North Idaho Moose
- Thread starter Mica Man
- Start date
7mm08mo
Well-known member
Sounds like a lot of fun, congrats to all involved. Spending time in the woods with the family is great. Would love to hear more about the wolves though.
Mica Man
Well-known member
In response to my “nearly eaten by wolves” comment in this thread I guess I can tell a side story to my son’s moose hunt. On the second afternoon of his hunt we were waiting out the early afternoon in an area that looked promising to hold some moose. My 11 yr old son was distracted with tossing pinecones and trying to climb a cut bank so I decided I would try to catch a quick nap.
I had no sooner pulled my cap over my eyes to sleep when down the draw from where we were sitting I could hear what sounded like dogs squabbling with each other. I tried to get my son’s attention but he was oblivious, doing what 11 yr olds do in the woods. Again down the draw I hear the same raucous going on.
This time however he hears it to. I scrounge around in my pack, find my predator call and motion for him to follow me quietly down the ridge. The area we are in is fairly thick and brushy but I did have a small window across the draw about a hundred yards away where if lucky I could lure a wolf into. We get set up and I give a series of squalls on the call.
The woods fall quiet after the wretched sound I had just blown from the call. We waited in silence for a couple of minutes and then I did another series of calls. This time however we can hear brush breaking and large bodies coming our direction. This is great except the movement is coming from down the ridge to my left and in the draw where I have but maybe a 10-15 yard view.
More branches break and I can tell they are close. I stand from my crouched positon and switch my focus away from the open window across the draw and swing the gun down the ridge where I expect a wolf to pop out at any moment. Just as I make this move out jogs a wolf into the opening across the draw where I had my gun pointed. I let out a yelp to stop him which he does but unfortunately it’s behind a tree offering no shot.
More branches break down in the draw to my left followed by lots of whining and then nothing. I wait a few moments and then blow again softer on my call. Suddenly the whole bottom erupts in howls and from the sound of it there is way more than one critter. I look over at my son and see both amazement and shock on his face. I try calling again but the wolves continue to whine and howl in the draw below and don’t appear to want to come any closer.
I take out my 22 pistol and hand it to my son. I tell him to hang tight and then I begin to work my way down into the draw. As I work my way down it is impossible to be quiet due to the thickness of the brush. This however does not seem to bother the wolves as they continue to howl. I howl back at them hoping to fool them till I reach the bottom of the draw.
Now only one wolf is howling and he sounds more like he is groaning at me rather than howling. I try to pick my way over deadfall and through brush hoping to get a glimpse and a chance at a shot. I can hear branches breaking on the hillside above me in a couple different places but because it is so thick I can’t make anything out.
I work further down the draw through the brush and downfall toward the one groaning wolf. I’m on full alert and notice that my mouth is now dry and I have beads of sweat all on my brow. It is now that I wish I had not read any of Jack London’s books as a kid growing up. The one wolf continues to groan/howl at me just out of sight so I continue down the draw.
I’m almost too where I think I should see him when suddenly just behind me to my left a fricking ruffed grouse flushes! Talk about a mood killer! With me swearing and the grouse flushing the wolf quit howling at me. I went a little bit further down the draw but saw and heard nothing else.
Good enough. I had at least made an honest attempt at killing a wolf. I turned around and worked my way back through the brush and downed trees up the ridge to my son. No sooner had I made it back to him when from back down in the bottom where I had just been a wolf began groaning/howling again.
It was an awesome experience to have been in the woods with my son at that time so that we could both see our first wolf in the wild. I wish the outcome would have been different with us taking a wolf but non the less it was an amazing experience.
Mica Man
T Bone
Well-known member
Moose! it's what's for dinner. all year long.
Congrats!
Congrats!
DRAFTSTUD
Well-known member
Wowser! I think that tops the Moose Pile posts. John
backsmasher23
Member
Sweet moose hunts! I bet your son's eyes were the size of paper plates when the wolves lit up.
elkrchr
Well-known member
What a great experience with the kids and your cousin. I wish I was your neighbor so I could at least offer to help store some of that moose meat in my freezer!
Montana4Life
Member
Doesn't get much better than moose hunting!! Congratulations on a great year. The picture going into the tunnel is awesome.
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,643
Great fall for all of you guys! Plenty of memories to last a lifetime made this year for sure!
sbhooper
Well-known member
Man, that is a great hunt! I have to laugh at people that are always whining about recoiling rifles for their spouse and kids and here is your sweet little girl shooting a 350 Rem Mag. Tough kid for sure. Fantastic!
B
big28hunter
Guest
Incredible family adventure! Congrats on those beautiful trophies and priceless memories.
Southern Elk
Well-known member
Congrats on one heck of a season!
MTpubliclander
Member
Congratulations!!! 3 Moose in 1 year may be a record!!!
