Aladdin A early any moose, Yay me! Story and pics added

[Rainier10]

Agree with D...glad you notched your tag and made some meat.

[Buckblaster]

Sounds like you are going to have some fine tender eating with that one, unlike the old rubber moose I got this year in Wyoming.  Mine tastes great, but even the backstraps are chewwwwy.  Congrats on a tender moose!

[Fishhuntmike]

Congratulations!

Glad you got er done.

[huntnphool]

Congratulations!

Glad you got er done.

+1

[X-Force]

Congrats on Notching your tag. Hope the overall experience was fun.

[92xj]

But stories are so much better told with high blood pressure.

Congrats on seeing and shooting a moose.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Congrats!   Real good accomplishment in life!

[1bugman]

Congrats! I will agree, once you are drawn for a permit and start hunting is when the stress starts! 

[lonedave]

Congrats...good eating.  A smaller rack fits on the wall better anyway!

[X-Force]

But stories are so much better told with high blood pressure.

My brother has 2 or 3 that are epic. You can see him starting to boil just by bringing them up... The best is probably the new guy in camp, last day and 2 true spikes. New guy only came one weekend but he will always be remembered.

[Ripper]

Thanks everyone, I am thrilled with my bull, its my first moose and it is delicious! I will do a euromount with the antlers.

[Buckblaster]

I'm having my moose done in euro this year too. I love the euro's, they're cheaper than a head mount and take up less space, without the dust collecting hair.  Its not just those things that I like about them though, they look cool!!  Good choice.

[NOCK NOCK]

Hey Ripper, congrats on your moose!
I have been following your hunt, and although I don't know the entire story, it sounds kind of like the experience I had. 
I did the research, practiced calling, used cameras for 3 months, scouted for 10 days, hunted all day for 25 days and ended up seeing very very few bulls, finally shooting a small bull. (and to top it off, my bulls meat was extremely tough, most ended up being burger & pepperoni sticks) 

This is a hunt that we have dreamed about for many many years, we have super high expectations of how it should play out and end. We read the stories and see the pictures of others success, thinking this will be us soon.

Unfortunately things do not always work out like we had hoped. Others can not understand the let down after working so hard on a OIL hunt, to end up shooting a small bull. This was our one and only chance at this moose thing, and in the end is was extremely disappointing.  I know how much it sucks!!!
Please don't get me wrong, I am happy with the moose I got  (just wish it was a little bigger) 


Our only saving grace is to continually remind ourselves that we were VERY fortunate to even get the chance to hunt moose in WA state, seeing as how most hunters will never get that opportunity. I made some new friends in the process and had a blast spending time in beautiful country!!

This year I was able to reach out and give advice to 2 others that drew the same permit I did. (both successful with nice bulls)
That made me feel awesome that I was able to help out another hunter to not have the same difficulties that I did.

REMEMBER....YOU SHOT A MOOSE 

Congrats again, NOCK

[Ridgeratt]

I'm having my moose done in euro this year too. I love the euro's, they're cheaper than a head mount and take up less space, without the dust collecting hair.  Its not just those things that I like about them though, they look cool!!  Good choice.

Along with doing the euro you can have the hide tanned hair on and it makes a great wall hanging if you don't have the room for a full shoulder mount.

Be prepared for a bit of sticker shock when they figure up square feet on one.

[Ripper]

Thanks Nock Nock. It was a little bit of a let down shooting a small bull even though I had myself convinced that it was more about meat in the freezer than the size of the horns. I was hoping for my "smaller bull" to be more around 38" than 30".  It's all good though. I just got it back from the butcher and boy is it good. Plus I have a new stand up freezer now! I have already passed on some of the knowledge I gained on this hunt to others with the late tag and I can't wait to read their stories and see their picks. One of these days I'm going back over to hunt deer, grouse and bears There are lots of those around. Turkeys also.