We returned to glassing the areas more to our south. It was the best looking country. I tired of glassing and told the guys that a good afternoon nap is good for changing momentum. I have done it many times for many species and the results are quite impressive. I think I made a compelling case.
A rotation of glassing duties as arranged among the three of us. One would nap and the other two would sleep. Half-hour shifts seemed fair. I was given the first napping appointment. As if he was bothered by my rest, I had just started a good daydream when Marcus woke me to say he had caught a glimpse of a bull moving through the time.
James and I got on our glass and started inspecting the area Marcus claimed the bull had disappeared. Marcus explained what he saw and where he saw, still not resulting in a moose. I explained to James that camera guys just could not allow the host to sleep without some sort of feigned excitement. He laughed, and I think I raised his distrust of Marcus’ intentions by citing the many other instances when camera guys had aroused me from wonderful naps.
Being awake, I decided to eat a snack. James had brought a Jet Boil and enough “Mr. Noodles” instant meals for a week of hungry hunters. Add that to a Snicker Bar and some Cadbury contraband and I was warmer than expected in this strong spitting wind. Somewhere in my lunch endeavors Marcus found a soft napping spot nested within a thicket of alders.
James moved further east to a large rock protruding above the alders and commenced his glassing. I strained my eyes to see if the big bull might have had a change of mind and corresponding change of direction. Nope. Or, at least not that I could see.
While coveting the sound sleep Marcus was getting, I heard the faint sound of a rifle shot in the direction the big bull had headed. It was followed by two more shots. James turned my way, jumped off the rock and started swimming through the alders to our position. He stopped midway to mess with his inReach.
When he got there, I had risen Marcus from his sleep. Though he didn’t say it, he was convinced that I had woke him up out of revenge, rather than the three rifle shots I had heard. James arrival confirming the sound of three shots gave me a pardon from Marcus’ suspicions.
I asked James what he thought. He said he was sure it was from the place Jim and Braden were located. He said he had sent Braden a message, asking for an update. While discussing what other possibilities could explain the shots, James’ inReach beeped with a reply message; “Jim is the happiest moose hunter in Canada. Big moose down. 100 yard shot.”
The three of us gave a big whoop of joy for Jim. James asked Braden if it was the big bull we had been watching. Braden confirmed it was at least 60”, likely wider. That made us smile even more. If it truly was the big bull we had been watching it was surely a lunker. I was almost more excited to get to camp and talk to Jim than I was to keep glassing for moose.
That shot of adrenaline got us all up glassing harder. A few more hours resulted in three smaller bulls and two cows. Nothing that got James interested enough to leave our glassing perch, no matter how exposed it was to the increasing wind and rain. We hung tight with no result, other than a world class snot-cicle building up on the end of my red nose.
Knowing we had about two hours to ride, James decided to pull the plug in time to give us time to examine the country we had ridden through this morning. The wind and rain were now full on miserable. The horses seemed happy to be heading back, knowing that grain and better pasture was in their near future.
About half-way, James stopped at a big rock pile and dismounted, signally it was one of his many preferred glassing locations. I used a big spruce to block the wind and instantly picked up a bull moose on the trail about 800 yards across the bog. To his left were a cow and a calf.
James took one look. “Too hard to judge in this rain and low light. Let’s ride.”
With that, we remounted and he led us through the alders in the shortest, not necessarily easiest, route he thought might intercept the bull. Light was fading fast as James picked and weaved through the rocks, alders, and creeks. We arrived with hardly any shooting light and even less filming light.
James started calling, thinking the moose would come to investigate. I was at the ready, round chambered and rifle on these new shooting sticks I was trying. Shameless plug for the new BogPod Adrenaline shooting sticks. They can get you set up on a variety of slopes and heights.
Calling provided us nothing. James creeped forward. Marcus and I followed on his heels. While crossing a meadow, I noticed something protruding above some alders and it looked a lot like antlers. I whistled to James. He backtracked a few paces to my location. Centered between to tall spruce were a set of moose antlers. James and I pulled our binos up and after a quick glance simultaneously looked at each other, “Same moose as last night.”
Undeterred, Marcus never retreats from the chance to get footage. He spent the next five minutes adjusting aperture settings until the effort was futile. It takes some really dark conditions for Marcus to pack up his camera. It was now that dark.
We headed back to camp, excited to hear a recap from Braden and Jim. When we got there, they were prepping the tenderloins from Jim’s bull. Jim had a big smile, and deservedly so. He had persevered through much and was able to pull it off under some really challenging confines.
When Jim and Braden showed us the images and video, it confirmed our hope the big bull would make an appearance near them. It was him; huge paddles, big fronts, and super wide. The video made me wish Marcus had been there with his cameras to capture this encounter for our show. It was both hilarious and amazing.
As a second-hand recount, the deal went down something like this..........
The big bull came into their view not long after it disappeared from us. He kept heading north toward their position, separated by 1,100 yards and a deep draw with a rocky torrent running down the bottom. They were at a loss of what to do, so Braden decided to experiment.
They had one black horse with them; Virgil. Braden decided he would use Virgil as a decoy and call as loud as he could in hopes that bull would hear him in this wind. Incredibly, Braden’s calling got the bull’s attention. The bull moved toward them and disappeared in one of the many cuts between the bull and their position.
When the bull reappeared, he had cut the distance to about 400 yards and was grunting. The video shows Braden on his hands and knees, leading Virgil down toward where the bull might cross. Jim is seen walking right on Virgil’s left flank and relaying to Braden what the bull’s response is.
Seeing Virgil, the bull decides he needs a closer look and is now less than two-hundred yards. Jim is prepping for a possible encounter, hoping the 100 yard distance can be obtained. Somehow, someway, they get the bull to come to 104 yards.
The three rifle shots we heard were all Jim’s. A small tight group, right behind the shoulder planted the bull as soon as he crossed the raging stream, exempting the guys from that hazard. Listening to each give their version of events, interspersed with supporting video and images, was as close to being there as one could ask. It was a truly remarkable evening. And yes, it was the biggest moose James or Braden had ever seen in this region.
Blythe, at Marcus's request, holding Jim's bull near the campfire.
Hunters are asked to write a quick note on the cabin walls. Jim's comments ring true for me.
A rotation of glassing duties as arranged among the three of us. One would nap and the other two would sleep. Half-hour shifts seemed fair. I was given the first napping appointment. As if he was bothered by my rest, I had just started a good daydream when Marcus woke me to say he had caught a glimpse of a bull moving through the time.
James and I got on our glass and started inspecting the area Marcus claimed the bull had disappeared. Marcus explained what he saw and where he saw, still not resulting in a moose. I explained to James that camera guys just could not allow the host to sleep without some sort of feigned excitement. He laughed, and I think I raised his distrust of Marcus’ intentions by citing the many other instances when camera guys had aroused me from wonderful naps.
Being awake, I decided to eat a snack. James had brought a Jet Boil and enough “Mr. Noodles” instant meals for a week of hungry hunters. Add that to a Snicker Bar and some Cadbury contraband and I was warmer than expected in this strong spitting wind. Somewhere in my lunch endeavors Marcus found a soft napping spot nested within a thicket of alders.
James moved further east to a large rock protruding above the alders and commenced his glassing. I strained my eyes to see if the big bull might have had a change of mind and corresponding change of direction. Nope. Or, at least not that I could see.
While coveting the sound sleep Marcus was getting, I heard the faint sound of a rifle shot in the direction the big bull had headed. It was followed by two more shots. James turned my way, jumped off the rock and started swimming through the alders to our position. He stopped midway to mess with his inReach.
When he got there, I had risen Marcus from his sleep. Though he didn’t say it, he was convinced that I had woke him up out of revenge, rather than the three rifle shots I had heard. James arrival confirming the sound of three shots gave me a pardon from Marcus’ suspicions.
I asked James what he thought. He said he was sure it was from the place Jim and Braden were located. He said he had sent Braden a message, asking for an update. While discussing what other possibilities could explain the shots, James’ inReach beeped with a reply message; “Jim is the happiest moose hunter in Canada. Big moose down. 100 yard shot.”
The three of us gave a big whoop of joy for Jim. James asked Braden if it was the big bull we had been watching. Braden confirmed it was at least 60”, likely wider. That made us smile even more. If it truly was the big bull we had been watching it was surely a lunker. I was almost more excited to get to camp and talk to Jim than I was to keep glassing for moose.
That shot of adrenaline got us all up glassing harder. A few more hours resulted in three smaller bulls and two cows. Nothing that got James interested enough to leave our glassing perch, no matter how exposed it was to the increasing wind and rain. We hung tight with no result, other than a world class snot-cicle building up on the end of my red nose.
Knowing we had about two hours to ride, James decided to pull the plug in time to give us time to examine the country we had ridden through this morning. The wind and rain were now full on miserable. The horses seemed happy to be heading back, knowing that grain and better pasture was in their near future.
About half-way, James stopped at a big rock pile and dismounted, signally it was one of his many preferred glassing locations. I used a big spruce to block the wind and instantly picked up a bull moose on the trail about 800 yards across the bog. To his left were a cow and a calf.
James took one look. “Too hard to judge in this rain and low light. Let’s ride.”
With that, we remounted and he led us through the alders in the shortest, not necessarily easiest, route he thought might intercept the bull. Light was fading fast as James picked and weaved through the rocks, alders, and creeks. We arrived with hardly any shooting light and even less filming light.
James started calling, thinking the moose would come to investigate. I was at the ready, round chambered and rifle on these new shooting sticks I was trying. Shameless plug for the new BogPod Adrenaline shooting sticks. They can get you set up on a variety of slopes and heights.
Calling provided us nothing. James creeped forward. Marcus and I followed on his heels. While crossing a meadow, I noticed something protruding above some alders and it looked a lot like antlers. I whistled to James. He backtracked a few paces to my location. Centered between to tall spruce were a set of moose antlers. James and I pulled our binos up and after a quick glance simultaneously looked at each other, “Same moose as last night.”
Undeterred, Marcus never retreats from the chance to get footage. He spent the next five minutes adjusting aperture settings until the effort was futile. It takes some really dark conditions for Marcus to pack up his camera. It was now that dark.
We headed back to camp, excited to hear a recap from Braden and Jim. When we got there, they were prepping the tenderloins from Jim’s bull. Jim had a big smile, and deservedly so. He had persevered through much and was able to pull it off under some really challenging confines.
When Jim and Braden showed us the images and video, it confirmed our hope the big bull would make an appearance near them. It was him; huge paddles, big fronts, and super wide. The video made me wish Marcus had been there with his cameras to capture this encounter for our show. It was both hilarious and amazing.
As a second-hand recount, the deal went down something like this..........
The big bull came into their view not long after it disappeared from us. He kept heading north toward their position, separated by 1,100 yards and a deep draw with a rocky torrent running down the bottom. They were at a loss of what to do, so Braden decided to experiment.
They had one black horse with them; Virgil. Braden decided he would use Virgil as a decoy and call as loud as he could in hopes that bull would hear him in this wind. Incredibly, Braden’s calling got the bull’s attention. The bull moved toward them and disappeared in one of the many cuts between the bull and their position.
When the bull reappeared, he had cut the distance to about 400 yards and was grunting. The video shows Braden on his hands and knees, leading Virgil down toward where the bull might cross. Jim is seen walking right on Virgil’s left flank and relaying to Braden what the bull’s response is.
Seeing Virgil, the bull decides he needs a closer look and is now less than two-hundred yards. Jim is prepping for a possible encounter, hoping the 100 yard distance can be obtained. Somehow, someway, they get the bull to come to 104 yards.
The three rifle shots we heard were all Jim’s. A small tight group, right behind the shoulder planted the bull as soon as he crossed the raging stream, exempting the guys from that hazard. Listening to each give their version of events, interspersed with supporting video and images, was as close to being there as one could ask. It was a truly remarkable evening. And yes, it was the biggest moose James or Braden had ever seen in this region.
Blythe, at Marcus's request, holding Jim's bull near the campfire.
Hunters are asked to write a quick note on the cabin walls. Jim's comments ring true for me.
