Moose Hunt with Canoe

[caddisfly7]

All packed up for a canoe moose hunt on a northern lake. I have been doing some research on what to do if the moose happens to die in the lake. First idea was a come along; however, after a bit of research it sounds like they have blown up on folks in the past (and destroyed fingers while doing so) when handling something as heavy as a moose. I looked into a number of winches but they are quite expensive. Also read that downed game are likely to float and it’s possibly to get them closer to shore.

Any tips, tricks, or equipment ideas for me if I happen to have a moose die in the water? Anyone dealt with this situation before? Am I overthinking?

Thanks!

[sns2]

Bring the come along and be careful. Do your best to shoot it on shore. Good luck. Sounds like a heckuva adventure!

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by caddisfly7

All packed up for a canoe moose hunt on a northern lake. I have been doing some research on what to do if the moose happens to die in the lake. First idea was a come along; however, after a bit of research it sounds like they have blown up on folks in the past (and destroyed fingers while doing so) when handling something as heavy as a moose. I looked into a number of winches but they are quite expensive. Also read that downed game are likely to float and it’s possibly to get them closer to shore.

Any tips, tricks, or equipment ideas for me if I happen to have a moose die in the water? Anyone dealt with this situation before? Am I overthinking?

Thanks!

They float, get a rope on it and pull it in. Usually if you are careful, and you start cutting the closest quarter off, then drag the moose up a little closer and get the next one, you can get the moose on shore without filling you're Dunlops.

[trapperdodge]

Axe and a rope. Spanish windlass.

If they drop in mud it's gonna get messy. Go slow and think about each move to try and save your back. They sink if you gut them.

I got a trapper buddy up in the bush in NW Ontario. Has shot lots of moose out of a kayak. Floats right up to them.

[-JR-]

have you ever shot a moose and tried to roll it over your self or is this your first time

[Dean2]

First off, you probably already know you can't shoot them in the water. If you shoot them on land and they happen to die in the water you have some serious work to get them out.

They will float sometimes, at least for a short while, but it takes a lot of water and they usually hang up before you get them really close to shore. If you can't afford a gas powered winch or a really good quality come along be prepared to work on the moose in waist deep water because once you get to slightly less than waist deep they aren't floating any more. Chest waders are very handy for this kind of work. If you are by yourself, start a fire on shore and stock some extra wood BEFORE you go into the water and start working. Your hands and extremities can get pretty stiff depending on how cold it is and starting the fire once you are already good and cold is a whole bunch tougher.

Easiest way to get the meat is to do a gutless clean. Take the quarters off without opening the cavity. Do one side first, then roll it over. If you are by yourself you will need at least a block and tackle most times to roll it over, even after you have two quarters off the one side. Once you have all four quarters on shore you can open it up to get the liver, heart and tenderloins, or if you just want the tender loins you can zip off the ribs just below the backbone.

I have done this a few times but was always lucky enough that there were at lest two of us to do the work. You will get your meat out of the water as long as you stick to it and don't get discouraged.

[caddisfly7]

Yes I have shot a moose before and there will be two of us. Just planning for a worst case scenario and there was little information I could find online about downed game in water. Since we are hunting around a lake I figured I would pose the question to AO. Thanks for the tips

[270person]

Take a small portable compressor with you. If you drop one in the lake shove the hose up his arse and inflate until he resembles a Volkswagon Beetle. Climb on his back and paddle him to shore.

Electric boat motor is also a propulsion option but it'd be tough securing a battery to a round, air filled moose I bet.

Helium could be an option also. Just make sure to get a sturdy rope around his neck before inflating. Be the first to fly a moose kite.

[Albertadiver]

You should most certainly read this thread as well.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=106120

Have fun!

[58thecat]

Get it close to shore, hip waders on, take quarters off as they are exposed to you for easy access......check out gutless method....just do it in the water....once you got it quartered out, back strap off, head off if needed you can drag the rest on shore.....remember your in a canoe not a freight liner so you space is limited.

[smokeeter]

Moose will usually float if they haven't been opened up. Tie off the nose and if possible keep the head out of water. We've floated a number of moose back to camp and it was encouraged to try to shoot them when they were in or near the water ( and yes you can shoot them standing in water but not swimming).
We usually connected our two canoes catamaran style and kept the head out of the water and proceeded to floatem back the 5 km by water, but we have also towed them behind a single canoe with a little more effort.
We really didn't have atv access where we were hunting so this was the easiest least obtrusive means possible.
You will need some depth to the water because there is about 2/3 of the animal below the surface.

[HVA7mm]

Originally Posted by caddisfly7

All packed up for a canoe moose hunt on a northern lake. I have been doing some research on what to do if the moose happens to die in the lake. First idea was a come along; however, after a bit of research it sounds like they have blown up on folks in the past (and destroyed fingers while doing so) when handling something as heavy as a moose. I looked into a number of winches but they are quite expensive. Also read that downed game are likely to float and it’s possibly to get them closer to shore.

Any tips, tricks, or equipment ideas for me if I happen to have a moose die in the water? Anyone dealt with this situation before? Am I overthinking?

Thanks!

If you're worried about the durability/safety of a come-along, you could maybe rig up a boat winch with a clevis on it to tie off to a tree/anchor. Not too expensive and pretty safe to operate.

[Little fish 89]

I’d pack a come-along and just be careful. Moose in the water are a handful but that’s part of the adventure! Enjoy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dylan hunter]

Pack a 1 ton come along, I've used come alongs from half ton to 15 ton at work daily they do not blow up on you, the handle is designed to fail before the chain will it's a safety system! Now maybe if you've stretched the chain in improper use or heated the chain to make it week then yes that's when they will blow up on you...

[35 whelen]

Just do the gutless method so much simpler you're done bing bang 2 hours 2 and 1/2 hours all your meat is in game bags ready to transport, done two or three moose in the water it's a pain but it's not that Hard. Make sure you have chest waders

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[kevpack]

Originally Posted by Dean2

First off, you probably already know you can't shoot them in the water. If you shoot them on land and they happen to die in the water you have some serious work to get them out.

They will float sometimes, at least for a short while, but it takes a lot of water and they usually hang up before you get them really close to shore. If you can't afford a gas powered winch or a really good quality come along be prepared to work on the moose in waist deep water because once you get to slightly less than waist deep they aren't floating any more. Chest waders are very handy for this kind of work. If you are by yourself, start a fire on shore and stock some extra wood BEFORE you go into the water and start working. Your hands and extremities can get pretty stiff depending on how cold it is and starting the fire once you are already good and cold is a whole bunch tougher.

Easiest way to get the meat is to do a gutless clean. Take the quarters off without opening the cavity. Do one side first, then roll it over. If you are by yourself you will need at least a block and tackle most times to roll it over, even after you have two quarters off the one side. Once you have all four quarters on shore you can open it up to get the liver, heart and tenderloins, or if you just want the tender loins you can zip off the ribs just below the backbone.

I have done this a few times but was always lucky enough that there were at lest two of us to do the work. You will get your meat out of the water as long as you stick to it and don't get discouraged.

Are you referring to the fact that it is unlawful to shoot big game while it is swimming?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by kevpack

Are you referring to the fact that it is unlawful to shoot big game while it is swimming?

Yes, I probably should have been clearer. Standing in water, swa.p or creek no problem. Actually swimming then no. Let us know how the hunt goes and post some pictures. Best of luck, sounds like a fun trip.

[coolpool]

I've been involved in many a canoe moose hunt. We carry chest waders(going to need them) and two of those crappy tire come-alongs with lots of un-stretchable rope. I've never had one of those rigs fail on me. They will get bird nested and the cables frayed but that's when you replace them like any other tool. As someone said before, they float ok but will stick to the bottom well before you reach shore. It has taken us upwards of 2 hours to extract them from a creek before. It's the best way to hunt them IMO; and good luck and hopefully the jet boats will stay away form you!

[starvin]

Shoot him on shore. Have good chest waders, you’ll wear them morning to night. Keeps your ass dry. Just finished a solo float hunt and had my bull carved up and 6 miles out in about 5 hours. Use enough gun that a high shoulder shot will drop him, they usually let you pretty close.

[caddisfly7]

I should have specified that I was bow hunting and that I have heard that moose will head to water sometimes when fatally wounded. Anyways, the trip was fun! 6 days in a tent in the backcountry. Was around bulls every evening; however, we ran out of light a couple of nights with bulls coming in to our calls and had swirling winds busting us another couple of nights. We learned lots and hope to try the hunt again in a couple years! Thanks everyone.

[Bigjohn87]

Originally Posted by starvin

Shoot him on shore. Have good chest waders, you’ll wear them morning to night. Keeps your ass dry. Just finished a solo float hunt and had my bull carved up and 6 miles out in about 5 hours. Use enough gun that a high shoulder shot will drop him, they usually let you pretty close.

You have a write up for that moose hunt?

[LOWA]

I certainly no expert on canoes; however, I think one of the biggest problems with going solo in a tandem canoe is being able to balance the canoe and being in a position to best use what strokes you can use.