Back from Chilcoot Moose trip

[ravensfoot]

Just got back from the Chilcotin area from a 9 day hunt this weekend and wanted to share. I enjoyed all the other hunting stories so I thought I would post one of my own.

It started out with some questions to the fine people on HBC. I have hunted in the Chilcotin in the past but my biggest concern was looking for the best place to set up camp. A few tips were also passed on and appreciated.

We arrived in our camp without incident after a 7 hour drive. Our original plan was to camp at the Fletcher Lake Forestry site but it was full. We travelled a little further and found a spot on a smaller lake. Our camp was set up in no time and we were happily sitting by the fire enjoying a beer by the time the sun set.
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Up at 5am for the first mornings hunt, we have studied all the maps, regs, and roads and head off in three separate directions for scouting. I parked my truck on an old slash and hiked in about 5k to a sweet little meadow. Scouted around and let out a whimpy cow call. About 15 minutes later while still hunting in the surrounding forest, I hear what I thought was an even worse rendition of a cow call from another hunter when I realized this thing is real. The gargling from-the-gut sound towards the end of each bawl was not one that any human could make. I had to pursue this as it was only a couple hundred yards through the bush. Quickly did a compass and wind check and headed towards the sound. I came out on another section of the meadow and spotted a mature cow moose feeding on the willows. Gladly watched her for about 1/2 hour till she slipped away. (Blurry Photo - sorry zoomed up)
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-- more to come soon --

[c.r.hunter]

Oooohhh, hot cow! Perfect bull bait!

[ravensfoot]

Yes, perfect bull bait... I decided to have a look around where the cow was hanging out after she gave me the slip. Only found one bed in the area but no other signs that a moose had recently been in the area. A great beginning for a scouting day. I headed back to camp for a bit of lunch then drove to a couple of other spots to check them out with little to no sign of recent moose activity.

Back at camp after dark to share stories with the rest of the gang. Tales of other moose sightings and a bullet that couldn't find its mark on a nice small bull. Always nice to razz someone else that missed. Lots of debate on distance and the proper way to sight a rifle in. Finished the evening with a few pops and a decent fire, fair amount of beetle wood to take care of.

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Next morning we planned on hitting a few other meadows near where the bull was sighted. Covering ground we decided to split up and put the boots to the ground, four hours later we meet back at the truck and share our findings. I came in on a very active meadow with islands of pine and fingers of willows that I really wanted to hunt. Found the fresh $hits, rubs, numerous beds in the meadows and those slender licking poles. The area was definitely being used.

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More to follow...

[ravensfoot]

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A great deal of time was spent hunting the area where the bull was missed. Every day we all went out and either hiked or stump hunted. I personally logged about 30k of bush and meadow every day (I can't sit still for long). We discovered numerous drop sheds, bones, skulls, and other remains in the areas.
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Included in that were quite a few spike camps deep in the bush. This area had been hunted hard in the previous months. Bulls were harvested as the remains were found in almost all of these little camps.

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Plenty of mountain chicken were abound as well, keeping all of us that couldn't spot the buggers awake with rushes of freak as soon as one blasted out of the ground we walked on. One of these times I said, will be the last as I may have a premature heart attack. Then we'd have to call up Srupp to bring the red & white wagon out and help.

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More to follow...

[ravensfoot]

Back the the real hunting...
Meadow after meadow, thicket after cut block, we pounded the bush looking for the elusive bull moose. Many more sightings of large cow moose in colorings from dark black to grey brown. One of the crisp mornings I was up at my spot at first light. I made my way down into what I referred to as "big Meadow"
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[ravensfoot]

I made my way in as quietly as possible, skirted one of the first openings and crossed over into a pine island. As I approached the far edge of the tree island, I would scan openings into the meadow with the binocs, looking for the big ole bull. As I made my way to just inside the trees, I spotted one about 200 yds away. Glassed it and couldn't quite make out if it were a bull or not. I needed to rest against a tree to steady my binocs. Two steps closer and to my right I spot another moose, this one's a'hundred yards away, clearly a cow. I'm kinda busted but they're not quite sure what I am. I glassed the further one clearly now and saw that it too was a cow. time to have some fun. They were not interested in hanging around and started to trot, I let out a subtle bull grunt and they both froze for a few seconds, started trotting and the scene was repeated a couple more times. This time I was able to get the camera out for some video.

Click here for video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=PBiRWx_6AKw)


http://www.ravensfoot.com/hunting/chilcoot/IMG_4341-28.jpg


Wow, that was fun. I carefully continued to hunt the area for the next couple of hours wanting to find a nearby bull with no avail. Found many more interesting things on my travels, recording them for the game of "what's that" back at camp with my pals. Nice size wolf tracks and some small bear tracks, a few signs that winter was on the way and a few signs of places to stay. This is starting to sound friggin poetic, i must be enjoying myself on the hunt...

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More to follow...

[ravensfoot]

After some fun with the "what's that" game back at camp and a nice big meal it was on to better things like Port & Chocolate, Beers & Fire.
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The next day was another crisp -8ºC morning. headed off on my own this time, visited a few of my now regular meadows, more cow moose but still no bull. After about 4 or more hours of poking around I decided to mix things up a bit. This time I went back to the spot where I saw the original bawlling cow moose. I know, I know, I should never have left that area. Stupid thing was, it was closer to camp too. Anyway, I did the long hike in from the truck, skulked down to the sweet spot in the meadow and the next thing that touched the optics in my binocs was a farkin moo-cow. Not just one, but a 1/2 a dozen or more. Well, that's it, I'm outta here. Huff it back to the truck, up hill, and decide to change more tactics, new road, one that I wanted to try at the very beginning.

I drove up a few clicks, (had to follow the logging trucks by escort) and pulled into a side road. almost immediately I crossed my first set of fresh tracks on the road in the fresh snow. I'm parking right here and going in. I got in about 70 yards in the bush and picked up the trail again. You shoudda seen my face. These tracks were the biggest I've ever seen in my life. This had to be a monster.

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more to come...

[835]

Likin' yer thread keep it coming!

[ravensfoot]

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Fresh rubs in the area, I'm following this ba$tard, it's gotta be big. As I was following the tracks I notice that when this thing stepped on old logs, they just smashed into little bits of dust and splinters. I've never seen anything like it in my life. My heart is pumping. I follow the tree line up the hill for about a km. I wanted to stay just inside the trees as I was skirting an old cut block with 4ft jack pines. I started to crest the hill, still inside the trees and slowly start peering through the openings in the slash.

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3 steps out and there it is, moosey moose. at the tip end of the slash and trees. I put the binocs on him and could only make out some small antlers, not the beast I thought I was following but at this point, I didn't care about big. Hey, this is my first moose. I have a tree one step to my right so I move to it and anchor my new Tikka T3 300WSM, cross hairs land on a vital spot and Kapow (Crap that sure is louder than my old .280) The bull drops in it's tracks. I GOT HIM! I wait for a few min and notice some movement. Oh $hit, it's getting back up. A very wobbly two steps and a perfect broadside shot anchored him in his tracks. YES! I finally got my Bull. (Now I really wonder about those big tracks....

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Back to camp to celebrate!! Bigger fire and more drinks!!

[hotload]

This turning out to be one of the better threads I have ever read. Great work on the pics and the story. Keep it coming.

[835]

There all big! Even the small ones. Congradulations on your first moose.
Got any mor pics? Say,,,, ones where you found out how tough they are to recover!

[ravensfoot]

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Icing on the cake was one of my crew got a nice 2 point Mulie (Sorry no pics)

Sunrise on the morning out. pics of our cabins, notice how clean we leave the camp!!

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A great trip and a big thanks for all the help from HBC members that gave me input. looking forward to the next trip in a couple of weeks.

[ravensfoot]

Yes they are tough to recover, I wish I had pics of the drag out. Good thing we had the quads, It took 2 quads hooked together to drag this one out to a point where we hit a downhill section. Had to cut in 1/2 after gutting just to get it in the truck. All in complete darkness. This is the first harvest for me but I have had my fair share of helping the other guys out when they got theirs. Make deer hunting seem alot easier (for the little ones that is)

[srupp]

Great post, super photos and exellent read !!! Well done Greg....

A moose is a moose...:wink: and all taste the same in a meal......

cheers and congradulations

Steven

[ravensfoot]

Great post, super photos and exellent read !!! Well done Greg....

A moose is a moose...:wink: and all taste the same in a meal......

cheers and congradulations

Steven

Thanks Steven,

really wish I had the chance to meet you in person but I'll be up in your neck of the woods in a few weeks and will make sure to tag up. Thanks for all your wisdom!

cheers,
greg

[LYKTOHUNT]

Great post but you better watch it the camp fire cops might be watching you , that looks like a couple of way bigger than regulation size fires:-D

[325]

Congrats and great thread!

[tierodrl]

great pics and moose how do you put pictures on this site

[luckofthedraw]

a really good read. Great job of locating, with pics to back it up. Congrats!

[ratherbefishin]

and now you have a freezer full of the finest meat you will ever get...and while that bull might not be the biggest-it will be BETTER eating than a big bull.

[coach]

Great story and pictures. Congrats on a fine eating moose!

[sawmill]

Great post but you better watch it the camp fire cops might be watching you , that looks like a couple of way bigger than regulation size fires:-D
Screw them!
Great story and congrats,that`s the way to get `em!

[ydouask]

Heck of a good story.A most enjoyable read.

[Andy83]

good thread and great moose. that will be tasty for sure. what MU were you in? looks like 5-04 to me, but i could be wrong.

[shortwalk]

great pics. thats a great eatin bull . right on !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gunner Staal]

What a fantastic read. Best ive read on the site. Looks like a classy bunch of hunters in that camp. Great to see.

[ravensfoot]

Glad everyone has enjoyed the ramblings on and extensive photos. Yes it was in the 5-04 region. Amazing that among 5 hunters we only saw a total of 6 deer the whole time. Grouse population however was awesome. The little camp we stayed at is just south of the Lake Fletcher forestry site at Rushes Lake. Nice quiet spot right beside the main road.

[Mountain Man]

Thanks for the picks, I like camps with big fires !

[pg83]

Thank you for the pics and story. Tatlow looks great with some fresh snow! Congrats on your moose, gonna be great eatin.

[Fireball129]

good job on the bull,and the story was enjoyable.Next time you may stumble across the bigger one though.

[Glassman]

Great read and pics. I would like to take you on my next hunt. Not so you can hunt, I just want you to narate the trip and put it on the hbc site. lol :) You just gave us a lesson on how to write a storey on the hunt.
Thanks again.

[Andy83]

i thought that was 5-04. My uncle and I took a nice little bull out of 5-04 back in september not far from vedan ranch. there are lots of moose in there. way to go again.

[CanuckShooter]

Good job on the story/pics....isn't that campfire regulation for the high risk fire season?? ;-)

[Jelvis]

Very well done in the whole story, one of the best threads for entertainment and fun to read and see. Well thought out.
Jel .. Nice bull moose too thanks for the wonderful thread ..

[afors]

Great post! Thanks for the read!

[gon_fishn]

Excellent,that was very interesting,top shelf ,sounds like you deserved it kudos

[ravensfoot]

WOW I'm so glad you all enjoyed this. It was a fun trip and fun putting it together to share.

Glassman, I would be happy to come on one of your hunts but why wouldn't you let me hunt? :)

Andy83, did your uncle camp up there or at Fletcher. Reason I ask is if they did I saw their camp. Do they have a yamaha atv? I have a part from their bike that fell off if they do. We did alot of hunting just north of Vedan, man is that ever beautiful country.

mpotzold, that's the same time that we were up there. Got caught in that little snow fall on the quads, was hilarious, we looked like snowmen. If you weren't hunting moose were you up for the Grouse? The deer were far & few between.

[Ditch Pig]

Great story should be writing paper some where....great hunt thanks it made my morning start a lot better.... now I can go about my day and loose myself in a daydream of past hunts and new hunts to come....

[srupp]

Greg that morning we passed you.. we had gone all the way to Chilco lake and did see 2 bull moose on that trip and numerous mule deer bucks..the bulls were around Vedan also..

the deer were past Stone Reserve,,,

great story and photos..very enjoyable...
Steven:-D

[shantz]

Great post! Congrats on the hunt.

[Philcott]

Wow what a detailed account of the hunt. Great job.

[muledeercrazy]

great job on the thread, thanks for sharing

[ravensfoot]

Greg that morning we passed you.. we had gone all the way to Chilco lake and did see 2 bull moose on that trip and numerous mule deer bucks..the bulls were around Vedan also..

the deer were past Stone Reserve,,,

great story and photos..very enjoyable...
Steven:-D

Not sure which route you took Steven. Isn't that something, we hunted quite a few days just north of Vedan, only saw one bull but lotsa cows. We never did try the 5400 road because we felt we were already spread a bit thin. Also didn't get in past Stone Reserve. Ah well, great trip anyway. We originally picked the area because my father use to stay at Vedan Ranch and hunt from horseback about 33 years ago. About 27 years ago I stayed at Vedan for a week in the spring. I heard that Pete Schuler no longer owns the ranch, that he may have even passed away. Any way, you are so lucky to have this right in your 'Back Yard"

I'm looking forward to posting my next story soon. Doing a hunt in the Cache Creek Area with my youngest son. Been chasing some nice mulies up there in the past and that's where he got his first deer last year.

Greg :-D

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[Tron]

congrats on your bull. Sounded like a great trip

[cwocarsten]

Thanks for the fine play by play hunting trip.

[ravensfoot]

Here’s Eve’s(my wife) first moose a couple of years or so ago in the same area.

Nice Moose, I love the heat shield/reflector for your fire. Yes you did have a good snow fall. I love hunting in the snow, it changes everything.

[remington666]

excellent story ,nice moose ,ive been hunting that area for 12 years now and have seen some monster bulls ,its a great area ,you just need time as it is so vast ,there so many roads and cuts to travel .It just sucks its all leh for moose ,i got skunked this year on leh , so i went up there for mulies and saw very few deer but a whole lot of moose and moose sign .sigh next year i hope

[sawmill]

I sure miss moose hunting,maybe next year...............

[AT&T]

The look on your face says it all. That is such a good feeling and good eating too
Congratulations

[knighthunter]

I sure miss moose hunting,maybe next year............... yeah, so do I.

Great story and pic's. Thanks for sharing with us.

[hunter1947]

Lots of fantastic footage you posted I love seeing the picture of the whole gang together thats what hunting is all about having good friends on the hunting trip.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif

Congrats on getting your moose http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif..

[TIKA 300]

Great pics and thread,thanks.

[fester]

Awesome story!!! Great photos as well!!

[bowhunterbruce]

awsome read and pics.thanks for sharing it all with us.definatly one of the better threads for sure.very well put together
bhb

[fearnodeer]

You know us rednecks uasally quite reading after 10 words but you story and pics kept me intrested from start to finish, great job on getting your first moose and congrads to the guy with the two point as well.

[srupp]

hmmm met with Greg and his crew of merry men....they were headed out for this years adventure..good luck boyz..hope everyone is bringing warm clothing 6 " of snow the night before at Nimpo lake..

steven

[morris]

You know us rednecks uasally quite reading after 10 words but you story and pics kept me intrested from start to finish

And it only took you 9 months !

[ncurrie]

This is great! Congrats on your first bull!

[Rackmastr]

Great pics!!! Gotta love when you take enough pics to tell the story....looks like an awesome time!

[BCHunterTV]

Great post!

Congrats on the moose

[huntcoop]

I wonder if he is actually moose hunting THIS YEAR 'cause that was a nice bull in 2010 when he shot it!

[srupp]

Yup Greg and the boyz are headed out east yesterday on his 2011 moose trip...

steven

[ELK Seeker]

Great pics and one nice eatin moose. Thx

[bchunter181]

what i cant understand is you said someone got a nice 2 point mulie i thought it was only 4 point season am i missing something?

[Phil A. Bowl]

And it only took you 9 months !

LMAO you beat me to it.lol

[quadrakid]

Yes you are missing something,read it again.

[Phil A. Bowl]

Um er ahhhh. Look at the dates!

[bchunter181]

oh this shit is from last year never mind

[srupp]

Yuppers HOWEVER Greg is out in 5:02 hunting moose as we speak......so new adventure coming up..

Steven

[ravensfoot]

This time the adventure is of the vegetarian style. Nothing Harvested except for one Grouse. Kind of makes it a bit difficult to have the drive to do the whole story thing now. I think I should go out on another hunt. I'm planning on Maze lake area for deer, any one have any comments? I've hunted Knife creek for 20+ years and am looking to change it up a bit.

[kennyj]

Great story Really enjoyed it.
kenny

[BlackwaterMerc]

I just stopped the movie I was watching to read this. Great write up. Since I cant do it myself Im glad you brought the hunt to me. Felt like I was there. Really enjoyed that. Congratulations!

[moose2]

Great post congrats on a nice moose.
Mike