MyHuntingForum.com
MHF US Northwest => Hunting Montana => Topic started by: sra61 on Jul 07, 2014, 01:32:07 PM
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Well, hell my Daddy always said, "occasionally even a blind sow finds an acorn". I finally drew another big tag. I got a moose tag for Unit 104. From Hwy. 2 to S. end of Bull Lake, and W. of Hwy. 56 to the Idaho line. I have never hunted that country before. I have gone over there twice since I saw I drew. Of course it's jungle. I asked the guy at the Sporting Good store in Libby, and he didn't have any knowledge of the area, really. He did have a bunch of pretty good bull moose pics on his board though, so obviously there are still some big boys left. I do know that the success in most of NW Montana has dropped from pretty much 100% in 2010 to about 40-60% in all units except for Ten Lakes up at Eureka. I don't see much activity on this site, but just wondering if anyone might have some useful information that I could use. I have horses, ATV, and boat, so all options are open. I plan to spend every weekend from now to Sept. 15 to scout, and I can take 6 weeks to get him if I need to, so I plan to make this one count!
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Awesome.... Cant wait to see the pictures.......... Or should I say good luck first ? ::) ::) ::)
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Good for you time well spent is worth scouting is a real big help and you now that area ... Good luck take some pictures for us ;D ;D
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So here's what I know so far. In the last three weeks or so I have been over in Unit 104 four days. I have driven every major road that runs up into the mountains. I have done some hiking, not a lot yet. I have found two fresh tracks, and a lot of crap, lots of it from winter, and a good amount of browsed brush that I believe is moose, it's up fairly high, and in the areas with tracks. I haven't been in the area much at prime time because it's still so far out from season, that trying to see one now just seems a little silly. It is very thick and very steep. I think the best tactic is going to be calling and trying to locate those bulls by their calls. I talked to one guy whose brother had a tag up in the Yaak, and he said it was the same up there. They saw much of the rutting activity actually on the roads. They were told that the best areas were clearcuts about 7 years old with Larch saplings about head high. That will definitely narrow it down. Most of the clearcuts are so old that you can't even tell they were a clearcut. One of the fresh tracks was in a creek bottom, and the other was in a cut area with a swamp. I'm ready to do some hiking into some of the areas that I have identified as decent looking places that are away from the roads. It is kind of fun learning and exploring a new area.
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Got to keep at it those critters love keeping themselves hidden ; The more you can learn about
the area the better surly a sighten or two is e better , But least you now they are around there...
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So, I spent 10 days total from just after I found out I drew the tag in June to the weekend before the season opened Mon. 9/15. I talked to the head biologist for region 1. And she seemed to think the moose keyed mostly on recent clearcuts. I found a lot of old sign, probably winter type sign on those roads, but no fresh sign at all. I walked a lot, and drove a lot. I saw a wolf at about 10 yds. that I didn't shoot because it wasn't open yet. I had seen fresh tracks in two places a couple of months ago. One was in a swampy spot by a road and I heard there has been a bull sighted there. The second was a track I saw right in a creek bottom in July. I went back to look on Sun., and sure enough I found another, so continued searching and found a fresh bed and the first fresh droppings I have seen since looking! As I continued up the drainage I found a place where it looked like for sure more than one moose, and as I looked where they had gone into the darker timber and thought that would be a good place to bed, all hell broke loose. One or two snorted and went left and the one that went right sounded like he had an oak 2x12 strapped to the top of his head as he crashed through the brush. I never got to see him, but he had to be big to make that much noise with his rack. This country is jungle boys! They were no more than maybe 30 yards away and I never saw hide nor hair! I backed out and hunted elsewhere Mon. evening and Tues. morning just to hopefully let them settle down. Tues. morning I came across a big bull track with a cow and calf track too, in a completely different drainage, also right down by the creek. This bull leaves dewclaw marks every track. He's got size and weight. It has been hot, upper 70's in there, so movement during daylight has been minimal. I went back to hunt the bull I jumped Mon. on Tues. evening. I waited for the evening thermals to change to down drainage and then headed the 1.5 miles through jungle to where he had been bedding. I had about 2 hrs. to sit. About 45 minutes from last light I heard a lot of crashing behind me in the creek, and stood up to see a couple of teenage kids with backpacks. They saw me and waved and hollered, "Hunting?". I told them yes and they turned around and went back the way they had come. I watched and they were throwing big rocks into the creek to try to cross on, which only worked to make a lot of noise. I waited the last minutes until dark and then walked out in the dark. I climbed on the ATV and headed up the road towards my truck and about a mile up the road here are the two teenage boys in the pitch black dark starting a fire in the middle of the road! They didn't have a flashlight, and had heard something big in the road ahead of them and scared the crap out of them, so they decided a fire might spook it off. They didn't have a vehicle. They had 80 lb. packs full of rocks that they had picked up in the creek, apparently looking for gold. There are a lot of old mines in the area. Their Dad had dropped them off and was supposed to pick them up at dark which had long ago come and gone. We put the fire out and I loaded them up on the ATV, and we headed up the hill. No Dad there, so I loaded the ATV up and drove them into town, and took them home, which was 5 miles W. of Troy. I told them I only wanted one thing for the ride: that was a phone call to the number on my card if they saw a big bull moose in their travels in those creek bottoms. They were eager to agree to that. I was a little disgusted with the evening's events and decided to head home for a few days, and return next week for an extended time, just a little closer to the rut. I was actually pretty happy to have located two different bulls even though I didn't get to see one, I know they are there. I may take three weeks. It just depends how long it takes to find one that I can actually see. It seems like calling will be the best shot, since it's so thick in there. It's actually pretty much like the B.C. and Alberta country I hunted in the past. I kind of thought it was interesting that both bulls are with cows and calves already. I have to say, I am totally enjoying being able to walk around the woods with a moose tag and a rifle in my hands and have ten whole weeks to be able to do it! I truly hope to come home with a big bull, but even if I don't, I'm gonna love every minute of it! And it won't be because I didn't give 'er hell. I lost 50 lbs. and went from a 42" to 34" jeans, and I'm doing this thing all by my lonesome.
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20140727_151931282_1.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20140727_151931282_1.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20140916_082213693.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20140916_082213693.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20140916_190323752.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20140916_190323752.jpg.html)
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that's some beautiful country. Can't wait to see a picture of a bull lying down in front of it!
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X-2 On the awesome country pretty pictures ; Calling will work very nicely they will be looking for cows mating season real close here now ; Hope you Knock one down ;D
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Great pics. and good luck on the self hunt. 8)
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Patiently waiting for the next chapter, really looking forward to how this turns out.
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Keep up the good work and report back as you can.
Jay
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So the story goes like this: 10 days scouting before the opening of moose season, and now 24 days hunting and I've seen one cow and one calf! I've talked to a lot of local people and haven't found one that can remember seeing a moose in recent history. I know that there was one bull taken just up the drainage from where I had a bull located that I could never quite get to come in or see, but I would see his tracks. I had to go back to the world on 9/28 for a few days and when I came back and checked the swamp where I had sat and called for an hour, he had rubbed a tree 5 feet from where I sat! I quit seeing fresh sign and decided he had left. Not knowing the area really well, I didn't know about the road just up the drainage that was being logged. I heard the activity, but didn't know where to access it. The USFS guy that had a moose tag and knew the loggers knew, though. He killed that bull right on their landing, in their cut! I'm sure it was the same bull. Other than that I ran into one of the other tag holders and he hadn't seen anything either. He only had one week to hunt, so he was really screwed. One of the local guys said that they used to wait until the end of season and kill big bulls on the higher rds when they came down from higher country. After looking at the map, I do see that almost half of some of those main drainages are actually in Idaho, and not even accessible to us. Those moose that are up there probably do migrate this way. I did see a bear that I should have shot, but didn't. I did see a 5 pt. bull elk and bumped another bull with cows just a couple of days ago. There is a good amount of real fresh elk sign in that spot, so I'm thinking maybe that would be a good consolation prize. I'm going to take the horses over for opening weekend to try to connect with one of them. There were some really big elk tracks, but hell I'd shoot the raghorn if he shows too. The moose will just be a weekend warrior type thing until we get some snow, hopefully. Wolf sign has diminished since the end of summer. I suppose they are in Idaho munching on my moose! I'll throw in a few pics.
One thing that has crossed my mind is this. FWP says that hunting is a critical method for controlling game populations, and I agree. What then is the goal with them giving out 5 tags in Unit 104 where there is obviously not an over population of moose? Hell, there's hardly any moose at all! I really would like to know why there is any moose season there at all. If I could get back my 15 preference points I give that tag back in a heartbeat. If I do luck into one I sure as hell won't feel good when I pull the trigger. Will I be killing the last one in those woods? I've never spent so much time in what looks like good country and seen almost no game! It's just a dead zone. That's another thing too. in 24 days in the field I never heard one single elk bugle!
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20141013_194526.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20141013_194526.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20141013_194708.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20141013_194708.jpg.html)
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(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/IMG_20141006_101550515.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/IMG_20141006_101550515.jpg.html)
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Well dont givebup yet !!! Its tough hunting here im sure you will bag a monster...
I drew a Bison tag for West Yellow Stone...Im hoping i see Bison and not to many ANTI- HUNTERS..
GOOD LUCK MT.PERCHMAN
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27 Days of hunting for the moose so far, and I haven't seen one single bull yet! I had to take a few days off after getting the elk out. I had a little recuperation time. I plan to head back over tomorrow. I probably should have been over there today to check for tracks after the snow, but I'll see tomorrow. I have been seeing a set of moose tracks in the same area as the elk, and also am seeing a lot of muleys right there too. I can't wait to see if a big ole gnarly buck shows up with all of those does. The moose track shows up in all of the places I have been. It's almost like he's following me around, but I just haven't seen it yet. Hopefully soon, I have been spending a lot of time in this one area, but it's about the only place in the whole damn unit that I am actually seeing any game! As for the moose, I plan to spend more time now that the weather is changing to more like what fall is supposed to be. As of today there are 20 days of moose hunting left for me, so I need to hit it hard again.
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Get some!!!
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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.
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_140204055.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_140204055.jpg.html)
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.
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_140146093.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_140146093.jpg.html)
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
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_112236875.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_112236875.jpg.html)
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(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-146.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-146.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-141.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-141.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-142.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/11-24-142.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB240004.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB240004.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB240003.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB240003.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_110217212.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_110217212.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_095154938.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141124_095154938.jpg.html)
Long Day and Season!
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congrats! That's a rewarding end to a hell of an adventure!
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Congratulations you earned it :) He got a good rack on him ; And thanks for sharing it with us :) :) :)
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WOW! Nice moose.
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Very nice.. You have had a great season... Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.....
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Good job. What a season you've had! Awesome!! :)
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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.
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB250027.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/PB250027.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141125_225404.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141125_225404.jpg.html)
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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 ?
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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
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What a great adventure ! and the field photos are awesome , congrats on a fine moose , well deserved indeed !
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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.
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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!
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141125_160330849.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141125_160330849.jpg.html)
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(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141126_172651504.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/IMG_20141126_172651504.jpg.html)
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/sra61/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/83aaa32c-0fa3-4691-972d-c94cdad467a6.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sra61/media/Moose%20Hunting%202014/2014%20Moose/83aaa32c-0fa3-4691-972d-c94cdad467a6.jpg.html)
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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
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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!
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Wow! You had a great hunting season! Congrats!