Look at me, look at me... I drew a moose tag.

[Khunter]

the back strap helped a lot and made for ridiculously comfortable portaging.

You mean 4WD mode for Crocs…

 

[Maverick1]

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[sneakem]

Just to note an interesting observation. Now that the shock has worn off, the gravity of possessing one of these tags is settling in. I remember when I drew my goat tag, the immense pressure of filling one of these tag was consuming. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy, and I'll definitely go hard at it. In terms of the hunt, I don't think this will be nearly as challenging as most mountain hunts, the getting one out definitely will... Also the trophy potential of an average goat vs a giant goat is about 1 1/2", so not such a big deal on that end... Moose, slightly different story...

I find myself torn about the hunt. Being so close to moose numerous times, I've always thought about stuffing one with the longbow. However, you can't be too selective with traditional gear, especially with an animal the size of the moose. He's going to have to be super close to get an ethical kill with my lighter 54# setup, with a lighter arrow. But this literally being my only chance to kill a moose, I want to kill a good one, the best one I can find. I also have the option of a muzzleloader, a compound or I can finish with a rifle, and can hunt for a big one then kill a decent one if it doesn't pan out. So I'm torn...

1. I can absolutely kill a so-so moose with a longbow...

2. I can hunt the entire season with all 3 weapons and likely kill a good shiras before everyone else gets after them.

3. I can hunt for the "ONE" exclusively...


I think the first is unlikely, unless the stars align, I'll definitely keep it in the truck and maybe try to pull it off on a larger 40+" moose.

The second is likely the most feasible, Kill a decently wide moose with split brows, decent palms, decent points. Do it before most of the good moose get shot.

The last is tough, because I know there are a couple around. The problem with the big moose in my area.... is they move.... and they are super hard to turn up, and I maybe can turn them up once, maybe twice a season. So... do I spend my time chasing ghosts instead of focusing on getting a decent moose. Especially since they have increased tags and I know the Good sized moose population is going to take a beating and if I wait, I might have to take whatever is left or eat the tag.

Maybe I am overthinking this, but this is more than likely the only chance that I will ever get to hunt a bull shiras, I don't want to regret the choice I make. This is what makes these tags so hard, the mental aspect of waiting your entire life for one shot...

Anyways... just spewing nonsense... I've got some moose to find before I decide...

These would be situation #1 bulls... or the possible end result of #3

This lower end of #2


This the high end of #2/ borderline #3



This would probably be a #3, bad angle but the brows are split and 50+ in case you were wondering...

 

[DonV]

Some nice bulls!

 

[ant197]

Good luck!

 

[sneakem]

Another funny observation, people are constantly telling me that it's a waste of time to scout this time of year because the bulls are just starting to grow. I tend to think differently about this for three reasons...

1. The bulls tend to have a much smaller home range in the summer. Sure, I can't tell much about horn size, but I can tell which are older bulls and which are younger. I will also know the general location of said bulls when they have decent enough growth and won't waste my time looking in areas they are not. Plus it gives me general areas to set a few trail cameras to try to capture some photos of these bulls later this summer hopefully. I'll probably make a loop and check them once a month, and adjust some if needed.

2. I am finding all the cows which are more so home bodies than the bulls, this will be helpful as the bulls start to wander to find cows after the first week of season...

3. I am getting plenty of cardio hiking in to some of the more remote stuff looking for bulls...

 

[sneakem]

 

[Mountain Man]

Another funny observation, people are constantly telling me that it's a waste of time to scout this time of year because the bulls are just starting to grow. I tend to think differently about this for three reasons...

1. The bulls tend to have a much smaller home range in the summer. Sure, I can't tell much about horn size, but I can tell which are older bulls and which are younger. I will also know the general location of said bulls when they have decent enough growth and won't waste my time looking in areas they are not. Plus it gives me general areas to set a few trail cameras to try to capture some photos of these bulls later this summer hopefully. I'll probably make a loop and check them once a month, and adjust some if needed.

2. I am finding all the cows which are more so home bodies than the bulls, this will be helpful as the bulls start to wander to find cows after the first week of season...

3. I am getting plenty of cardio hiking in to some of the more remote stuff looking for bulls...

I agree with your viewpoint. It’s never a waste to explore new country and better understand what it looks like on the ground compared to the computer screen. Yeah, a bull sited in June will probably be elsewhere in September, but you at least have the starting point and general vicinity to disembark from later.

 

[Elkaholic07]

Gotta put those crocs in 4 low. Flip the straps back lol

 

[BAKPAKR]

Just to note an interesting observation. Now that the shock has worn off, the gravity of possessing one of these tags is settling in. I remember when I drew my goat tag, the immense pressure of filling one of these tag was consuming. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy, and I'll definitely go hard at it. In terms of the hunt, I don't think this will be nearly as challenging as most mountain hunts, the getting one out definitely will... Also the trophy potential of an average goat vs a giant goat is about 1 1/2", so not such a big deal on that end... Moose, slightly different story...

I find myself torn about the hunt. Being so close to moose numerous times, I've always thought about stuffing one with the longbow. However, you can't be too selective with traditional gear, especially with an animal the size of the moose. He's going to have to be super close to get an ethical kill with my lighter 54# setup, with a lighter arrow. But this literally being my only chance to kill a moose, I want to kill a good one, the best one I can find. I also have the option of a muzzleloader, a compound or I can finish with a rifle, and can hunt for a big one then kill a decent one if it doesn't pan out. So I'm torn...

1. I can absolutely kill a so-so moose with a longbow...

2. I can hunt the entire season with all 3 weapons and likely kill a good shiras before everyone else gets after them.

3. I can hunt for the "ONE" exclusively...


I think the first is unlikely, unless the stars align, I'll definitely keep it in the truck and maybe try to pull it off on a larger 40+" moose.

The second is likely the most feasible, Kill a decently wide moose with split brows, decent palms, decent points. Do it before most of the good moose get shot.

The last is tough, because I know there are a couple around. The problem with the big moose in my area.... is they move.... and they are super hard to turn up, and I maybe can turn them up once, maybe twice a season. So... do I spend my time chasing ghosts instead of focusing on getting a decent moose. Especially since they have increased tags and I know the Good sized moose population is going to take a beating and if I wait, I might have to take whatever is left or eat the tag.

Maybe I am overthinking this, but this is more than likely the only chance that I will ever get to hunt a bull shiras, I don't want to regret the choice I make. This is what makes these tags so hard, the mental aspect of waiting your entire life for one shot...

Anyways... just spewing nonsense... I've got some moose to find before I decide...

These would be situation #1 bulls... or the possible end result of #3
View attachment 280159View attachment 280160View attachment 280161
This lower end of #2
View attachment 280162

This the high end of #2/ borderline #3

View attachment 280163

This would probably be a #3, bad angle but the brows are split and 50+ in case you were wondering...
View attachment 280165

My first Idaho moose tag was in a hunt area that was a seven hour drive from where I was going to college. I made two scouting trips and saw one small bull. My roommate went with me opening weekend and all I had to show for that trip was a 3.5” trout (or maybe salmon). Everyone who was originally gung-ho to go with me was more interested in elk hunting the next weekend so I went solo. About a mile into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, I saw a fork horn bull. I aimed at him with the 44 Mag revolver I was carrying and thought how easy it would be to shoot him. I then thought that I was missing out on some fun archery elk hunting so I shot him with my recurve and packed him out by myself. The next weekend, while archery hunting in a different hunt area, I saw two huge bull moose, one of which came almost up to my truck.

Several years later, one of my friends spied the antlers of my moose and asked if it was a forky mule deer. I had to explain that that was my “once in a lifetime” Idaho moose. I still don’t regret shooting that moose with my recurve. Of course, the fact that I later drew a Montana tag, a leftover Idaho tag, and a Wyoming tag, has let me get bigger moose.

Prior to the rut, I think you have a chance of patterning a moose. Once the rut kicks in, the bull you spotted in the summer could be in the adjoining hunt area. As I was flying to Idaho (base) for my Wyoming hunt, a guy from Alaska who had been bowhunting for elk in my moose area texted me photos of a bull he spotted a few weeks earlier. I ended up shooting the same bull about 7 miles from where he had taken his photo.

 

[sneakem]

Some more recent moose…

 

[poormanslam]

Have fun and congratulations. I cherish my Colorado moose hunt. It’s fun to look back at this.

Colo Moose draw success

Looks like I am going moose hunting in October in unit 28 (I think). If anybody has knowledge of the area or the hunt I would be appreciative of the information, regardless, I cannot wait to hunt the Colorado Mts and fish their streams.

www.hunttalk.com

 

[sneakem]

Not a lot of action on the cameras, mainly small bulls, lots of cows and calves. Plenty of bear and deer. I would assume with the heat wave and drastic increase in bugs lately, most of the mature bulls have been pushing higher, time to move the cameras.

 

[BuzzH]

Moose tags are, in my opinion, the scariest of the big 3 tags to have. You see moose, but you get to hunt them so infrequently it's tough to know and learn that much about them.

With the tags I've had, I basically decided that most any bull in that 40 inch range that had decent palms, decent points, would likely be a bull I would kill.

Worse case scenario you will have fun and get some good meat.

 

[sneakem]

 

[SwaggyD]

Awesome! Following along

 

[bobco]

Another funny observation, people are constantly telling me that it's a waste of time to scout this time of year because the bulls are just starting to grow. I tend to think differently about this for three reasons...

1. The bulls tend to have a much smaller home range in the summer. Sure, I can't tell much about horn size, but I can tell which are older bulls and which are younger. I will also know the general location of said bulls when they have decent enough growth and won't waste my time looking in areas they are not. Plus it gives me general areas to set a few trail cameras to try to capture some photos of these bulls later this summer hopefully. I'll probably make a loop and check them once a month, and adjust some if needed.

2. I am finding all the cows which are more so home bodies than the bulls, this will be helpful as the bulls start to wander to find cows after the first week of season...

3. I am getting plenty of cardio hiking in to some of the more remote stuff looking for bulls...

I also drew a Colorado tag this year, antlerless, at 65 yo I did not have the points to get a bull before old age catches up. I have also been out scouting and exploring moose country. Having never hunted them before, there is a lot to learn about them. Never a bad idea to learn new country.

 

[bobco]

those youngsters are getting big!

 

[Stocker]

 

[Oak]

My first Idaho moose tag

You seeing this, @TheTone?

I was driving through my 2022 moose unit yesterday and thinking, "man, I need another moose tag." What a sucker I am. Keep up the good work, @sneakem.