Moose Rut is starting good

[boneaddict]

Called in two bulls while elk hunting, and found  a couple rut pits.  They are pretty nocturnal only out in the early hours and very late hours.  That might improve if the temps cool which seems they have

[PA BEN]

Where were you at?

[boneaddict]

North Idaho, Cour de lene River.

[Intruder]

Saw an absolute monster on Thursday in the CDAs.  I too have been seeing some of the pits they dig, etc.

[Sagedawg]

What is a rut pit you guys are talking about? Is it like an elk wallow but bigger . I dont know if Ive ever seen one or not.


  Sage

[Sagedawg]

 So I asked a few buddies about a rut pit and all have said they havent seen one. Now I really need to know about them.

  Sage

[boneaddict]

Have you seen an elks?

[Sagedawg]

Yeah Ive seen elk wallows is the same kind of thing?

[boneaddict]

I have a couple pictures on here of one....not sure where.  Maybe photo safari or something like that.   Anyway they look very similiar to elk, and where I was at in Idaho, I was seeing both.  Moose has a distinct odor, and so do elk.   All you tag holders will know as you approach your bull because he has spent the last couple weeks pissing all over himself.  They like to have their bell nice and pissy.  Love watching the videos of guys running up and stroking the bell.  I wonder if they wash beofre the start handling your meat.  By the way, a moose bladder is about the size of a soccerball and constantly full of piss, so bare that in mind if you try to gut them.  Thats alot of meat spoilage.

Here is an elk pit.  Its simimiar.  Don't confuse this with a wallow.  There are mud wallows and there are pits.  They start digging a hole and piss in it and wallow in it, stab the ground, dig dig and dig, then roll around in it, and piss some more.   Bare in mindthat a nice moose rut pit is about the size of a volkswagen bug.

[boneaddict]

This isn't exactly what they look like because this was more of a bull pissed off at a tree, but you get the idea withthe digging.  A moose pit can be fairly small to begin with and rather large when done.   I saw one driving down the road last year.  It was about the size of a muledeer bed.   I stopped and called and had a moose parked on my ass within mere seconds.   Its in that photo safari thread in photography I believe.

[boneaddict]

I'll see if I can get a good picture of one for you guys this week.   Its not a hard thing to know when you see it, you will know.  First thought that comes to mind is Grizzly bear or something else distructive like a d-8 cat.  Then you'll know what moose smell like.

[Sagedawg]

Thanks Bone..looking forward to the pictures.


  Sage

[Intruder]

Generally they look like someone took a rototiller to an area and then once the dirt is good and loose they started slinging it all over the place.  Often times it wreaks of piss.... moose piss is horrid smelling.  There will be bushes and things all thrashed up nearby.  I've seen moose pits that are literally 4-5' wide and 6-7' long with dirt flung up in the bushes 8'.