MY First LEH

[jay1972]

Ok I know there is a tone of people asking for help! and yes, I am one but am hoping that I could get a little information.
We lucked out and were successful and got a Bull Moose draw for November in 3-27. We have already figured out our timeline Oct 31 to Nov 6 and found out where we are going to stay and a fair idea of the area we wish to hunt.
But we are both pretty green as we have only hunted on the island and the conditions are definitely different. I’m hoping I could get a little guidance from the vast amount of knowledgeable people on this forum!
So from what I’ve read the rut will be over:cry:, but is there a second rut? like you see in deer if so would using a cow call be beneficial?
I am hoping to use my bow so situating myself between good food & water source close to thick bedding area makes sense, but I am confused I have read conflicting recommendation some say the bulls move to higher elevations and other say they stay at lower elevations in small bachelor groups. Any insight would be helpful around this as I have e-scouted both higher and lower elevations:?:
Now since my experience has only been with blacktail deer and the sheer size difference between these two animals is incredible dealing with after the shot is giving me some anxiety!
With my first dear I field dressed and deboned it in the field leaving everything I didn’t need.
Is this a possibility with this size animal as it will only be two of us. Or is quartering a better option?
Which leads in to my second question.
I have watched several YouTube videos of the gutless method anybody take on this as I would want to cool down the animal as quickly as possible.

Is there any gear you wish you brought, and I should make sure I bring along to help?

At this time of year do sent lures work?

Also I was going to bring both a black tail and whitetail deer tag just in case I get the opportunity.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

And to everybody that made it this far

Thank you for your time and good luck this season

[kevingm1987]

Odds are 25.5:1 from 2022, Oct 31- Nov 6 is not enough time in my opinion.

Bow hunting will be tough post rut, I would say pack the rifle as well. The moose numbers can be strong in region 3 since there is limited pressure. Nov 1-15 is spike fork so there will be a few people out there chasing them with you. Stop and chat, be friendly. Lots of spike fork hunters will share sighting infos to someone with a draw. Or at least I do.

Either way, get out and enjoy. Should be a fun hunt.

[Arctic Lake]

Never hunted your draw area so sorry I can’t help . Best of luck to you !
Arctic Lake

[swampthing]

I live in 3-27. Moose numbers arent great but they are certainly there. I have called in bulls that late in the year so I would certainly try that. Scents cant hurt either. Look for pockets of thick bush to hunt. A tip there will be just off the barriere fire of 2003. The moose will bed where they eat and wont be moving to far. I dont think total deboning will be required and quartering using the gutless method is probably best. A backpack to carry quarters to a road is a good idea. Make sure you have paracord or even a small pulley available to tie off legs or roll the animal during processing. A mule deer tag is a must. Coarse deer [whitys] are around but not prevalent.

[mike31154]

Winter tires & chains if you have them. Not uncommon to encounter a good deal of snow at altitude that time of year. Winters are mandatory on many interior highways starting October 1st if not mistaken.

I was on successful moose LEH 2018 with 2 buddies further north, MU 6. Big animal for sure. We were fortunate to get him fairly near a road & decided to quarter him. Each quarter took 2 of us to heft into the back of my pickup. We used quads to move the quarters from the cut block to the FSR. Ropes, chainsaw, toboggan to drag a quarter are all useful items to bring along. It's going to depend on your situation at the time as to what the best way to retrieve it will be. 1st you have to get one ;). We planned the trip for 2 weeks & cut the tag at the end of the 1st. My 2 pals are from the Island so anything less than 2 weeks would hardly be worth the drive.

In MU's local to me (8,4,3) I've spotted moose while deer hunting & off season while fishing etc. Usually solo but I did see 2 big bulls crossing an FSR together once. Also observed a cow, calf & spiker come out of timber late October to feed at the edge of an alpine lake. Most sightings have been near lakes.

Just realized that 3-27 borders Kamloops & Sun Peaks ski resort is in there as well. Gonna be a busy MU any time of year. Also sizeable indigenous population so finding a moose, particularly close enough for a shot with a bow will be quite a challenge, good luck.

[walks with deer]

Icy road conditions potentialy for sure we run studs and carry chains 6 months of the year.winter started at halloween last year and didnt leave until may..chains fire wood,spair food,tiger torch and salt.. if i had a log of every person from the island that i pulled out of a ditch in nov in 3-27 it would be large you will need good tires and moose are not every where they are in pockets. Local spike fork hunters and deer hunters will be plentiful as pressure has doubled in 3-27 or tripled since so many areas around kamloops are closed from previous fires.
I live,work,hunt and farm in the mu and if i had the ticket it would definatley be packing my rifle even the big bulls by nov will be flighty...if staying in a airb&b

Make sure its somewhere you will be alowed to hang game.. i know of two that will.

Its not snow depth thats dangerous its the daily temperature swings that cause freeze thaw making it icy... its not uncommon for the temperature to change of 30'c in a day that time of year there isnt much of a fall its summer or winter. Good luck...

[high horse Hal]

"I am hoping to use my bow so situating myself between good food & water source close to thick bedding area makes sense,"
this sounds logical and may even be plausible, but moose are seldom either of those
they are where you find them, if you've stumbled into an Roosy while BT hunting its like that
All the critters will be alert to movement and noise, trying to sound like a moose calling kaotically may not get the response you want,
I'm a fan of running silent, eyes wide open, using binos lots to look below tree limbs for legs, a small pair of 7x30 are good for the fast draw
when you find one, you may well be within bow range, and wish you had a shot, whereas a rifle will put meat in the freezer

[Redthies]

Jay- Off topic slightly, but how many years did you enter draws for moose? I just got my first ever draw as well (moose in 3-26) after 8 years of trying…

[jay1972]

Jay- Off topic slightly, but how many years did you enter draws for moose? I just got my first ever draw as well (moose in 3-26) after 8 years of trying…

I Lucked out it was my first year putting in for draws
i put in for 3 and only got the moose and was shocked
i think i would have fainted if i got the one for island elk lol

[HarryToolips]

In R8 slightly South of your WMU, I watched a mature bull come into a cow moose bawling her ass off on Nov 2nd one year, it might be worth trying a call or 2.. but I'd focus primarily on hunting the right habitat, that time of year they'll be focusing on red willow for forage, hopefully there will be a little snow to help you find fresh track... like Swampthing said, they won't be moving too far usually between feeding and bedding..

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

get the bark off asap and the guts out and bring as much ice as you can then fill the cavitys with blocks of ice a moose can sour in 6 hours in the heat . with the way things are going . thats the best plan . im going to be doing the same thing . unless there is snow on the ground when you drop it . key is to get the body heat down as fast as possible . letting it sit in the hide is bad. moose are wearing a thick fur coat . get it off .

[MOOSE MILK]

X2 on the tire chains, paracord, small pully, good canvas meat bags, and gutless method.
MM

[Treed]

Damn. 15 years I’ve put in for that draw. Depending on the weather, the roads can really get limited quickly once the snow and freeze thaw starts. There are moose but they are widely scattered. Is suggest driving / hiking until you find fresh sign the focussing in on an area. Hunt the higher elevation mature spruce stands and edges. The spruce beetle has killed a lot of trees so there are a lot of downed trees in some areas that make the going hard. Good luck!

[justachip]

Wait till they get the fire out up in that area and see if you can still hunt there. She is burning pretty good in that neighbourhood right now.

[walks with deer]

No fires in 3-27.. thanks.

[justachip]

My bad, lets hope it stays that way. That Adams lake fire has got to be getting close to the top of the hill.

[jay1972]

Thank you everybody for all the valuable insight and information and i am hoping the fire's stay clear of everyone's hunting spots

[shuswapfisher]

Check out some lakes around Mount LOLO. I know a guy who was succesful there a few years back