Author Topic: Adaptive Moose Hunt  (Read 7168 times)

Offline lv2hunt

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #15 on: Oct 22, 2021, 10:51:14 AM »
Good luck stay safe hopefully you get a monster!!

Offline aquaassassin

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #16 on: Oct 22, 2021, 04:59:26 PM »
Agreed, too many people.
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline Darby

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #17 on: Nov 01, 2021, 10:23:06 AM »
That was a very, very long week. For the first 5 days, we had seen zero moose, except 2 traveling in the dark.  We had a 2 hour ride from camp to the zone.  Saturday at legal hunt,  I picked one out of the woods, but the guys couldn't get a shot.  WAY to dark since we were so far west, and the book times are based on Bangor for legal hunt.  Came back through an hour later, and she was 85 yards in the woods.  Permittee could only see her forehead and let it fly.  Dropped her in her tracks with an amazing shot through the brush!  Great way to end a difficult hunt.  That makes me 11 for 11 as a shooter or "guide" on moose hunts.  Comments about the actual hunt after pics



 The birds were out finally, and we had a few for breakfast every day
  this guy wasn't scared of us at all.  This one really shows how accurate the shot was through the brush




A guy stopped to give us a hand, and took a group phot



And then the real work began



Glad we got one, so this doesn't sound like I'm bashing the adaptive hunt.  There always used to be a week in between hunts.  Now you have the 2nd week that's mixes cow and bull o er the State,  immediately followed by 3 adaptive hunts in a row.  I can't tell you how many people we saw hadn't seen a moose in 5 days.  They're not very smart animals, but that small of an area means a lot of traffic. I feel really bad for the people that started today.  Luckily,  I didn't hear of any close calls.  Ran into 2 groups that could hunt anywhere in Zone 4, but were in 4A South.  Nice guys, but had no idea the amount of hunters in that area.  Hopefully they took my advice and recommendations on where to go.  Anyway, I hope the State's plan works.  She dressed at 512lbs, so guessing a 2 1/2 year old.  Tenderloin was fantastic.   Now to find a deer.  Good luck everyone.

Offline Raquettedacker

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #18 on: Nov 01, 2021, 10:55:44 AM »
Nice successful hunt.   Congratulations to all..👍
"Dying is the easy part. Learning how to live is the hard part..."

Offline BIG NINE!!!

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #19 on: Nov 01, 2021, 01:25:44 PM »
Nice job!! Congrats!
Later,
BIG NINE!!!

Offline lv2hunt

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #20 on: Nov 01, 2021, 03:22:54 PM »
Great job!! Nice write up looks like you had some fun. Good luck in the search for whitetails.

Offline hesseltine32

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #21 on: Nov 01, 2021, 05:16:37 PM »
Way to get it done looks like it was a fun time. Sounds like shes going to be good eating
« Last Edit: Nov 01, 2021, 05:17:34 PM by hesseltine32 »

Offline aquaassassin

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #22 on: Nov 02, 2021, 04:48:56 AM »
Way to keep at it! Congrats to all involved and thanks for the pics. I get what you’re saying. I only put in for September season zone 1,2,5 myself
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline JDK

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #23 on: Nov 02, 2021, 07:00:59 AM »
Congratulations.  It was an interesting hunt for sure.

I also drew a 4A north tag for the first week.  Killed the 8th moose we saw (Wednesday AM).  We saw calves, cows, and bulls including one absolute giant any-day any-season any-zone bull.  We tagged her at Thorofare Brook late Wednesday afternoon and were #2 for the week.  When I stopped in Saturday on the way out, there were 3 total and two very bored biologists.

I'll give you my thoughts.

As you know, we were required to take a mandatory class from IF&W.  It is my humble opinion that IF&W overstated a number of things BUT there were a few nuggets of truth.  1) treat this like a deer hunt and 2) you might be sadly disappointed if you wanted to road hunt.  They also thought that it might be a good idea to keep party size down.  Apparently many did not heed IF&W's suggestions.

Not sure if you took the class but the comments from permitees in general were moronic and asinine.  It got to the point where one person wrote that "if this is the quality of the hunter going into the zone, he'd decline the tag."  It was unbelievable and honestly embarrassing as a hunter.   He wasn't wrong and it is no real big surprise that half of the clowns had issues.  We saw it the first week.  Guides road hunting at 5 MPH and not letting anyone pass, old couples in mini-vans, people complaining about no moose.

The area of the north zone we hunted was interesting.  Not a lot of roads and what was there was one road in and one road out.  I'll tell you how we did it.  Walked 8-10 miles a day, got off the road, and worked fairly hard.  Had a quality hunt and stayed completely out of the shitshow known as roadhunting.  Granted we did not have to contend with the entire zone being open or a large number of extra permits.

I personally wouldn't do that hunt again but you could have a decent time and see moose if you think outside of the box.

 
« Last Edit: Nov 02, 2021, 07:57:04 AM by JDK »

Offline aquaassassin

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #24 on: Nov 02, 2021, 07:35:59 AM »
Great post JDK, great insight
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline Darby

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #25 on: Nov 02, 2021, 08:18:00 AM »
JDK,  you make some very good points.  We did walk some during the day, with a small group of 3.  Saw some sign, but nothing real fresh.  I have been on several moose hunts, and the last thing I wanted was to shoot a moose 2 miles from access, and have to quarter it up and carry it 2 miles.  2 years ago, we got a 681lb cow.  That would be a nightmare, and probably half of a daymare, to get her out. Last year our bull (estimated at 650) ran downhill through typical North brush/thick stuff about 450 yards.  3 of us, including a 17 year old girl, spent 7 hours in a monsoon, blew up one winch, one battery, and had to carry it uphill in 5 pieces.  I know it can be done, I'm not that guy.  I agree with you, that there are people that just shouldn't be out there, and a guide should definitely have better etiquette.  I've enjoyed road hunting for 30 years, and probably always will.  There used to be a lot less people, but that's life.  I really enjoy it up there in November.  WAY less people, with the moose and bird hunters being gone.

I agree that I would never sign up for that hunt.  After this year, IF&W may find it difficult to get people to sign up for this hunt.  Those that do, probably won't have the experience, or will, to hunt like it's a deer hunt.  Personally, I like calling in bulls, even if it's just for fun.  Congrats on your hunt JDK

Offline JDK

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #26 on: Nov 02, 2021, 08:39:36 AM »
I have no issue with people hunting the way they wanted to hunt.  The portion of the zone we hunted was not real condusive to road hunting.  I spoke with one guy who hunted the way we did and he also had no issues seeing or killing a moose.

Our moose came out in pieces.  Shot at 8:50AM and everything loaded in the truck by noon.  Alaska game bags were well worth the money.

I have to laugh, IF&W wants you to find lima bean sized ovaries but apparently don't trust you to pull a tooth.  Bringing the head out was the biggest pain in the arse of the whole operation.

I do think that IF&W is overstating the moose population in that area. 

added in edit


We had a good time.  I was able to hunt with my brother, we told stories, ate like kings, killed a boatload of birds after the moose, and generally unwound.

« Last Edit: Nov 02, 2021, 09:17:29 AM by JDK »

Offline aquaassassin

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #27 on: Nov 02, 2021, 09:50:46 AM »
The Moose themselves have changed habits in the last 30 years as well, they know not to stay on the roads anymore, specifically Bulls. It’s a different game now that they have been educated in us as predators over the last 30 years. Before that they knew it wasn’t a danger.
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

Offline lv2hunt

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #28 on: Nov 03, 2021, 10:27:13 AM »
Besides it hurts like hell getting hit by a silverado!! ;D

Offline aquaassassin

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Re: Adaptive Moose Hunt
« Reply #29 on: Nov 03, 2021, 11:20:26 AM »
A fellow GM owner, good man!
It's not being cocky if you can back it up!

 


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