***Finally got my first moose....UPDATED Story and Pics***

[brkygetr]

Posted a few weeks ago looking for local info on a road system I wanted to navigate in 21A...well long story short I could not get to where I wanted to go. It ended up being a blessing...I will post the story once I get all the pics. For now here is 15 years worth of chasing bush cattle come to a end....

I am 6 foot and standing on a slight grade sloping to the lake for reference

 

 

 

Sometimes everything comes together.

 

For many years now I have been trying to get a moose and one thing or another has got in the way. Whether it was bad timing, an area where you can't get a moose out, wrong tag or simply no moose, the blessings of the bush gods seem to be against me.

 

Finally this year things went semi-according to plan.

 

 

Our destination for the first time was 21A. Plans, after many, many hours of map review, were to head in from the north end, somewhere around Geraldton, and try to get to an area with decent trail systems and lots of water.

 

 

We left the Bruce around 9:00 pm on Wednesday night and arrived in Longlac, after an uneventful tour, somewhere about 11:00. After a quick stop for final groceries, gas ect we were off. By 12:30 we were on the bush roads.

 

 

Now going in blind can be fun but unfortunately for us after 3-4 hours of travel we came upon a nasty wash-out (in actual fact the bridge/culvert was collapsed) and our hopes of reaching our destination by dark were less than stellar. After a quick assessment we realized the road on the other side was good and a couple hours of back tracking and an alternate route would get us back on track. So the decision was made to giver as fast as we could and see what happens. We made good time and found the alternate road to be in excellent shape. 20 miles down we came upon a camp and stopped to ask if they knew the condition of the road ahead. They assured us it was OK but it had a few wash outs that may or may not be passable by truck. Being as how it was pushing less than 2 hours of daylight left, we pressed on with our fingers crossed.

 

Well those 2 hours went quick. After passing the washouts, with no major mishaps except a bent trailer tongue support, we found ourselves on a necked down trail with no end in sight. The GPS still said we had over 3k of trail to cover and it was just getting too tight for the trucks. A quick conference confirmed that if we got any snow or a lot of rain getting back out was not going to be easy. So…night #1 was spent in the trucks at an area where turning the trailer around was possible. A few REAL quick refreshments and a bag of cookies for dinner (only thing easily accessible in trailer) we called it a 30+hr day.

 

 

As a side note while, enjoying refreshments someone noted they could smell gas. We were standing around my truck (92' Chev) which I had just replaced the tank in prior to the trip.

 

Oh great!

 

A mag-light confirmed that the return line was damp (also a wee rusty). Now things were way better! At this point there was nothing to be done about it, hope for the best in the morning and get some flex line when we get it out…if it lasted that long.

 

Friday morning

 

Morning brought nice weather and after unpacking the trailer to get at the coffee and stove, we finished off the cookies, decided to head back and check all possible spots on the way to see if we could locate a decent camp area. I was a little discouraged that we could not make our initial destination but not all was lost. After passing the 2 washout's again going out I was happy to see the gas line was still holding. The first possible location was blocked by another impassable washout. The second however was only 300 yds off the road we were travelling and ended at a picture perfect lake and nice flat camp area. We had found our home for the week!!

 

*Insert refreshments here*

 

 

The shack was set up in short order…

 

 

 

…firewood cut and wood-stove burning nicely.

 

 

A light rain/snow had started to fall and everything was brought in. It was at this point we realized the trailer had a small leak or 3 and that hockey bags are not water-proof! Fortunately my gear and my uncles was in the back seat of my truck so we were fine, my dad and other uncle though had to do some quick drying before the night came to an end…thank goodness for dry standing jack-pine!

 

Dinner was a heavy feed of sketti with an all you can eat side of Bud Light. Before long my new cot was fully supporting my extremely tired weight.

 

 

Opening morning-Monday.

 

Nice weather, 4-6 during the days, - temps at night. Light winds.

 

The first few mornings were typical of past hunts in a new area (as we had lost our scouting day) and we stayed fairly close to camp. Being 20 years the youngest in the group I moved around trying to locate decent sign. Inevitably I kept coming back to the lake and by Sunday afternoon the boat went in and my uncle and I went for a tour down.

 

The lake was only 2k long and quite narrow so it was easy enough in the 12ft. It was at this point we discovered the endless amount of pike in the lake. My uncle actually ended up fishing every morning from his picked post and caught fish from shore every day. It did not matter what you through in. Depths were up to 65 ft in the parts of the lake with a lot of structure and depth change. I was marking fish down to 50 ft on some ledges but could not convince them to bite. What they were I do not know…lots of walleye in the lakes of this area but the water was only 47 degrees so I am wondering now if maybe they were lakers??? The lake was spring fed to the best of my knowledge (it was a headwaters) and very clear though somewhat tannic colored.. tea I guess one would say??? Mind you I was just using a jig with a tail off a 4 inch Powerbait Minnow. Did not switch once that day and never got another chance.

 

We did not get any pics of the pike though everyday we talked about the pic of my uncle fighting a fish with his gun over his shoulder…it never came to pass. You will just have to imagine the bounty of 20-25 inch pike that was endless.

 

 

Monday morning brought a change to the game.

 

I had picked a ridge half way down the opposite shore of the lake looking back into a small bay.

 

 

I did however have almost a full view of the entire lake with the optics, so spent Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning watching shore lines, calling, and listening.

 

 

The far shore of the lake behind me was a mess of old blow-down that had been burnt out at some point. Walking through it was not really a pleasant experience. That being said the burn had brought up fresh willow, poplar, and birch that were prime feed for our quarry.

 

 

 

At about 9:30 Monday morning I spotted a cow and a calf (by the way we had a bull and cow tag) crossing the far ridge at about 500 yds.

 

(Pic taken Friday morning..far ridge in the sunlight.)

 

 

I got on the radio, let the fellas know my plan and I was off on a stalking mission.

 

 

1 hour later after climbing down one ridge and back up to the spot where I had spotted them I was standing just over a km from camp. After catching my breath and having a quick snack I slowly made my way along the top of the ridge, which was much easier to traverse by the way. I guess that why the moose came out there as I have always believed that animals will always take the easiest path when not under duress or threat.

 

Looking around I quickly realized that packing out a moose from here (unless I dropped/roped the quarters' 200 ft down a rock face into the lake) was going to be very hard on me particularly. I made a mental note to be sure of a shot if one arose, I did not want to track a moose through the crap I just went through.

 

I have to add here that during the walk from my original location it was simply not possible to be quiet, so every now and again I would throw out a bull grunt to try to mask my approach.

 

As I walked along the ridge it was lush with moss and Labrador tea so it was much quieter and I just used my eyes and ears. After covering 200 yds the blow-down became worse again and I decided that it was a bust and turned back to take a semi-direct bee-line back to camp.

 

Fighting my way back to wards the easy walking I started breaking branches at will just to get out.

 

A flash of black caught my eye and a yearling was trotting 70 yds away towards the mature bushline.

 

Without thinking the gun was up and I realized instantly I had no good shot from the nest of fallen logs I was trapped in.

 

It's amazing how quick you can move through that crap when you are not thinking about your route!! In under 15 seconds I was back on the moss and running as fast as I dared to the edge of a saddle that I knew would provide a clear shot.

 

Just as I got there the critter was climbing (I must add what looked to be effortlessly) the other side. I settled into a conveniently located jack-pine and tried to level the crosshairs on its back…waiting…waiting…waiting. I looked up for just a second to locate any upcoming clear shot and just as I did it stopped, turned broadside quartering, waited a second and then really started moving and was gone! The only decent opportunity was that instant and I had decided to look up????? Cursing I watched it sway the saplings as it made its way to the safety of the bush-line.

 

Ah well…that's why it's called 'hunting' not 'getting'!!

 

I decided a good bottle of water and a smoke were in order so I sat down on a large rock and contemplated what to do next. By this time it was almost noon so I figured I would just take a few pics and then make my way back to camp.

 

This is looking back towards camp.

 

Looking around I could see lots of evidence of browsing and there was poop everywhere. At least I knew they were using this area regularly. I decided to not even look for the cow as by this time the thought of packing out anything was not high on my list.

 

And then….

 

Behind me I heard the distinctive grunt of a bull.

 

He was a ways off and I had my back to the bush-line where I thought it came from but my spidey senses went on high alert!

 

I put out my smoke and turned to listen. After 5 min I let out a light cow call followed by a grunt or 2. Immediately I got a response though it seemed much further away than I had thought initially. Taking a yearling let alone a bull up here was not a good idea so I backed out and headed back to camp to review my maps.

 

Back at camp the old fellas were glad they did not here any shots after realizing where I had went but were at least glad we had seen moose.

 

Things were looking up.

 

 

The maps and the tour of the lake on Sunday determined that my best approach was to take the boat down the lake, come up the ridge on the opposite side (which was still standing mature trees and probably not to bad for walking) and see what I could locate.

 

Early that afternoon I was in the boat and off down the lake.

 

As expected the walking was not that difficult and according to my GPS I got within 500yds of where I was sitting on the rock so knew I was close enough. I sat against a tree looking up the ridge and started calling.

 

With only about ½ hour left of shooting light and no response I had just about given up and was second guessing what I had heard in the morning when a lone, sharp grunt echoed back over the top of the ridge. Easily a ways off, but conclusive.

 

Being 150 yds from the waters edge and light waning I crept out to the boat to come back in the morning.

 

 

Tuesday-Wednesday

 

Weather changed. Cooler, Mixed precipitation. Calm during the morning and evening, 15-20 k winds during the day.

 

Tuesday morning found me on the edge of the ridge down the lake. I did not have the slightest response to my calls. I knew that (especially in the morning) if a bull was there he could hear me but I was getting nothing in return. Maybe I had spooked it off or it got wind of my scent on top of the ridge in its kitchen????

 

Tuesday late afternoon/evening brought driving snow pellets and rain so beverages and euchre were the order of the day.

 

Regardless, Wednesday morning, after nothing on Tuesday and already 4 days in, I decided to go for a walk up the road and investigate a lake I had seen from the ridge top while taking pics on Monday afternoon.

 

Lake is on the far side of the pic..

 

The spot did not disappoint. (Pic also taken Friday morning...)

 

 

Covered entirely with Labrador tea and still solid enough to walk to the waters edge it had moose trails meandering everywhere. The morning was dead still and it was exciting to be looking over different terrain. The entire time though I could not help but think about what was happening down the lake from our camp?

 

 

By 11:00 I was back to camp and let dad know about the find which he was glad to hear as he was also getting discouraged with his chosen location.

 

Wednesday evening my uncle and I decided we would go down the lake, he would sit halfway up the ridge where I was calling from and I would go right up top and see what I could. Heavy snowfall (1 inch in about 10 minutes) almost made me leave early but we

stuck it out and the clouds cleared for a perfect evening. Still though no freaking moose!!!!

 

 

Thursday

 

-2, Fresh snow. Dead calm.

 

I decided Wednesday evening that I was going across the road. After waking up and surveying the weather I changed plans and was going to give the ridge one more shot. This time though I was heading down the lake with the boat and pull up close to a 4 wheeler trail that my maps showed had off shoots that went around the entire backside of the lake somewhere inside the bush-line. I was going to creep all the way in and call as I went and see if I could draw something out…not to mention the fresh snow would be great for sign.

 

Well I idled down the lake as quiet as possible just before legal time and got the landing. Stripped off the survival suit, donned the orange, grabbed the gun from the case and I was on the trail 5 min after legal time. The main trail was awesome for walking (good bird trail) and I could walk silently and quickly. It ends up that this trail actually would go right to the original lake we had tried to make it to by truck….I guess that why everyone uses bikes now?? It did not take me long to realize that the trail system off this that wraps around the lake was only a trail if I was a fox or smaller! I made it as far as a high hill-crest in the bush where I could see a small swamp coming off the back of the lake and which was evidently in the past a wolf den site. Thinking about it afterwards it was a perfect position, high, defensive, and good 360 degree visuals.

 

Anyways out of frustration I let out a few aggressive cow calls, had a smoke and headed back to the main trail for the boat.

 

When I got to the boat the water was still glass as I looked across to the ridge where I knew the bugger was hiding. I decided I would sit there, enjoy the morning and call away until the winds came up. The echo of the calls off the water was penetrating into the bush so I did not hesitate to make myself heard. If anything was up there it was going to hear me!

 

Around 9ish I was just thinking away when my paddle in the boat caught my attention. Without a second thought I picked it out, walked back to the young birch and willow brows, leaned it against them, let out several sharp aggressive grunts, beat and racked the crap out of the saplings and then dunked the blade in and out of the water in succession while intermixing the grunts.

 

I repeated this process again around 9:30 though not as aggressively.

 

Somewhere around 9:45 I heard a VERY loud tree/branch break somewhere on the ridge.

 

It was still dead calm, and it did not sound like a tree falling (ie: no other branches hitting, ect)

 

I immediately started raking the trees again and then waited for about 2-3 minutes and listened.

 

Somewhere I thought I heard a light grunt??? Was I hearing things? Another branch snapped and then the distinctive sound of bone on twigs…

 

This entire time I had been standing on the shore in front of my boat which I pulled right up. I realized that I was rather exposed but contemplated the wet ground (just wearing my track-pants and don't like wet a$) but thought maybe I should sit down. I grabbed the paddle again gave the trees a light raking and then plunked my butt down looking over the bow with the 06' resting nicely convenient stump and my pack looking across the lake.

 

 

One light grunt and I shut up.

 

 

Within under a minute I could clearly hear something moving along, grunt per step, as it moved inside the tree line along the lake. The GPS I was using had the Backroads map on it so I already measured my distances across and new I was good too shoot whereever something came out.

 

With 3 real easy looking strides the bull came out of the tree line and stepped down to the water. He did not even look my way just proceeded to take a drink.

 

He was approx 260 yds away. I was shaking like the only leaf left on a poplar!!!!

 

I can honestly say the only thing I know for sure was that I kept saying to myself…"do not screw this up…do not screw this up"

 

Well 180 grains of 30'06 let loose.

 

 

He did not move.

 

What??

 

I settled the crosshairs again and pulled…pulled nothing! Sometimes I hate semi's!!!!!

 

I realized the action had not cycled and by the time I got the used shell out, the half-loaded shell ejected, clip back in, and chambered again, all I saw was the back of the moose walking back into the tree line.

 

 

At this point I was dumbfounded. I immediately got on the radio to let the guys know what had happened.

 

"I think I missed". I told them I would give it 10 minutes and then head over in the boat and have a look around. Good enough, they would wait for an update.

 

At this point my radio starts to beep, low batteries. So I shut it off to conserve.

 

If ever I had wanted a smoke in the bush this was it so I settled down on the bow of the boat and waited as long as I could. At some point during the smoke I heard the best noise ever…if any of you have heard it you will know what it was.

 

 

I knew then I did not miss.

 

 

Cased up the gun and jumped in the boat, didn't even put my suit on (which I wear religiously) and motored across.

 

I headed to where I was docking earlier in the week and was going to walk down the shoreline. Just about to shore I looked to where I had seen him walk up and saw a mass of black crumpled up like a sac of taters at the base of a Tamarac. 8 yds from where he walked out.

 

 

Finally. It was over, I had got a moose.

 

 

 

 

I pulled out the radio to relay the message to the group and all I got was 'beep-beep'. I knew the fellas were waiting for an update so I resorted to plan B. I beached the boat against the shore. Jumped out and grabbed the gun, loaded it up, and then fired 3 shots in succession 10 seconds apart. This is our back up to indicate an adult moose down in case of electronic failure. Knowing the guys were at the top of the lake and no-one else was around I was confident they would get the message. I threw the gun back in the case and pushed off.

 

 

I turned the boat on a dime and full tilt back up the lake I went. As I rounded the point I could see 3 orange jackets standing on the shore at camp.

 

Looking down the lake from our beach...

 

All I said was 'We got a moose.'…the response I got back was "I want to hear you count to 10"…there was a slight smirk on my uncles face as he said this. Apparently I was a little excited and my 3 shots were not quite evenly spaced. They got the point though and we set to work.

 

 

It was decided earlier in the week that a truck could make it too the far end of the lake via the 4 wheeler trail if necessary. The plan was made to bring the truck down and we would float the moose across too it. So ropes and gear in, and off myself and uncle go (tag holder) and my dad and other uncle take the truck around. We make it down and at that point realize he is a wee bigger than anticipated.

 

 

 

 

 

So after a quick pic we get him tagged…and I go across to the truck to pick up the other guys. After a heck of a lot of slugging, running chainsaws pretty much under water (which by the way do not start again after you shut them off), and getting soaked up to the waist we managed to get him floating and across the lake I went.

 

Now 1000+lbs of live weight moose, with built in drift socks, tends to have a wee bit of drag. After I was away from shore and moving I realized I had taken my counter weight (large rock) out of the bow when my uncle jumped in. This accompanied with a heavy cross wind and hail issue that had blown in made getting across a bit of a chore. I almost ended up getting pushed across to the opposite bay.

 

 

Basically I ended up sitting on my knees in the middle of the boat and driving wide open with my finger tips and drawing the bow one handed with the paddle the whole way across. It was a painstaking 15 minutes (only 260yds) but I made it.

 

 

Got to shore tied the beast to a tree and went back for the guys.

 

 

After this it was pretty typical. We dragged him up, got it gutted and chopped in half. We had to pulley the halves up a tree as there was no way the 4 of us were going to lift them in. I realized at some point that I was still warm(mind you I had my suit back on by this time) even though I had been soaked to my waist for over 5 hours. We got back to camp just as the sun was going down…

 

So after a copious amount of beverages and a fine feed of fresh liver (honestly probably the best I have ever had) it was bed time.

 

 

 

Friday morning was a calf hunting only day (did not want to have to work to hard and had enough meat anyways) for the other fellas and I had a sleep in. Got up to perfect 3 inches of fresh snow, calm winds and sunshine. Went for a walk for some birds and ended up with one.

 

 

Actually that's one of only 4 I saw all week.

 

Friday afternoon we packed what we could and made ready to break camp in the morning.

 

Saturday morning we broke camp and were off by 11:30. We arrived in the Bruce for 9:00 Sunday morning. A couple of hours of sleep and it was time to start cutting. Started butchering around 2:00 and finished completely cut, ground, wrapped and in a freezer at

 

12:30 that night. It was a slow steady pace and being a butcher by trade I made sure we got it all.

 

 

Overall it was a great hunt and I can't wait to go back and do it all over agiain!

 

 

 

End results: First moose ever

Bull @ 52" spread, 10x11

1 shot, 257 yards

460 lbs of boneless meat

1 VERY happy dude!

 

 

Myself and my dad...I have been waiting for this picture for a long time.

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed.

[misfish]

That is one nice harvest. Congrats to you and the party. Look forward to the tale.

 

Well done.

[Nipfisher]

That's alot of bull.

[woodenboater]

Nice set. Hope you have a big freezer

[Handlebarz]

Very nice

[Joeytier]

Amazing...can't wait to get legal for next year.

 

Also, I have that same floater suit and I'd hate to be trudging through the forest for very long in one of them.

[brkygetr]

Amazing...can't wait to get legal for next year.

 

Also, I have that same floater suit and I'd hate to be trudging through the forest for very long in one of them.

 

 

Joey,

The suit was only for the boat. It was shot across a lake and I don't much like water that is only 47 degrees. I played that game once, not as fun as one might expect

[trapshooter]

Monster Bull!! Congrats!

[Skud]

What a beast. Worth the wait. Congrats

[NAW]

Very nice! Congrats, that's a long time coming.

 

Moose Chilli is hard to beat

[backbay]

Great work! Do you have plans for the rack?

[Toad Hunter]

Nice set. Hope you have a big freezer

 

 

if you don't-- I know some one who does lots of roast and jerky would be made out of that haul if I could ever get myself to kill one of those beasts.

[Sinker]

Congrats! That's a fine bull!! Any measurements? He's a big boy!!

 

S.

[highdrifter]

Nice bull!!

 

I've been hunting WMU 40 for years now and I'm still waiting for my tag.

 

Every year I see multiple bulls and lone cows and I've yet to harvest a single calf..

 

Way to go!

 

cheers

HD

[iFish4real]

was it in 21A ?

[Leecher]

BEAST Congrats What's the spread on that big boy?

[brkygetr]

Thanks fellas...just got the pics and working on the tale...as for a spread it was 52", 10x11, rough score of 165-170 BC and it was in 21A.

 

I'll have the update by this weekend.

[Steel28]

congrats on the beast!

[cityfisher]

huge bull congrats

[Squid]

Nice haul!!

[LucG]

Nice bull! Is that where he dropped, or did you have to pull him out of the water?

[TJQ]

CONGRATS!!!!

[Jay T]

Nice Bull you got there, congrats. Now you need to make room for the mount!!!

I miss swamp donkey hunting, can't wait untill next year we are doing another fly-in.

[ccmtcanada]

Nice one!!

 

But where's the pike??? LOL

[brkygetr]

Nice bull! Is that where he dropped, or did you have to pull him out of the water?

 

 

Yup... thats where he dropped. He actually only went 8 yds...now getting him into the water ....that was a bit of a challenge!