Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire talk about a pucker factor of 10!

I had a PTO day today and set out into the mountains above Loveland, Co to scout for deer. Archery season open a week from tomorrow! My intent was three-fold:

1) not be at work
2) get some fresh air
3) hang a trail camera in a promising location for a "week soak"

I accomplished 2 of my 3 goals!

I cruised into the hills into an area I'd considered in the past, as it's close to home and prime for quick evening hunts. Although it's mule deer country, the mountains and draws make it ripe for hanging a ladder stand. Not the prototypical method for mulies, I know, but it's my plan to attempt to pattern a few small deer and hopefully stick one while relaxing in the evenings in a stand.

Anyhow, 2 or 3 miles from the trail head I was down in a deep, thick willow draw between 2 mountains, an area about 20 yards across with a small, 2 foot wide meandering creek running down the middle.

I was seeing game trails all over and they became bigger and bigger until they started looking like 4 foot wide highways with large twigs broke off 3 or 4 foot high.

I obviously suspected that I'd arrived in moose country but continued looking for deer sign and a natural choke point to hang my trail cam. A kept creeping forward and the draw came to a natural funnel point, with a steep grade on both sides. On way in, one way out. Just as I slowed to consider turning back, a large, LARGE, fully grown, MASSIVE LARGE bull moose stood up from his bed 7 or 8 yards in front of me. We startled each other as much as anything else.

I damn near [bleep] my pants. He had one (easy) way out - through me. We stood and stared at each other for a full 10 seconds, before he started snorted and getting agitated.

I S-L-O-W-E-L-Y backed off about 30 yards to a point where I could retreat via the hillside - he watched me impatiently the entire time.

My .357 revolver on my hip felt inadequately small. I was planning on bumping into a small black bear at the worse, or else I would have brought the .44.

Then the lightening rolled in, so I high tailed it out of there. Long story short, the camera didn't get strapped to a tree. I hit happy hour on the way back into town instead and relaxed once I got home

The only two animals, right wrong or indifferent, that truly scare me in the wild are moose and mountain lions. I was just glad to be able to back out and head home!!

--Duck911

you should've cut you a keen switch, whooped his azz, and went on about yo' business..

4-5 years back I was on vacation out in North Dakota and I was walking some TNC prairie. All of a sudden there's a ruckus in the little ravine I am walking alongside and I see this big black thing go up the opposite side. I am thinking buffalo when this moose raises his head over the brush to look me over from 25-30 feet. I backed away slowly taking pictures while he gave me the look. A year or two later I stopped by a little stream to check it out and here's another damn moose inside fifty feet.

I don't care what it is in North America, I would rather take my chances with any of them other than polar bears than a damn moose. I do not think moose know from one second to the next what they are going to do.

I hunted west of Loveland for around 20 years and never seen any moose, didn't know there was any around that area. Now live in the Idaho panhandle and there are lots of moose in this area.

Yup, that's what I'd have done, LMAO.

Knew a guy from ME who was hunting deer and while on stand
turned his head and the biggest bull moose he ever laid eyes
on was standing about 10 feet from him. Said it startled him
pretty bad, it turned and was gone in a matter of seconds.
Told me it hardly made a sound as it sneaked through the woods.

Close call here.



Dave.

Now that right there is damned funny..........'bout choked on my beer !!!!!!!!!!!

MM

Bull moose this time of year are fairly easy going. Cows with calves are another story and around here the most common dangerous animal we encounter on the trails and woods.

one deer season,years ago,I was on my stand before first light,as per usual,in the north half of minnesota.
I heard what sounded like a damn freight train coming through the woods,snapping branches ,crunching leaves underfoot.

Thought it was probably one of those city boys moving in on me.

Whatever it was passed by within a few yards and kept going.Daylight came along and gave evidence of large cloven hoof prints.
A small bull was sighted within a few weeks,moose being rare in the area,it was probably the same.

Had these guys in my yard this week. The big one was as big as any I've ever seen.

That's becuase that place is so poplar

that AH deserved to get hooked for taking that shot.

'bout stepped on a cow while wading through head high or better brush a few years back...phew...scared the b'jesus outta me. Luckily for me and her, she decided to go AWAY from me. Never forget it, she sounded like a pig grunting as she trotted away.

After a few more steps I found her bed in the wet leaves, along with the little ones bed...they had gotten up in the AM and been chewing on some Maple trees when I rousted them. I hung a 90 and decided to give them ALOT of room...lol...

Oh, oh, oh - grrrroaann.