rattle e 6speed
10-04-2010, 12:23 AM
My LEH hunting trip was nearly canceled this year when my dad had a heart attack one week to the day before we left on a two week group moose hunt in region 7. He is first of all my dad, and secondly on of the members in the group. Anyhow, ends up the stent went in without complication and he was told he could go if he took it easy.
We made it up to our hunting area we agreed upon which was new to us, and drove in 200kms of gravel roads only to find the logging company closeda bridge limiting us to a very small area of our region. We decided to drive back out to the road and way around to give us a larger area and better chance of finding our animals. While turning around the truck and trailer on the really narrow road, we ripped all the wiring out from under the trailer leaving us no lights, and no brakes.
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=044.jpg
After two and half days of travelling, we find a spot to set camp.
We spent the next two days pounding the roads to get a feel for the area and seen 3 deer, 4 moose(only one bull crossing the road and disappearing), 9 black bears, and the biggest wolf I've ever seen(also crossing the road and in a hurry), along with countless grouse. But oddly we seen little to no sign, old or new.
After no luck out of the quad or truck, we hiked in to a slash with a huge deactivation blocking it and no tracks from any other hunters. Wednesday morning a little later than I wanted, we spotted two moose fade into the heavy timber without getting a good look at them.
We returned the next am before shooting light and found a spot to get comfy about 2km in. I was just about to sit down when I seen a cow alone about 6-700yds away. I glassed her for what seemed like 10 mins hoping she had some boys with her, then she walked into the bush and I never seen her again. I then made a few cow calls and immediately heard a bull grunting 600 yards out right at the edge of the slash to our right. I stood up to see a nice bull a long ways out and only his head due to a large brush pile. I called again this time a little quieter to keep him interested, and he responded by turning straight towards us and coming in. This is only my second moose hunt, and the first time calling in the rut. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. As we watched this guy closing in, I heard something crashing through the bush to our left near where the cow went in a few minutes earlier. Our position wasn't great, so I got low and tried to get a good shooting lane. Found the root clump of a tree that blew over giving me a good rest and coverage. All of a sudden another great bull coming out of the bush with branches hanging off his rack and he is also coming straight in. I guess my cow call was working.
These two big buggers are now closing in on each other and I am watching them both coming together right in front of me, 70 yds away! I am absolutely crapping myself knowing this is likely never going to happen to me again. They square off right there and I pick the bigger of the two(marginally bigger) and let him have it. I was so close that I contemplated a head shot, but instead went for the body. He coughed, walked forward 4 steps, and layed down. The other bull never flinched at the gun shot, I figured he would have bolted, but instead was still wanting a fight. The old man shoots, and he also goes down, laying down not 20 feet away from the first one!
We are so excited that we started our victory cheers a little early, causing the second bull to stand up and start walking away. Another one behind the ear, and he drops, one more for the first one still on the ground, and our tags are full. So is our days work ahead.
I radioed our hunting partner and told them not to shoot anything, and come give us a hand. He walks in to the slash to find our moose 60' apart, and measuring 47 1/2" and 48 1/4"!
That was all over by 8am, and by the time we got them dressed, and out to the road with the quad, it was 2pm. 7:30pm and they were hung, skinned, and split in two to help cool them down.
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=068.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=078.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=081.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=079.jpg
Next day took the quad out for a liitle grouse hunt and the rear diff grenades 6km from camp. Sure glad it held out the day before, because it would have been 2 days packing those guys out on foot.
They weighed 780lbs, and 623lbs at the butcher.
We made it up to our hunting area we agreed upon which was new to us, and drove in 200kms of gravel roads only to find the logging company closeda bridge limiting us to a very small area of our region. We decided to drive back out to the road and way around to give us a larger area and better chance of finding our animals. While turning around the truck and trailer on the really narrow road, we ripped all the wiring out from under the trailer leaving us no lights, and no brakes.
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=044.jpg
After two and half days of travelling, we find a spot to set camp.
We spent the next two days pounding the roads to get a feel for the area and seen 3 deer, 4 moose(only one bull crossing the road and disappearing), 9 black bears, and the biggest wolf I've ever seen(also crossing the road and in a hurry), along with countless grouse. But oddly we seen little to no sign, old or new.
After no luck out of the quad or truck, we hiked in to a slash with a huge deactivation blocking it and no tracks from any other hunters. Wednesday morning a little later than I wanted, we spotted two moose fade into the heavy timber without getting a good look at them.
We returned the next am before shooting light and found a spot to get comfy about 2km in. I was just about to sit down when I seen a cow alone about 6-700yds away. I glassed her for what seemed like 10 mins hoping she had some boys with her, then she walked into the bush and I never seen her again. I then made a few cow calls and immediately heard a bull grunting 600 yards out right at the edge of the slash to our right. I stood up to see a nice bull a long ways out and only his head due to a large brush pile. I called again this time a little quieter to keep him interested, and he responded by turning straight towards us and coming in. This is only my second moose hunt, and the first time calling in the rut. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. As we watched this guy closing in, I heard something crashing through the bush to our left near where the cow went in a few minutes earlier. Our position wasn't great, so I got low and tried to get a good shooting lane. Found the root clump of a tree that blew over giving me a good rest and coverage. All of a sudden another great bull coming out of the bush with branches hanging off his rack and he is also coming straight in. I guess my cow call was working.
These two big buggers are now closing in on each other and I am watching them both coming together right in front of me, 70 yds away! I am absolutely crapping myself knowing this is likely never going to happen to me again. They square off right there and I pick the bigger of the two(marginally bigger) and let him have it. I was so close that I contemplated a head shot, but instead went for the body. He coughed, walked forward 4 steps, and layed down. The other bull never flinched at the gun shot, I figured he would have bolted, but instead was still wanting a fight. The old man shoots, and he also goes down, laying down not 20 feet away from the first one!
We are so excited that we started our victory cheers a little early, causing the second bull to stand up and start walking away. Another one behind the ear, and he drops, one more for the first one still on the ground, and our tags are full. So is our days work ahead.
I radioed our hunting partner and told them not to shoot anything, and come give us a hand. He walks in to the slash to find our moose 60' apart, and measuring 47 1/2" and 48 1/4"!
That was all over by 8am, and by the time we got them dressed, and out to the road with the quad, it was 2pm. 7:30pm and they were hung, skinned, and split in two to help cool them down.
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=068.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=078.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=081.jpg
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l568/rattle-e-6speed/?action=view¤t=079.jpg
Next day took the quad out for a liitle grouse hunt and the rear diff grenades 6km from camp. Sure glad it held out the day before, because it would have been 2 days packing those guys out on foot.
They weighed 780lbs, and 623lbs at the butcher.