Gotter' Done!!
Thanks to many members of this site, my son, Mitchell, and my good buddy, Dennis, i was able
to fill my 49 Degrees North antlerless moose tag.
We definately put on a few quite a few miles by pickup and by foot, but what a great experience!
The first trip to Chewelah, i spent 6 days and hunted Winchester Cr, Tacoma Cr, Ruby Cr, and Rustlers
Gulch on the south end of the unit.
My friend, Larry called in a pretty nice bull one evening, and boy, did he come in! He was breaking what sounded
like small trees and branches and also calling the whole way in. Sounded like a freight train coming through the woods!
That was pretty intense and exciting, but did me little good since i had an antlerless tag. Was still well worth it though.
Saw just the one bull during my first trip, but could hear cows. Just couldn't get them out of the brush.
Went back home for a few days to recharge!
Went back to Chewelah on the 9th of October, and hunted Saturday morning for half the day, where it poured rain
and we got thoroughly soaked. It rained the rest of the day and finally stopped during the evening. Sunday morning was
quite a bit cooler and clear (perfect). We headed to an area we had not yet hunted, but got a tip that moose were around.
(thank you huntsonofgun). We arrived at the spot and put our packs on and barely started up the logging road, (maybe 50 yds)
when Mitchell, my son says, "hey dad, there's a moose!!" "it's a cow"
My heart went from zero to 60mph instantly! "are you sure it's a cow" i said. He said "yes, shoot it"(BTW, i did confirm it was a cow)
I shot it at 187 yards, through the lungs, but it gave no sign it was hit. I shot a second time, just over it's back , i believe.
I shot a third time and broke it's back, and it went straight down! It dropped out of sight though, because it was surrounded by trees
which were probably 4 or 5 years old, i'm guessing?
we moved a bit along the road to try another view, and saw another moose. Also a cow. Then i said to my son, "There's no way that moose got
up? After a few minutes, that moose walked into the big timber, unharmed. Then i knew for sure, it wasn't the one i shot. (sure had me nervous though!)
I stayed where i had shot from while my son hiked down below the road (yes, below, OOPS!!)(could have been worse).
He looked around for what seemed like a half hour, but really about 5 minutes, and finally hollered "Meat Down!!! I was on cloud 9.
I went down the road to pick up my buddy, Dennis and he, my son and i gutted and skinned this big cow. It took all of us too!
Thank god for my son, who packed every ounce of this moose up hill to the truck. (6 trips, i believe.) I might still be there, if not for him!
I also want to thank my buddy, Dennis and all of my new friends on this site, for the great tips and advice!
Elkslayer, Huntsonofgun, Cascade, Threewolves, Snakeriver, Tluns, & Allen, from Southwest washington.
Thank you all, for being kind enough, to help me out! Something i will never forget! RD Mercer.
wiil add some pics soon. Thanks again.
