I've done 20 plus moose. All on the ground. It ain't pretty...so I can't argue with Art. Sounds like hanging is a good way to go. Can you get a wrecker to it?
. I actually know a couple times that has been done- just not by me. Trees, a saw, some binding, and a Come-along sounds good. Who gets to pack the stuff??
Best moose kill for me was a 50 foot pack to the boat. Longest ( a yearling) was 5 miles, 3.5 of it on an access road, most of the rest on a pre-cut game trail.. Too cheap to spring for a float plane for such a little one!
Pre-rut is the way to go if you want to eat the thing. I'l tell you how I know this. Twice. Once at the beginning (Sept 29). and once post (Nov 2).
The latter was out of rut, but the rut wasn't quite out of him yet. Made edible chilli and spaghetti, just. Spicy sausage would have worked too.
Anything before Sept 25 should be good. Sept 20-25 you are tossing the dice. After that, chances favor it will be rutty tasting. Tastes like piss + adreniline. and it is in the blood, which of course is throughout the meat. Eskimos tell me if you hang it for 10-14 days at 32-40 degrees this flavor dissipates, unlike with stink-bull caribou. I haven't tested it myself, but I am doubtful. They tell white guys lots of things.... such as - "it's in the fat"....
Bulls will come to calls (raking, bull grunts) anytime after about Sept 1, mostly checking out the competition. Late in the month, they will start coming to cow calls.
so will cows- keep in mind the best bait for a moose is another moose. They are very social, in and out of season- but they do like their personal space usually.
Me- I'm gonna try for a November/December cow this year, but I'll take a bull if offered- but only after November 15. Unfortunately????, I'll be in Cabo over Thanksgiving. Wife and her friggin vacations!!!! Weather and light will be my restrictions for weekend hunts, but on the other hand, driving the snow machine and sled up to it, or as close as I can get, if I get one, isn't such a bad deal.
