Post by: engelwood on October 08, 2012, 03:15:36 PM
Early in the year we decided that we were going to do an elk hunt in Montana come hell or high water so that hunt was already put into the works before I found out that I had been drawn for the Hangman Any Moose tag! I knew that with a baby on the way (due in November) as well as the time I was taking for the Montana hunt, scouting time would be limited to the couple days before the 10/1 opener. I learned a few years back during my brother's antlerless moose tag on Mount Spokane that where the moose are in August doesn't determine where they would be in October, so I was okay with the limited time scouting as I knew I'd have over a week of hunting time to be able to find and hopefully kill a good bull. My buddy and I headed over to Spokane on Saturday 9/29 and scouted on Sunday, the day before the opener. We met up with Bloodhound and his dad who also had a tag and had only seen one cow and a calf that evening. The next morning we were up at 4 and heading up the mountain with hopes of chasing some bulls around. I had pretty much talked myself out of shooting a bull the first day for two reasons 1) I knew it was going to be above 80 degrees and the last thing I wanted was to knock a bull down and have to worry about meat spoiling and 2) I didn't want my OIL tag to only last 1 day. The second reasoning was pretty dumb now that I look back on it, but hindsight is always 20/20. After a 3 1/2 mile hike in the dark we found the first opening to the clearcuts at first light. My buddy instantly spotted a small bull on a lower road and he was soon followed by another small bull......good sign we thought. After that we walked another 300 yards and another bull came running down onto the road and was less than 100 yards from us. Too small, but still awesome to see. After about another 1/2 hour of walking on the dirt roads I rounded the corner to see a big cow on the hillside with a calf behind her. After ensuring that there wasn't any other moose with her we attempted to get closer and get it on film. Well, to my surprise, after getting within about 80 yards of her, a VERY nice bull came walking out of the creek draw below her and up onto the hillside. Everything happened so fast and it was so early in the hunt that I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger, and then by the time I decided I had made a mistake, it was too late.
We continued to hit the mountain early in the am and took mountain house meals with us daily so we could eat on the mountain and not have to worry about coming down to the truck and heading back up (too much work, ha). On Wednesday, the third day of the hunt we hadn't seen much, only a cow and a small bull, and I decided that I would do some heavy calling. After a few sequences of cow calls, I was getting a bull to actively respond and although I'm deaf in one ear, I could tell he was GETTING CLOSER!!!!! After trying to get to a few opening closer to him, we decided to get back on the dirt trail (old road) that I had started calling on and wait for him. After getting back into position I let out another sequence of cow moans/calls and much to my surprise I spotted him coming up onto the road from the creek canyon below. There he was, standing broadside, only 75 yards away. I took a knee, rested me elbow on my other knee and bang, the shot rang out. I chambered another round, but it was evident right away that it would not be necessary. I hit him right through the shoulder and blew apart both lungs, barely missing his heart. He stood for a little bit with stiff legs and then began to circle while jelly-legging in the middle of the road. After a few short moments he dropped in the middle of the road. We couldn't believe that I had just called this bull in from as far as I did and that he was such a good looking, representative bull. No monster by any means, but a great bull for WA no doubt. After last year's 65 1/2" AK Moose, nothing was going to be a "monster" in my eyes, but he was an awesome bull to put my hands on after such a great hunt. My buddy and I ended up putting on right at 35 miles on the gps in the 3 days on the mountain. I think this hunt is more than most people bargain for as I heard of some guys turning around and heading home on the first day because the mountain was more than they had expected. Country is steep and thick (at least during this time in the year), and access onto the mountain to get your animal is NO GUARANTEE. The guy who let people in was gone for the first 2 1/2 days of the season and mentioned that he would be gone the next 2 weeks and unable to let people in. Luckily we were able to catch him during the time he was around and get to my bull with the truck. We zeroed the odometer at the gate and it clicked over to 4 miles about 100 feet before we got to my bull. I can't imagine 3-4 trips, with loaded packs, at 8 miles round trip each. We felt fortunate that we caught him when we did. I want to also thank my buddy Garret for being with me every step of the way (regardless of the quarter sized blister he got on day 2!). Last pic is all the meat in the cooler. Talk about a load!
Post by: engelwood on October 08, 2012, 03:16:42 PM
Post by: ellensburgpo on October 08, 2012, 03:18:36 PM
Post by: Wea300mag on October 08, 2012, 03:23:54 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on October 08, 2012, 03:43:07 PM
Post by: elkboy on October 08, 2012, 03:47:56 PM
Post by: Machias on October 08, 2012, 03:53:20 PM
Thanks for sharing the story and the photos!!
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 08, 2012, 04:04:32 PM
Post by: christopheri on October 08, 2012, 04:11:30 PM
Post by: ShaneTyTrey on October 08, 2012, 04:26:02 PM
Post by: engelwood on October 08, 2012, 04:38:56 PM
Good looking bull, glad you got the gate opened for you, that made the packout easier.
Thanks for all your words of encouragement and info on the hunt Brian. I really appreciated it!
Post by: engelwood on October 08, 2012, 06:06:25 PM
Glad you got your story up :tup: Now you need to do one for your deer :IBCOOL:
Ya. I know. Working on it!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on October 08, 2012, 06:08:08 PM
"for people that don't know he is my cuzz and I am giving him a hard time"
Post by: buck man on October 09, 2012, 08:47:32 AM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on October 09, 2012, 02:44:03 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on October 09, 2012, 02:51:10 PM
Post by: brianb231 on October 09, 2012, 03:00:34 PM
Love Moose hunting.......love it!
great Job!
Brianb231
Post by: bucklucky on October 09, 2012, 03:53:28 PM
Post by: SuperDave on October 10, 2012, 08:47:45 PM