Moose Tags

[worktohunt]

So here is my first post on this site. Been reading posts and looking at pics for a while now. Always enjoyed the site just never had taken the time to set up an account and post anything. I'm 42 and been hunting my whole life, mainly bowhunting with an occasional rifle deer or bear hunt thrown in. Have a couple daughters who hunt with me ages 18 and 14, my oldest has killed 5 bucks and my youngest has killed one. No elk or moose in there hunting resume yet. I'm a do it yourself kind of guy and do lots of research when I get a tag and put in lots of time and effort every fall and it generally pays off. So this year I have been caught off guard but in a good way. Drew spring bear for Oregon West Blues and killed a 7' chocolate in the wilderness. Things started out good. Then I found out I drew a Utah archery bull tag and I was ecstatic. Been doing a ton of research on that figuring that was my big focus for the year, then find out I drew a November archery mule deer tag for Colorado. Sweet, gonna be an awesome year! Then Washington comes out yesterday and my oldest draws a cow tag for Umtanum, I draw a second deer tag and a cow moose tag for Hangman, my youngest draws youth any buck for West Klickitat and a youth cow moose for Mt Spokane. My head is spinning, trying to sort it all out and figure how to work all the time off to do everything justice. Going to be an awesome fall. So with that being said are any of you guys familiar with those two moose areas? I am thinking about taking a week off the first part of October to see if we can get it done early then hopefully hit the west kilckitat tag towards the end of October. Moose is definetely the priority. Want to see her get one of those and get a picture of all 98 lbs of her next to it. Any help is greatly appreciated as these moose tags caught me totally off guard. Have a call into the local biologist and maps on order. Always wondered what it would be like to draw a bunch of tags and try to figure it out! Now I know!

[Caseyd]

Sounds like an expensive fall  Congrats on the tags.

There are a couple people on here who have had those tags, hopefully they will chime in. Do a search and you can find their hunt stories. The moose threads are usually pretty detailed.

Lets hear a story and see some pics of the bear hunt. Past experiences/stories seem to put people in a sharing mood 

[workstohunt]

Had to look twice thought I drew again (nice username)

Congrats on the tags

[Camp David]

I have property in 124 - Mt Spokane. I've seen moose on it on a few times. There is also some public land around the area that most likely has moose on it. I haven't done a lot of research outside of my property, but i feel that with a little work you should be able to get that picture of your girl with a Moose. Congrats on all of your tags Welcome and I'm sure that a lot of people on this site will be envious of your "problem".

[retired13]

Camp David,
My grandson also drew a cow moose tag in 124.  If you have any info or suggestions on how to find out where moose are holding and open to public access, I would appreciate anything you could give me.  We are in Lewis county and probably will have limited opportunity to scout.
Retired

[Camp David]

Check out the public area near the Little spokane river and chain of lakes. There is some private land that you may be able to get permission...expecially if your kid has a tag. What are your hunt dates?

[worktohunt]

So as far as my bear hunt, I don't have many pics since I was alone and it was towards the evening so I was trying to get him taken care of before dark. If someone could tell me how to add pics I will put some on. As far as the hunt is concerned I drew Wenaha spring bear last year and never got it done. Made two trips over there hiked in both times and the weather poured on me both times, saw one bear and in general had a not so fun time, but figured I was paying my dues for another time. Fast forward to this year, I hunted Mt Emily unit in the wilderness with the West Blue Mountains tag. Been out of town working for most of the season and finally got a break 2nd week of May. Headed out early in the morning and got to a spot recommended by local biologist, threw on my pack and headed up the trail. Thought it would be more of a scouting trip since I had 5 days to hunt so threw in 2 granola bars and a full hydration bladder. Hiked up most of the morning to be able to glass and spotted a bear back down where I started, of course. Watched it for a while at probably a mile and didn't see any cubs so headed down after it. Hour later I am close and low and behold I jump a cub! Dang it sow with a cub so I am pretty beat and it is late afternoon and I am probably 6 miles from the truck. Start heading down the trail, head down, tired and hungry and about 15 minutes into the hike I hear a noise to my left and there is a bear walking towards me but about 40 feet to the side and he doesn't see me. So i throw the gun up but he must see the movement so he stops, he looks kind of wierd, like a wet dog but he looks big enough for me so i let him have it in the neck and he drops. I walk over to him and he had just been rolling in a muddy creek that is 20 feet away and is covered in mud head to toe and the water is just pouring off of him. No wonder he looked wierd, I try to move him and can't hardly budge him. Take a couple of pics and start to skin and bone him out, put him in meat bags and head for the truck. Tried to lift the hide and head and can't hardly pick it up! The whole way back i am trying to think of how to get the hide and head out. Meat I can divide up, but hide has to be all in one piece. Talk to several ranches on the way out and nobody has horses to help with so what to do? Its in the wilderness so I am at a loss. Head to town to get a room and good nights rest. Wake up about 4am and remember I can take a bike in there so head to Wal mart and buy a mountain bike and head back to the trailhead. First thing I do is jump on the bike and the back tire never got pumped up all the way, not happy but better than walking. So about 4 miles into the trip back in the front brake pads fall off and scare the crap out of me as I'm riding down the hill. Spend 10 minutes trying to fix them with no tools and cussing the walmart guy that put it together. Finally make it in and its all I can do to get the bag with the hide to the bike and use 250' of parachute cord to tie it to the upper cross tube jump on try to ride out. Tried to clear the big rocks off the trail on the way in so the front end doesn't wash out from running over one. What a fiasco trying to ride out with 100+ lbs on the frame and seat, can't really pedal, just sitting on part of the seat and trying to keep the hide from rolling to the side and tipping me over with my legs. So about 2 miles in I blow the front tire and start pushing the bike. Finally the front tire pops out of both sides of the rim and I can ride again. I jump on and go slow, its spooky but better than pushing. Of course it is raining, doesn't much matter as I am soaked to the bone from sweat anyways. Finally make it out, head to town for new tire and tools, get it fixed head back in for the meat and after a long day am done. The bear has virtually no front teeth and pretty good scars on his face. Taxidermist guessed him at 15 to 20 years old. Squared at just under 7' and skull measured right at 20". When I got home I weighed the bag with the hide and head in it and it was 115 lbs. Him being soaking wet and muddy didn't help my cause at all. So it was a quick hunt but I feel like I paid my dues the year before in the Wenaha. So there you have it, kind of long winded, will post pics if someone can explain to me how to.

[DBZona]

I know 124 pretty well and would love to help.  Just PM me and I will get you going.  Anything to help the youth out on this site.  Those moose tags should be filled in the first couple days.  I see a lot of moose where I go.

DB

[quadrafire]

Worktohunt
That is a hilarious story. Yes---I would say you paid your dues. That would have made a great video.
Did you return the bike to Walmart? tell em it wasn't put together right and is dangerous while carrying a bear

[cem3434]

I think Inland Empire Paper Company owns a good size chuck of 124.  I would check with them because I think that they sell access passes for recreational use.

[worktohunt]

Quadrafire,

  I did return the bike! Told them the front shocks were shot, which they were! No questions asked, full refund!

[quadrafire]

Quadrafire,

  I did return the bike! Told them the front shocks were shot, which they were! No questions asked, full refund!

Freaking Hilarious

[quadrafire]

PS: If you need extra Freezer space this season, I will be glad to help out. 

[worktohunt]

Yeah, I've been thinking about that already. Plan on paying packers with lots of meat!

[Machias]

Yeah, I've been thinking about that already. Plan on paying packers with lots of meat!

My mules will work for meat.