predator population.......twice as many available calves will bump up the predator population.

If you really want to support the ungulate population , take the max allowable black bear and lobby government for the old allotment of 5 per year or more......do any thing you want with them as it was 30 years ago when ungulate populations were not in the ditch.

Let science be the guide, not emotions, or political feel goodz. Further.....if you do encounter a wolf make sure you kill it . Sniping at them at long range where probability of a kill is low is training the wolf to avoid human odars ,sounds and sights.

[whognu]

fun fact - 25 years ago I shot a calf elk and I can still hear the bawling of momma elk just off in the timber

never again and i also am running a self imposed moratorium on moose/elk calf leh

(yes, it's legal yet doubtful that up to date science would support it; moose are down; lets not put them out)

whognu

[Spy]

[QUOTE=BCBRAD;1895387]The idea of animal conservation, especially when it comes to harvest, is to take a cross-section of the population while maintaining the proper scientifically prescribed ratios. It's not farming or ranching.

Another reason calves are included is that they generally support the predator population.......twice as many available calves will bump up the predator population.

I would agree with the above statement if moose numbers were not so low. I do agree with hammering bears( calf killers) & on educating wolves.

[xcaribooer]

I'm more or less with Spy on this one.
Given the sorry state of BC's moose populations overall, I have made the personal decision NOT to shoot any cows nor calves for the foreseeable future...

Cheers,
Nog

x2 on this for me also

[BCBRAD]

fun fact - 25 years ago I shot a calf elk and I can still hear the bawling of momma elk just off in the timber

never again and i also am running a self imposed moratorium on moose/elk calf leh

(yes, it's legal yet doubtful that up to date science would support it; moose are down; lets not put them out)

whognu


According the BCWF town hall meetings ( attended the one in PG) hunting has the least impact on populations in the province. Big issue is the province has not put the effort (resources) into wild life in the province , funding today is very similar in dollars as it was 50 years ago.

Of course it's up to the individual what is harvested

[Spy]

According the BCWF town hall meetings ( attended the one in PG) hunting has the least impact on populations in the province. Big issue is the province has not put the effort (resources) into wild life in the province , funding today is very similar in dollars as it was 50 years ago.

Of course it's up to the individual what is harvested
Agreed but I think we have reached the point where every live moose counts.

[takla1]

quote;hunting has the least impact on populations in the province
Well it sure can have impact in specific accessable area's,its part of the main reason they brought in the Moose Tri-palm restrictions in the northern M-U's
I personally remember how good the moose hunting was off the Alaska hyw back in the 80's around pink mnt then the word got out,same up east of Quesnel along the Swift river and a few other haunts we used to frequent
few times ive driven thru that area scouting in the last 10 yrs the moose pop is way down compared to the"good ol'days".

takla

[BCBRAD]

Agreed but I think we have reached the point where every live moose counts.


Agreed, we will see how the LEH shakes out, available mid April according to the web sight.

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Why hunt them?

To me, it's an ideal solo Moose hunt. Game can come home in an easy to handle; pack, as well as haul home size!


Sorry but I strongly disagree with the statement that an LEH holder of a cow/calf draw would shoot a cow based on there being more meat. The hunter is supposed to harvest the calf given that choice.

An ideal situation if at all possible is to have a youth or senior target the calf during the gos and the LEH holder harvest the cow at the same time if the draw lines up with the calf gos.

Teamwork is an excellent idea! That's plenty of meat for all the folks Calf + Cow at once.


Agreed but I think we have reached the point where every live moose counts.

Every Moose life does, has and will always count. There is no shortage in BC so severe for Moose that BCRH shouldn't hunt them at all.*

*'cept maybe Van Isle?! Hahahahaa!!! :lol:

Happy Hunting HBC

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

To me, it's an ideal solo Moose hunt. Game can come home in an easy to handle; pack, as well as haul home size!



Teamwork is an excellent idea! That's plenty of meat for all the folks Calf + Cow at once.



Every Moose life does, has and will always count. There is no shortage in BC so severe for Moose that BCRH shouldn't hunt them at all.

P.S. - Plenty of good replies here, interesting. Great advice too folks!

Cheers

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I agree I even stopped hunting moose because of the shortage, I think we should give them a chance and target other more plentiful species.

Like wolves, black and grizzly bears?

[markomoose]

Gonna do my part this spring and take a black bear and hopefully punch that Grizzly tag I got.

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Gonna do my part this spring and take a black bear and hopefully punch that Grizzly tag I got.

Good luck and congrats on the LEH!

Hope to get at least one Black Bear myself this spring. Am focusing on Turkey first though, this year.

[LuckyIfYouGetOne]

I'm more or less with Spy on this one.
Given the sorry state of BC's moose populations overall, I have made the personal decision NOT to shoot any cows nor calves for the foreseeable future...

Cheers,
Nog


110% agree

[finngun]

Why hunt them? Why not hunt them? exellent meat...i don,t need huge amount meat,,,just quality..many calf perish during a winter anyways..better take calf than mature bull,,or cow..:|