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Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: sjhgraysage on July 16, 2025, 10:49:35 AM


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Title: WA Moose scouting
Post by: sjhgraysage on July 16, 2025, 10:49:35 AM
With a 49 Degrees Early moose permit in my group, we want to be successful.
A question for you all that might have experience.

Would setting up some trail cameras in some areas be beneficial?
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: trophyhunt on July 16, 2025, 11:09:31 AM
Sure, lets you know what might be out there.  Getting to know the roads would be my main focus though.
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: Ridgerunner on July 16, 2025, 12:26:41 PM
Plus find where the cows are going to be come season. 
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: TriggerMike on July 16, 2025, 03:15:08 PM
Very beneficial. I would invest in a couple cell cams if you don't live local.
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: greenhead_killer on July 16, 2025, 07:50:29 PM
I had a moose tag in 2019. I did set one cam, but that year we got an early snow and I was not able to retrieve it before season started. I did spend 4-6 weekends driving the roads to the unit I had. Very beneficial. I never saw a moose on any of my scout trips. I did kill a bull on day 5 of the hunt(10 days after knee surgery). In those 5 days, we put on 428 miles and saw 6 bulls and 5 cows. They will appear when the season/rut starts. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any via scouting or cams. Learn the roads and practice your calling. Totally different style of hunt but one I’d love to do again….good luck
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: 92xj on July 16, 2025, 08:20:50 PM
I had a moose tag in 2019. I did set one cam, but that year we got an early snow and I was not able to retrieve it before season started. I did spend 4-6 weekends driving the roads to the unit I had. Very beneficial. I never saw a moose on any of my scout trips. I did kill a bull on day 5 of the hunt(10 days after knee surgery). In those 5 days, we put on 428 miles and saw 6 bulls and 5 cows. They will appear when the season/rut starts. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any via scouting or cams. Learn the roads and practice your calling. Totally different style of hunt but one I’d love to do again….good luck

Book it; I’ll drive

Ps, come up Friday evening
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: huntnnw on July 16, 2025, 10:42:18 PM
the only thing beneficial would be just getting pics , wouldnt mean a whole lot in the summer. It would be beneficial if they opened it like ID does on Aug 30th cause you can pattern a bull in the summer. Come Oct 1 a bull you had on cam can and most likely be miles away and if not in another unit . They cover a ton of ground in the rut
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: greenhead_killer on July 17, 2025, 05:24:39 AM
I had a moose tag in 2019. I did set one cam, but that year we got an early snow and I was not able to retrieve it before season started. I did spend 4-6 weekends driving the roads to the unit I had. Very beneficial. I never saw a moose on any of my scout trips. I did kill a bull on day 5 of the hunt(10 days after knee surgery). In those 5 days, we put on 428 miles and saw 6 bulls and 5 cows. They will appear when the season/rut starts. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any via scouting or cams. Learn the roads and practice your calling. Totally different style of hunt but one I’d love to do again….good luck

Book it; I’ll drive

Ps, come up Friday evening
Working on it!
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: hunter399 on July 17, 2025, 06:55:06 AM
the only thing beneficial would be just getting pics , wouldnt mean a whole lot in the summer. It would be beneficial if they opened it like ID does on Aug 30th cause you can pattern a bull in the summer. Come Oct 1 a bull you had on cam can and most likely be miles away and if not in another unit . They cover a ton of ground in the rut
:yeah:

Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: brew on July 17, 2025, 07:06:43 AM
I was drawn for this tag back in 06.  Live on Westside and drove over a couple weekends after talking to the local biologist.  His advice was to drive down Tacoma Sportsman (?) road.  I said ok, then what.  His response was shoot the moose standing in the road.  About 6 of us went over 3 days before the October opener.  We camped and split up on duo-sport motorbikes and by the 1st had a few areas we had fresh rutting activity.  Shot my bull about 6 pm first evening.  Not a monster (43 1/2 ") but no pack out so it all worked out.  Impressive when you walk up to one and see just how huge they are. Good luck with the hunt
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: hunter399 on July 17, 2025, 07:13:56 AM
I was drawn for this tag back in 06.  Live on Westside and drove over a couple weekends after talking to the local biologist.  His advice was to drive down Tacoma Sportsman (?) road.  I said ok, then what.  His response was shoot the moose standing in the road.  About 6 of us went over 3 days before the October opener.  We camped and split up on duo-sport motorbikes and by the 1st had a few areas we had fresh rutting activity.  Shot my bull about 6 pm first evening.  Not a monster (43 1/2 ") but no pack out so it all worked out.  Impressive when you walk up to one and see just how huge they are. Good luck with the hunt

You mean Tacoma crk Rd ,maybe 🤔
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: brew on July 17, 2025, 08:22:11 AM
I was drawn for this tag back in 06.  Live on Westside and drove over a couple weekends after talking to the local biologist.  His advice was to drive down Tacoma Sportsman (?) road.  I said ok, then what.  His response was shoot the moose standing in the road.  About 6 of us went over 3 days before the October opener.  We camped and split up on duo-sport motorbikes and by the 1st had a few areas we had fresh rutting activity.  Shot my bull about 6 pm first evening.  Not a monster (43 1/2 ") but no pack out so it all worked out.  Impressive when you walk up to one and see just how huge they are. Good luck with the hunt

You mean Tacoma crk Rd ,maybe 🤔
something like that maybe...it's been almost 20 years. 
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: sjhgraysage on July 17, 2025, 09:25:25 AM
Thank you all for the replies.
After failing to fill a Kettle range moose permit in 2019, I'm trying to figure out any advantage I can for my Brother-in-laws permit this year.
From the responses it appears that placing a few cameras certainly could not hurt.
 :)
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: hunter399 on July 17, 2025, 09:42:05 AM
Thank you all for the replies.
After failing to fill a Kettle range moose permit in 2019, I'm trying to figure out any advantage I can for my Brother-in-laws permit this year.
From the responses it appears that placing a few cameras certainly could not hurt.
 :)
It never hurts.
If you could dump a bag of salt . Like last year ,I'd say setup a dozen cameras. Moose love salt. But it never hurts to setup a few without bait.
Title: Re: WA Moose scouting
Post by: hunter399 on July 17, 2025, 09:46:20 AM
I was drawn for this tag back in 06.  Live on Westside and drove over a couple weekends after talking to the local biologist.  His advice was to drive down Tacoma Sportsman (?) road.  I said ok, then what.  His response was shoot the moose standing in the road.  About 6 of us went over 3 days before the October opener.  We camped and split up on duo-sport motorbikes and by the 1st had a few areas we had fresh rutting activity.  Shot my bull about 6 pm first evening.  Not a monster (43 1/2 ") but no pack out so it all worked out.  Impressive when you walk up to one and see just how huge they are. Good luck with the hunt

You mean Tacoma crk Rd ,maybe 🤔
something like that maybe...it's been almost 20 years.
That road leads to other secret spots,that everyone knows about....lol
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