Bull Moose roar!

[Iceberg]

Hi all, long time reader, first time poster.

This past weekend I was hunting in WMU 530, bull moose tag. We had called for a few hours in a small clearing the first night, no replies. The following morning I was sneaking out to call again, overlooking a small willow type swamp, and I had to cross through some thicker timber to get there. It was just after light and I was standing at the edge of the timber getting ready to move into it, just listening for movement/moose noises. suddenly about 30 yards in front of me, very loud, very intimadating roaring started, along with excessive and loud breaking of large sticks, branches, and trees. I stumbled backward to find some cover, flipped my safety off and got ready for whatever was barreling toward me. Then it stopped and I heard a few very audible bull grunts, and realized it was a bull moose. Never got a look at him and only heard him once more a few days later.

I've heard bulls make a coughing sound and grunt, but never heard one roar like that morning! Safe to say I almost needed new hunting pants. It was almost like a bear roaring, been hunting for 15 years and have never heard that.

Anyone else ever have a similar experience?

[steve]

In that scenario. The roar is a sign you were busted. Just like a WT doe snorting and stomping her feet. Its a alarm.

I've heard some mighty strange noises come out of both cows and bulls over the years. I hunted with a Yukon guide once that used a sound that could be described as a roar to really agitate bulls that were slow to come in. Not sure if that was the sound you heard or not but I know I sure learned a lot from him on that trip.

[bowtech3006]

Originally Posted by steve

In that scenario. The roar is a sign you were busted. Just like a WT doe snorting and stomping her feet. Its a alarm.

X2

[Stinky Buffalo]

Heard that sound from a moose that was being harassed by wolves. Very interesting, hard to describe... In your situation, I would have needed some fresh undies for sure!

[depopulator]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Heard that sound from a moose that was being harassed by wolves. Very interesting, hard to describe... In your situation, I would have needed some fresh undies for sure!

I've heard and seen a cow moose on a couple occasions making the roar when being harrassed by two bulls. And yeah, it has got to be one of the scariest sound out there if you don't know what it is.

[lmak]

Originally Posted by depopulator

I've heard and seen a cow moose on a couple occasions making the roar when being harrassed by two bulls. And yeah, it has got to be one of the scariest sound out there if you don't know what it is.

A few years back I got caught between a cow and a calf. Cow ran behind a willow 20 yards in front of me and gave the loudest roar I've ever heard. Sounded like the moose turned into a bear.

[Moosetalker]

Originally Posted by steve

In that scenario. The roar is a sign you were busted. Just like a WT doe snorting and stomping her feet. Its a alarm.

Yup busted.
Cows do it allso had one do it about 10 feet above my head as I was sneaking along a cutbank thick brush up top never saw her as I was trying to close in on a calf that was 75 yds in front about lifted me out of my pants then the other cows started doing the same must have been a dozen moose all told at least it sounded like it

[livefortherut]

I have heard that noise from a bull moose. When I heard it I looked where the noise had come from and saw a little bull moose run out of the bush and right behind him a big bull with his head down chasing the little guy off. The big bull had a cow with him.

[Pioneer2]

A few years ago I had one in close in the dark at about 30 yards and he sounded like a rottie puking up a wool sock!A glutteral growl and cough.He carried on for an hour as the sun rose and as he wandered away you could still he him calling in the distance.No bull tag of course.Made the little hairs stand up on your neck as I'm not sure the FNWL would have went for self defense...........Harold

[32-40win]

I haven't quite figured out if that is a "hey honey, I am right here!!" or a "I own this turf" call. Heard it quite a few times, usually last wk Sept, 1st/2nd wk Oct., seems to be something related to the rut. I have cow called to them , no immediate response other than circling me. I have grunted at them, and had them shut down on that, and also create a racket busting stuff up. And they always seem to be in heavy cover when they do it.

[Iceberg]

Yeah no doubt I was busted. He shut right up and didn't run off but did a big circle I believe. Tried to figure out why this odd smelling alien had walked right into his wheelhouse sounding like a cow moose.
Good experience and a good thing to know if I hear it again!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Iceberg

suddenly about 30 yards in front of me, very loud, very intimadating roaring started,

Anyone else ever have a similar experience?

I did, but it was a cow Moose.

The best I could describe it, it sounded rather like an African Lion.
I'm not sure what it was about. I know she was spooked, but it sounded more angry the scared. And two other Moose a considerable distance away started roaring after she did.

It all lasted only a couple of minutes but it left me weak in the knees.

[Mxyzptik]

My daughter and I were sitting in a ground blind and had a huge cow just screaming at us for over 1/2 hour. She came out across the field saw us and came straight for us. Paced back and forth just bellowing at us. After dark she escorted us down the bush line to the jeep.

My buddy who lives nearby said that moose chased the neighbour kids several times while they were waiting for the school bus.

[wylecoyote]

I have heard this sound once. I was way back in some cutblocks just norh Cynthia, I was using a deer bleat can and just at dusk from some thick spruce trees came this huge roar. Seeing as I didn't have a tag for Tyranasaurus Rex I very quickly backed out and called it a night.

[SHORTMAG]

Originally Posted by Iceberg

Hi all, long time reader, first time poster.

This past weekend I was hunting in WMU 530, bull moose tag. We had called for a few hours in a small clearing the first night, no replies. The following morning I was sneaking out to call again, overlooking a small willow type swamp, and I had to cross through some thicker timber to get there. It was just after light and I was standing at the edge of the timber getting ready to move into it, just listening for movement/moose noises. suddenly about 30 yards in front of me, very loud, very intimadating roaring started, along with excessive and loud breaking of large sticks, branches, and trees. I stumbled backward to find some cover, flipped my safety off and got ready for whatever was barreling toward me. Then it stopped and I heard a few very audible bull grunts, and realized it was a bull moose. Never got a look at him and only heard him once more a few days later.

I've heard bulls make a coughing sound and grunt, but never heard one roar like that morning! Safe to say I almost needed new hunting pants. It was almost like a bear roaring, been hunting for 15 years and have never heard that.

Anyone else ever have a similar experience?

I remember reading a story once about a moose charging and kinda roaring.
coincidince.....I purposely overheard a couple of guys talking and they said that when a bull roars..he's very piZZed and in the process of making a charge!!

as I heard their scenario..

... these guys had a caller set up on one side of a little clearing at the edge of a large bog.
Hunter A was using a bow...his partner was sitting on a pack stool with the electronic caller beside him. Hunter A was 30 yds away in front of the caller. They had 2 responses from 2 bulls...one in front of hunter A....the other one was kinda far off behind the caller. Not paying too much attention to the moose behind the caller, they were concentrating on hunter A getting his in range. When that moose was 50 yds out...the other bull behind the caller had gotten to within 10 yds or so UNNOTICED...nuthin cracking and no grunting...all of a sudden, he started to grunt like crazy

...after 15 or 20 seconds of that he let out a roar and charged the caller. The caller jumped out of his stool and stumbled over some rocks and fell down beside it. The moose almost railroaded him over !!! Freaked the livin chit outta him and in the meantime startled the crap outta hunter A ....annnnd to add insult to the fright, scared the intended target moose! No shot was taken in all this fracas, and the callers stool got knocked over by the moose...he passed by within a few feet..steam out of his nostrils!!
He said the roar sounded more like a RED STAG bellowing !! First time ever for these long time moose hunters.

that's all I know about the mooses roar.

[AxeMan]

I have heard the lion roar many times from a moose but it was always a cow. I have never personally witnessed a bull do it.

[H380]

Originally Posted by AxeMan

I have heard the lion roar many times from a moose but it was always a cow. I have never personally witnessed a bull do it.

Only heard it from a bull moose myself .. and in the dark at 20 yds. on the way into my stand it does indeed cause a laundry problem .

[Traps]

I've heard it from cows when I got to close, pretty wicked sound

[elnino54]

For sure a half dozen times and all from cows for me. First time it scared the crap out of me. It was so loud it felt like my lungs were vibrating inside my chest.....only other thing close to that loud was Grizzly woof........again scared the crap out of me.

[dboard3]

Originally Posted by Iceberg

Hi all, long time reader, first time poster.

This past weekend I was hunting in WMU 530, bull moose tag. We had called for a few hours in a small clearing the first night, no replies. The following morning I was sneaking out to call again, overlooking a small willow type swamp, and I had to cross through some thicker timber to get there. It was just after light and I was standing at the edge of the timber getting ready to move into it, just listening for movement/moose noises. suddenly about 30 yards in front of me, very loud, very intimadating roaring started, along with excessive and loud breaking of large sticks, branches, and trees. I stumbled backward to find some cover, flipped my safety off and got ready for whatever was barreling toward me. Then it stopped and I heard a few very audible bull grunts, and realized it was a bull moose. Never got a look at him and only heard him once more a few days later.

I've heard bulls make a coughing sound and grunt, but never heard one roar like that morning! Safe to say I almost needed new hunting pants. It was almost like a bear roaring, been hunting for 15 years and have never heard that.

Anyone else ever have a similar experience?

Iceberg: I have just returned form bow moose hunting in Ontario where I had a similar experience. After an initial call I had three bulls reply: One regular grunt (passive and in front),one agressive grunting (coming fast from left, crashing trees and splashing through water) and the roarer (behind and to right). The one from left appeared to be mid-40's (inches) and came in straight at me to nine yards before stopping - no clear shot, and front on. When it stopped the roarer seemed to get annoyed and after one of it's minor routine roars it let out a roar like nothing I have ever heard. Just tremendous and maybe 5 to 7 seconds long. This was my 18th moose hunt and I have never heard anything like that roar moose hunting or anywhere else. I figure he was 50 to 75 yards away.

The moose in front of me actually flinched, turned (literally on-a-dime) and started leaving the way it came, without providing a shot, head somewhat down. At this time I heard something large stampeding towards me from behind. Turning, and expecting for a split second to have to shoot (cross bow) in self-defense, I saw a large cow and calf round the corner at 15 yards. Fortunately, the cow saw me turned and reversed course, at which time I returned to the bull. He was 30 yards out, pretty much ass to me - no shot. I managed to stop him with a cow whine but he only looked back briefly and resumed leaving, sorry but you are not worth it. And then it was over!

For the next hour I heard the roarer (minor roar) every 15 minutes or so and then very carefully exited. I will never forget that roar. Truely amazing.

I was later told by members of the group that a few years prior one of their hunting party had a moose roar and trash branches at him, in the dark, at 20 yards. He left the woods, pale-white and speechless. He did not return for the hunt again.

Respect the Moose! Good Luck. dboard3