Moose Leh 2008

[srupp]

just in from my 2008 LEH moose draw here in the Cariboo..I onely had one day to scout so GPSW'D all the rds swamps willow marshes and found a good camp spot..

I went in alone two days early and when I got to my designated camp spot it was empty..bonus.. however the last residents were successfull hunters as evidenced of the moose scraps...

I set up the 27 foot fiberglass Citation tent..lol..got everything set up, set the alarm for 5 am YAAAAWN..and got ready for two days of deer hunting getting ready fo moose opening..
This went on for 5 days..Tim came out for a couple hours for the first couple days but work prevented him from taking too much time off...self employed..

I never seen a cow or bull untill Oct 4th...each day I spent from before dawn till after dark calling and putting out cow in heat...I DID FIND a TURKEY BOX CALL..in the CARIBOO???lol

Susan came out to bring fresh grub and on my way back to camp spotted my first cow moose...Susan stayed for tea and left about 8 pm she came back within 15 minutes to tell me there was a bull and cow moose on the rd @ EXACTLY 9 kilometer....The next day I seen one bull just flying across a open field no chance and 3 cows in a smal secluded swamp I am CERTAIN there was a bull there but he was already surrounded by three lovely ladies..later that day that bull at 9kilometer got shot..

So on the 6th I headed out early to go to a swamp JACKPINE from this site had mentioned..I arived before daylight and at first light there was a MOOSE..so I grabbed the rifle an hiked over to the area I found the moose..he..she..whatever "IT' had errr EQUIPMENT..and a bell but no horns..???what the??my permit said "antlered"

so back to the quad..I sat down an made another call and imediatly heard what sounded like a METAL thumping of heavy machinery..well there was some logging 5 kilometers away so I just thought that was the sound I heard it a couple more times over the next 10 minutes..hmm it seemed to be getting closer..

I gave another sext momma cow call and this time it was the unmistakable call of a bull moose so off the quad and loaded the new rifle..and called again.. this went on for 28 minutes untill the bull ran out into the cut block off the end of the willow swamp and the christmas tree re-plant and the mature stand of fir..he came in 20 yards into the cut block and stopped I called again and he started a fast walk towards me.."mwukkk mmmmwuuukk.." came his reply to my calls.at first he was 600 yards away and he kept coming closer and closer..louder and louder..and SUDDENLY here comes a SECOND bull from off to the right...at 320 yards he starts to turn towards the other bull so I figure now is the right time..and squeeze off my shot..NOTHING he just STOPS so I hit him again..225 grain...nothing..so the third shot in the ear does the trick..and down he goes..I think my .270 coulda done that..

My quad couldnt pull the moose..hmmm 2500 pound winch...

so I got my pickup and notched a stump on the uphill side of the rd with my chain saw...then circled the stump with a welded chain...to a snatch block...then a couple lengths of rope... and then I just backed down the rd and the moose was pulled up onto the rd.

After cleaning and halving front and back I used my boat loader to pull the moose halves up the quad ramp..then repositioning the ropes onto the back of the ramp I raised the ramp and slid the halves into the box..

THAT IS HOW to load a moose by yourself..

I met my first EAST INDIAN hunting party..now THAT was an experience..
For only having 19 LEH moose permits..there were 100 hunting individuals....and also the assinine amount of "first nation" hunters shooting everything that moved..and also several shots well past dark...11 pm...

All equipment worked flawlessly..less than impressed with the new smokepoles performance..ATV trailer etc etc

The moose were holed up and once the frost hit the calling worked as it always does..the area I shot this bull was a natural ampatheater..'bowel" and the sound carries a long way..Im pretty certain the bull I harvested came in from many Kilometers away..he wasnt a big racked beast as he had a 1" broken stump on the one side and the other side carried 7 countable points but he IS a antlerred bull and doing this mostly solo after the sheep fiasco helped rekindle my confidence and some self esteem..at least my calling moose is STILL there..

Photos to follow..

sincerely submitted by

SRUPP

[newhunterette]

Congrats Steven,

hope we have just as much success when we head to the Boo in 9 days

looking forward to the pictures

[srupp]

Thanks Dear..errr I mean Mrs..Ali....it REALLY was so much fun..and the harvesting went text book perfect....now tomorrow I do the front half next day butcher the back and make some fresh PEPPERONI...THEN off on 2 weeks GRIZZLY leh to KWATNA Bay...
The temp should be cooler for you and the bulls should still respond to calling..Good luck...

cheers

Steven

[NaStY]

Congratulations on a job well done. It does pay to help others from time to time eh?

[TIKA 300]

I CALL BULL ....... lol

Congrats on the moose,we still have an LEH for region 3 starting Nov 1,CONGRATS again TK

[srupp]

nasty IF I would have known how much WORK it is to bring a 1000 pound moose a mere 300 yards and load it into my truck..sheesh..by 2:30 I had it down, dressed, loaded, "cleaned up the site" drove home, hung the moose in our garage, finished the hide removal (it was frost cold that day) showered and headed back to camp before some SOB stole my quad..pretty hectic..no LUNATIC 6 hours..

NEVER going moosing alone again..

Steven

[NaStY]

nasty IF I would have known how much WORK it is to bring a 1000 pound moose a mere 300 yards and load it into my truck..sheesh..by 2:30 I had it down, dressed, loaded, "cleaned up the site" drove home, hung the moose in our garage, finished the hide removal (it was frost cold that day) showered and headed back to camp before some SOB stole my quad..pretty hectic..no LUNATIC 6 hours..

NEVER going moosing alone again..

Steven

Holy crap man. Now you need a week off from your hunting trip.....

[srupp]

nawwww I'm just stoopid enuff that I forget the pain by next year and do it again....I feel bad for Tim he LOVES hunting as much as I do..but being self employed ..well when the clients call..you go smiling...hmmm I make POOP for wages as a PARAMEDIC..I havnt seen a raise in 7 YEARS..HOWEVER my holidays are mine and are paid holidays..

Yes NASTY SUSAN and I got a LOT done..once I got home looking like a axe murderer..Susan got into some old cloths and together we hung the beast and finsihed some skinning..while I showered and headed back ..Susan washed the meat down in cool water and vinager..and did our usual open the doors all nite to keep the critter cool..

I have the butchering to start and am cleaning up from this 10 days and get ready for the next 14 day coastal grizzly hunt..THEN my ALberta moose, whitetail, mule deer hunt..then big bucks and finally LEH for antlerless elk...by that time spring bear should be just about ready..


steven

[Rhys]

Right on Steven! awesome story! congrats on the Bull and god work doing it yourself!

Hope to follow up with my own success story again this year!

Rhys

[lip_ripper00]

nawwww I'm just stoopid enuff that I forget the pain by next year and do it again....I feel bad for Tim he LOVES hunting as much as I do..but being self employed ..well when the clients call..you go smiling...hmmm I make POOP for wages as a PARAMEDIC..I havnt seen a raise in 7 YEARS..HOWEVER my holidays are mine and are paid holidays..

Yes NASTY SUSAN and I got a LOT done..once I got home looking like a axe murderer..Susan got into some old cloths and together we hung the beast and finsihed some skinning..while I showered and headed back ..Susan washed the meat down in cool water and vinager..and did our usual open the doors all nite to keep the critter cool..

I have the butchering to start and am cleaning up from this 10 days and get ready for the next 14 day coastal grizzly hunt..THEN my ALberta moose, whitetail, mule deer hunt..then big bucks and finally LEH for antlerless elk...by that time spring bear should be just about ready..


steven

Sounds like a good trip!! congrats on your bull
good luck on your next adventure!! We are getting packed and ready to leave Monday, sooooooooooo looking forward to it