Post by: fishngamereaper on June 16, 2024, 09:59:08 AM
Have a pretty solid game plan in place. I helped my buddy get a bull in the unit a few years ago so got some jump off spots.
If any of the bull tags holders are on here I'm willing create a contact and share any Intel on bulls we run across throughout the season...
LMK...
Post by: Falcon on June 16, 2024, 10:42:36 AM
It was 2015 when I pulled my Douglas bull tag back in 2015. I remember you giving my some good advice. It paid off on a great hunt. Best of luck on your cow hunt. Look forward to the story and pics :tup:
Post by: MADMAX on June 16, 2024, 12:26:37 PM
After years of applying and helping a few others with tags in the mean time I finally get to carry my own tag around....don't mind that it's a cow tag ...all the meat without the hassle of all those antlers :chuckle:
Have a pretty solid game plan in place. I helped my buddy get a bull in the unit a few years ago so got some jump off spots.
If any of the bull tags holders are on here I'm willing create a contact and share any Intel on bulls we run across throughout the season...
LMK...
Congrats on the tag bud :tup:
Post by: horsemenole on June 18, 2024, 09:52:38 AM
Making good on it. I’m still in a little shock after all the years of letdowns.
Post by: Devinshoe on June 18, 2024, 03:17:09 PM
Post by: Dan-o on June 18, 2024, 03:21:40 PM
Cow moose hunts are a blast.
Post by: link on June 18, 2024, 05:39:55 PM
After 20+ years of putting in I finally drew one of the coveted Bull tags in this unit for the early hunt and I would love any helpCongrats again on the tag. Use the search function on here and you should find a bunch more info. Anyone ever tell you you look like the Macho Man Randy Savage?
Making good on it. I’m still in a little shock after all the years of letdowns.
Post by: TriggerMike on June 18, 2024, 07:55:50 PM
After years of applying and helping a few others with tags in the mean time I finally get to carry my own tag around....don't mind that it's a cow tag ...all the meat without the hassle of all those antlers :chuckle:If you need any info, send me a PM. I had one of the bull tags last year.
Have a pretty solid game plan in place. I helped my buddy get a bull in the unit a few years ago so got some jump off spots.
If any of the bull tags holders are on here I'm willing create a contact and share any Intel on bulls we run across throughout the season...
LMK...
Post by: westside bull on June 18, 2024, 08:20:11 PM
ohhhh yeah dig it!!!!!After 20+ years of putting in I finally drew one of the coveted Bull tags in this unit for the early hunt and I would love any helpCongrats again on the tag. Use the search function on here and you should find a bunch more info. Anyone ever tell you you look like the Macho Man Randy Savage?
Making good on it. I’m still in a little shock after all the years of letdowns.
Post by: link on June 18, 2024, 08:30:24 PM
Post by: tgray on June 20, 2024, 07:04:51 PM
After 20+ years of putting in I finally drew one of the coveted Bull tags in this unit for the early hunt and I would love any helpI got some inside info. Just what you’re looking for. Only a small fee
Making good on it. I’m still in a little shock after all the years of letdowns.
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 29, 2024, 06:43:18 PM
With the good "successful" hunt threads we need the other side of the spectrum...the untold stories.
I was going to write up something inspiring and we'll thought out but, well I don't want to :chuckle:
One week in early Oct yielded zero moose sightings.
Two separate week trips in Nov yielded one bull sighting and one cow... which was day 17 for me in the unit. Poor visibility, mixed with a rushed shot, and a damn larch resulted in a miss. :bash:
Then the snow's came and resulted in downfall's, near truck disaster's, lots of shoveling and limited access.
So, about 20 total days , nearly 4000 miles on the truck, 1000 of those on dirt roads, over 100 miles on foot, and hundreds of hours on the glass...
I'll be grinding my tag and mixing it with some pork fat hoping it eats well.
I was pretty bummed for a couple days, but in retrospect it's probably a good thing I didn't fill the tag. The moose population in the Douglas is dismal. I won't speak for anyone but I know several of the tags will be unfilled.
DFW would be wise to reduce the tags in that unit to maybe 2. One early one late. And no cow. Sadly, and it shouldn't be an expectation with these hunts to see animals, but it is. Waiting over 20 years to hunt something you'd like to have at least a few "opportunities"...
Or not..... :chuckle:
Post by: Caseknife on November 29, 2024, 07:33:06 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 29, 2024, 07:50:33 PM
That is a bummer, Greg, was wondering how you did. Pretty sure that I would have got a text if you were successful.
:tup:
Yes sir you definitely would of.
You almost got the text when we buried the truck up Van Stone for two hours :chuckle:
Appreciate the Intel you shared throughout the hunt tho...much appreciated. :tup:
Post by: MADMAX on November 29, 2024, 09:12:57 PM
It’s sad as you stated to wait 20 + years and put in the effort and our herds are in
that bad a shape.
Do you think its predators or ticks or both ?
Post by: highcountry_hunter on November 29, 2024, 10:18:42 PM
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Post by: fishngamereaper on November 30, 2024, 06:11:32 AM
That sucks bud
It’s sad as you stated to wait 20 + years and put in the effort and our herds are in
that bad a shape.
Do you think its predators or ticks or both ?
Probably both in conjunction with some really weird habits
Cutting tracks in the snow became our go to and it became obvious they'd do everything possible to avoid roads. Running the thick stuff that even deer avoid.
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 30, 2024, 06:20:16 AM
Man…that’s rough. Did you spend much time up Joe creek/Strauss creek/rogers mountain? Every trip I made up there grouse hunting this past September there was moose galore on each one and I didn’t even get out of the rig
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Yup multiple times...
Until the snow came...they eventually all got pretty sketchy. We did spend a day up Joe when the first snow came and only cut one set of tracks... :o
They also had a ton of deer and elk road hunters so I think that was a big factor in changing behavior patterns. :dunno:
Post by: jrebel on November 30, 2024, 06:39:37 AM
Post by: boneaddict on November 30, 2024, 07:25:09 AM
Post by: hunter399 on November 30, 2024, 07:25:29 AM
I can say without a doubt,that you are correct.
Moose population just isn't what it was 10 year ago.
Post by: Falcon on November 30, 2024, 08:14:08 AM
Post by: Harbor_hunter on November 30, 2024, 10:05:59 AM
Post by: bearpaw on November 30, 2024, 10:19:29 AM
To the OP, sorry to hear you were unsuccessful.
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 30, 2024, 02:31:52 PM
I've thought about this quite a lot the last few years. I disagree with lowering tag numbers, that just leaves more for the wolves to eat, that are out there eating moose 24/7/365. Let hunters hunt while there are still a few moose to hunt, any moose a hunter may take is compensatory at this point, it most likely would end up as wolf scat anyway. The only way to fix the moose decline is with a wolf decline! :twocents:
To the OP, sorry to hear you were unsuccessful.
I partially agree.. although for every wolf track we saw , there was equally as many cat tracks.
But I think the state needs to re assess "selling" moose hunts as an OIL opportunity. (Not realistic I know)
When you talk to the bios they want people seeing animals. That's part of the experience.
There's no guaranteed hunts and success isn't a given, but you gotta have a population that is healthy enough to at least give a person a few chances. Not around every corner but at least every 100 corners would be nice :chuckle: ...Like the bio up there said, she was like just keep doing what your doing and eventually you might see something... :o
I know other units are way more productive...so maybe it's just Douglas. And I'm just complaining :chuckle:
And I was totally willing to tie one up for you guys if I found a good one...even had the rope ready. :tup:
Post by: sjhgraysage on December 02, 2024, 12:48:14 PM
Sorry to hear that you were not able to take a moose.
I had a Kettle Range moose permit in 2019 and spent 12 days over the course of the season with out seeing a bull I would shoot.
I only saw 2 tiny bulls on the first or second day I hunted, then no bulls after that and very few cow moose as well.
Sometimes the weather is not conducive, I had guys say wait til it snows, but it never snowed for me.
(I did take a week to take my son to Wyoming for a deer hunt during the season, but I don't regret that one bit.)
It does happen, but that does not make the disappointment much easier.
Best of luck in the future.
Post by: TriggerMike on December 02, 2024, 04:00:34 PM
Post by: teanawayslayer on December 02, 2024, 06:30:49 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on December 02, 2024, 06:54:49 PM
I'm ok with the lack of harvest.
I do feel for all the bull tag guys that had to eat the tags...
Douglas use to be good. I've been recreating in the area for the better part of 20 years.
Buddy had a bull tag 10ish years ago and we saw 3 bulls in a day had a half.
It's just not what it used to be...and probably never will be again.
Post by: teanawayslayer on December 02, 2024, 07:24:52 PM
I'll be in Idaho soon enough so my moose adventures will continue :chuckle:sad but true. They all used to have good numbers. But those wolves are sure pretty to look at :mgun2:
I'm ok with the lack of harvest.
I do feel for all the bull tag guys that had to eat the tags...
Douglas use to be good. I've been recreating in the area for the better part of 20 years.
Buddy had a bull tag 10ish years ago and we saw 3 bulls in a day had a half.
It's just not what it used to be...and probably never will be again.
Post by: Practical Approach on December 09, 2024, 01:47:28 PM