Caribou Gear

Three kids & a dog

New day, big bull sighted first light, and I'm off! About a mile over to last seen. Through brush, bog, boot sucking mud, at least there are no bugs. I went into the timber slowly, raking brush with a moose scapula, and bull grunts. Twenty minute intervals. As the day came on, I'm thinking about exploration. Looking at crossing a creek and hiking a ridge. Then I see antlers! Across the creek, through the trees, I got a side shot of big antlers. He knows I'm here, I've been calling. This bull moves behind some brush. All I see are spike tips. I scratched some brush, bull grunted and went silent. He stood about 15 minutes, then fades away. I'm looking, watching, waiting! After awhile I need to move back uphill for other points of view. I spot him again, across the creek looking my way. Big bull, I'm thinking 60" class. 340 yards. Crosshairs on him, but looking through brush. I can't tell if quartered toward me or facing away. I sat the rifle down and set up my spotter and he walked away. The rest of the day, I explored the area. He was a big boy. Fantastic country.
moose timber.JPG
We would spot bulls, deep in the timber, on ridges. I found my way to those ridges. I hiked to higher ground and came into a number of cows. Only one with a calf this season. Found a very, very old fire pit with burnt aluminum cans. "Tea" was the only recognizable print on the can. Very old.
cow moose.JPG
 
Another rainy day, and I'm hiking over to that old fire pit. It's a great spotting perch. Coming in, I look up to see a young bull looking at me, about 90 yards. Looks like a fork bull. I held up my scapula and stood still glassing. Days earlier I watched a forked bull, but looking closely, he had a spike brow on either side. Not a true fork . Being this was our tenth day on the hunt, I'd take a fork, moose, it's whats for dinner. I need to verify this is a different bull, but he's out of here quick. I sat there until late afternoon, glassing, when I see white flags flashing. Lots of action! Looks like two bulls. Once the scope is on him, it's one bull break dancing around a bush. This bull is hammering this bush, running in circles around it, ripping and tearing it up. I've never witnessed a bull so high energy, like a rodeo bull. Then suddenly as if he slapped his jewels upon a hornets nest, That bull took off and bolted through the trees, in my direction! I'm a good mile up hill. Packed up and hustled quickly that way. Down and down busting brush, skirting a bog, I came into a grassy area that had twenty, thirty prior beds all around. I crested a ridge and stopped to remove rain gear. I dropped rifle, day pack, was throwing off gear.
He just walked up and appeared before me between a window of spruce trees. He swung his great rack and stared directly toward me. The wind is in my favor. After a few moments, he looked another way. I scooched back to the cover of a spruce tree. Through the binos he's a 2x3 brow tine bull. I need 4 on one side. Reach behind and grab tripod and scope. The bull again looks my way, and I do the "eyeball test" 10" between the eyes. I see it on the right, and then some. Left side same. Better than 50", Range 230yards. I get this thought, I should video this bull.
Slapped that thought out of my skull. Big Bull quartered toward me. Spun the scope side ways for a rest, steady crosshair just in front of right shoulder. Let go the 180g Winmag. Bull reared up on hind feet and rolled out of sight to the left.
I waited, I listened, watched. After twenty minutes, I went there. Brush was so thick, I found him after a half hour of searching. I Carry a 60" tape measure, in the day pack. One shot bull. He flipped on his back and all tines/spikes were buried in the tundra/brush. 55" was showing. Shot 4:20pm, time hike back up hill, grab the crew, get the recovery equipment.
As he lay
As moose lay 1.JPG
 
My tent is 12'x14'. This is how we do it. Two bunk bed cots and mine. Everyone's stuff is in totes. Cook station just out the door by wood stove.

View attachment 296780
View attachment 296781


View attachment 296782
Can't make these fast enough!

School Home work
View attachment 296783
Better home work
View attachment 296784View attachment 296785

That evening some nails got polished. Apparently a two part process. A moose camp
My ex's daughter painted my toenails before I went hunting one year. We tagged out that year. Had her paint them before we left each year until her mom and I went our separate ways. After seeing that moose I would say painted nails work in Alaska too!!! (Go ahead judge me, I'm a sucker when little ones ask dad to do something.)
 
Seeing that thing hoisted into the bed is awesome.
Congrats!! Looked like a great hunt with everyone. Happy crew.
 
Another excellent tale! Love it when you post up the family outings. Those grandkids keep getting bigger!
 
This thread literally made me dream of giant bull moose after I looked at your pictures then went back to sleep. Apparently I didn't have a tag though because I was trying to take pictures of them!

Congrats, hope the grandkid gets one.
 
Congratulations on a great camping trip in moose country with the kids n dog. And a successful harvest of a great bull moose.
Takes a lot of work building a buggy and trailer n such. And skills. I still have my moose buggy but haven't had it out for a while.
And an atta boy for take one make one or 3
 
Looks like a great trip! Lots of water this year for sure.

Do you ever have any issues with that front break getting banged up? Always interesting to see guys setups.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
113,667
Messages
2,028,924
Members
36,275
Latest member
johnw3474
Back
Top