Douglas Moose

[highcountry_hunter]

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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[fishngamereaper]

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.

[fishngamereaper]

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...
They also had a ton of deer and elk road hunters so I think that was a big factor in changing behavior patterns.

[jrebel]

Sounds like you have it one heck of a go…..sorry it didn’t work out for you. 

[boneaddict]

Thank you for the report.  I’m sorry it wasn’t a more positive one for you.  It is humbling to know these tags aren’t a gimme even with max effort.  A true hunt.

[hunter399]

Man that sucks.
I can say without a doubt,that you are correct.
Moose population just isn't what it was 10 year ago.

[Falcon]

Sorry it turned it that way.   Ten years ago when I had my tag, I was told the moose population was struggling.   To hear your story tells me it’s a bad situation with the moose population.    Glad you gave it your all.   You didn’t leave anything on the table.   

[Harbor_hunter]

You gave it your all, that is a fact!  The population in there is not good.  Was eye opening for sure. Thanks predators and our state's awesome predator management!! Fewer tags would not be a bad idea and with reducing a few bull tags, dump the split season and let the bull hunters go Oct. 1-Nov. 30th.  That extra time is needed!  With as bad as the population is though, it almost makes you feel bad to take a moose! 

[bearpaw]

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! 

To the OP, sorry to hear you were unsuccessful.

[fishngamereaper]

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! 

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  ...Like the bio up there said,  she was like just keep doing what your doing and eventually you might see something...

I know other units are way more productive...so maybe it's just Douglas. And I'm just complaining 

And I was totally willing to tie one up for you guys if I found a good one...even had the rope ready.

[sjhgraysage]

Reaper,
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.

[TriggerMike]

Dang! I was pulling for you. At least you had the opportunity.

[teanawayslayer]

Sorry to hear you didn’t fill your tag. That’s rough after all the years of waiting. I’ve been on two moose hunts in the bordering unit. Aladdin. First hunt we went six days without seeing a single moose. Saw a cow day 7 and killed bull on day 8. The second was a year later. Bull was killed on day 2 maybe 500 yards from where the bull was killed the year before.  We only saw 2 moose the second trip. It wasn’t what I was expecting for a once in a lifetime tag. There’s only three that I put in for Douglas and Aladdin aren’t in the three. My advice is do your research prior to putting in for these tags. Just because they hand out tags doesn’t mean there’s good numbers of moose. I guess on a better note, you can draw a moose tag again.

[fishngamereaper]

I'll be in Idaho soon enough so my moose adventures will continue 

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.

[teanawayslayer]

I'll be in Idaho soon enough so my moose adventures will continue 

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.

sad but true. They all used to have good numbers. But those wolves are sure pretty to look at