noharleyyet
Well-known member
Ok if I fly up and bear the rifle for ya?
A Summer of Moose and Mosquitoes
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Ok if I fly up and bear the rifle for ya?
BigHornRam
Well-known member
Randy,
I run around in that country some. I'll let you know if I see anything of interest.
I run around in that country some. I'll let you know if I see anything of interest.
Bambistew
Well-known member
Good work on helping the pooch.
Have you talked to any bios, or done any research on moose there? I'd be curious to know what types of food they key in on at certain times of the year. They're about to transition to their summer/fall feed grounds here, and will be leaving the swamps in search of better feed up high. Buddy and I were just talking about this a couple days ago, and the places we've seen moose, as in sheep trails in the rocks...
Have you talked to any bios, or done any research on moose there? I'd be curious to know what types of food they key in on at certain times of the year. They're about to transition to their summer/fall feed grounds here, and will be leaving the swamps in search of better feed up high. Buddy and I were just talking about this a couple days ago, and the places we've seen moose, as in sheep trails in the rocks...
FAIR CHASE
Well-known member
Found one for you. Took these pix last week. Actually this will be my 2022 moose.
Blacktailbc
Well-known member
That's a good looking little guy.
MinnesotaHunter
Well-known member
Good to see mom is getting plenty of fiber too.....
Great pictures Fair chase.
Ivan- I've carpet bombed all the wildlife and fisheries biologists in the area and haven't gotten much more than 'concentrate on aquatic vegetation like willows'.
They've been helpful, but it's pretty painfully obvious that Shiras just haven't been studied that much. I've received much more in depth info from guys that hunt the area.
Most all the areas I've been scouting so far are ~6500' creek bottoms. I think the moose will be here in October, but it doesn't seem like they're there now. There is a big basin in the Wilderness above where I've been scouting that has a bunch of pothole alpine lakes at ~8000'. I think i will try to do a trip into there soon to see if I can find fresher sign, and maybe find some pockets of Aspen that aren't showing up on Google Earth. Realistically though, this area will be off limits for getting meat out of in a timely fashion.
I know I just need to be patient and wait for the cooler weather to bring them down closer to the roads. While putting in for this tag the last couple years I full well knew it'd be a huge time investment into few sightings.
Ivan- I've carpet bombed all the wildlife and fisheries biologists in the area and haven't gotten much more than 'concentrate on aquatic vegetation like willows'.
They've been helpful, but it's pretty painfully obvious that Shiras just haven't been studied that much. I've received much more in depth info from guys that hunt the area.
Most all the areas I've been scouting so far are ~6500' creek bottoms. I think the moose will be here in October, but it doesn't seem like they're there now. There is a big basin in the Wilderness above where I've been scouting that has a bunch of pothole alpine lakes at ~8000'. I think i will try to do a trip into there soon to see if I can find fresher sign, and maybe find some pockets of Aspen that aren't showing up on Google Earth. Realistically though, this area will be off limits for getting meat out of in a timely fashion.
I know I just need to be patient and wait for the cooler weather to bring them down closer to the roads. While putting in for this tag the last couple years I full well knew it'd be a huge time investment into few sightings.
This weekend was a great change of pace as far as weather. Overnight temperature were down in the 30’s the last two nights, and it’s been pouring rain much more than it hasn’t the last couple days. The game and the range conditions certainly appreciate it.
Kaitie and I set up camp on Friday, in a pretty cool spot with moose habitat right out the back of the camper.
We had time that evening to run out and check the trail camera I set up against the marsh/hill in the pictures from last week. I was expecting elk pictures, but not the 360 that I ended up getting. There’s an all-out elk infestation up here.
I ended up pulling that camera.
Kaitie and I set up camp on Friday, in a pretty cool spot with moose habitat right out the back of the camper.
We had time that evening to run out and check the trail camera I set up against the marsh/hill in the pictures from last week. I was expecting elk pictures, but not the 360 that I ended up getting. There’s an all-out elk infestation up here.
I ended up pulling that camera.
The entirety of Saturday was spent in the meandering creek bottom I had the other trail camera set in. I’m going to refer to this creek as ‘Brook Trout Creek’ from now on due to the amount it holds.
We bumped this little guy on the hike in. I hunted this country for spring bear every year during college and never saw one. Good to know there are some around- https://vimeo.com/174154895
It rained the entire time we were in there, but the fishing was fantastic, and to Kaitie’s chagrin and the mosquitoes delight I was perfectly happy spending my day there along the creek.
It took us a while to fish our way up to the crossing I had the camera set on, but I was pretty happy when we started flipping through the pictures on it.
Nothing real big, but it’s a start.
On our way out we drove up on this guy out in the middle of the sage. He looks pretty embarrassed to be caught so exposed.
We bumped this little guy on the hike in. I hunted this country for spring bear every year during college and never saw one. Good to know there are some around- https://vimeo.com/174154895
It rained the entire time we were in there, but the fishing was fantastic, and to Kaitie’s chagrin and the mosquitoes delight I was perfectly happy spending my day there along the creek.
It took us a while to fish our way up to the crossing I had the camera set on, but I was pretty happy when we started flipping through the pictures on it.
Nothing real big, but it’s a start.
On our way out we drove up on this guy out in the middle of the sage. He looks pretty embarrassed to be caught so exposed.
Sunday I woke up to coffee and fried trout, then spent the day getting disgustingly drenched bushwacking into a creek bottom that looked good on the map.
This creek is a big funnel from a giant wetland basin down onto private property that is sage/willows. I’ve been told by quite a few people that the majority of the cows live down on this private, but that the bulls tend to stay up on the public outside of the rut.
I wasn't able to spot anything in there aside from a few whitetail, but it still looked very promising. It was a much larger creek than I expected, and there was a ton of beaver dams causing backwater. Next time I go in the fly rod will come with.
I circled the camera in the tree, and drew a line along the trail that I’m hoping to catch moose on. It’s a soggy, marshy mess, so I’m hoping the elk will keep their distance.
This creek is a big funnel from a giant wetland basin down onto private property that is sage/willows. I’ve been told by quite a few people that the majority of the cows live down on this private, but that the bulls tend to stay up on the public outside of the rut.
I wasn't able to spot anything in there aside from a few whitetail, but it still looked very promising. It was a much larger creek than I expected, and there was a ton of beaver dams causing backwater. Next time I go in the fly rod will come with.
I circled the camera in the tree, and drew a line along the trail that I’m hoping to catch moose on. It’s a soggy, marshy mess, so I’m hoping the elk will keep their distance.
Southern Elk
Well-known member
Enjoying following along. That spot looks "moosey".
Glad your trail camera got a bull! It's a lot like looking for a Sasquatch this time of year. It looks like great country, and I imagine it'll be pretty incredible when the leaves turn this fall and the temps knock the skeeters down.
[video]http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/07/eddie-hall-world-record-deadlift-1102-pounds-500-kg[/video]
You probably should give this guy a call Randy. He could pick the moose up for you so you don't have to roll it over.
Loving the pictures. I think I've possibly been to Brook Trout Creek. Is it NW of your first round of scouting photos? You're certainly making the most of this tag, just like last year's muley permit. That's very refreshing to see.
You probably should give this guy a call Randy. He could pick the moose up for you so you don't have to roll it over.
Loving the pictures. I think I've possibly been to Brook Trout Creek. Is it NW of your first round of scouting photos? You're certainly making the most of this tag, just like last year's muley permit. That's very refreshing to see.
LOL, you might need an extra limit or two to feed him.
That's funny all of the elk you're seeing. The year we hunted it all of the places you're getting pictures were pretty much devoid of elk. They were pretty much all out in the valley camping in the hayfields and willows.
Well, scouting hit a snag.
My meds were switched up, and doctors orders are to stay out of direct sunlight and to avoid unnecessary physical activity for the next 6-8 weeks. Other than some drives through the unit, I'm done looking for moose until I have a rifle in hand in September.
My meds were switched up, and doctors orders are to stay out of direct sunlight and to avoid unnecessary physical activity for the next 6-8 weeks. Other than some drives through the unit, I'm done looking for moose until I have a rifle in hand in September.
MThuntr
Well-known member
Bummer man! I was looking forward to more of those pics.
