Author Topic: Moose Tag in Unit 104  (Read 12537 times)

Offline sra61

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #15 on: Nov 25, 2014, 01:02:28 AM »
Day 37 proved to be eventful! I had talked to two different deer and elk hunters on Day #34, Thurs. 11-20-14 that said they had seen moose tracks in this one drainage with a gated road. I had been up in the general area in the summer so I knew where it was. I hunted the area on Day #35, Fri. 11-21-14 and saw what looked like moose tracks in the old snow, hard to tell for sure, but it looked good. I took Sat. off, getting a little burnt out, needed a little rest. So Sunday, Day #36, I went over and hunted a few different places mostly just road hunting checking out a couple of places I hadn't been before, it was kind of nasty rain and snow mixed and game wasn't moving. I had planned to stay the night at the cabin at Bull Lake Sunday night so that I could get a good early start for this morning. So today which was Day #37, I forgot to set the alarm and overslept! I was an hour late getting started. So I started walking at least an hour and a half after first light. It was clear and calm and was a nice quiet walk. I was thinking about how beautiful it was with the fresh 4" of snow and how I really couldn't complain at all with this season, whether I found a bull moose or not.

I just walked slowly and glassed where I could and watched the brush, and semi open spots that had been logged. I was about a mile and a half from the gate and had only seen a couple of fresh deer tracks so far, but I wasn't quite to where I had seen the moose tracks on Friday yet. I got to the intersection of a small side spur rd. and looked in the brush to my left, and something looked funny. As I focused, I could see that it was actually a bull moose standing in the dark timber and brush, covered with snow completely camouflaged.He never moved a muscle.

He was standing behind the trees in the chin high brush, covered with snow, completely comouflaged! Sneaky!
I have no doubt he would have let walk right past him if I hadn't spotted him. I could see he had a fair spread and looked okay to me considering it was the first bull I had seen in 37 days of hunting! It took me about 2 seconds to decide to shoot. So I swung the .338 off my shoulder and flipped up the scope caps, found a relatively open spot on his chest and shot. It was a little bit of a brush shot, which I suspected would be the case, in this country. He was standing in brush up to his chin! That's why I decided to work up the 225 grain Barnes TSX load for the old .338. At the shot he took off trotting across from rt. to left. I waited for an open spot and shot again just to be sure. Moose never really react unless you hit them in the hump, but that wastes shoulder meat, so I wanted an insurance shot in there. He went about 30 yards and went down. He's definitely not a monster, but for the only bull I've seen in 37 days I think he's by far the hardest won trophy I've ever taken. He's 42" wide and just had one brow tine on each side, so he won't score well, but I just don't care. He's got that same chocolate color as the elk and muley. I love moose meat, and he was in good shape, and have no blood shot waste so I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I skinned the top side and walked back to the truck to get the game bags. I went back and finished quartering and skinning, and got all of the meat bagged up in six bags. All I have to do tomorrow to finish is to cut the head off. We'll have two trips in and out with the horses. Of course there is supposed to be a bunch of snow so the drive over from Kalispell with the loaded horse trailer may be slow and slick.
Here's some pics









Long Day and Season!

Offline nh archer

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #16 on: Nov 25, 2014, 04:07:31 AM »
congrats!  That's a rewarding end to a hell of an adventure!
Gopher, Everett?

Offline Green Mountian Hunter

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #17 on: Nov 25, 2014, 04:17:44 AM »
    Congratulations you earned it  :)  He got a good rack on him ; And thanks for sharing it with us  :) :) :)
« Last Edit: Nov 25, 2014, 03:58:50 PM by Green Mountian Hunter »


Offline adkRoy

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #18 on: Nov 25, 2014, 06:04:50 AM »
WOW! Nice moose.
Tresspassing on my land is bad, Tresspassing on my land with an ATV will get you shot!

Offline Raquettedacker

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #19 on: Nov 25, 2014, 06:13:47 AM »
Very nice..   You have had a great season...  Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.....
"Dying is the easy part. Learning how to live is the hard part..."

Offline fishnmachine

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #20 on: Nov 25, 2014, 09:33:25 AM »
Good job. What a season you've had! Awesome!!   :)
It'll chew...

Offline sra61

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #21 on: Nov 26, 2014, 01:16:21 AM »
Thanks Guys. We just got back at about 9 P.M. from packin him out with the horses. It took two round trips of about 2.5 miles each way. Nothing had molested the meat, which I was a little worried about. I had seen some fresh wolf scat in the area last Thurs. I skinned out the head and packed him out. I'm going to get some pics with all three racks tomorrow.



Offline Green Mountian Hunter

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #22 on: Nov 26, 2014, 02:58:46 PM »


           Now that looks like a lot of fun  :)  Just kidding  a lot of work , But I like the pack horse way , Can they carry a lot ?


Offline mt.perchman

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #23 on: Nov 26, 2014, 04:24:02 PM »
HELL OF A MOOSE !!!!
I knew you would score a big one. You should be happy for this season thats for sure .
Its dam hard work but it sure paid off ..
congrads to you .

Mt.Perchman
LIVING THE DREAM IN BIG SKY MONTANA !!!

Offline windwalker

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #24 on: Nov 26, 2014, 10:14:38 PM »
What a great adventure ! and the field photos are awesome , congrats on a fine moose , well deserved indeed !

Offline sra61

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #25 on: Nov 26, 2014, 11:28:09 PM »

           Now that looks like a lot of fun  :)  Just kidding  a lot of work , But I like the pack horse way , Can they carry a lot ?
200 lbs. is really about all I want to go. I had probably 300 on my bigger gelding when I packed out the elk. I kind of pushed it because I only wanted to make one trip. That was all on gated roads so it was good footing and nothing for steep up and down. I had a total knee replacement in 08 so packing a lot of weight on my back wouldn't be good for that knee. For me horses make it all possible.

Offline sra61

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #26 on: Nov 27, 2014, 01:42:35 AM »
It is my sincere wish that everyone of you guys gets to experience at least one season in their lives like I was blessed with this year. Good luck with whatever season you have left and don't give up until the fat lady sings!




Offline mt.perchman

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #27 on: Nov 27, 2014, 08:14:28 AM »
Thank you for all the pict.
What a hard and rewarding season you had !!!
We have a few days left here in MT. for general season ...then its off for the Bison for me!!

Mt.Perchman
LIVING THE DREAM IN BIG SKY MONTANA !!!

Offline sra61

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #28 on: Nov 27, 2014, 12:04:06 PM »
Thank you for all the pict.
What a hard and rewarding season you had !!!
We have a few days left here in MT. for general season ...then its off for the Bison for me!!

Mt.Perchman

Thanks, Make sure to take lots of pics, and don't forget to post em.
Good Luck!

Offline Deposit

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Re: Moose Tag in Unit 104
« Reply #29 on: Nov 27, 2014, 08:19:48 PM »
Wow! You had a great hunting season! Congrats!

 


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