08 raffle moose tag hunt

[TrkyBob53]

I wanted to post something about my moose hunt from last fall.  I don’t know if I should write the whole thing at once or just bits and pieces.  It would be really long if I did it all at once.  So I am going to start with this and wait for some feedback.

It was mid Aug.08, and I get a phone call from WDFW,  telling me that I was one of the two lucky winners for the moose raffle.  I couldn’t believe it.  I thought that somebody was screwing with me.  I called them back, and sure enough,it was true.  I was doing back flips.  Then I started doing my research.  Biologists, friends, and friends  of friends were called.  The outlook was good.  I studied up on sizing a bull and figured out what I wanted.  I told myself I would settle for anything bigger than 36”.  Before I left to hunt, the size went to 50”+ and triple browtines.  A lot of people told me that was a realistic goal..

Middle of Sept.  Pack all my stuff.  My hunting partner Jim was going to go with me.  I wanted this to be a scouting trip more than hunting.  I was prepared to shoot one though.  His 4’X8’ trailer was loaded down with coolers and tubs to put meat in and keep it cool if by chance I did score.  The weather was supposed to be warm.  That was an understatement.  It was just plain hot as I remember. 

I have been hunting the NE corner for somewhere around 20 years.  Having an idea on where I was going to hunt,  we had a plan.  6hr drive, and about 300 miles and we are there.  First morning, we drive up on a mountain to a place we had seen a lot of moose.  Drive into the clearcut, and its all brown.  Not for lack of water,  but the timber co. had sprayed to kill the underbrush so their little trees could grow.  No moose here.  Ive been hosed on this spot.  Drive around the rest of the day, almost dark, saw a cow and a calf.  Day two, Jim myself and a friend named Red went to meet up with a fella name Squirrel.  Wasn’t sure what I was in for.  Archery elk was open so I figured there would be some people in the woods.  Going up the mountain there was a rig stopped in the middle of the road.  They pull off the road and let us by. I started talking about what the chances were that we might meet up with the other raffle winner. They said something like fat chance on that.  Look how many units there are, and how big of an area each unit has.    We get up to where squirrel is camped at.  He and his group were camping and hunting elk.  We say our hellos and small talk and make a plan.  We get in the truck just as the pickup we passed earlier is coming up the road.  Squirrel says lets go and get ahead of those guys.  Didn’t make it.  They stop and get out, walk over to our truck.  They ask if we have been seeing any moose.  Squirrel says no.  One guy says if you do see any to let them know, he points to the other fella and says this is the auction tag holder for moose  Squirrel point over at me and says this is a raffle tag winner for moose.  Seemed like dead silence.  They went there way and we went ours.  The rest of the day was spent driving.  Moose count for day 2 was 1. Spent the next morning back on the mountain. Nothing. Time to go home.  Estimated driving,1000 miles.

[agchawk]

Keep it coming my friend! I can't wait to hear how the rest of the hunt went.

[TrkyBob53]

I am having an issue on sending some pics by themselves.  my jpegs are about 2mb.  dont know how to downsize them

[catwithboost]

E mail them to me I will get them on. briansolomon@comcast.net

[boneaddict]

KEEP IT COMING!

[bucklucky]

Dang it, I wana see pics 

[509er]

 

[catwithboost]

Here you go

[catwithboost]

Those are what he sent me.

[catwithboost]

This is the email he sent me. The # are just the file numbers.
11 is of me loading my stuff.  Three is me starting to study up. Its
stupid I know, but what the heck.  37 is it was just plain hot and I am
in the shade.

[Aneoakleaf]

 :IBCOOL:Enjoying the story! Keep it comming

[Ridgerunner]

yeah more moose stories, its been too long!!!!!!

[boneaddict]

I didn't know there were two raffle tags.  I thought it was just one raffle and one auction tag.   

[lostcat]

OMFG I need more of this story I keep hitting refresh lol, a good story is like crack to me.

[bucklucky]

He must have read Huntnphools story, lets just leave us hangin