Post by: Rufous on July 14, 2008, 06:31:30 PM
Post by: 280ackley on July 14, 2008, 07:40:23 PM
Post by: 280ackley on July 16, 2008, 09:07:40 PM
Range divide during prime times. When you are south of the springdale-hunters road be carefull not to be on the Spokane Res.
Post by: Rufous on July 16, 2008, 09:40:21 PM
Post by: 280ackley on July 16, 2008, 10:52:45 PM
Bearmartin, should we focus our efforts north or south of the Springdale-Hunters road and east or west of the mountain range? Would it be possible for me to talk to your brother? If so please send me a PM with his phone number. Thanks, Brian.Both north and south of springdale-hunters and both east and west of the divide will put you in good moose ground. Be prepared to walk, there are a lot of gated roads. Talk to the people you see, all the firewood cutters we ran into were helpfull.
Post by: Rufous on July 21, 2008, 12:10:37 AM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FKenFullerMoose3.jpg&hash=8a552467651e61f4faaaac1dd657de2f61e1cdcc)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FKenFullerMoose1.jpg&hash=b478e72e6b259c8854b15f248bac4aa1063042a0)
Post by: PA BEN on July 21, 2008, 05:06:08 AM
The moose in northeast Washington are Shiras Moose (Alces alces shirasi), which is the smallest of the four subspecies of moose in North America. Shiras Moose are named after George Shiras III, an ardent conservationist, explorer, and U.S. Congressman in the early 1900’s. This subspecies is native to the northern Rocky Mountains and apparently migrated on its own accord into eastern Pend Oreille County, Washington in the 1950’s. The first official state documentation of moose in Washington occurred in 1954. In the decades since moose have dramatically increased both in numbers and distribution and are now common throughout much of northeast Washington.
Hunters should take note that while moose are fairly common, they are by nature a solitary animal, and occur only individually or in small groups scattered over wide areas. They tend to prefer habitats based on forest successional stage and local climatic conditions. While they can be found at any elevation in northeast Washington, they are most likely found in the 3,000 to 5,000 foot elevation band. In the fall they seek deciduous browse, primarily willow, serviceberry, ceanothus, and other shrubs in logged over areas or burns that are approximately 15 years old or older. Moose are particularly drawn to north slopes or east flowing drainages, which are cool and moist. Late fall and early winter snowfall does not seem to deter moose in any way.
Moose rut in early October and some hunters have been effective with calls. Early in the season moose are widespread and snow is usually not present for tracking. This is a good time to learn the country and glass logged over areas. Access is good and many hunters take moose in October. Usually by some time in November snow is common and locating moose tracks as well as seeing these dark animals against a white background of snow becomes much easier. Early to mid-November is a good time to plan a moose hunt. By late November there is frequently deep enough snow to be concerned about having only limited road access into moose range
Huckleberry Range – GMU 121 and GMU 124 West of Hwy 395
Good areas to hunt in the Huckleberry Range are the mountains extending north and south of the Springdale - Hunters Pass off the Springdale - Hunters Highway. The east side of the pass has the majority of the moose habitat especially the headwaters of the forks of Chimokane Creek and Deer Creek. Moose sightings are also common east of the Fruitland area with access to the mountains through the Fruitland Valley or up the “O-Ra-Pak-En” Creek drainage. The other primary moose area in the Huckleberry Unit is southwest of Loon Lake. This range of hills is referred to as the Five Sisters and extends south to Scoup Mountain. There is a good moose population in the mountains here but automobile access is difficult due to gated roads. Boise Cascade Corporation owns much of the forestland in this area. Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) maps are recommended.
Post by: SHANE(WA) on July 21, 2008, 11:20:38 PM
Post by: Rufous on August 03, 2008, 08:59:55 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FBullMoose1e.jpg&hash=6faa5d1146c300063363cb4520920443e3cf0c88)
Post by: Wea300mag on August 03, 2008, 09:03:38 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on August 03, 2008, 09:15:59 PM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on August 03, 2008, 10:37:20 PM
Post by: PA BEN on August 04, 2008, 05:40:08 AM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on August 04, 2008, 10:35:51 AM
http://www.pope-young.org/pdfs/ScoreSheets/moose_r6-2008.pdf
I'm certainly no expert on scoring, so others should feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. But note that the palm length is measured from "dips between points at the top to dips between points at the bottom", meaning you need two points on the bottom (and therefore a "dip") to measure down that far.
Also note that you don't get credit for length of points...you just get a +1 for each point. Hence why the bulk of the score comes from the width and length of the palms.
Post by: finnman on August 04, 2008, 01:07:19 PM
I just got good news from a friend of my brothers, He inherited 40 acres last year from his mom and dad after they were killed in Africa on a motorcycle trip(No drivers ed over there!) hit by a bus! Anyway the property is 10 minutes east of Fruitland, right in the heart of Moose country, he said we can set up our base camp there and we won't have to worry about having our stuff disappear while out hunting. I will get some pics when we get over there for a scout trip!
Getting pumped!
Jason
Post by: pendoreilleadventures on August 04, 2008, 04:22:27 PM
Post by: Rufous on September 09, 2008, 04:55:09 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 10, 2008, 07:55:44 AM
Post by: Rufous on September 14, 2008, 08:13:01 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on September 14, 2008, 08:30:13 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 14, 2008, 08:51:39 PM
Post by: Rufous on September 14, 2008, 10:10:27 PM
Post by: Bean Counter on September 14, 2008, 11:36:32 PM
:dunno:
Post by: tlbradford on September 14, 2008, 11:58:16 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10323/362.JPG)
This was after she helped me scare away a Tom this spring by banging the striker against the pot. Then she tried using the striker like her coyote calls, but that didn't work either. Oh well, it is a great memory to file away.
(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10323/360.JPG)
For you 49 and Huckleberry boys, I will be up there early next week talking to the bus drivers and will let you know if I get some good leads. Ridgerunner. I haven't seen anything on Mica that tops that Cheney bull yet, but I will keep on looking.
Post by: BellBoy08 on September 16, 2008, 09:41:53 AM
I HAVE BEEN UP IN AREA SCOUTING EVERY WEEKEND AND HAVE ONLY SEEN COWS AND ONE SPIKE BULL. I HAVE BEEN SEEING MORE ELK THAN MOOSE. WE HAVE CONCENTRATED AROUND WAITS LAKE AND DEER CREEK UP TO RED MARBLE MNT. I KNOW THEY ARE THERE SOMEWHERE. WE DID GET 2 NICE WHITETAIL BUCKS WITH OUR BOWS WHILE SCOUTING SO IT HASNT BEEN FOR NOT.
Post by: PA BEN on September 29, 2008, 05:53:12 PM
Post by: PA BEN on September 29, 2008, 07:17:48 PM
Post by: Rufous on September 29, 2008, 08:49:40 PM
Post by: Hornseeker on September 29, 2008, 09:03:04 PM
Post by: Rufous on October 05, 2008, 09:54:01 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FIMG_1406.jpg&hash=ec7acc72749d30faa3321d955d083db586373db1)
Post by: robodad on October 05, 2008, 10:06:06 PM
That is a respectable bull in my book, Lots of great eating that's for sure !!!
Nice Job !!
Post by: MichaelJ on October 05, 2008, 10:33:28 PM
Michael
Post by: popeshawnpaul on October 05, 2008, 10:42:04 PM
Post by: PA BEN on October 06, 2008, 06:17:21 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 06, 2008, 06:26:37 AM
Post by: Gobble on October 06, 2008, 06:50:25 AM
Post by: X-Force on October 06, 2008, 07:03:45 AM
Post by: Slider on October 06, 2008, 07:39:46 AM
Post by: Intruder on October 06, 2008, 07:47:15 AM
Post by: Sagedawg on October 06, 2008, 07:58:36 AM
Sage
Post by: bucklucky on October 06, 2008, 08:23:20 AM
Post by: agchawk on October 06, 2008, 08:25:15 AM
CONGRATS!!!!
Post by: Ridgerunner on October 06, 2008, 08:46:48 AM
Post by: bowsandhose on October 06, 2008, 10:22:56 AM
Post by: huntnphool on October 06, 2008, 10:45:12 AM
Post by: finnman on October 06, 2008, 01:59:50 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on October 06, 2008, 04:03:58 PM
Post by: M_ray on October 06, 2008, 05:27:46 PM
Good eats right there! :drool:
Post by: 280ackley on October 06, 2008, 08:21:05 PM
Post by: jackelope on October 06, 2008, 08:29:25 PM
waiting to hear about your brother's hunt too.
Post by: Rufous on October 06, 2008, 10:18:38 PM
My brother will not start his moose hunt until November 17th. So I will be looking for some help from you locals as to the snow conditions when it gets closer as well as whether or not the moose have transitioned to lower country.
Thanks so much to all of you for the help, advice, tips and general support. It was a really fun hunt, starting with the news of the draw to the scouting and then the actual hunt. Brian.
Post by: C-Money on October 07, 2008, 10:56:00 AM
Post by: mlgunkel on October 07, 2008, 11:35:42 AM
Mark
Post by: mingo on October 09, 2008, 10:37:24 AM
Post by: Bullquest on October 10, 2008, 08:04:38 PM
Post by: 270Shooter on October 11, 2008, 11:32:04 AM
Looks like the freezer will be full for a while :EAT:
Post by: Rufous on October 16, 2008, 07:35:49 PM
155# of burger
25# of breakfast sausage
43# of Round Steak
14# of Sirloin/Sirloin Tip steak
21# in roasts
20# of Backstrap steak
7# of shoulder steaks
Total of 285#. I took 410# to the butcher. That was the four legs with bone in but lower leg bone removed and of course hide removed (which came to 353# for the 4 legs) and then 57# of scrap meat. It is hard to imagine that the leg bones and waste meat weighed 125#. The meat hung for several days so I would guess there would be some drying out losses. Does anyone think I ended up with too little meat? Thanks, Brian.
Post by: Ray on October 16, 2008, 07:37:04 PM
Post by: luvtohnt on October 16, 2008, 08:06:39 PM
Brandon
Post by: Rufous on November 22, 2008, 08:59:56 AM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FViewfromMooseCamp.jpg&hash=3573846e6ce47f31be4691175335a11b30340df4)
Here is another photo of the sunrise we woke up to the first morning.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FMooseCampSunrise.jpg&hash=bbee7485d74f7d8315c64ec7861c365ead9e441f)
We cruised the roads on Monday and ended up seeing 6 moose, the last one was in the road in the dark on the way back to camp but we could not tell if it was a bull or cow. For sure we saw two bulls, both of which only had one antler. The bigger one was really nice, almost should have shot it. Here is a photo of one of the cows we saw. She was just on the other side of the Indian Reservation Boundary and so was safe.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FSafeontheReservation.jpg&hash=701ed91cd84007e60fd7b87aa9c73ffd1cc00cf8)
Tuesday my good buddy Mike drove up to join us. He left Walla Walla at 2am and arrived at 6am. He had never seen a moose and said that he hoped he would not jinx us. Tuesday we saw no moose. That stinker jinxed us. Wednesday we decided to try the Scoop Mtn area and when we got up in there to "The Glassing Spot" that Finnman knows we saw a bull up above us. My brother wanted this bull and could have taken it at 430 yards if he would have used my rifle but he had recently worked up a load with his 30-'06 and wanted to use his own rifle so we tried to put a stalk on it. My buddy was stoked because he finally got to see a moose and a bull moose at that. Ethan and I headed up the hill and I got him within 75 yards but he did not see it as his glasses were fogged up and he could not hear me telling him to shoot the bull because he had his ear plugs in. It was a rather frustrating effort but we just pressed on after that bull gave us the slip. Then we drove over to the Empey Mtn area and cruised the roads. Mike decided to head home as he needed to be back to work on Thursday. Ethan and I then headed over the pass and south of the pass up a drainage. We saw and heard several moose including a couple bulls but it was getting quite dark and the bulls were not offering up a shot in the brush. Some of the cows must not have been bred yet as they were moaning and the bulls were grunting. You hunters probably already know where we planned on hunting Thursday morning.
So we get up early Thursday and head for the drainage seemingly full of moose. We got back to where we had seen them the previous evening and sure enough before long we can hear a bull grunting. Eventually he comes into view and my brother decides to take him. It was a younger bull but he was quite happy to take it as he was mostly interested in getting some prime eating meat. The bull was only 163 yards away and was across the drainage from us at about the same level. My brother got down on his butt and used his Kramer Snipepod to sent the 180 Nosler Accubond on its way. We cronographed the load the previous week during his late season whitetail doe hunt (he took a doe) at 2650 fps. Anyway the bull was quartering towards us and Ethan put the bullet between the bulls neck and onside shoulder. The bullet passed through the vitals and broke the offside ribs just behind the offside elbow, lodging against the hide. He stepped forward a few steps and I told Ethan to hit him again so he shot the bull in the neck. I saw the bullet impact the neck as I watched through my binocular. The bull went down immediately and that was the end of it. That bullet exited. Here are a couple shots of Ethan with his 2008 Huckleberry Range moose.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FEthanMoose1.jpg&hash=403bd5d4dd174978ce0ff2a159191b9250552272)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FEthanMoose2.jpg&hash=33032512beff791750a1208519c22f84600384ab)
And here is photo of my 150# brother with a 108# load of pack and moose head.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc115%2Frufous%2FHeavyLoad.jpg&hash=3ed9d24806ca1a0497f7e847c56fac6b3e11396f)
It was not far from the moose to the road but it was a steep climb at the last up to the road. I wish I had my camera handy when Ethan hauled out the head. I had to push and pull him up the slope there at the end at when we were a few feet from the road I gave him a mighty push which got him up on the road but he stumbled and went down flat on his chest. He said, "I have fallen and can't get up". It was rather hilarious.
His bull was a bit smaller in weight than mine. My bull's legs and scrap meat amounted to 420# while Ethan's amounted to 370#. All in all it was a great hunt for my bull and for my brothers. Thanks to all who offered advice on places to hunt. Brian.
Post by: snipekillr on November 22, 2008, 09:26:12 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on November 22, 2008, 09:38:49 AM
Post by: PA BEN on November 22, 2008, 11:45:01 AM
Post by: elkaholic on November 22, 2008, 11:47:18 AM
Post by: Alpinegus on November 22, 2008, 04:58:49 PM
Post by: fc2038 on November 23, 2008, 05:51:20 PM
Post by: antlerman on December 11, 2008, 08:44:19 PM