Post by: Blsum on October 11, 2019, 11:17:20 PM
I was fortunate enough to draw a moose tag with my hunting partner Dirtymike. We have been hunting together for the better part of 15 years now and have been putting in for oil tags as well as quality tags as a group for 13 years. Even though they say the odds are less if you put in as a group. I knew we had basically won the lottery when that day came in June. We immediately started our research. Reaching out, to this forum and friends we knew who had drawn the tag before, for any info we could get. Needless to say we got a lot. Thank you to everyone who helped us in our research and scouting.
We made a plan to head overy in mid July to learn the area we would soon be hunting. Knowing that we probably wouldn't see anything, our only expectations were to learn the roads and see what we were getting into. So when we rounded that corner and saw a big bull running down the road in full velvet. We were pretty suprised and amazed. The rest of the trip was a great time hanging with the boys (Dirtymike and Hilltophustler).
Our original plan to make another trip over in august didn't quite work out as planned. Mike ended up making a trip over with his son and from the sounds of it they had a great time and Mike was able to find a cow for his son to check out.
I decided to make a solo trip over in early september. I wanted to get some trail cameras set up in some of the areas we had scouted in july and I wanted to check out some new country we hadn't covered yet. Again I wasn't expecting to see any animals but was again blessed with another nice bull. This time I was able to watch him for a while. I will attach some of the screen shots from the video. But the screen shots don't do him justice. And I'm not sure how to post the video. Sorry.
The next thing I know we are on the final count down to depature. The weather forecast didn't look so good. There was 6-12 inches of snow forecast for 3000ft. The problem with that is the areas we scouted the most were from about 4000ft and up. The trail camera I set were at 5200 ft.
Our plan was to head over the saturday before the opener to scout and possibly fill some muzzy deer tags. Mike and 2 crew (hilltop hustler and soady) were able to leave as planned. My dad and I would make it over sunday afternoon. From our texts saturday evening I was able to find out there was way more snow then we thought there would be. Sounds like mike and the boys had one hell of a saturday night. But I will let him tell his side of the story.
Monday morning comes and we are off to scout. Since we cant get up very high we scout what we can. Dad spotted a calf moose on the edge of a cut. His first moose sighting here in washington. Dad and I also find an area of reprod that has some huge tracks in the snow from the day before. So we decide we would come back the next morning to call.
While in the area we come around the corner to see a huge black bear just walking down the road towards us. He turns and a few quick bounds and he was gone. That was a first for me. I've never seen a bear while driving. Only when I've been on foot. Dad was also pretty amazed at the amount of turkeys we saw.
So later that night at camp a plan is formed and early the next morning we head to our scouted locations. Dad and I sneak in to our calling location and are ready to go at first light. It's 28 degrees and frosty. The suns coming up and here we go. I start my very first calling sequence for moose. I cow called and I swore I heard something immediately. I thought I was hearing things so I didn't say anything. I let out a few more cow calls over the next few mins but didn't hear anything. I started a couple of bull grunts and I heard it again but a little louder now. I tell dad but he doesn't hear it. More grunts from me and he's coming. Now dad can hear him as he's grunting and smashing his way in. I can tell he's coming in hot. I can also tell he's gonna try to circle us and I knew I had to move because of how thick it was. We circle around about 50 yards and I can see him standing there. I throw up my binos and I see the smallest bull I have ever seen. Dad wants me to shoot but I can't do it. Not a bull this small on the first day. At first light. He may have been 24" wide with 3 points on each side, no palms and small single fronts. We watch him for a while as he stands there giving us the stink eye. I give him another grunt and he decided we were not what he was expecting and turned and left.
Later that day we were checking out some new country and ended up seeing a sow with 2 cubs. That's 4 bears now. But the day ended with out any other sightings.
The next few days were pretty slow. We did a lot of calling. A lot of waiting and listening. A lot of hiking and a lot of driving and all we found were a bunch of tracks and a few grouse. A lone cow and one last bear that we decided was to small to try to pull out of the hole he was in.
And just like that it was over. I was out of vacation and we had to head home. I had only seen that one bull on opening morning. We were never able to get up to the areas I wanted to hunt. Mike was finally able to hike into where my cameras were on the last night I was there. One camera only had a bear while the other one had bears, a cougar, some bobcats, a wolf, and a big bull in the snow from the night before season opened.
I knew that mike was planning on staying through the next week but I just couldn't take that much time off and had to leave.
I knew mike was gonna hunt hard while he was there and he did. Clearing roads to get to areas. Hiking in knee deep snow to find my cameras. And then to try and hunt it after knowing what was on camera.
Finally wednesday morning I got the text. "BIG BULL DOWN". I was so happy for mike and couldn't wait to get the pictures. Wishing I was there to help hold a leg or help skin the cape. Anything but being stuck at work.
Finally some pictures started rolling in, and that made it worse. I knew I had to do anything to get back over there and fill my tag. I arranged to be off the 21-23 and will be heading over after work on 18th. This will be my last chance at getting back over this season. If this trip doesn't pan out it looks like I might have to eat an oil tag.
If any of you deer hunters are hunting in the unit this next week can keep an eye out for me I would greatly appreciate it. Feel free to pm me if you want. I do have some areas that I'm planning on hunting but I'm always open to intel. I'm not looking for a monster bull. Just a respectable bull.
Post by: Blsum on October 11, 2019, 11:22:41 PM
Post by: TooTallMike on October 12, 2019, 12:18:57 AM
Post by: Blsum on October 16, 2019, 07:27:31 PM
Right now we are planning on setting up camp at bingville and hunting in that general area.
Post by: sjhgraysage on October 17, 2019, 08:56:58 AM
We are expecting wet snow in the spokane area higher elevations Saturday maybe, and it's probably going to be wet.
Post by: nwwanderer on October 17, 2019, 09:15:28 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 17, 2019, 09:20:45 AM
Post by: jmscon on October 17, 2019, 09:40:07 AM
Post by: runningboard on October 17, 2019, 10:06:43 AM
Post by: Blsum on October 17, 2019, 08:02:05 PM
Post by: TheStovePipeKid on October 17, 2019, 08:34:57 PM
Post by: Blsum on October 18, 2019, 06:26:48 PM
Post by: blindluck on October 19, 2019, 10:40:37 AM
Post by: bowhunterforever on October 19, 2019, 01:11:52 PM
Post by: Birdguy on October 19, 2019, 05:01:42 PM
Post by: Blsum on October 19, 2019, 06:49:05 PM
Post by: kellama2001 on October 20, 2019, 01:35:47 PM
Post by: Blsum on October 20, 2019, 03:53:30 PM
Post by: 92xj on October 20, 2019, 03:54:46 PM
Post by: 3boys on October 20, 2019, 04:10:58 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on October 20, 2019, 04:13:52 PM
Post by: BullMagnet76 on October 20, 2019, 04:22:14 PM
Post by: HillHound on October 20, 2019, 04:30:23 PM
Post by: Sr15 on October 20, 2019, 04:35:44 PM
Post by: bobcat on October 20, 2019, 05:21:48 PM
Post by: Scheindogg on October 20, 2019, 05:25:38 PM
I think I heard your shot(s) this morning I was (unsuccessfully) hunting for deer in that GMU
Post by: Blsum on October 20, 2019, 05:29:09 PM
Congratulations! Looks like it was wet up there today. I'm already not sleeping waiting for the 1st of November when my tag starts
pm sent
Post by: Blsum on October 20, 2019, 05:31:03 PM
:tup:
I think I heard your shot(s) this morning I was (unsuccessfully) hunting for deer in that GMU
One shot with my muzzy. We were above power lake. If you were close to that area you may have heard the shot. About 820 this morning.
Post by: Mfowl on October 20, 2019, 05:41:10 PM
Post by: kellama2001 on October 20, 2019, 06:09:31 PM
Post by: Bowhunter3 on October 20, 2019, 06:13:14 PM
Post by: Birdguy on October 20, 2019, 06:21:37 PM
Post by: TheStovePipeKid on October 20, 2019, 09:47:09 PM
Post by: X-Force on October 20, 2019, 10:42:48 PM
Post by: Hilltophustler on October 21, 2019, 06:51:57 AM
Post by: Whitpirate on October 21, 2019, 08:03:45 AM
Post by: Machias on October 21, 2019, 08:06:10 AM
Post by: sjhgraysage on October 21, 2019, 08:57:41 AM
Post by: Blsum on November 09, 2019, 04:41:17 PM
Post by: Sutherland on November 09, 2019, 09:22:30 PM
Post by: huntsonofgun on January 30, 2020, 08:11:44 PM
Post by: Blsum on January 30, 2020, 08:44:21 PM
Congratulations! That's a great bull!
Thanks man. Had a great time on that hunt. Can't wait to get him back from Joel @blackrivertaxidermy. Must have gotten lucky as well since he is nice and tender. Every cut I've had has been amazingly good. My girlfriend doesn't normally like wild game but she loves the moose steaks I've been cooking. In fact we just had some backstraps tonight.