Region 3 opening immature Moose

[cariboobill]

I live in the southern Cariboo and spend most of my time in the back country as I am retired and out of doors keeps me healthy and alive. As our moose hunting group were shut out of the LEH again this year, I have to hunt the immature or calve seasons.

I have a little honey hole I hunt immature moose on the Region 3 boundary with Region 5. I see a lot of folks driving around looking to catch a moose in the open. It is like road warriors driving up and down every road looking for moose.

Here is some helpful advice on hunting moose if you are new to this species, find the right habitat in the right area, set yourself into the habitat, be still and prepared. I like to call, but early season I call very little and wait for the moose to come to me, in a location that they travel to and from the food source. I use a non-stressed cow call ealry season, although unting the rut one can be more agressive and use more variety of calls and even beat the bushes with a flat paddle.

You will have more success than road hunting, save fuel, get to hear and see wildlife while you wait. At this time of year moose like SW facing slopes that have Barclay's Willow present and water/swamp less than 1 ha is size nearby. Also sites that are post disturbance 10-15 years. Mid elevation is preferred.

Good luck

[cloverphil]

thanks for the advise, I'm going for my first moose this year and any advise can helphttp://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

[LeverActionJunkie]

Yeah you're not kidding on the traffic CaribooBill. A couple years back I was sitting in a riparian strip watching a buck in a small patch of trees that was left in a cut block waiting for him to move or the wind to change. This was the second week after moose had opened and I must have watched 20 trucks come into the cut block, glass a little and slowly cruise away.

[d6dan]

Maybe some of those Hunters are disabled and can't walk. Any suggestions to those few Cariboubill?.

Then again, maybe their related to Fisher Dude?. A Road hunting Warrior.

[cariboobill]

Hello again:

Well three moose this year at my spot. all were 2.5 to 3.5 years old not mature, but not immature either. On to a deer hunting now, I have been chasing one nice buck for three years. He should score 165 this year, which is large for 100 mile house area. He visits our property every 2 - 3 weeks. Have one deer in the freezer from the archery season (3 spike) from Region 7.

Folks who road hunt Moose, maybe are not confident in calling and waiting for the moose in an area which holds moose and driving seems to work for some. Just need to spend time calling etc. and the rest should happen, along with confidence in yourself. It really works calling and waiting.

Bill:idea:

[Islandeer]

CB's tips are the real thing...

[Ken the Kanuck]

Good advice Cariboo Bill. I like to hunt the same area and I have never seen a moose on the road. But lots of tracks on the edge of the road, often running along the edge for a long way. Must be late at night or atleast when I'm in the bush looking for them. There are lots of lakes and swamps back in a little ways. I busted up my ankle pretty bad last year and will not be walking in too far. But my hunting partner is hoping he can bum a quad for us. That should help drag them out. We got LEH's this year for the first time in about 3-4 years. Hopefully we will find some thing.

KTK

[Bpower]

What about later in the season...like in November. Does calling still work?

[300H&H]

Good advice Bill, except....please dont tell anyone to stop road hunting.
Its fun watching guys drive by deer 50 feet away.
The closest Ive seen a guy drive by deer and not see them was about 20 feet. Hard to miss but he did.

PS All moose in reg 3 have migrated to reg 5. Please consult your regs as to GOS.

[dana]

Here's the thing that you haven't mentioned, in order to kill a spike/fork, you need to be hunting where one lives. While sitting on a moose meadow can give ya the warm and fuzzys as you call in moose, it ain't too effective if there isn't a spike/fork living in that meadow. If there are some bigger bulls in the area, if the yearling bull doesn't want his ass kicked, he'll be where other moose ain't. IMHO, road hunting is indeed your best chance to luck into a spike/fork. You see these suckers don't grow behind every tree. They are actually pretty damn rare. If you haven't scouted one up in the summer, your best chance at finding one is to cover a lot of ground.

[bubba350]

Thanks for the great advice. I have a bull draw in 5-01 so any help is great.

Cheers

[cariboobill]

Hey Dana:

Yup you make a good point about covering ground. I spend most of my time covering ground during the winter for late season areas snowshoeing, then after break-up I start scouting my areas that hold moose, right up to opening week for Bows, then I start hunting. my group shot one Immature and I got to enjoy the meat. It really helps that I live here and am retired, when I lived down south it took a while to find good areas.

regards

Bill

[cariboobill]

In 5-01 there are a lot of folks who hunt the area just off Highway 24. I like the area of 5-01 drainage north of Windy Mountain that drains into Canim Lake. Less hunters and lots of good high ground to look over the valley and Canim Creek bottom. Good Luck!

[bubba350]

Thanks Bill I will check it out.

Happy hunting