BrowningBLR
Active member
Summer: Once I found out that I had drawn the tag, I spent every Thursday scouting. I deployed 11 different trail cameras. A lot of moose on my cameras and I saw a lot of moose while hiking. Looking back, it would have been tough to get a moose out from where I had some of these cameras. I also stopped by multiple ranches asking for permission – some gave me permission, some did not. I saw a lot of smaller bulls during the summer and caught a few glimpses of what looked like a good bull on private property that I could not hunt.
Hunting Season: I spent 16 days moose hunting. Since it was so hot, some days were just a few hours in the morning and a couple hours right before dark. I found a lot of cows and small bulls. I kept getting a glance of big bull on inaccessible private land – He had 5 cows and was inaccessible. Late September, I spent a day “moose hunting” that actually turned into me glassing up a small 6 point, having everything work out, and me spending the “moose hunting day” packing out my bull elk. I also spent 4 days in Idaho trying to give my controlled hunt tag justice. After an encounter with a small 5 point – but having snow and fog settle in to spoil my stalk - I couldn’t find an elk to save my life! I was going to spend another 2 days elk hunting but I had 3 wolves respond to an evening bugle. So I decided to pack up camp in the middle of night and drive 5 hours to go moose hunting.
At first light, I saw the big bull that I had seen all summer and early hunting season. Still with his 5 cows. He was more in the open and about 200 yards from where I did have access. I snuck through the willows and starting cow calling to him. I called for about 15 seconds. He was immediately interested, shook his head a few times, and I heard “whaaa, whaaa, whaaa, whaaa”. Before I knew it, he had jumped a fence, crossed the road, and jumped another fence and walking in front of me, broadside at 65 yards. I made one shot and it was all over. I am extremely grateful and blessed to have had the opportunity after drawing the tag and humbled to have harvested such a great moose!! Not that the scoring of animals matters to me but Fred King gave it an “official green score” of 149 4/8”.
Hunting Season: I spent 16 days moose hunting. Since it was so hot, some days were just a few hours in the morning and a couple hours right before dark. I found a lot of cows and small bulls. I kept getting a glance of big bull on inaccessible private land – He had 5 cows and was inaccessible. Late September, I spent a day “moose hunting” that actually turned into me glassing up a small 6 point, having everything work out, and me spending the “moose hunting day” packing out my bull elk. I also spent 4 days in Idaho trying to give my controlled hunt tag justice. After an encounter with a small 5 point – but having snow and fog settle in to spoil my stalk - I couldn’t find an elk to save my life! I was going to spend another 2 days elk hunting but I had 3 wolves respond to an evening bugle. So I decided to pack up camp in the middle of night and drive 5 hours to go moose hunting.
At first light, I saw the big bull that I had seen all summer and early hunting season. Still with his 5 cows. He was more in the open and about 200 yards from where I did have access. I snuck through the willows and starting cow calling to him. I called for about 15 seconds. He was immediately interested, shook his head a few times, and I heard “whaaa, whaaa, whaaa, whaaa”. Before I knew it, he had jumped a fence, crossed the road, and jumped another fence and walking in front of me, broadside at 65 yards. I made one shot and it was all over. I am extremely grateful and blessed to have had the opportunity after drawing the tag and humbled to have harvested such a great moose!! Not that the scoring of animals matters to me but Fred King gave it an “official green score” of 149 4/8”.
