behemoth
10-26-2009, 10:29 AM
I went out on Saturday morning to fill my reg 3 LEH moose draw and decided since I was down to 7 days left on the draw, that anything with antlers was going down.
On the way in I was pretty stoked because there had been about 3 inches of snow overnight and it was the first major snowfall of the year in this spot. On the way up, about 5k before my planned hiking spot, I noticed fresh tracks crossing the road. I got out and the tracks were from a lone moose. Good enough! I parked my truck and started following the tracks uphill into a 4-5 year old cutblock.
After about 20 mins, I came over a rise and saw a moose about 700-800 yards directly uphill. Bull moose! Not huge, but not a spike-fork. I watched it move to the top of the block and then stand broadside. Knowing that even a 300 yard shot is questionable for me, I decided I would have to get allot closer if I wanted this bull. I watched as the moose moved into the trees heading to the right.
I decided to climb the block moving towards the right as well, hoping to shorten the distance. There was tonnes of windfall and general debris everywhere and with the snow it took way longer than I wanted it to. But at anyrate, 45 miniutes later I was at the elevation I last saw the moose, but one draw over. It was there that I crossed his tracks again.
I surveyed the situation: I was in a flat spot with a big "knoll" above me. The tracks went to the right and up around the knoll. The wind was moving uphill and to the left. I decided I would move up around the knoll to the left, keeping the wind in my favour. I climbed up, and as I came around the top, I was in another flat spot that had a stand of aspen trees in the middle. There was the moose, in the trees!
I snuck as quietly as I could, trying to find a rest, but nothing was available. When I kneeled down, I was too low to get a shot. I kept walking until it noticed me, about 70 yards. It walked out of the trees and presented me with a broadside shot. I shouldered my rifle and let one rip. It trotted about 10 yards and then stopped and stood there again. WTF?? I thought I had missed because of not using a rest so I ran about 30 feet to the closest stump I could find and let another one go. It ran about another 10 yards and then lied down. Turns out the first shot hit both lungs and the second took out the heart.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009001.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009004.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009016.jpg
I was lucky because I found a road about 10 minute walk from were he landed. Since I was by myself, I tried the gutless method, and it worked beautifully. 6 hours after I dropped him, the meat was in the truck.
On the way in I was pretty stoked because there had been about 3 inches of snow overnight and it was the first major snowfall of the year in this spot. On the way up, about 5k before my planned hiking spot, I noticed fresh tracks crossing the road. I got out and the tracks were from a lone moose. Good enough! I parked my truck and started following the tracks uphill into a 4-5 year old cutblock.
After about 20 mins, I came over a rise and saw a moose about 700-800 yards directly uphill. Bull moose! Not huge, but not a spike-fork. I watched it move to the top of the block and then stand broadside. Knowing that even a 300 yard shot is questionable for me, I decided I would have to get allot closer if I wanted this bull. I watched as the moose moved into the trees heading to the right.
I decided to climb the block moving towards the right as well, hoping to shorten the distance. There was tonnes of windfall and general debris everywhere and with the snow it took way longer than I wanted it to. But at anyrate, 45 miniutes later I was at the elevation I last saw the moose, but one draw over. It was there that I crossed his tracks again.
I surveyed the situation: I was in a flat spot with a big "knoll" above me. The tracks went to the right and up around the knoll. The wind was moving uphill and to the left. I decided I would move up around the knoll to the left, keeping the wind in my favour. I climbed up, and as I came around the top, I was in another flat spot that had a stand of aspen trees in the middle. There was the moose, in the trees!
I snuck as quietly as I could, trying to find a rest, but nothing was available. When I kneeled down, I was too low to get a shot. I kept walking until it noticed me, about 70 yards. It walked out of the trees and presented me with a broadside shot. I shouldered my rifle and let one rip. It trotted about 10 yards and then stopped and stood there again. WTF?? I thought I had missed because of not using a rest so I ran about 30 feet to the closest stump I could find and let another one go. It ran about another 10 yards and then lied down. Turns out the first shot hit both lungs and the second took out the heart.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009001.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009004.jpg
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/JohnMoose2009016.jpg
I was lucky because I found a road about 10 minute walk from were he landed. Since I was by myself, I tried the gutless method, and it worked beautifully. 6 hours after I dropped him, the meat was in the truck.