Shooting in the Evening

[mijinkal]

On the weekend I had the opportunity to shoot a spike fork moose, but it wasn't as easy as I would have hoped.

My hunting partner and I had hiked for about an hour and a half into the bush in the Paska lake area, near Logan Lake. The terrain was rolling hills in a heavily treed area with lots of downed trees and it would be extremely difficult to drive a quad or dirtbike into the area. At one point, I turned to my hunting partner and said that we wouldn't shoot a moose any further than this point because of the terrain and distance to the truck, and he agreed. We carried on because we were on a hot trail and we had spooked a bedded cow, we just wanted to see what was out there, or even find a buck.
We spotted a moose bedded down on the opposite side of a small swamp at around 5:15pm at 120 +- yards away. It took a good 5 minutes in the low light to even notice the tiny spikes on the side of his head. Once we realized that he was a legal moose we had the dilema of shooting or not.
There was no doubt that we could make the easy shot, it was the pack out afterwards that concerned us.

We had a few options that we discussed;
-shoot the moose, gut it and leave it overnight and get it in the morning
-shoot the moose, gut it, quarter it and stay with it overnight
-shoot the moose, gut it, quarter it and pack it out through the night
-not shoot the moose and try and find him in the morning.
It was very hard for us to walk away from him but after talking about it for 20 minutes or so, we decided that we were going to go for him in the morning.
We didn't think that the carcas would have lasted the night without the coyotes or other scavengers getting to him. There was a healthy coyote population in the area. We also weren't prepared to spend a night in the bush.

I know we made the right choice, even though it was a very tough to walk away from him. We didn't end up finding him the next morning, we only managed to see a cow even though we hiked for hours. Part of me wishes I was better prepared to spend the night.

How many people here would have taken the shot and worked through the night? What do most of you guys do when you shoot something far from the truck at sunset?

[Surrey Boy]

I carry a headlamp and rope specifically for that occaision. It takes time, especially for a moose, and if I had to budget for retrieval to finish in daylight I'd stop hunting at six o'clock in the evening.

That said, you were conservative in your decision and graciously didn't risk wasting a carcass or spraining your ankle. Good job!

[835]

Yer fricken crazy :)
you said it SHOOT THE MOOSE!

In all seriousness. First, never go past where you dont wanna pack an animal out. Because when you see the animal you shoot it!

I in your situation would have shot it, gutted it and hung a shirt on its head and any other objects you have that have scent on it ( help with preditors). I even bug sprayed my shirt once.
I have left lots of moose and others in the forrest overnight at this time of year. It is too hot in the early fall. But if you prop the chest open with a stick you do not need to worry about it not cooling down.

The only thing you need to worry about is the actual didtance you need to pack the animal out. An an immie, especially a spike aint all that big once you have skinned and quartered it.

I closing i would have shot it, Gutted it, hung some clothes on it, Proped its cavity open with a stick and rolled it on its back. Then came back early in the A.M and recovered it.

[coach]

It sounds like you guys had a tough decision to make. It's a good idea to have in your day pack all of the necessary tools to quarter and hang your game. With some rope, game bags and a folding saw, plus a good quality headlamp you might have been able to quarter the bull and hang it overnight. You might have also been able to pack out a quarter each and retrieve the rest in the morning.

Ultimately, you made a choice based on careful consideration of your options. Unfortunately, not every hunter takes all the variables into account before pulling the trigger. You should feel good about your decision. I'm sure you are already figuring out how preparation can meet opportunity on future hunting trips.

[Gateholio]

Assuming the pack out wouldn't have taken you 3 days in boiling sun...

I would have shot the moose and done any of the quartering options you listed that I felt best about at the time. I've left moose quarters overnight, and I've killed animals and lit a fire and slept nearby overnight, but if it was really cold and I didn't have the proper gear wiht me, I wouldn't sleep over.:-D

I woudl have shot the moose, but in the end, you did what you thought was correct at the time. I'd go back, he may still be around there. This time take a good hadlamp and some gear.

[ruger#1]

You need to buy a lewis winch. You would of gotten it out in no time. Best thing to invest in if you can't get a quad in there. http://www.lewiswinch.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAyM8GeeK44

[Look74]

Hunting of big game should be cut off at sun down. You did it right,you didn't waste a moose he is out their in good shape and you can sleep at night knowing he was not shot and lost

[shantz]

Depending on the bug and temperature situation I probably would have shot the moose, gutted it, quartered it, hung it in the trees, packed out one load and returned the next morning for the rest. or just gutted it and propped it open if it was really cold.

[mijinkal]

The more responses I read, the more I wish I shot the damn moose, gutted it, and left some clothes around it for the night. Will the clothes actually keep the predators away?
All I can do is learn from this experience. I know where the moose is, hopefully he'll be there in 2 weeks.

[Ubertuber]

Sounds like you guys did the right thing for yourselves. I would probably have shot it, quartered it, hung it nice and high in a tree if possible. Then returned a first light the next morning for the pack out. I try to be prepared for just such an occasion.

[4 point]

Every guy looking for a 2 pt within a 100 miles will be all over Paska Lake after reading this thread.

I would have shot it, gutted it, left it overnight with a coat near it and returned early am to retrieve.

[skibum]

a moose was turned away from a butcher in the same area last weekend, the hunters said that they shot it and went and got it in the morning - I don't know what condition they left it in, gutted or not

I think you guys made the right call for your situation, even leaving the hide on overnight may have been a problem last weekend though. But I am no expert

[Deaddog]

shoot it, gut it , get some hide off, and if the weather is warm either debone it or at the very least open up the quarters by slicing the meat open to the bone, if you are not in country with a ton of grizz I wouldn't worry about leaving it overnight... clothing hasn't worked to well for us with grizz, we once shot an elk, deboned it hung it in a tree and left a pair of two week old long johns at the base of the tree, came back the next morning to find the gut pile and scrap meat gone along with the long johns which we found a couple of hundred yards away (along with the fresh grizz tracks)!!

[luckynuts]

On the weekend I had the opportunity to shoot a spike fork moose, but it wasn't as easy as I would have hoped.

We didn't think that the carcas would have lasted the night without the coyotes or other scavengers getting to him. There was a healthy coyote population in the area. We also weren't prepared to spend a night in the bush.

How many people here would have taken the shot and worked through the night? What do most of you guys do when you shoot something far from the truck at sunset?

I would have hammered him! FYI we have never had a moose touched AFTER GUTTING IT by animals other than magpies and ravens. I can honsetly say that is in heavy bear and wolf country. Every year we leave one on the other side overnight due to being shot during the evening hunt and the quad ride is 45 km from camp. A grizzly will be on the gut pile next day after we have come back and hauled it away. Though I do know lots of guys that have had their Elk taken from them during the night from Camp and most guys I know won't leave their elk over night for fear of a Grizz claiming it!

[Brew]

I would have shot it. I did the same thing with my elk. We did the gutless method and put the quarters in game bags and left them over night. I left a sweaty t shirt and even though it sounds funny my dad and I pissed in the general area. Nothing showed up over night.

[doubled]

BANG!!!!

Gut him and clean him, come back in the morning with a crew with saws, quads, etc. No worries there.

[Cyrus]

The spike bull we shot was right around dusk. It was in a partially dried out swamp and was accesible by vehicle (somewhat my truck got scratched to hell). We gutted him and laughed that this tiny little bull would be easy to get in the back of the truck in one piece....wrong! It got dark very fast and you got it, forgot the flashlights.....It was 11:30 at night by the time he was loaded and skinned out....and that was a really accesible spot. For our 2nd tag we prepared ourselves to stay at it through the night in the event we shot a bigger bull in a crappier location....I learned a lot from the 1st one and realized how much work it is...especially at night. Good on you for thinking about the retrieval before shooting...lots of people would have shot first and asked questions after....So I guess he was not around the next morning??

[todbartell]

I left a sweaty t shirt and even though it sounds funny my dad and I pissed in the general area. Nothing showed up over night.

anybody remember the thread on GunNutz a couple years ago when the guys from Ontario pissed all over their calf moose meat to keep predators from getting it?:mrgreen:

[Fisher-Dude]

Hunting of big game should be cut off at sun down.

Why? Is there a conservation concern? No.

Just because you CHOOSE not to hunt after sundown doesn't mean that others that CHOOSE to do so aren't making an ethical choice.

Why do so many want to regulate everyone the hell out of the bush? :confused:

[luckynuts]

anybody remember the thread on GunNutz a couple years ago when the guys from Ontario pissed all over their calf moose meat to keep predators from getting it?:mrgreen:


OMG Tonight is a bellyache night!!!! I totally forgot about that one:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[sawmill]

The wife and I were out till past 10 at night getting my elk out,dark and pissing rain.Shot her with an hour of light left.No way I was leaving it in the bush,I would have camped there if I had to.
It`s a choice only you can make,I`v handled a lot of game ,moose espesially and they are a lot of work.
If you had to think about it then I think you made the right call.There will always be another .Good luck Bro.

[Blainer]

I would have shot it. I did the same thing with my elk. We did the gutless method and put the quarters in game bags and left them over night. I left a sweaty t shirt and even though it sounds funny my dad and I pissed in the general area. Nothing showed up over night.That was exactly my thought to a -t.
shoot,1/4,hang if possible,drop a t-shirt,piss in general area,and retieve in a.m.:wink:

[BCBRAD]

anybody remember the thread on GunNutz a couple years ago when the guys from Ontario pissed all over their calf moose meat to keep predators from getting it?:mrgreen:

ya, and in the morning there were signs of cougar all over it.........spent condoms and Kokanee caps

[husky30-06]

i would have shot it and then figured out what to do after that......... take out what i could then, grab the cut down shotgun and a head lamp, called a buddy or two and headed right back in on it. I would not like to leave it for the morning as I have had the run in's with cougars and bears, on a kill would not be fun........... that is why my dad and i are regulated out hunting together...we shoot it first then figure out how the hell we will get it out....:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[Jagermeister]

The more responses I read, the more I wish I shot the damn moose, gutted it, and left some clothes around it for the night. Will the clothes actually keep the predators away?
All I can do is learn from this experience. I know where the moose is, hopefully he'll be there in 2 weeks.
I dumped a mature bull moose back a "few" years ago, damm thing wandered back into the lake. Late afternoon, by the time we winched it up onto shore, light was fading rapidly. Ended up gutting it by moonlight and flashlight, hoisted it as high as we could into a tree. No choice but to leave it, did the piss and clothing routine and hiked back to the truck. Next morning, long before dawn, we were back to retrieve it.

[Jelvis]

I hunt moose in the early morning not in the afternoon, I like quality meat and don't want to hurry with gutting etc in the dark, I hunt moose by roads also, hunt along the road off the road a ways in morning, but I live in Kamloops and you live way down south so that's the difference you have a long way to go even after.
By the time you quarter it and drag it through the creek swamp, mud and all it's like Coopers butcher dragging grain fed beef through there it wouldn't make it to the store in a full amount lol ..
Jel .. You did the right thing leaving it alone .. next time go there in the dark in the morning and then sit wait for light then BANG! You have all day to process. IMHO

[pnbrock]

kaabooom!!!!get out the headlamp you can sleep all next day.

[IronNoggin]

kaabooom!!!!get out the headlamp you can sleep all next day.

aYup!

That's the short version, here's the long. Skip to the bottom if you wish to avoid...

Couple years back a Buddy from Kamloops and I were hunting moose up near Quesnel. First day in I wandered across a rather large mature bull - played cat and mouse with him for well over an hour. Decided to let him go for several reasons - 1) the spot I found him in was 2 miles from the closest place I could get a quad across a mid-sized river (checked a couple of miles up and down before deciding to cross myself); 2) I have taken a moose that size previously, same time of year, and didn't like the "chew" factor and; 3) was looking for good meat for the winter.

Unknown to me my Partner had circled in behind me from another direction, and seen both my tracks over the bulls, and his over mine. That evening he wouldn't let me sleep until I solemnly promised to back with him after that Monster the next day. He had just recently built a new "Trophy Room" (She let him) and wanted a "Centerpiece". Dammit...

The next day we went back in alright. The bull had wandered as they sometimes do. Found him close to dusk, even further from the quads than before. Both of us with tags, we set up on a long finger where he was resting - gave my Partner the long shot, took the short alley myself (hoping like mad he would come my way... OOPS Missed! :wink:
Nope, ran right into buddy's scope at 85 yards when challenged, and his 375 barked. Whump. Solid. The bull spun and bolted back into the timber... At Dusk...

The wait was apprehensive - was the hit as good as we thought?
It was also long. Likely close to an hour, but with the growing twilight it felt much much longer.
Finally we went in on him, I the Dog, nose to the ground, and he the Gun, supposedly going to keep the bull from squashing me should I stumble right into it. Foamy red blood. Good. Tissue, red, porous. Better. A couple hundred yards into it, the hair suddenly rose on the neck of my back. Now not quite black, close in undoubtedly, maybe alive...

A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed my fears, the Gun was watching ME ever so intently, and NOT the area around us. Soon rectified. :wink:

Twenty yards further I glanced up, and saw the tops of those huge antlers facing right at me - 15 yards maybe. Facing me! Locked the 300 WBY on him, Buddy does the same. Close in. DOA. HUGE sigh of relief! Then realization set in. WTF did we just do?? :confused:

No question between us, we set up, skinned, quartered, deboned most of it, and set it in maneuverable piles. Then Stared. OMG. The first trip out was a nightmare. Second guessing as to "short-cuts" in the dark, even with a good GPS, ain't User Friendly. Made the quads, decided to move both them and the truck to a slightly better vantage. Dropped the load in the truck, moved it, ferried back to the quads, and got a little closer for round two. Another nightmare, especially crossing the "creek" that time. Another Lesson.

Round three - when we get to the truck the local CO has the back open (steam issuing out), casually sitting on the hood. Evening Boyz (Evening? Man, it is like 2:30 in the morning?) Just passing by (what?) saw the festivities, and wanted to check your Licenses is all...
Now consider we're fairly remote at this time. Passing by? Oh well, License check completed, one tagged, one not. Everything A-OK. But when we asked him to perhaps lend a hand, he laughed outright, begging off due to "other duties..."

Finally, the glimmers of daylight becoming reality, it's down to the head and cape (hanging HIGH in a tree this whole time - Don't Ask )
I refused to go back in with him on this last run, saying: That's what YOU shot it for. As a consequence I've worked MY ass off all bloody night. You Buddy, can fetch the damn "Trophy Room Centerpiece" yourself! :evil:)

Grumbling loudly about E-H's, he wandered back up into the bush. Quietly I stalked him keeping well enough back he wouldn't hear me - easy, I knew exactly where he was going. Watched as he struggled magnificently strapping that massive head to his pack, and struggled even more to get to his feet under the load! :twisted:) Fifty yards. First FLOP. Twenty more, close. Twenty more down again!! At that point I couldn't help but laugh, and wander in to pick up the slack. A haul for sure, but eventually that ugly old head made it to the truck.

On the way out, right close to the road, we wandered across the tracks of two young immature moose. Likely bulls. But that is another story entirely...

So, short of that is: Shoot when you can, pack when you must. It ain't every day you get to play, and even then chances to capitalize sometimes come infrequently. Sure, I picked the most grueling of many I have been in on as an example. And it hurt somewhat. But it sure beat the hell out of watching television while chewing on beef, and that damn moose looks even better each passing year in my Buddy's Trophy Room!

Cheers,
Nog

[Big Lew]

You've learned quite a bit from the responses....but anytime you are hiking a distance from your vehicle, hunting or not, you should have emergency equipment in a day pack in case you hurt yourself, or get lost, etc. Unless you are a total novice, or in freshly re-grown forest, you should be able to get a good fire going and be able to work on, and camp by your deer or moose overnight without undue hardship. The last moose I shot was just before dark, and my brother and I processed it and packed it out in the dark without problems because we had the necessary gear in a small pack with us. You can make a rough winch out of a light log, tying it parallel to the ground to two trees, tying on a long handle, and cranking a light rope onto it as you pull your animal up a tree, or wherever.

[#1fishslayer]

I've seen more than one moose gutted, and left over night. I hope you find him.

[Jelvis]

I know some hunters are strapped for time and need to get back to work and that makes for haste and haste makes waste, so plan your hunt tactics before wondering off into that area. It's thick in some spots and lots of water and what not. Hunt early for moose, if you get a moose just before dark and in a hurry you can have too many things go wrong, cutting yourself in the dark while hurrying etc. Plan b4 and stick to the plan Stan.
Jel .. You did the right thing in this case, so fit this into your future plans ..imho

[M.Dean]

It's a real pain in the ass packing meat out in the dark, but what are you hunting for? You hunt to get meat and take it home. By leaving the bull alive you failed at your main reason for being there, to kill a moose! When your tripping over logs and rocks at night with a pack full of moose meat, laugh, because you succeeded in getting what you went there for, a moose! I think you should have fired, gutted the moose and tried to get at least some of the meat back to the truck in the dark,then sleep in the truck and at first light go get the rest! When your driving home, covered in blood,tired and sore with a moose in the back, you got exactly what you went there for. By not firing your going to second guess your decision for a long time!

[mikeman20]

Headlamp, saw and alot of elbow grease to get it done. Once its in camp you can do some sleeping in - working till 4 am isnt so bad then!

[Jelvis]

He lives in the lower mainland and had little time duh! Hows he going to have time to do all that and sleep there he had to go back to work ? lol.
Jel

[rocksteady]

I have been in on several hunts where we have downed big bull elk late in the afternoon a LONG ways from the truck. I know it sucks and its hard work, but well worth the haul and effort...

On a couple of these occasions we gutted it, quartered it and got to work, packing etc, not getting home til the sun was starting to rise the next morning.....

Go prepared, a headlamp, spare batteries and a Bic Lighter would all I would need, in addition to the usual knives/packboards etc...

If you pace yourself with reasonable loads (maximum loads burn you out much quicker) and make trips, it will happen for you.....

If no chance of packing it out, I always go prepared (Bic lighter) to start a fire and sit there all night, protecting my critter....Get an early start at first light....

On one occassion I shot my bull, I started packing and the partner went back to where we had it beached and brought the boat around to teh side channel, while we still had daylight) and then we both packed til it was all in the boat......After packing a couple quarters, it was dark, stiing at the side of the river, having a break, wolves started howling all around me....I said F$%K you guys, you are not having an elk steak from me...And went back for another load....

Once we had it all loaded in the boat, the side channel was dicey, as I was sitting on the bow with my headlamp guiding the guy driving as to where stumps/logs were....

Long night, hard work, but a hell of a hunting story that we tell over again....


Having said all of that, I will go further, work harder and longer, based on how empty the deep freeze is....If you are flush for meat, let it walk, if you decide its worth the work...THUMP!!!

[Rodd]

Yer fricken crazy :)
you said it SHOOT THE MOOSE!

In all seriousness. First, never go past where you dont wanna pack an animal out. Because when you see the animal you shoot it!

I in your situation would have shot it, gutted it and hung a shirt on its head and any other objects you have that have scent on it ( help with preditors). I even bug sprayed my shirt once.
I have left lots of moose and others in the forrest overnight at this time of year. It is too hot in the early fall. But if you prop the chest open with a stick you do not need to worry about it not cooling down.

The only thing you need to worry about is the actual didtance you need to pack the animal out. An an immie, especially a spike aint all that big once you have skinned and quartered it.

I closing i would have shot it, Gutted it, hung some clothes on it, Proped its cavity open with a stick and rolled it on its back. Then came back early in the A.M and recovered it.


X2......... Or If proper help, would have packed it out during the night... Deboned!

[Moose72]

I would have shot it and gutted it out and left clothes all over it. Done it many times and don't live to far away from where you are. Basicly the same weather and terrain.

[LYKTOHUNT]

I think you made the right decision for YOU and next time you can take what you have learned here and make maybe the same decision or another but the bottom line is you made a responsible choice nobody got hurt including the moose and you will not get raked over the coals here on this site for doing anything and everything wrong by all the experts.

[16ga]

I think you made the right decision for YOU and next time you can take what you have learned here and make maybe the same decision or another but the bottom line is you made a responsible choice nobody got hurt including the moose and you will not get raked over the coals here on this site for doing anything and everything wrong by all the experts.

Couldn't have said it better.

[GoatGuy]

How many people here would have taken the shot and worked through the night? What do most of you guys do when you shoot something far from the truck at sunset?

Sounds like you made the right decision for you. In the past we've left critters over night, you can dump the guts out of them or what have you. If it's warm you just get at 'er. 24 hour days are part of the fun of hunting.

Good luck next time.

[KevinB]

How many people here would have taken the shot and worked through the night? What do most of you guys do when you shoot something far from the truck at sunset?

Easy answer for me, dead moose.

If I'm going to be hiking in for 1-1/2 hours hunting moose, I'm going to be prepared with everything I need to deal with a dead moose, otherwise what am I doing there? You can quarter/debone a moose with nothing but a small folding knife, and if you don't have a pack to carry it out in the dark, you can just hang it up with some rope. If you get the meat hung up, away from that 150 pound pile of tasty internal organs, strong odds are nothing much will go after it. You can carry old cotton pillow cases for the backstraps, and all the other meat that isn't attached to one of the quarters.

Practice on deer and a moose is no different, just a bit bigger.

But if you weren't prepared to do that, then you definitely did the right thing - no sense shooting an animal you can't get out of the bush.

But I hope you find that sucker again! keep looking. Of course, there's probably now a bunch of other hunters pounding the bush around Paska Lake.....:wink:

[Hydrojet]

Do what feels right by you. Sure a lot of guys would be into the work and the story, but if you feel the spidey senses going off....don't. Can get a bullet back once you let her fly! I would have cleaned, quartered and hung and went back in the morning....I hate walking out in the dark....damn little things you don't see and next thing you have is a full pack, a dead lamp, no fire and a broken ankle! If you comfortable go ahead...if your not don't...easy decision IMHO.

[troutseeker]

I would have shot it and me and my buddy would have taken the time required to pack it out.

[bridger]

You need to buy a lewis winch. You would of gotten it out in no time. Best thing to invest in if you can't get a quad in there. http://www.lewiswinch.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAyM8GeeK44

i have one that i pack in my river boat and they are awesome. a little heavy to be carrying in the bush tho, but they are great.