Hot weather and Moose

[Arctic Lake]

So as you know I have a couple of threads started concerning our upcoming 7-25 Bull Moose Hunt
Im thinking the moose won’t be far from water sources that don’t dry up from all this dry weather we have been having . Moos,E in general don’t like to be too far from water .
What do you fellas think ?
Arctic Lake

[REMINGTON JIM]

So as you know I have a couple of threads started concerning our upcoming 7-25 Bull Moose Hunt
Im thinking the moose won’t be far from water sources that don’t dry up from all this dry weather we have been having . Moos,E in general don’t like to be too far from water .
What do you fellas think ?
Arctic Lake

Look at you go AL ! ;-) Water- Food - Shelter ! That’s where they will BE . RJ

[northof49]

Look at you go AL ! ;-) Water- Food - Shelter ! That’s where they will BE . RJ

…….and pussy!! Work on your calling.

[RackStar]

I had a hell of a time last season not far from there with the last week of sept in the upper 20s. Hunted as hard as I could only saw 1 bull at night driving back to camp. Before this I had the draw twice and both times got a bull. Maybe it was my luck. Hot weather and moose hunting suck.

will be hunting moose with a bow this year in Alberta , different tactic using a tree stand over a natural lick I found. So far I have 4 bulls coming and going. And about 5 legal elk. The challenge won’t be the hunt but finding free time this season.

good luck just be out there and don’t give up

[Arctic Lake]

Thanks Fellas ! Ever since I signed on to HBC some years ago it’s been a great source of information from you fellas that reply to my many ,many questions . I hope I can have a good story to share with you all when I get back !
I learned to call many years ago but I’m going to start practising again . Should be good for a few laughs in the hood !
Thank you Again

[Arctic Lake]

I will need to keep an eye out on wildfires in 7-25 as well . Not sure how far animals travel away from a wildfire ?
Do they travel miles away ? I see there is a wildfire burning in 7-25 South of Noonlang Lake and North of Ocock Lake
Arctic Lake

[Downwindtracker2]

Game tends to try to stay cool. Think of a fat man in a fur coat. Moose will go up high some years. You can find them on mountain tops.

[Arctic Lake]

Thank You Downwind !
Arctic Lake
Game tends to try to stay cool. Think of a fat man in a fur coat. Moose will go up high some years. You can find them on mountain tops.

[Stillhunting]

Early mornings and late evenings are your only decent chance to see them in the open when it's hot. They'll be in thick timber near water the rest of the day, and north slopes are your best bet if there isn't significant elevation around. Hot weather makes moose hunting way more difficult.

[Arctic Lake]

Thank You !I have I think ,only hunted moose the second week in October and been successful a handful of times so always stuck to that time frame . This will be my first moose hunt going earlier .
Arctic Lake
Early mornings and late evenings are your only decent chance to see them in the open when it's hot. They'll be in thick timber near water the rest of the day, and north slopes are your best bet if there isn't significant elevation around. Hot weather makes moose hunting way more difficult.

[northof49]

The weather will be pretty typical come end of September. Can expect the smaller waterholes to be dried up. Focus on 6-20yr old cut blocks with a mix of regen and browse and with mature timber buffers surrounding wetlands or small lakes. The moose will come out of the cooler timber into the cut blocks few mins before last light, browse bed and browse again early hours then slip back into the timber right at first light to get water and stay cool. Focus on these areas at first light. From 10am - 1pm focus on scouting similar areas for fresh tracks and beds and areas where you can do some calling last couple hours of the day. Rinse repeat. You will soon hone in on areas of decent moose activity from the scouting. When driving around keep eyes peeled along the ditches for fresh bull tracks crossing roads as they’ll be on the move especially in the early morning hours. Areas along streams or river are also good places to focus when water is more scarce, and these areas are typically a few degrees cooler during the heat of the day. Don’t forget to pay attention to wind direction and down drafts as the day cools off if setting up for calling. Most importantly just have fun and enjoy the trip. Success is measured by memories and returning home safely. Anything else is a bonus.

[Arctic Lake]

All great pints Northof 49 . Thank You ! Yes for me I love getting out there and with good company !
Will be hoping for a safe trip with the added bonus of harvesting a bull would be nice !
I am planning already as you fellas can tell . Make sure the truck is is in good working order and cross my Ts and dot my i s
Arctic Lake

The weather will be pretty typical come end of September. Can expect the smaller waterholes to be dried up. Focus on 6-20yr old cut blocks with a mix of regen and browse and with mature timber buffers surrounding wetlands or small lakes. The moose will come out of the cooler timber into the cut blocks few mins before last light, browse bed and browse again early hours then slip back into the timber right at first light to get water and stay cool. Focus on these areas at first light. From 10am - 1pm focus on scouting similar areas for fresh tracks and beds and areas where you can do some calling last couple hours of the day. Rinse repeat. You will soon hone in on areas of decent moose activity from the scouting. When driving around keep eyes peeled along the ditches for fresh bull tracks crossing roads as they’ll be on the move especially in the early morning hours. Areas along streams or river are also good places to focus when water is more scarce, and these areas are typically a few degrees cooler during the heat of the day. Don’t forget to pay attention to wind direction and down drafts as the day cools off if setting up for calling. Most importantly just have fun and enjoy the trip. Success is measured by memories and returning home safely. Anything else is a bonus.

[mike31154]

Having water, preferably good size lake for moose is almost a no brainer. I've been on 2 LEH group hunts now in the same MU. 2018 we were successful, last fall skunked. We had to change the dates last year due to group member issues & ended up going later than planned. Seems we missed the rut & other hunters we encountered hadn't spotted much of anything either. We got the behind of a cow on trail cam, that was it, no bulls. I saw a mulie trotting down the road one evening & one hunting partner spotted a grizz feeding. A couple guys in adjacent MU got a young spiker.

I've encountered them quite a few times in MU's closer to home (8,3,4) during various times of the year, always very close, if not in the water. Unfortunately, never in season lol. GOS for Spikers only in those areas anyway, so odds are pretty tough. Regular sightings at a favourite alpine lake I frequent for fishing during summer & hunting in fall. Fishing great, but yet to cut an ungulate tag up there....

Hunting deer there late October 2019 I had 3 moose come out of the timber to feed at the edge of the lake, cow, calf, spiker. About a week before GOS for spiker moose. Even so, being solo I wouldn't have taken the young fella. Too much work by myself trying to get 'im outta there. Photo taken from a tree stand ~150 meters up creek from the lake. After watching them for a bit it was time to hike back to the vehicle so I moved toward them to see how close I could get. Got within 15-20 meters of the cow. The spiker had disappeared. I wasn't totally silent on my way there & the cow did finally take note. I stopped & after a few moments she continued feeding. I went left into the timber to find my way back. Time frame of the sighting was ~1540-1620. I had actually seen them moving through the timber almost directly across from the tree stand some time earlier & didn't expect to get another look. ;)

https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resid=A0157E1B64909474%2139137&authkey=%21AGIly2avpyCaWC8&height=1024

The cow & I staring each other down....
https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resid=A0157E1B64909474%2139136&authkey=%21AHsa1BZxnFSGcfE&width=1024

[Arctic Lake]

Good stuff Mike ! I will be trying to find good water sources that are not dried up in 7-25 . There’s quite a bit of water in that MU . Of course the bigger lakes will have water in them but the smaller ones not sure .
They say moose never like to be more than 100 yards from some sort of water source . Not sure who “They are “ !
The moose I have taken harvested were close to water except one .
Arctic Lake

[RackStar]

Find those little ponds with no road access , lots in that area



pack a elk tag if before Oct 9,

[Stillhunting]

Thank You !I have I think ,only hunted moose the second week in October and been successful a handful of times so always stuck to that time frame . This will be my first moose hunt going earlier .
Arctic Lake
I think you picked the right dates going earlier, I've always had more luck the last few days of September and that first week of October. Hopefully you get some cool weather so there's more activity throughout the day. Don't be afraid of checking out some cool dark timber during the middle of the day if it's hot. The last bull I got was on a warm afternoon in an aspen stand next to a small stream that drained a swamp where there was a ton of fresh sign. I heard a cow calling, so I slowly made my way toward the sound while keeping the wind in mind and spotted the bull before I even found her. This was October 3rd. Great time to be hunting moose, should be a blast.

[Arctic Lake]

I will get a tag but where to find them would be the question !
Arctic Lake

Find those little ponds with no road access , lots in that area



pack a elk tag if before Oct 9,

[Arctic Lake]

I’m getting pretty excited ! Man I love moose hunting ,then again thats the species I have had the most luck with . I’m going to try and get on the deer bandwagon this year as well . It’s all great being out in Mother Nature !

Arctic Lake
I think you picked the right dates going earlier, I've always had more luck the last few days of September and that first week of October. Hopefully you get some cool weather so there's more activity throughout the day. Don't be afraid of checking out some cool dark timber during the middle of the day if it's hot. The last bull I got was on a warm afternoon in an aspen stand next to a small stream that drained a swamp where there was a ton of fresh sign. I heard a cow calling, so I slowly made my way toward the sound while keeping the wind in mind and spotted the bull before I even found her. This was October 3rd. Great time to be hunting moose, should be a blast.