Running at a group of moose after you shoot one

[Bear00]

Looking at some youtube videos. This guy shoots a Bull and runs down while a few other moose are still hanging around. To me that is not the smartest thing. I always wait a bit until walking up, slowly, to the animal I harvested as you never know what else is around and you want to make sure the animal is actually dead.

opinions?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xr8MY5Tt9E

[AMisler]

I think his excitement got the best of him, sure wouldn't be something I would do!

[Bigwoodsman]

There was a Hunting Alberta Whitetails video out about 25 or so years ago. In it this American shoots a nice whitetail with a 300 win mag it goes down, he and his guide walk up to it grab it by the antlers and the hunter lies his rifle down across the spread of the antler. Gets behind the buck while the guide is taking pictures, about this time the buck comes back to life and gets up. The guide had to drop the camera, grab his rifle and shoot the buck. The funniest thing I remember from watching this video is the Hunter saying something along the lines, of how tough and big the Alberta White tail is and that when you shoot them with a 300 win mag they take take your gun and run away.

Does anyone else remember this video, I think it may have been one of Russel Thornberry's

BW

[riden]

I try really hard to wait, but it is sooooo hard. A 10 min wait feels like an hour.

[Austin]

Left the bigger one for me to get this year - hopefully!

[Pincherguy]

Originally Posted by riden

I try really hard to wait, but it is sooooo hard. A 10 min wait feels like an hour.

Better not bow hunt, I wait a minimum of 45 minutes even if I know the shot is good.
nuff said:
Pat

[deadeye]

I would do exactly the same thing and have many, many times, why not be as close as you can if it tries to get up.
You might be watching too much WildTV where they shoot an animal in full daylight, watch it drop and then go searching for it with a flashlight in pitch dark. I realize some of that might be for show but that is how it appears on video.

[Bear00]

Originally Posted by deadeye

I would do exactly the same thing and have many, many times, why not be as close as you can if it tries to get up.
You might be watching too much WildTV where they shoot an animal in full daylight, watch it drop and then go searching for it with a flashlight in pitch dark. I realize some of that might be for show but that is how it appears on video.

I always wait between 15-30 min unless its in a open field where I can watch it as I have gone for the animal to early and its bolted and died farther away

Did you take your alberta hunters education course? It even tells you in there to wait.

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

Does anyone else remember this video, I think it may have been one of Russel Thornberry's

BW

monarchs of alberta.

[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by Bear00

Did you take your alberta hunters education course? It even tells you in there to wait.

It comes down to personal preferences, experiences, and knowledge IMO...nothing is absolute. Sometimes its worth sitting and waiting, and there are also times to move quickly.

If I watch something hit the dirt, or if I feel I need to close the distance quickly to make another shot or get to a different angle, I couldnt care less what Hunter's Education teaches at that point.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by Rackmastr

It comes down to personal preferences, experiences, and knowledge IMO...nothing is absolute. Sometimes its worth sitting and waiting, and there are also times to move quickly.

If I watch something hit the dirt, or if I feel I need to close the distance quickly to make another shot or get to a different angle, I couldnt care less what Hunter's Education teaches at that point.

X2

That moose was hit high in the shoulder and went down like a turd from a tall bull. He wasn't going anywhere.

Lets not forget that archery is not the same either. Death by hemmorhage is totally different.

[Bear00]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

X2

That moose was hit high in the shoulder and went down like a turd from a tall bull. He wasn't going anywhere.

Lets not forget that archery is not the same either. Death by hemmorhage is totally different.

What I was getting at was running into the 3 other moose that were standing there and not going anywhere. Would one not see that as a little risky?

I understand there are times where there is a need to get up and go

[Cal]

I usualy wait at least half an hour unless it looks like its going to rain or snow or somthing. My first moose dropped on the spot so I though it had been hit in the spine, I walked right up to it intending to shoot it in the neck and kill it. When I was about 15 yards away it stood up, turned to face me, and put its head down!! When I raised my rifle and realized that I still had the power cranked up... that was the scaryest moment I've ever had while hunting. Somehow I managed to shoot it in the neck while running backwards so I didnt get my ass kicked but I sure dont rush things with moose anymore.

I can still remember that scene realy clear, the moose was facing me with his head down and I shot him in the neck from about 15 yards. The bullet came out the side of his neck for some reason and blood was spurting out in big arcs. Eventualy he fell over and I just sat there shaking like a leaf, took me a good long time to go over and field dress him.

[bdub]

I learned a couple good lessons, on a bull moose quite a while ago. Shot him in the head when he was looking straight on from about 50-100 yards away. Moose dropped like a rock. Went up to him, put gun down, start digging camera out of pack. Next thing I know that bugger starts to get up. Lucky I didn't get stomped on. Managed to shoot him again in the head at about one foot. Popped one of his eyes out he was so close. Learned a couple good lessons. Lesson one, head shots bad idea. Lesson two approach downed game with caution from behind and gun ready. Touch the eye with your barrel, then you will know they are dead and don't be in a rush. Watch the chest and see if they are breathing still. If in doubt give them another one.

[Bassett]

I remember my first and only moose Ive shot. It was only a calf so after it went down the mother stood over her young one. Fired a warning shot she ran off. So one of us would gut and the other stand guard. Once it was gutted and loaded she was still only 20 yards off stomping and fake charging. They are definately protective creatures.

[Bear00]

Originally Posted by Bassett

I remember my first and only moose Ive shot. It was only a calf so after it went down the mother stood over her young one. Fired a warning shot she ran off. So one of us would gut and the other stand guard. Once it was gutted and loaded she was still only 20 yards off stomping and fake charging. They are definately protective creatures.

I was hiking and somehow ended up between a cow and her calf, what a scary few minutes that was, she was realllly mad

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by Bassett

I remember my first and only moose Ive shot. It was only a calf so after it went down the mother stood over her young one. Fired a warning shot she ran off. So one of us would gut and the other stand guard. Once it was gutted and loaded she was still only 20 yards off stomping and fake charging. They are definately protective creatures.

i have video of a mama moose that was doing her best to stomp me. we dragged that calf half a mile through the snow to get away from her. it wasnt far enough as she caught up, and i thought she was coming through the radiator. we dragged the calf off again, and decided to load it quick and gut it off the military base. we were pretty late to the check station because of it. i admit to being a little concerned at the time, but looking at it now, its freaking hilarious.

[Sooner]

I shot a small bull a couple yrs ago in Nov. I had my son with me, he was 11 at the time. I hit the bull high and in the spine. We ran up right after he dropped and I put him down. My son asked why and I said in this case I wanted to make sure it didnt suffer longer then it had to. Then I explained normally I would wait, watch and listen. I have been lucky, no moose has gone more then 100 yrds or so into the bush and most times I heard them fall and crash into the bushes. I will wait 15 mins or so when I hear the crash, it allows me to re load and calm down a bit before I slowly walk in. I never poke an eye to see if it's alive, too close if it is. I just watch for chest movement. If it is still breathing when I walk up, one behind the ear, sometimes I put one there just to be 100 % sure.

[killer18]

my motto is, if hes dead now... he will be still dead in 1 HR

[top predator]

I go straight up after a shot for a followup if required. I have seen a few and heard of many animals that were shot and the guys waited only to not find an animal waiting when they got there. The best part is if you do have to shoot again its like having a second tag. Bang again.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by top predator

I go straight up after a shot for a followup if required. I have seen a few and heard of many animals that were shot and the guys waited only to not find an animal waiting when they got there. The best part is if you do have to shoot again its like having a second tag. Bang again.

Realy? Theres about as much joy for me in shooting a mortaly wounded animal as there is in putting down a pet. Hopefully the same is not true for you...

[Lefty-Canuck]

X2....

If it isn't done on the first shot IMHO I did a poor job and need to do better next time.

LC

[Dunezilla]

Back in 1983 when I started hunting I came across a book & the author said "make sure the animal is stone dead"....... so when your 12ft away throw a stone or 2 at it to see if it moves.

Between me & the WT deer or Mule deer there is not much distance to begin with & so if there are deer or other animals still around oh well to bad....but they generally leave.

My average kill is 35 yards, & so when you are looking at them & them at you your pretty much focused only on the animal & what is beside & behind the animal & you do not really think what is behind you.

Do you ever get that feeling like your being watched, or that there is a presence near you? I wonder how many times hunters walked by a bear, a cougar, or some other wild animal?

When I came out of the bush my brother was watching me from a big hill & he asked me if I saw the bear....apparently we walked past each other at 70 yards.

While out duck hunting I felt a presence & I turned around & there was this young coyote looking at my ducks only 1ft away. I said "hey your a better hunter than me so get your own" & he calmly walked away.

In hunting there is a certain amount of risk.

[Littlejet]

Originally Posted by Bear00

I always wait between 15-30 min unless its in a open field where I can watch it as I have gone for the animal to early and its bolted and died farther away

Did you take your alberta hunters education course? It even tells you in there to wait.

That moose was "humped" ,lots of times they will get up and run away. You can hear Don say that to his hunter, best to close the distance incase a follow-up is required. The other moose were just milling around in confusion not at all being protective or agressive, I would have done the same.

[outlaw'd]

Quite a few years back there was an article in the local paper. The pics showed a fellow's back after he got stomped on by a bull when he followed it into the bush immediately after shooting it out on the community pasture. Perfect moose track bruises. If I recall correctly, the only thing that saved his life was his buddy heard the commotion and came to his rescue. Dropped the moose right on top of his buddy. He was very lucky he was only bruised up.