Bull moose...luck or ???

[NOCK NOCK]

Been seeing a trend over the years.

Every season quite a few folks kill decent to great bulls with what seems like with ease, while others struggle to even see moose, let alone a good bull.
Most are doing the same tactics, driving for miles on end, hiking as much as their age/ability allows, calling, etc.

So why? Is it luck? Do we just hear about the success's, and not so much the failures?

I know when I had the permit it was tough even seeing a cow in the Kettle Range. I did kill a bull, smaller than my goal of an average sized one. Never saw a good bull in 12 days scouting, 5 cams hung, hunted for 16 days, drove several thousand miles on FS roads, hiked a chit ton, called many times with only 1 response, a dink, and saw very few critters.

[HillHound]

There is definitely no shoe in unit anymore. My son got a good one opening day. I did spend almost two weeks(long weekends) scouting starting in August. Then we were in camp a week early. Spotted his bull 4 days before season and couldn’t find him again. Saw smaller bulls and called a small one in opening morning and then mostly dumb luck we ran into our target bull, but intel from scouting did put us in the right area. So your answer is both. I met a cow tag holder this weekend. He didn’t start hunting his two month tag till the last three weekends of the season. Yep only gave it 6 days so good luck to him, but without scouting and utilizing the season it will be all luck if they get one down.
Advice for tag holders… use all your vacation time available and spend all your time in the unit. Skip your normal passions, Hawaii family vaca, archery elk, bears, mule deer, etc there will be more years to hunt those and Sit on beaches. Only 1 to hunt moose. Network on every site you can find for people willing to pass on sightings. Learn the roads and glassing spots long before season. If you can’t do this and only have a week to dedicate to a tag like this maybe hire a guide. Good luck to those tag holders still out there!

[trophyhunt]

I've been blessed enough to be on 3 moose hunts in 4 years.  When I was drawn for my bull, as soon as I found out I drew the selkirk, I drove over to scout every other weekend from bonney lake.  spent many miles and a few dollars on fuel, but I knew I had one chance at this.  I also had some way points thrown at me, which I appreciated very much, but in the end those thousands of miles I put in really made it an amazing hunt.  I ended up only seeing 3-4 bulls, one that I would shoot and did.  The only reason I killed my bull, was because I had a local guy with me that knew the area more.  He took my truck to a place I wouldn't have gone too, still have those scratches.  My other hunts for moose, wife and kid drew cow moose, for that hunt much of the same, just didn't drive over to scout nearly as much and didn't have a local show us around, two cows killed in 2-3 days.  My wife and son in law drew the next year for bull moose, same, tons of scouting and getting to know a different unit. BUT, with my wifes bull hunt, I called and hired Josh as a back up for later in the season incase we didn't get it done the first month.  Very happy that I did, but, we passed up a really nice bull on our own, he didn't have very many eye guards.  On our own that first month we killed one good bull and passed a really nice one.  Josh, a local guide was the only reason we killed a 155'' bull in late nov, having his services and the use of his side by side with snow tracks is the only way we would have found that bull.   So, when people ask me for help, it's what we all say, get out there and drive as much as possible, take as much time as possible and hope you get lucky.  But local intel, is priceless.

[92xj]

I think lots of people live a little out of reality when it comes to quality tags.  The mindset of spending years and years applying, then finally drawing a tag with decades worth of points; they think it is going to be this unreal hunt with multiple options of shooter animals seen.  Heck people even think that with units that take 5 years to draw.  It just isn't like that.  It takes work and scouting to be successful most of the time.  There are some dumb luck kills, in every unit for any hunt, but for the most part, scouting pre season/pre hunt is what sets up the most chance at success.  The mental game is also the hardest part for most.

[boneaddict]

I think a little luck is always necessary, but I’d hate to rely solely on it.  Just like any other species, if you really know your target animal, it surely helps. There is probably an acute lack of that for OIL tags or
the average tag holder.   
For a lot of these tags, I see  people compensating by putting together a team for gathering intel “I have a friend of a second cousins uncle”. I’m curious how effective that is. I suppose if you know the right bloke to tell you what road to drive where they saw a big one yesterday.

[hunter399]

I think lots of people live a little out of reality when it comes to quality tags.  The mindset of spending years and years applying, then finally drawing a tag with decades worth of points; they think it is going to be this unreal hunt with multiple options of shooter animals seen.  Heck people even think that with units that take 5 years to draw.  It just isn't like that.  It takes work and scouting to be successful most of the time.  There are some dumb luck kills, in every unit for any hunt, but for the most part, scouting pre season/pre hunt is what sets up the most chance at success.  The mental game is also the hardest part for most.

I agree with above.
Also to add ,20 years ago when most started applying. You could spot a cow moose or any moose in about 5 min . Basically all over the place.
Now is a little different deal then many years ago.

[Falcon]

Been on 2 Washington moose hunts.  My late tag in 2014, and tagged along in the same GMU on an early hunt 2 years later.   I hunted 14 days, seeing 13 different t bulls, 1 being a monster.   Shot my 4 year old bull in late Nov.   I did a fair amount of hiking , but saw all the moose from my truck.   The wolves were present, but not nearly as much as today.
I am glad the game dept gives you a month in most units, because you need it.
My advice for tag holders is to enjoy the OIL experience, and be realistic about trophy potential.   
Still one of the greatest hunts I’ve ever had. 

[Buckhunter24]

I've worked and hunted a lot in NE Washington. The difference in moose poluation from 2005 compared to 2025 is astounding. There was a time you couldn't throw a rock in any direction without hitting a moose. Now I haven't seen a "big" bull in a few years.