Ok, sorry it took a few days to get this online. First off, many thanks to those members giving me suggestions, areas, and field reports during their muzzleloader elk hunting. Had a few exciting moments and a few other of frustration. Started off up around Bunchgrass upon reports and photos of an 11x12, 48" bull seen by a friend of a friend. Never saw him, never saw a moose till the 3rd day there, called in a small 3x3 that came from a long way out. Cow called and he responded immediately. Got him to 64 yards in the middle of the meadow but let him walk as my son had stayed in camp to get some homework done. Next morning called in another bull but never saw this one, although his tracks were fairly small compared to the big set we found a mile or so away. Next morning we relocated camp south to Bead Lake, bad move. No moose sign, to much private land, did find some tracks up around Bearpaw Pass but then blew a power steering hose on the wasy back to camp. F350 doesn't drive without power steering. Thanks Les Schwab, we will talk about the poor workmanship that caused the hoses to chaff through each other, just replaced pump about 4 weeks ago. Lost a day working on truck, had to go to Spokane for parts at Napa Warehouse. Next day was the 5th, had to head home at lunch. Decided to try driving up 57 and come in from Idaho side. Drove up in HEAVY fog, dark. Made it across cattle gaurd into WA and headed up to an area that a member had reported seeing a 42+ bull a few days before. Got up there, very thick stuff, decided to head back down lower where timber was more open. Now daylight we see Moose tracks everywhere. Decided to head for a meadow we had seen in the headlights, never got there. Moose ran across the road in front of us. In fog and low light, saw paddles and what appeared to be a decent spread, to be honest, after 6 days afield and first paddle bull, I didn't even think about it to long. Bull stopped to look over his shoulder, and at 134 yards, the 300 weatherby did the rest. Took most of the vessels off of the top of the heart, 4-5 steps later he fell over the side. We were able to pull him back up to the road with the truck and get to work. For 2 guys, a moose is a lot of work. VERY happy to have a moose in the freezer, sorry my son, dad and best friend had to leave on Sunday and couldn't be part of the experience. He is 38 1/4" wide, 4x5. Younger bull, but 440 pounds of hinds, fronts and boned out meat into the locker. Temps were in the 70's that day so I packed him in an apple bin with 45 bags of ice for the long ride home. Again, thanks to all. Bone, stop torturing me with your pictures. When I draw a Raffle tag, I will hold out for the BIG one. All said and done, proud to have drawn, filled my tag and left him at the taxi for a full shoulder mount to honor my Washington Moose. My wife insisted on the mount, gotta love her. Updated to include the NEW freezer with 398 pounds of cut and wrapped boneless meat. Just got a little pickier on my late season buck.
