Wolves ruined my moose trip..

[rishu_pepper]

It's been a while and y'all must have been wondering, "Where's that rascal Rishu off to?" Well, from last Thursday to Monday I went on a moose hunting trip. Here's the story.

Day 1: The 4 of us depart from the LML at ~6am, making several stops en route to Bear Lake (an hour north of PG). By the time we enter the logging road, it is reaching the last shooting light, and as luck would have it, we spot a forkie 2x2 moose right on the road as we drive into camp! But it is getting too dark and our guns were still packed anyway, so we let him live for another day (one of us also has a cow LEH draw). This perks up my spirits as I (foolishly) predict a moose-galore for days to come. We reach our camp area, set up the camper, and quickly hit the hay for an early morning.

Day 2: We awake to an overcast and chilly morning. In a jiffy we climb onto our quad and Jeep and begin to drive to different clear cuts and glass/call. Nothing. Okay, onto other areas. Call again at another clear cut and we hear a reply, and... what is this? A wolf howl? Not just one, but several from different directions. Hunting partner says this is the first time he's heard wolves in the area, which does not bode well, since, well, mooses are afraid of wolves. On the roads, lots of fresh signs of various game, such as moose, deer, bear, and... wolves. Lots of wolf tracks, some following the moose :cry: As the day hit about 4pm, the grouses start showing up and we bag a few for dinner. Then something unexpected happens...

My partner spots a wolf in front of our quad on the road, about 250 yards away. It is walking away, noticing our arrival. I quickly sit down, loaded up the 7WSM, and fire off a shot. Partner says I am a couple inches off to the side, and the wolf is already into the bushes before I reload. :mad: I curse my lousy marksmanship/wolf fever and we go back to camp, several grouses in hand.

A very tasty combination of grouse rice and cabbage followed, with some BBQ duck (from Chinatown lol) to finish it off.

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Day 3: We decided to wake up even earlier the next day to get more time to hunt. Again, more glassing and calling and a good bit of walking. Sitting at this clear cut, we call and gets a grunt reply, from what seems miles away... :oops:

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/rishu_pepper/DSC03097.jpg

After about a half hour of waiting/calling, the grunts stop and we move on. More wolf tracks... geez when will it stop? Grouse numbers lessen this day but still manage a couple more for another grouse rice dinner. As we return to camp, a couple klicks from camp the road shows several mooses crossing the road from bush to bush, so we decide the next day we shall camp these suckers in the morning.

Day 4: We move into our spots at shooting light, each selecting a good spot, and begin sitting. I am in a prime spot overlooking a bog/marshy area, right behind me there are fresh moose tracks. 3 hours of solid sitting, nothing. We give up. That's it. :cry:

Heading back to camp, we begin to pack up and start our journey back to the LML. We stop at the Lac la Hache area to stay overnight.

Day 5: On our way back on Hwy 1 near the Ashcroft area, we spot these:

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5-6 more years to go, eh you sheep hunters? :razz:

Rain coming down hard back in the LML, we manage to score a couple local ducks anyway when we return at the local fields.

In the end, it was a fun trip, the first overnight, outdoors hunting trip I have experienced. The rookie in me was silly to think, "Man this will be a sure thing, better make room in the freezer for some moose!" It really fired me up, though, to hopefully chop some tags this season with some of the time I have. Muley is next on the agenda, while the moose, WT, bear tags all remain uncut as well... Hopefully lady luck will shine next time and the wolves will stay the hell out of my way (or get in my bullet's way :shock:).

[newhunterette]

Glad to have ya back Brian - we sure did miss you - and even though ya didn't get a moose - it sure sounds and looks like ya had a good time no matter

welcome home :)

[killman]

I think I ran into your friends with the cow draw on Sunday. I gave them direction to where I had seen a Large Bull and a cow. Two guy's in a Chevy pick-up with a quad in the back. One guy was on the younger side? Soun about right?

[Blainer]

Looks like there might be 1 banana ram in that herd,otherwise ewes.
Ist lesson,gun out when you have travelled legal distance up the logging road,that scenario happens more than you think.Did you try looking for that immature again?

[rishu_pepper]

Glad to have ya back Brian - we sure did miss you - and even though ya didn't get a moose - it sure sounds and looks like ya had a good time no matter

welcome home :)

I'm gonna have to count on you to share some of your moose with me Ali :biggrin:


I think I ran into your friends with the cow draw on Sunday. I gave them direction to where I had seen a Large Bull and a cow. Two guy's in a Chevy pick-up with a quad in the back. One guy was on the younger side? Soun about right?

Nope, we had a quad in front and a Jeep in the back. Sure could've used your directions though :-D


Looks like there might be 1 banana ram in that herd,otherwise ewes.
Ist lesson,gun out when you have travelled legal distance up the logging road,that scenario happens more than you think.Did you try looking for that immature again?

Banana eh? Well, a ram is a ram :)

And yes we did try to look for the immy with no success..... :icon_frow

[newhunterette]

u have an open invitation here Brian - already told ya that

[killman]

You don't want my help. My freezer is empty!

[jml11]

not surprised by the wolf encounters, there are plenty of them north of PG, too bad you missed. Still yet to have a chance at one myself!

[rishu_pepper]

u have an open invitation here Brian - already told ya that

I'll keep that in mind :D


You don't want my help. My freezer is empty!

So is mine... :oops: well, at least we bagged some grouse, and dinner sure was tasty!


not surprised by the wolf encounters, there are plenty of them north of PG, too bad you missed. Still yet to have a chance at one myself!

Is that right..? Well, the 140gr Partition running at 3300+ fps probably would have done a number on its fur anyway... :razz:

[todbartell]

epic failure

[elkdom]

oWooooowhooo,,,,oWooooowhooo,,,,

[PGK]

More moose up there than anywhere. You just sucked.

[Kechika]

Were you upset because that wolf was dinner???

[Fisher-Dude]

Your poor marksmanship, and forgetfulness in leaving your guns out of reach when an immy presented a harvest opportunity is easily explained by the drug paraphernalia displayed in this picture. Shameful.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e70/Fisher-Dude/Rishu1.jpg

[rishu_pepper]

Thanks for the comments guys, it makes me feel a lot better...... :roll:

And FD, that was a makeshift cup, winners don't do drugs :D

[Fisher-Dude]

The only winners in your story were the moose.

[moosinaround]

Rishu, what side of the highway were you guys on? 7-16, or 7-24? Lots of moose up there, also lots of hunters! Too bad, not to add insult to injury, but we sat and watched a couple of cows tonight for like 5 min. No cow draw just a bull draw. No bull showed up Darn! Anyways good luck with the deer thing! Asian Venison? Hmmm Any good recipes? Moosin

[rishu_pepper]

The only winners in your story were the moose.

At least someone won...


Rishu, what side of the highway were you guys on? 7-16, or 7-24? Lots of moose up there, also lots of hunters! Too bad, not to add insult to injury, but we sat and watched a couple of cows tonight for like 5 min. No cow draw just a bull draw. No bull showed up Darn! Anyways good luck with the deer thing! Asian Venison? Hmmm Any good recipes? Moosin

7-24. Lots of hunters started showing by Saturday, what with the long weekend. Well, there'll be other chances I guess...

I'll let you know when my mom cooks more :tongue: Hopefully, very very soon! For deer anyway, I gave up on moose this season... unless someone wants to take me to tag out? :D

[Gateholio]

Rishu, next time just try to stay a little longer. Wolves dont' make it easy, but they don't compltely ruin your chances, and they may be moving on in a day...



FD, what kind of drugs do you do wiht a plastic bottle cut in half?:lol:

[Fisher-Dude]

FD, what kind of drugs do you do wiht a plastic bottle cut in half?:lol:

I don't do any, but from what I've seen on the Trailer Park Boys, Rishu and his buddies were power-toking some hash around the dinner table! :eek: And when he says they had some "cabbage", I don't think he meant the stuff that makes ya fart in your sleeping bag! :wink:

[todbartell]

FD, what kind of drugs do you do wiht a plastic bottle cut in half?:lol:

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[rishu_pepper]

Rishu, next time just try to stay a little longer. Wolves dont' make it easy, but they don't compltely ruin your chances, and they may be moving on in a day...



FD, what kind of drugs do you do wiht a plastic bottle cut in half?:lol:

Next time, I'm going with you two (you know who you are:smile:) just for the entertainment value :lol: Thanks for the advice :D


I don't do any, but from what I've seen on the Trailer Park Boys, Rishu and his buddies were power-toking some hash around the dinner table! :eek: And when he says they had some "cabbage", I don't think he meant the stuff that makes ya fart in your sleeping bag! :wink:

Can't you see the cooking pot and the cabbage inside in that pic?? :razz:

[BCrams]

At least someone won...



7-24. Lots of hunters started showing by Saturday, what with the long weekend. Well, there'll be other chances I guess...

I gave up on moose this season...

Lots of moose in 7-24 despite hunters and wolves. That was a pretty quick trip you guys did.

[Wolfman]

Brian, I'm glad the samsquanch didn't get ya, man ;-)

By the way that was a nice 'dinner plate by the campfire' photo there ;-)

Wolfman

[hunter1947]

Good wright up and great pic ,next year my friend ,there is always the next year to connect.

As for wolfs I talked to a registered trapper about the wolfs in the area I hunt.

He is well aware of the wolfs in there and is going to set out 200 snares as for loads of leg hold traps this winter ,he said that he has got 30 wolfs in the area I hunt in the last 9 years.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Those "power trips" can be tough. Feeling rushed is not fun. Too bad you couldn't have stayed up there for a week straight. I'm sure you would hve connected by then...or at least got eaten by some wolves.:shock:.......


Good report!

SSS

[Dirty]

Next time, I'm going with you two (you know who you are:smile:) just for the entertainment value :lol: Thanks for the advice :D



Can't you see the cooking pot and the cabbage inside in that pic?? :razz:

What makes you think that there will be a next time or a time when the father and the son would want to take an asian exchange student on their hunting trip. That is where bonding occurs for a father and son not ESL lessons. (ESL= Enhanced Shooting Lessons)

[308BAR]

Nice story there's always next time, to bad you couldn't hammer that wolf. However that's hunting for you when it's time to bag something it's your time.

I came back from a weekend hunt and I saw the most game out of anyone in camp. Out of the ~50 deer (over 2.5 days) I saw on the weekend all were does, while only deer the other guys saw during the whole week was a buck and he ended putting it into the freezer. Them are the bounces and rolls.

Next time take some holidays and try mid-week. Way less pressure and the game seem to know it too.

[rishu_pepper]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, especially coming from seasoned vets like y'all. :smile:

If we all had our way, we would've stayed until someone got a moose, but we have work/school/family commitments so the 5 day trip was the maximum we could've gotten out. Not many of us can go unemployed for a week just to hunt eh..? I look forward to retirement, only 35 more years :-P

You're right the hunting pressure definitely rose on Sat/Sun. Friday wasn't bad at all and that's when I saw the wolf anyway. :redface:

And Dirty, Asian exchange student? Far from the truth, been here longer than I have been back in HK. :cool: I don't need no ESL lessons :biggrin:

[rocksteady]

we spot a forkie 2x2 moose right on the road as we drive into camp! But it is getting too dark and our guns were still packed anyway


Lesson learned - As you leave the highway, stop and get one firearm ready "just in case".....

[Brambles]

Not many of us can go unemployed for a week just to hunt eh..? I look forward to retirement, only 35 more years



Its called taking Holidays and telling the Friends and Family to "EFF OFF I"M GOING HUNTING".

Its amazing (not directed at you Rishu) but guys complaing that they don't have any time to hunt but they take 3 weeks holidays during the summer??????:roll:

Priorities man.

[spock]

Don't feel bad I was up in 7-07 for a week and didn't see one live moose the whole time we were there. I did however see a wolf on the first morning we hunted at about 200 yards away had I read my regulations more carefully and known you didn't need a tag to shoot a wolf I would have shot him.

[BigBanger]

I tend to take most of my holidays during the summer and save a week for the winter . I dont think you should blame the lack of dead game on the wolves though . Blame the fact that your new to hunting and it takes alot of time , less driving and letting a few birds live so you dont scare bigger game away .

[BiG Boar]

I learned a lot on my moose trip this year. Came back with no meat, however learned some important stuff. Dont drive into the cut blocks, park down the road and walk in. Get up early in the morning, that is when we saw the most moose. Spend more than a weekend there. Takes a few days to learn which areas have fresh tracks and which ones are over grown.

[Huli Huli]

At least you ate well and had good company. Not to mention, you saw more bullywinkle than I have this year! I am waiting for the picture of your wolf to see you get even!

[rishu_pepper]

Its called taking Holidays and telling the Friends and Family to "EFF OFF I"M GOING HUNTING".

Its amazing (not directed at you Rishu) but guys complaing that they don't have any time to hunt but they take 3 weeks holidays during the summer??????:roll:

Priorities man.

Believe me, if I can I would. Why work when you can go hunting? :smile: But then again, I'm an exception to the rule since I am forced to take holidays in the summer, being a substitute teacher and all... It has its perks; I can take any day off I want but then I wouldn't make any money, and guns/ammo/gear/gas all cost money you know :p

Good advice about not driving into the cut blocks, clearly I did not think of that before. And to those who hadn't seen anything, misery loves company eh? :redface:

[pete_k]

Whew..damn. You were lucky to have seen that spiker when pulling into camp! That may not ever happen again.
I let a nice WT Buck live another day earlier this season because of inexperience (twice with the same animal).

[Big7]

Believe me, if I can I would. Why work when you can go hunting? :smile: But then again, I'm an exception to the rule since I am forced to take holidays in the summer, being a substitute teacher and all... It has its perks; I can take any day off I want but then I wouldn't make any money, and guns/ammo/gear/gas all cost money you know :p
Get a part time job in the summer - call it your "hunting slush fund" so you can afford to take time off to hunt and not be at home to answer the call when they need a sub!!

[Gateholio]

Its called taking Holidays and telling the Friends and Family to "EFF OFF I"M GOING HUNTING".

Its amazing (not directed at you Rishu) but guys complaing that they don't have any time to hunt but they take 3 weeks holidays during the summer??????:roll:

Priorities man.

Hilarious...So true:cool:

My GF is going ot COsta RIca with her friends for a month in Novemeber, she wanted me to come..Ha Ha...

I jsut turned down a job that offered a substantial increase in salary because it woudl take more time and cut into my free (hunting, shooting, mucking around and beer drinking) time.:mrgreen: