Post by: Montanajoe on October 16, 2015, 07:39:55 PM
I drew my Kettle Range any moose tag this year with 16 points. My summer schedule and the fires only allowed for one pre-season scouting trip in late July. I scouted units 101 and 105 while over there and found a spot or two.
Opening morning found me hiking up to and old cut in the dark. I jumped a bull before daylight. I did see that he had light-colored paddles, but he just vanished. I hunted the rest of the day without seeing or hearing any other moose. My son was with me and we did see a mountain lion on the first afternoon.
The second day had us back in the same area, except that we didn’t try walking into the area until it was light out. Again we heard a bull grunting and saw glimpses of a bull with light-colored paddles and a cow. It is amazing how they can just vanish when they want to.
About two hours later and 600 yards further up the ridge we heard a cow calling with a bull grunting in the timber to our right. At the same time we had another bull grunting further up the ridge in front of us. After unsuccessfully calling in the uphill bull, we decided to attempt a stalk on the moose in the timber. About 200 yards into the timber I saw a cow at 25 yards and slowly moving to my left. A bull then appeared on my right at 40-50 yards walking towards me. He was posturing with his antlers and grunting the entire time. He turned slightly uphill and passed by me at 20 yards. At my shot he spun and headed directly away from me and out of sight.
As my son moved up to my side, a second bull appeared on our right with another cow. This was the light-color antlered bull. We estimated his rack to be about 40-45 inches. He approached within 25 yards of us, grunting the entire time, until both animals winded us.
After they took off we quickly found my bull about 30 yards away. Pictures and processing commenced. Two hours later as we were still processing the bull we heard a bull grunting. We didn’t think much of it; we thought it was that bull with the light colored paddles. Soon enough the bull was within sight and we realized it was a third bull. This bull approached downhill of us (wind was drifting our scent up the ridge by that time) within 10 yards of me and five yards of my son. He finally turned and slowly walked away in a semi-circle around us and up the ridge. What an experience. We estimated this bull to be around 50 inches with long front tines.
Three plus hours of processing and four hours of packing later we had my bull down to the truck. Like I said, I shot the first bull that presented me with a shot, and I also shot the largest bull I saw. He has a 55 ½ inch outside spread and green scores right about 160.
Post by: Montanajoe on October 16, 2015, 07:45:08 PM
Post by: benhuntin on October 16, 2015, 07:45:09 PM
Post by: benhuntin on October 16, 2015, 07:46:30 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on October 16, 2015, 07:47:14 PM
Post by: Katmai Guy on October 16, 2015, 07:52:03 PM
Post by: Mark251 on October 16, 2015, 07:56:29 PM
Post by: Watimberghost on October 16, 2015, 08:16:32 PM
Post by: Falcon on October 16, 2015, 09:03:48 PM
You did well :tup:
Post by: NOCK NOCK on October 16, 2015, 09:24:45 PM
Post by: steeleywhopper on October 16, 2015, 09:40:40 PM
Post by: jackelope on October 16, 2015, 09:44:41 PM
Post by: daydreamn on October 16, 2015, 10:39:30 PM
Post by: Mossyoak on October 17, 2015, 01:03:27 AM
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on October 17, 2015, 06:25:58 AM
Post by: BullMagnet76 on October 17, 2015, 06:44:27 AM
Post by: lokidog on October 17, 2015, 12:00:04 PM
Alright, got it open... nice moose!
Post by: MtnMuley on October 17, 2015, 03:24:22 PM
Post by: Buckblaster on October 17, 2015, 05:57:26 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 17, 2015, 06:48:50 PM
Post by: RB on October 17, 2015, 07:43:15 PM
Post by: lonedave on October 18, 2015, 10:27:53 PM
Post by: coachcw on October 19, 2015, 06:43:41 AM
Post by: Ripper on October 19, 2015, 11:17:29 AM
Post by: 724wd on October 19, 2015, 03:19:45 PM
Post by: Rhino on October 20, 2015, 08:22:07 PM
Post by: Elkpiss on October 21, 2015, 08:06:31 AM
Post by: X-Force on October 21, 2015, 08:24:08 AM
Post by: bearhunter99 on October 21, 2015, 08:49:45 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 21, 2015, 09:10:58 AM
Post by: higunner on October 22, 2015, 03:18:04 AM
Post by: bowhunterforever on October 22, 2015, 07:03:19 PM
Post by: BGLEMIN on October 24, 2015, 02:48:43 AM
Mighty fortunate you were spared from the agony of having to pass on the smaller ones!!
Post by: LITTLEBUCK on October 24, 2015, 10:38:10 AM
Post by: hirshey on October 26, 2015, 09:59:51 AM
Post by: 250savage on October 29, 2015, 03:18:22 PM
Post by: gunnarnewt on October 30, 2015, 08:22:24 AM
Post by: Mudshark on November 01, 2015, 05:31:14 PM
Post by: jae on November 02, 2015, 06:54:50 PM
John
Post by: Montanajoe on December 04, 2015, 08:27:09 PM
Post by: mkcj on December 04, 2015, 08:32:14 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 04, 2015, 08:34:42 PM
Post by: Falcon on December 04, 2015, 08:40:48 PM
Congrats :tup:
Post by: BullMagnet76 on December 05, 2015, 07:41:26 AM
Post by: Cat hunter on December 05, 2015, 03:40:41 PM
Post by: Shawn D on December 05, 2015, 06:05:41 PM
Post by: bearpaw on December 05, 2015, 06:26:54 PM
Post by: 280ackley on December 05, 2015, 07:22:42 PM
Post by: brewzer13 on December 05, 2015, 07:40:37 PM
:IBCOOL:
Post by: Montanajoe on March 24, 2016, 06:38:20 PM
Post by: REHJWA on March 24, 2016, 06:41:50 PM
Post by: Watimberghost on March 24, 2016, 07:09:11 PM
Post by: bearpaw on March 24, 2016, 08:18:44 PM
Post by: NOCK NOCK on March 24, 2016, 08:34:06 PM
Post by: The scout on March 24, 2016, 08:36:14 PM
Post by: BULLBLASTER on March 24, 2016, 09:13:08 PM
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on March 24, 2016, 09:19:06 PM
Post by: Montanajoe on March 24, 2016, 09:27:19 PM
Post by: westside Elkhunter on March 25, 2016, 06:58:46 AM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on March 26, 2016, 07:25:46 AM
Post by: Birdguy on March 27, 2016, 07:53:44 PM