After receiving notice that I was fortunate enough to draw a late season bull tag this year almost every weekend since has been spent hiking, biking and driving getting know roads and habitat for the upcoming season. From the sign noted in my travels and on line research I have narrowed my focus to areas with tall timber that have bordering sections where the timber was harvested not long ago creating a grocery store of young growth for the animals. Two weekends ago my scouting and recommendations from on line research appeared to pay off when I found two bulls and two cows grazing in the area that I thought showed the most promise of all. Juiced by that experience I put some boot miles in this past weekend through 6" of snow to check on two other areas I have viewed as very promising. Unfortunately last weekend the moose did not view those areas as attractive as I have because on both outings I did not spot a moose and only crossed two sets of their tracks in each area. In the matter of one weeks time my mindset went from hero to zero as far as cracking the code of where to find moose. With only a few days remaining before the season kicks off I am pretty much committed to following the grocery store plan for the first week of the season anyhow. I will keep you all posted on how it works out and hope that the outcome is as great as the journey has been to date.
Having filled my tag now the biggest lesson I learned concerning strategy is be to flexible and ready to adapt to conditions regardless of what was working for you during scouting. I did not anticipate 4 nights of full moons and day time highs in the 50 degree range at the start of the late hunt. The moon I could have researched well in advance but the temperatures not so much. In hindsight, during the first week of the season, with a small window of opportunity to see bulls at first light I either spent too much time stalking bulls that were not shooters or glassing areas that had no animals. If I had a redo for week one I would have been covering more ground at a faster pace pay more attention to the rising sun and temperatures. Remember - it all works out in the end, if it has not worked out its not the end.
