49 Degree North Moose 08 (huntnphool)

[Wea300mag]

I would really like to see a video of the whole gang being chased by a moose. I can picture it and still can't stop laughing

[huntnphool]

The second day found us packing up and going to one of Outfitters cabins, a very nice log cabin with a loft and decorated to the nines, I'm thinking Jody had a hand in this You wont find too many cabins with whitetail racks in the 170's that are too small to mount, but this one does Outfitter gets some real pigs out there, a 197 whitie last year

Before we headed out Oufitter came rolling in with his client, they had dropped a nice bull that morning, pic below.

We hunted hard and poor Pope was calling his ars off but the 70+ degrees had them shut up early so we sat at camp until 3:00 or so before going back up to the "Brokeback Bull" area. Unfortunately there was no repeat performance that evening and the day ended pretty uneventfully.

[bowsandhose]

sounds like some great memories. great post keep-em coming

[popeshawnpaul]

Ok, finally got a few pictures worked on.  I'll let Huntinphool tell the stories and I'll just narrate the pictures somewhat...

Opening morning, and Rob isn't at the hunting area.  M-ray and I decide we are going to go find moose.  Here is the first one we saw that morning.  There were 4 in all.  A couple grunts and 3 or 4 moose materialized from the spot.  The big one I never saw...but the body was substantially larger thant he body on this bull.


I give another couple calls and this little tike comes out. 


On the way out of the moose area the first morning, I spotted a hawk circling my truck.  M-ray probably thought I was crazy but I stopped and snapped a few pictures.


Back at Outfitter's house that day, we met up with Huntinphool.  Outfitter/Joe broke out their snakes.  I'm not real fond of snakes but took one for the team and took out the macro lens for some close ups...  Those snakes are sort of friendly when they aren't trying to kill and eat Joe's dogs...

[bowsandhose]

sweet pics

[jackelope]

so far so good.

[popeshawnpaul]

So here is my version of the moose story.  First evening, we go out to a landing and I call some.  No response.  We head a few miles around to the top of the area we were just at accross a canyon.  It is just about dark and I call again.  This time we hear a WAAAAAAAAAAA from way accross the canyon on a distant ridge near where we just were.  I turn to the guys and tell them that's cool we got to hear a moose today.  Just for kicks, I let out a long cow estrus call.  We hear sticks breaking and trees parting as this bull heads down that ridge into the canyon bottom.  I let out another grunt.  WAAAAAAA  I tell the guys that's cool, the bull is fired up but he will never come 500+ elevation gain up a steep thick hillside to us.  WAAAAAAAA  Oh crap, the bull is 100 yards below and breaking everything in its path trying to get to us.  I tell the guys that's cool, but the wind is blowing straight at him so he will never come out and we won't get to see him.  WAAAAAAAAA  Now i'm peeing my pants because he's 20 yards below us, obviously smelling us but not caring much.  M-ray heads toward the truck up the road about a 1/4 mile with Huntinphool's daughter and Huntinphool nocks an arrow.  I go up the road trying to draw the bull out on the road.  WAAAAAAAAA  He pops out on the road broadside from Huntinphool at about 20 yards.  The bull looks at Huntinphool and his brother W300, looks at me, and decides I'm the one that needs to die.  At first he was walking at me.  A moose walks fast with long legs so I start running, snapping photos over my head and hoping the focus would catch the bull.  I didn't have the autofocus on as I hit the button as I turned to run.  All I got was this blurry photo of a moose tracking me down:


Well I look over my shoulder and the moose stops.  I snap a few pictures:


Just for fun I decide to grunt at him.  Bad idea.  Here he comes trotting at me now:


I'm about 40 yards from the truck and M-ray is yelling at me to hit the unlock button on my truck.  I yelled back at him to throw Huntinphool's 10 year old daughter in my truck.  They left the door open for me and I managed to snap this photo of the bull coming at me.  Notice Huntinphool and W70 in the background?  Why they were following this bull I don't know.  Crazy.


I jumped in my truck and grabbed my handgun.  The bull is in front of my hood and is pissed.  He turned and walked into the bushes about 20 yards away.  We all got out and BS'ed about what just happened.  All the while the moose is right there grunting at us and pissed.  We decide to call it a night.

[Ridgerunner]

The story is so much better in person, man that is one for future campfires.......

[huntnphool]

The next morning we hiked all over but again the thick cover and lack of vocalization made it hard to find the bulls. Back at camp we made lunch and tried to rest our feet. Shawn, Mark and Kaylan are standing around the back of the truck when Shawn spots some turkeys making their way up the road. Shawn says to Kaylan in a whisper "dont move a muscle" Kaylan freezes and says "okay" then slowly turns her head to look at the turkeys. Shawn says "not even your head"

He walks over to grab his bow and thinks, ah to hell with this, and goes and grabs his .218 tack driver. Off he goes sneaking down the road while Waid takes his elk reed and starts turkey clucking, I have no idea how he does that

The turkeys got away unscathed thanks to a chipmunk that Shawn REALLY wanted to shut up

[huntnphool]

A couple more of Shawn

[Sagedawg]

Man that whole story sounds like good times and memories made. I bet the whole moose chase was a riot..........


  Sage

[huntnphool]

Man that whole story sounds like good times and memories made. I bet the whole moose chase was a riot..........

  What the pic doesnt show is Waid and I laughing our asses off as we followed down the road watching. I suppose it would have been a bit different had the bull turned and came at us, all we had was my bow and Idaho to run towards.

[X-Force]

Sounds like you all are having a ball. Don't have to much fun while the rest of us are prepping for deer season, dealing with work, or getting stuck in a school room.

[Rufous]

What a great read so far. I can hardly wait for the rest of the story. Keep it coming, Brian.

[shanevg]

I laugh out loud every time I read about that bull chasing you to the car!  Those pictures are priceless!