I am back home, what a great hunt and experience. I have to say this forum and the people on hear are AMAZING. On my first trip over I hunted for 2 days, drove around and checked out places people recommended. Met 2 groups hunting bulls. One group put me onto a cow, but she was back in a gated, closed rd and down in a hole. I didn't go after her because it was 80 deg out and being solo I didn't think I could recover her. I saw a med sized bull and turned one of the bull hunters onto it. I saw a bear and tried to get closer for a shot, but never saw it again. Think I jumped a cow and a calf, but never got a good look, it was thick. It was a fun two days, but had to go home and work.
I had never been to the area, and never even seen a moose in my life. I want to thank everyone that offered to help and gave me tips and pointers. And a even bigger shout out and thank you to Elkslayer, him and his boys are great. On my second trip over. He called me when I got over there and offered to show me around and take me hunting. He took me to a area FULL of moose and had one on the ground less than 100' from the rd and above the rd, before 8am and saw 5 other cows. They then helped me gut it (I have never gutted anything before, always done gutless on the deer and antelope).
Dam they are BIG. As a novice hunter, I may have been in over my head. After gutting it they dragged it down the hill and into the back of my truck. I helped but, I know they did most of the work. He then offered, to take it back to his place and lift it with his tractor and help me skin and quarter it. They helped at every step of the way, great guys, and tons of knowledge and experience. They taught me a ton. It's the best hunting experience I have ever had. I feel that I made a great new friend and I wish I could repay them in some way. Hats off to Elkslayer. Thank you and your sons so much. After getting it cut up, I always worry about getting things cold and getting the meat taken care of. So I headed to the closest store and iced it down with 17 bags of ice and headed home. By the time I got home all the ice was melted and I have it all hanging in a cold rm now at 38 deg. Just wow, it's a lot of nice looking meet. I feel so lucky.
Lucky for the meat, the experience and the great people that I met. Total strangers, but everyone I met during the coarse of this hunt treated me like family. Just wow. Thanks again to everyone.