Rookie moose hunter fills tag on opening morning (c/w pics)

BigRackLover · #1 11-01-2008, 10:54 PM

Well I didn't do the shooting, but I played a large part and get to write the story. Here it goes.

It was back in late June when I recommended to Fatbuck (fellow co-worker and forum member) to apply for a bull moose draw. Turns out he got it and was willing to let me come along since he had never hunter moose before and it is nothing something you should start on your own. Myself, I have hunted moose for 15 years. Summer passes and chit chat in the office picks up about our hunting plans and along comes November 1. We are set. We've done our research, got our maps (thanks to certain fellow forum member), got our gear ready and are into the hunting area 30 minutes before legal light. We walked a few kilometers into our planned destination, not seeing anything except another hunter. We wave at him so he's see us and vice versa and slowly walk up to talk. We decide to back out and back track in order not to mess up his hunt. A few hours later after walking the sides of a slough/pond we get back on the trail and end up 1 km south of the hunter we had talked to earlier, but no sight of him now. We progress southerly but Fatbuck looks behind us and spots a bull moose running south down the trail towards us about 300 yards away. Fatbuck gets into position and shoulders his gun while I do a little cow calling hoping to get bull moose in a little closer and standing still for a good shot. Bull moose picks up on our movement and stops. Comes closer. Stops. Comes closer. Turns around trots North stops at the crest of hill and gives Fatbuck the rear-end shot. It was like he was mooning us. Fatbuck waits for the bull moose to turn, but it does not happen and off he goes further North until his head sinks out of sight like Mike Myers walking behind a couch in Wayne’s World. We bolt up the trail to see what happened to the moose, meet up with the hunter from the AM and chit chat about the 4 moose he's seen (cow, calf, bull, bull). While we chatted another hunter pops out of the bush and quickly makes sees us. The new hunter is not on the trail long before he turns and re-enters the bush and Fatbuck and I decide that will let him do the pushing and we'll just wait to the South. I remembered seeing many North/South game trails crossing our path with runs East/West a little ways away, so I figured that would be as good a spot as any to sit and wait. We hiked back to the game trail crossings and set up a sit. I'm looking over aerial photographs and my GPS map trying to determine if we should move to another game trail I noted and Fatbuck is sitting patiently trusting that I know what I heck I'm doing. The all of a sudden the morning silence was broken, we heard a big twig/branch snap. Just like toast popping up out of a toaster, our heads we up and ears peeled towards the direction of the break. We could hear something coming, but what? We only have the bull moose tag. A few more twigs break and leaves crunch and then we see it … … it’s black & rack. We both think right on and move down the trail to intercept him. He keeps coming without knowing we are around. Finally he spots us when he’s about 5 yards off the trail we are trying to intercept him on. He waits a little bit but then I can only assume he thinks to himself that he’s committed and can make it by us. Fatbuck has the gun shouldered already as the bull moose comes charging out of the bush onto the trail only 15 yards away and the 30-06 goes off. I could not tell if Fatbuck had hit him or not, it was a lighting fast event and was sure I could not do a shot like that. We both run up the trail to see what happened, see fresh distinguishing tracks and some blood and the moose down for the count breathing his final breaths only 55 yards away where the bullet first hit its lungs. He expired quickly and we hooted, hollered, hugged and high fived for our opening day moose. The moose died right on the trail (go figure … beginners luck I guess), but it wasn’t all that easy as we were 2.5 kilometers from the next motorized vehicle. For me, this opening day was a sure sense of accomplishment being 'the guide' for the first time and actually picking the correct escape route for once. I was just as excited as when I shot my first big game animal (well maybe not that much but very close). For Fatbuck, well he'll have to fill you in. Good shootin' Fatbuck, I could not have done it myself.

A good spot to lie down for the last time:

Here are the first timers:

An entire moose ready to go, 1 trip:

Duk Dog · #2 11-01-2008, 11:00 PM

Nice bull, congrats.

Donny Bear · #3 11-01-2008, 11:17 PM

Well Done !!!

Alberta Bigbore · #4 11-02-2008, 12:04 AM

Congrats guys!!!!!!!!!!! nice to see he got the bull!!! He sure is a dandy!!!!

.

thumper · #5 11-02-2008, 12:08 AM

A beauty moose - and right on the trail too! bonus

Every moose kill I've been in on (about 8 so far) have run into the nastiest cover around before tipping over

Rocks · #6 11-02-2008, 01:08 AM

Good job guys, very nice moose!

spiceboy · #7 11-02-2008, 01:40 AM

good job boyz! hope you didnt have to hike out too far

Cowboy Al · #8 11-02-2008, 07:05 AM

Congrats! Thanks for the pics and the story.

Albertabowhunter · #9 11-02-2008, 08:25 AM

Congratulations on a great moose!

Walleyes · #10 11-02-2008, 08:53 AM

Heck of a story and great pics BRL congrats to your friend on an awesome bull..

Thx for sharing the experience and the pics.

hayseed · #11 11-02-2008, 09:26 AM

Congrats fellas, nice bull, and story. Man those game carts are handy eh??

FatBuck · #12 11-02-2008, 10:03 AM

BigRackLover, you told the story perfectly.

I had a great hunt. I don't think it could have gone much better. I really appreciate all the help BigRackLover! I'm sure I was spoiled getting my first moose 3 hours and 45 mins into the hunt, not to mention he walked out 15 yards in front of me and after the shot he only ran 55 yards and laid down right on the trail and expired quickly! I will remember this hunt for a long time. If it wasn't for the help of BigRackLover, my father, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and a fellow member on this forum that gave us lots of advice, and all the other members that gave us other hints and advice the hunt wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

BigRackLover told me to apply for the tag for the WMU, helped do research, and so much more

My father, brother-in-law and sister-in-law came out and helped pack everything out (2.5 km)

I can't wait to do it again!

RADAKALS · #13 11-02-2008, 10:10 AM

That's a very fine moose for a first time hunter. Great story and interesting read. Glad to see you had a great opening day as we did. Hope your season continues to be great as well....

FatBuck · #14 11-02-2008, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRackLover

Fatbuck has the gun shouldered already as the bull moose comes charging out of the bush onto the trail only 15 yards away and the 30-06 goes off. I could not tell if Fatbuck had hit him or not, it was a lighting fast event and was sure I could not do a shot like that.

It did all happen very quickly. I guess it must be all those years shooting the air rifle I had when I was a kid that helps me line up the shot quickly. I must have shot that air rifle fifty thousand times as a teenager.

FatBuck · #15 11-02-2008, 12:57 PM

Here is a pic of the meat

Alberta Bigbore · #16 11-02-2008, 02:05 PM

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Moooooooooooooooooose!!!

Stinky Buffalo · #17 11-12-2008, 04:03 PM

Way to go, FatBuck! Woo hoo! Congrats on a fine moose.

What game cart did you end up getting?

Stinky B.