"The Big Three", I have a few questions for you!

[The Hedgehog]

THIS, is exactly what I was wondering if I'd hear when I posted this thread! Brutal honesty about the hunt after drawing that special tag!!

Thanks for that Greenhorn! Your last two sentences made me laugh out loud!

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I shot a 7' black bear the evening before. The weekend before a 82" lope and 188" mule deer. And the weekend before that a 340 P&Y elk. The weekend after another 82" antelope. Would trade all them in, for that time back to be looking for a big bull moose. Here he hangs. I'm reminded every time I assist cleaning the rental.

 

[MTGomer]

I drew a 210 rock creek moose permit in 2005, back before the population took a dive. (It’s creeping back up now).
I drew that tag with zero points my 1st time applying. Passed two great bulls the same day on the 2nd weekend, so I could keep hunting and find a true giant. Both bulls dwarfed the one greenhorn posted. Greenhorn’s dwarfs the one I killed because I ate tag soup. Should have killed that great bull when I had a chance. Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[----]

I drew goat in Montana in 2014, and moose in Montana in 2016.

Both times I put everything else on hold, and scouted every possible minute between when I drew and when season started. I can't remember the amount of days offhand, but probably 15-20 for the goat, and 30 some for the moose. I only hunted 4 days before I killed my goat, and I think 10 days before I killed my moose. Both were in late September, and both were bigger animals than I was expecting. I also drew very good elk tags both of those years, and ate both of them, partly due to spending so much time on the other hunts.

I invited as many of my friends as wanted to come, and it really added to the hunt. having a big hunting camp full of friends in late September is about as good as life can get.

I'm a big believer that a tag and hunt is only as good as how much time and effort you put in to it, and I am very glad I put so much in to both tags.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Greenhorn,,,, Well, to my eyes, that looks like a very good moose! Nice mount and a way-nice rental!
I hear “Big 3” hunt recaps every year that end opening day or at least within the first few days of the first hunt. I’ve always wondered if the lucky tag holder was actually satisfied with the outcome and the experience that beating the odds gave to them. With your WY moose, I don’t have to wonder! With that said, the rest of your season that year and the critters you tagged seem simply AMAZING!

Squirrel,,, NICE! I’ve never really been caught up on casing the biggest and baddest critters when I’ve got a tag to be filled. I guess, to me anyway, the hunt has always been the most important part, successful or not. Eating tag soup on three goat hunts and one sheep hunt has my head spinning but I’m guessing that “The Hunts” were amazing! Totally agree with you on young legs and lungs in the backcountry, “the good old days”, we all look back in time! Also agree with you on the consumption of Mtn. Goats, not good, not good at all! They make good filler while making sausage or sticks only… I’ve never had a bad sheep, they all have been delicious! But moose, I have to agree with Greenhorn, some are just not good and can be tough as hell! PS: Love the retro archery goat pic!

I’ll add another “Big 3” hunt recap.

1983, 1st of my “Big 3” hunts, Montana Mtn. Goat.

1: Yes, drawing the tag had me on cloud-nine! Yes it met all my expectations.

2 & 3: Many, solo scouting trips during the summer led to many solo trips in September. Joined by two buddies in early October when I actually downed the goat. Yes, the hunt was everything that I had hoped for.

4: Drawing a wilderness goat tag while I was still in my teens had to be the greatest thing to happen to me. This tag was probably the true catalyst in fueling my hunting addiction that I have to this day. Many great days were spent in the cliffs chasing these white critters. I called in a killed a bull opening week of archery season while in goat country. Truth be told, I spent way too much time playing with the elk on my following goat hunting trips. I had two buddies pack in with me in early October. They had no desire to accompany me on my goat hunt but I guaranteed them that they’d get into elk during the trip. The hike in took up most of the day and it was late by the time we reached my camping spot. I had the advantage as I had left my pack/gear hanging in a tree so my walk in was very pleasurable! With only a few hours left of daylight we did not take time to set up our camp, we dumped the gear and continued up the canyon. Another mile up the canyon I spotted goats on the opposite side of the canyon and told my two buddies that I was going after them. I also told them to continue up the canyon until they hit a flat bench and that is where the elk should be hanging out. Right at last light, my buddies were standing over a dead bull and heard rocks rolling from across the canyon. They had a commanding view of my goat rolling down the mountain! What a GREAT HUNT!

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Randy11,,,,,, NICE! I don't have that many friends!!!

 

[MThuntr]

I drew goat in Montana in 2014, and moose in Montana in 2016.

Both times I put everything else on hold, and scouted every possible minute between when I drew and when season started. I can't remember the amount of days offhand, but probably 15-20 for the goat, and 30 some for the moose. I only hunted 4 days before I killed my goat, and I think 10 days before I killed my moose. Both were in late September, and both were bigger animals than I was expecting. I also drew very good elk tags both of those years, and ate both of them, partly due to spending so much time on the other hunts.

I invited as many of my friends as wanted to come, and it really added to the hunt. having a big hunting camp full of friends in late September is about as good as life can get.

I'm a big believer that a tag and hunt is only as good as how much time and effort you put in to it, and I am very glad I put so much in to both tags.

WOWZA CAT approves!!!

 

[Nameless Range]

1. No. I had zero points, no money, little time, and didn't know what to expect. I was very naive about the whole thing.

2. I hunted solo and I scouted solo. The solo scouting trips, which included 2 backpacking trips, were as rewarding and memorable as the hunt and I think about them often. After I killed the moose, my father came down and helped me get it out - this was far and away my favorite part of the hunt.

3. I spent 8 days over the summer scouting. I did not see a single moose in that time. The hunt literally lasted two hours, and I was overwhelmed by moose. I saw 6 within the first hour.

4. The moose far exceeded my expectations in terms of its size and what I deserved. It was all a blur and I just got lucky. After scouting so hard and seeing nothing, I honestly was not going to pass on a legal bull.

In sum. I was in over my head, and the hunting gods rewarded me. I wish I would have slowed down - slowed down scouting, slowed down hunting, slowed down packing it out. I took no pictures while scouting, two of it on the ground, and none packing it out. Seems like a dream now.

 

[The Hedgehog]

I upgraded with my MT moose hunt, fun area, but not as wild as the Wyoming locale (Tetons). My décor at home isn't as classy as my better halfs', but I like it.

 

[grandejuan]

I've drawn moose twice(WY-2000) (MT-2007) and goat (MT-2012). I treated all of them like they were very special - hunted all with friends. I scouted a ton of time in all cases, years for the WY moose and MT goat and an entire summer for the MT moose. They all panned out as good as they could have gone, but will always regret shooting the WY moose that I did. I would have preferred to have hunted longer for a better bull as I shot the first decent one I came across on Oct 1. Had a month of season left in a very special part of Wyoming. It's a tag I won't draw again, and I don't even apply now. I had a lot going on that fall, hunting everything in MT, and Wyoming antelope, deer, and bear as well. Filled all those tags on pretty great animals first and the moose was taken last. Wyoming moose permits don't come by very often. Moose season ended Nov 30, and I had plenty of time to spend. My Wyoming moose decorates a rental property my better half has, not even in my own house. I would have been better off with tag soup and more days hunting than killing that bull. He tasted like shoe leather.

magazine

I killed a 50 inch moose in BC and it was as good eating as wild sheep or elk. Best of all the cuts of meat were the same size as a good beef. Lucky I guess. GJ

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Greenhorn,,,,, Wow, just WOW! Your decorator has very good taste in well above average critter displaying! LOVE IT!

grandejuan,,, I've had good/great moose to eat and then I've had unbelievably awful moose to eat. Moose is still my daughter's favorite critter to eat and realistically probably the only critter that she really wants to hunt!

Nameless,,,, We all need those "Hunt-Gods" smiling down on us! Nice moose, love his fronts and the way he turns up.

 

[squirrel]

Funniest story, though not funny at the time, was drawing a goat tag scouting hard for only two good billies all summer. Remote unit would have been minimum of 5 days to get a goat. Boss put the guilt trip on me to run his business while he went fishing in AK for 3 weeks. Turned in my tag for a non refund- keeping my points (girl thought I was crazy). Ran the business while boss fished and first day back he fires me takes company truck. I'm 40 miles from home with tools 3 dogs and two sandwiches and start walking. Little bit of second guessing on that walk I can assure you!

 

[BuzzH]

I wouldn't say I've been lucky on drawing hard to get tags, but I am persistent and its paid off.

I tried not to put pressure on myself when I've drawn, but its pretty tough not to when the opportunities are just getting harder and harder to come by.

My first hard to draw tag was in 1995 and I put in for the very toughest draw odds I could find for moose in Montana. I already had a dall sheep hunt arranged and it was in the days of no points in Montana. As "luck" would have it drew the late tag in the Bighole for any moose. By the time the season opened, I had already killed elk, whitetail deer, dall sheep, black bear, mule deer, and pronghorn. To top it off, the area got a pretty good amount of snow and access became a nightmare. I also learned that bull moose, of the larger variety, shed their antlers pretty early. I finally had enough fun and shot this bull:

From then on, I've been lucky to hunt with family and friends who have drawn some great tags. A few more:

Friends Bighorn hunt in Montana:

My Dad, Brother and I with my Dad's Montana ram...I really enjoyed this hunt. I spent a little over a week looking at rams while my Dad was at work waiting for his vacation days.

Forgot the still camera in 1988 when my Brother shot his goat, but I did get it on film with a heavy VHS camera. Montana goat shot in the Bitterroots:

Ten years later I drew a tag near Yellowstone and got lucky with the weather. Hunted early passing many goats, and finally took one the first week of November.

One of the 2 cow moose permits my Dad has drawn in Montana:

A family friend drew his one and only permit a few years later in the same unit:

 

[BuzzH]

My brother finally drew a moose permit in Montana after many years:

My Dad's 3rd Shiras this one from Wyoming:

My brother with my second shiras, this one from Wyoming:

I got extremely lucky, but applied smartly in Arizona long enough to hit pay dirt...and had a great hunt for my desert ram. Spent a lot of time before the season opened, and got this ram killed within the first hour or so of the season:

A couple more that aren't the "big three" but the tags weren't easy to draw.

New Mexico oryx for myself and a buddy:

Muskox from an area in Alaska that no longer has any trophy hunting for myself and a buddy. First, and only time I applied for muskox. My buddy from AK has drawn 3 muskox:

I've enjoyed every one of these hunts and wont be forgetting them anytime soon. Hopefully a few more to come.

 

[BrentD]

How does muskox taste?

Nice sheep

 

[BuzzH]

How does muskox taste?

Really good. If I lived in AK I would probably make the trip north, every once in a while, to do the registration non-trophy hunt just for the meat.

I brought back both hinds, backstraps, and tenderloins. I gifted the fronts and ribs to the Inupiaq village where we kicked off our hunt. Even though I wanted to bring it all back, I felt it was also important to gift some of the meat to the locals.

 

[mtmiller]

My Dad, Brother and I with my Dad's Montana ram...I really enjoyed this hunt. I spent a little over a week looking at rams while my Dad was at work waiting for his vacation days.

Always liked this picture.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I too was amazed how tasty muskox is

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Mr. BUZZ,
Thanks for sharing your pics of hard to draw tags! I absolutely love the retro pics of your hunting family. That emulates what hunting is all about. We never forget the grand adventures that these hard to draw tags generate. There is no doubt that you love to be in our GREAT out-of-doors! That’s a beautiful Desert but I’m kind of partial to the Mtn. Goats, I just love the country that they live in.
Now, your,” Muskox & Oryx”, well, I sure wasn’t expecting to see those in this thread? Those critters and the memories of the hunts, I’m sure that they are spectacular! Maybe I was short sighted when I started this thread while only thinking of (The Big-3)?
Thanks again for sharing!
Mtnhunter1
PS: I agree with Miller, smiles all around! Special moment in time!

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have been very lucky over the years at drawing tags and then stumbling into animals. I have treated every one as the hunt of the lifetime. My first Big Three tag was for Idaho moose. After 11 years of not drawing a tag in an area near the Canada line, I applied for an area at the head of the Selway River and drew. It was about a seven hour drive one way from where I was going to college. I made a couple of scouting trips with friends in late summer and my roommate went with me the first weekend of season. My brother and a friend were going to go with me the second weekend but the elk had started bugling well so they stayed in North Idaho chasing elk while I went solo after moose. I got a small bull with my recurve that weekend about a mile in. I packed it out myself and I am pretty sure I would not have been any happier with a B&C bull. Soon after that, I moved to West Virginia.

Since the move, I have taken three more Shiras bulls (MT, leftover ID, WY), a Maine moose and a Montana goat. I drew an Idaho sheep tag but I was skunked there. I drew a New Hampshire moose tag two years before the Maine tag but I let my dad, as my sub-permittee, shoot that bull. All of these have been DIY. In New Hampshire and Maine, I drove north a couple days before season to scout but that is the extent of my on the ground scouting since I have moved East. After that first Idaho bull, someone has always been on the hunt with me, at least in camp if not actually by my side. My brother has been on all of these later hunts. Although I like looking back on that first bull and thinking about doing it all on my own, I prefer to share the experience with my family and friends.

Because I do not have the time or money to do pre-season scouting out West, I rely heavily on information I get from the internet. I do not know how I ever got along without GoogleEarth. Also, advice/tips from several people on this forum and others proved invaluable in Wyoming last fall (if I forgot to thank any of you by PM, I apologize and thank you!).

2018 Wyoming bull

 

[Mtnhunter1]

Funniest story, though not funny at the time, was drawing a goat tag scouting hard for only two good billies all summer. Remote unit would have been minimum of 5 days to get a goat. Boss put the guilt trip on me to run his business while he went fishing in AK for 3 weeks. Turned in my tag for a non refund- keeping my points (girl thought I was crazy). Ran the business while boss fished and first day back he fires me takes company truck. I'm 40 miles from home with tools 3 dogs and two sandwiches and start walking. Little bit of second guessing on that walk I can assure you!

Squirrel,,,,, You damn sure should have gone to the high country! There will always be more jobs to acquire than goat tags to obtain! I hope at least you shared those sandwiches with the pups during the walk???

BAKPAKR,,,, You Sir are a moose tag drawing machine! Very NICE WY bull! Traditional gear used on your 1st Big-3 tag commands my utter respect. Left-over ID moose was a good catch. I didn’t even know that could happen in this day-n-age!

Mid-Nov. solo wilderness goat: The most grueling hunt that I’ve ever done. This hunt took me to my limits and then some. Even missed him with the first shot at just over 20yds! Rookie mistake, always check your arrow shafts for any ice buildup before you clip it onto the bowstring! I got lucky in that he gave me a second shot, though at a much greater distance. A literal “Goat Rodeo” ensued after the pack frame was loaded. I had a shoulder strap shear pin break on the freighter frame as I was trying to maneuver across a steep slide area above my camp. Anyone remember the “Agony of Defeat” showing the downhill skier tumbling down the slope? Yea, that was me! All the way down to the bottom of the rockslide. Took some time to go through my body parts and check that everything worked. Hiked back up my tumble trail to retrieve the bow, then repaired the strap. Looked like one of those Sherpas with the whole goat hide, all the meat and all my gear strapped to the frame. Heavy as hell but all downhill to the truck! Very, very satisfied with this hunt and the goat greatly surpassed anything that I could have hoped for. Would I do it all over again? Not a chance in hell! Looking back on this hunt, I got EXTREMELY LUCKY! Lucky that I made it out and lucky not be another stupid dead hunter statistic! I don’t recommend that anyone try this, solo, in November. Goats have good hair by mid-October, hunt them at that time!



Add this; I had not ever set foot in this country. Spent the first week of September as my scout/hunt time. I really just wanted a chance at a long haired November goat and did not return until mid-Nov.