Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Dads 2010 Alberta Mountain Moose Hunt

Hey Guys,

Sorry I'm posting this late but here is some pics from a moose hunt I did with my Dad last wee. It was the first day we had got out to try and fill my Dad's moose tag this year, and we got the tag filled by about 9:00AM.

This was the first bull my Dad has shot since 1987, and he did it in the same zone he killed his first bull. His first bull was his first big game animal he had ever killed after moving from Ontario. It was a big 48" bull. We drew this tag for some nostalgic reasons and to find him a great bull to go along side his first bull in the cabin.

First thing in the morning we hiked about 5km in and did some calling. We moved our way around a meadow, calling and sitting and glassing. In the far end of the meadow (always seems to be the furthest point from the truck), we found this bull and 2 cows. Dad looked him over and decided that he was big enough and what we had came for. I was carrying a partner license but held the video camera while Dad made a great 250 yard shot, dumping the bull.

Twelve hours later, a lot of lifting, grunting, and cart-dragging, we had the bull loaded into the truck and headed back home. A BIG thanks goes out to Shooter and Duk Dog for the help yesterday, and thanks again to Tango Kilo for the help in the past. Its great having good friends to help out and share the experience, and I owe you guys all!! My pack is always ready.

This was a really special hunt to spend the day with Dad and get him a great looking moose. Dad worked his butt off and hauled a pile of meat. It was a great experience to be a part of. Dad used the same knife he used when he killed his bull back in '87. He shot his bull about 2km away from where I shot mine last year. He also used the same BSA Monach lightweight 30-06 rifle, this time with 165 TSX.

Here are some pics of the bull. I'm only going to post the ones with me in it as I havent asked Dad if he wants his picture posted here...









The last pic is just kinda 'staged' as I took off some orange flagging tape and straps to make carrying it in the bush a bit safer.

Great job, congrats to your father.

Nice Moose, congrats to both of you.

Nice job and moose,Congrats!

Congrats to your Father! It'll be good memories forever and good eating this winter.

Very nice! That is truly an animal I sure hope to hunt one day.

Nice - Looks like you had a great hunt. I wish moose were more of a reality here in the lower 48.

Nice bull. What WMU? With a 7 priority I should be due next year.

Nice looking moose.

Very nice and beautiful country. Moose hunts are only a pipe dream for most of us lower 48'ers.

Great job. Big critters arent they

A shooter, for sure! Nice looking critter. What was the spread? If it is AK/Yukon subspecies, I'd call him about 52-54 inches, but I think you may have a smaller sub-set there.

How musky was he?

I shot a 2 or 3 year old bull on the 29th, with only a light musk to him - but even so, the first few boned out pieces came out a little gamy (still eminently edible) after processing- just a bit more than we are used to from earlier taken bulls. There was no water within a mile when I was field dressing, and I only had the one knife with me. Even tho I was careful, & cleaned the knife often in moss (after I ran out of baby wipes), apparently some of the exposed surfaces were musk-contaminated either from the knife, or just from exposure elsewhere. They were clean, so no trimming for that reason was required at home. First taste test came after processing the back-straps, tenderloins, and half the neck, darn it. From there I trimmed ALL previously exposed surfaces on the rest of it,no matter what they looked like, with very frequent washing of knives and hands, and that took care of that. And of course being equally careful with the cardboard underneath.

That's kind of embarrassing to admit, especially on my 20th (and latest in the season taken) but may help out someone else with a musky moose (deer, caribou) before they get started. I should have (did) know better...

I noticed, and did not know before, that the blood itself carried a lot of musk to it. Stands to reason tho.



Pot roast for 50 anyone?

Using the same knife from 23 years ago is pretty cool.

Thanks for a great story!

Rackmaster,

Kudos to you and your Dad.
Good looking Moose you shot. Hopefully, we'll see your Dad's pix and Moose.
Thanks for doing the narrative and posting the pix.

Don

Very nice moose and pics; you'll be eating well this winter!

The pics are of the bull Dad shot, he just snapped a few pics with me in them. This is his bull although I just didnt post pics with him in it. My bull from last year was a bit smaller than this one...

Rackmastr;
Thanks for sharing the pictures and story with us. I love to see the family hunt traditions being upheld and fostered here.

I'll send you a tip of the hat for doing so too by the way, as I'm sure your life is as busy as everyone else these days and it takes a bit of juggling to make time for family hunts.

As a by the way, I'm still loving the NICE frame you sold me last year, but am ashamed to say that so far I haven't packed any meat out on it.

Not for lack of trying mind you, it's just things have died close enough for the dead sled to be used instead of the frame.

Thanks again, all the best to you and yours and good luck on your upcoming hunts.

Dwayne