November moose patterns diff from September?

[Khunter]

Thoughts from those in the know regarding any likely November bull Moose patterns in far east edge of ID in one of the more southeastern units? Also utility of calling and what osrt of calls are better in mid November?

Helping a buddy trying to wrap up his bull moose hunt in SE idaho this week in a unit known for low moose numbers and low hunt success. He is there now after not tagging out in September and I arrive tomorrow. Much of the terrain is pine trees so glassing can be tough as there is not a ton of aspen and other deciduous trees that drop their leaves to improve late season glassing.

Any thoughts of how bulls might have relocated where they hang out (or not) this time of year as compared to Sept/Oct periods we might consider in our approach? I.e., migrate to lower open country from mountains, etc? The more wide open country on east edge of unit is pvt land and the higher country and USFS lands are more to the west.

Thanks for any insights, and feel free to DM messages for more detailed discussion. Realize it is best to not name units in a post.

Have hunted 5 draw Shiras bull or cow tags but never hunted them in November, just in Sept/Oct thus this thread...

 

[rjthehunter]

Thoughts from those in the know regarding any likely November bull Moose patterns in far east edge of ID in one of the more southeastern units? Also utility of calling and what osrt of calls are better in mid November?

Helping a buddy trying to wrap up his bull moose hunt in SE idaho this week in a unit known for low moose numbers and low hunt success. He is there now after not tagging out in September and I arrive tomorrow. Much of the terrain is pine trees so glassing can be tough as there is not a ton of aspen and other deciduous trees that drop their leaves to improve late season glassing.

Any thoughts of how bulls might have relocated where they hang out (or not) this time of year as compared to Sept/Oct periods we might consider in our approach? I.e., migrate to lower open country from mountains, etc? The more wide open country on east edge of unit is pvt land and the higher country and USFS lands are more to the west.

Thanks for any insights, and feel free to DM messages for more detailed discussion. Realize it is best to not name units in a post.

Have hunted 5 draw Shiras bull or cow tags but never hunted them in November, just in Sept/Oct thus this thread...

I haven't hunted them in Idaho, or in November for that.

Last week in Montana, I crossed paths with 5 moose. All of which were fairly high up. 6,200ft - 7,200ft was the elevations they were at. Saw most in the bottoms of big drainages that were topping out around 8,600-9,200ft.

Fresh snow would sure make it a lot easier to find them!

 

[Khunter]

I haven't hunted them in Idaho, or in November for that.

Last week in Montana, I crossed paths with 5 moose. All of which were fairly high up. 6,200ft - 7,200ft was the elevations they were at. Saw most in the bottoms of big drainages that were topping out around 8,600-9,200ft.

Fresh snow would sure make it a lot easier to find them!

Thx. Top elevation in the areas is 7500 to 8500 or so.

 

[Sask hunter]

Been my experience they hole up in beaver ponds or alder thickets. If your run into a moose “wintering range” usually everything is snipped off and a really busy spot will look like a person went through with hedge trimmers. Over time from getting snipped off every year the bushes will almost form a fist with little branches coming off that

 

[Bluffgruff]

Rutting hard still in Jackson hole.

 

[Khunter]

Rutting hard still in Jackson hole.
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Very Cool, but 6 bulls (and no cows?) is sign of rutting? i thought they would not stand each other during heavy rut?

 

[Sask hunter]

Very Cool, but 6 bulls (and no cows?) is sign of rutting? i thought they would not stand each other during heavy rut?

They are grouped up just like elk after the rut. Or alone. Some people like this time of year but I find it hard to hunt. Here people like to push bush and track for November moose

 

[Bluffgruff]

Very Cool, but 6 bulls (and no cows?) is sign of rutting? i thought they would not stand each other during heavy rut?

There was a cow. She might have been bedded behind the sage for that pic

 

[MTLabrador]

I’m not a moose expert, but I always cut some moose tracks when I’m tracking elk in the timber. I rarely see bull moose in the open after October, so if it were me I’d probably hunt them like I was hunting bull elk, cut a track and follow it.

 

[Bryerific]

In my part of SE ID, there’s been enough snow that I’ve been seeing a ton of cows and calves right at the forest/sagebrush transition zone with most of them in small isolated stands of aspen in otherwise open country. I’ve assumed the bulls are still higher. And worth noting, this area is well known for moose wintering in and near the sagebrush so I’m sure they will get more visible as the month goes on. Might be similar in your area?

 

[Flatbrimmer]

We saw a nice bull here in SW Montana last weekend at about 8000 ft, all alone in about 10-12” of snow, weaving in and out of the thick pines and spruce. He seemed to parallel the logging road quite a bit and was only visible for a couple sporadic minutes in the last hour of shooting light- a long ways from any easy access. A tough hunt, indeed. Good luck.