Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Newfoundland moose

Hoping that those who were lucky enough to hunt moose in 2017 might share their experience. Photos not necessary, but a nice bonus.

I hunted with Bob Effords in 2015, I never saw a moose!

Wish I had pics to share.

I've been up there twice with Westwoods Outtfitters ran by Stewart Butland, and enjoyed the entire experience. Didn't hurt that I was able to take a Bull each time.

Wow. Sorry to hear that. A buddy and I hunted with Bob Efford’s in 2012. Killed two great bull moose and a Boone and Crockett caribou in two days. Saw between 15-18 bulls and 30+ cows and calves in two days along with 50+ caribou. Our hunt with Bob was second to none. You must have just hit a real bad week of game movement.

When I hunted with Westwoods Outfitters I shot the thirteenth moose that I saw. 300WSM, Barnes TSX, Great combo.

I went in 2015 also and the only moose we saw was a cow on the drive in. We had 75 deg sunny days and the super-moon at night. Bad timing!

I’ve been up twice, 2012 and 2017 with different outfitters. If you’re looking for a big bull you need to go with an outfitter that flies you in where the locals don’t hunt. If you’re after a fun hunt and just after a moose that’s not so important. I’ve done both. This past fall 6 of us went with Notch Mountain outfitters because he was able to accommodate our one hunting buddy who is wheelchair bound. We all shot bulls, I took one with a bow. As I mentioned before this was not a trophy hunt and our biggest bull was 32” 12 point. The rest were spikes and 4 pts. Still a great hunt and was especially enjoyable as the camp was nice, decent weather, and fun times with our group of friends.

Back in 2012 we went 2 for 3 with a fly in outfitter but both moose were nice, with my buddy Eli’s being a once in a lifetime 50” with a drop tine off it’s brow. I’ll go back again looking for a trophy with my bow but I’ve got enough meat for now!

Joel--yes it was a bad week and a bad hunting location. Effords booked us into his West Gander River camp, a drive in camp, we booked two years in advance because a couple of guys needed two years to save up for the hunt of a lifetime. They also couldn't afford the fly-in hunt. Effords sold the camp and didn't tell us, other hunters on his reference list told us, when we mentioned the switch he said the new location was better, he put us in his fly in base camp full of local hunters. We had a 2 1/2-3 hour drive to our zone each way, road hunted all day. Locals coming out of roads we were going into and locals behind us. Tree planters all over closing down vast hunting areas. Two of the 5 guys shot small moose crossing the road (illegal in most of the US), myself and another hunter never saw a moose. I had a 1x1 hunt off a UTV that constantly overheated, I had to pry my geezer guide off the UTV into the woods, one of the rented Ford F-150's constantly had a flat tire.

We complained to Effords wife, she did nothing, when we wanted to talk to Effords by radio he was always flying. Did I tell you the guides (67,69 & 75) got lost several times and had to call into the lodge or each other to get out? The food sucked and we got one towel for the week. A couple of the guys met up with Effords at the NRA show and he gave one of the guys a smart a$$ answer and he got bounced off the back of the booth with a little poke, the other guy got him out of there otherwise Effords would have seen the US Health Care system up close and personal. Effords is a liar and thief, don't hunt with him, period!

Several of my friends hunted in Newfoundland over the years, All were disappointed with the quality of animals seen. My wife seen a couple of the racks off the Moose they shot and thought they were deer racks.

If you just want to shoot an animal there are plenty of Moose in Newfoundland. If you want a head to hang on the wall save your money and hunt another province.

Right. The Newfoundland moose is unimpressive as compared to the Alaskan. But they are excellent "meat" animals.

Hunted Newfoundland 5 or 6 years ago and enjoyed most everything about it, including the drive and ferry ride, up and back. As I live in the northeast, the logistics make Newfoundland quite manageable.
There are some nice moose there, but a fly in is likely required. I saw 4 bulls during the first week of the season, including 1 big one at something over a 1,000 yards.
For the price of an AK moose hunt, I can go to Newfoundland 3 times. I have several fishing trip to Alaska under my belt, and have seen several AK moose, some up pretty close. Yup, they can be a prehistoric kind of big, particularly to an easterner.
I am mostly into the hunt for the experience. A freezer full of steaks is a nice bonus. Not all that interested in something to hang on the wall.
Based on a little experience with these little moose, they seem to be tenderloin from their nose down to their toes.
Hoping to collect one this fall.

Well I hunted moose in 2017 but not in NF. You still might enjoy reading this.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...2343737/re-yukon-moose-2017#Post12343737

I shot this bull in 2014:



And shot a young 3x3 this past season. I booked with 2 different outfitters and hunted differently at the different locations. Used a quad and miles of walking the bogs on one hunt and used 8 wheel drive amphibious Argos on the second. The Argos were absolutely necessary where we hunted in the interior. The terrain was wet, muddy and rugged. We saw virtually no one once we left the trails. Quads could not travel where we were with the Argos and most locals do not own 8 wheel drive vehicles
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Both hunts were very rewarding. I also tagged a nice black bear on the 4th day of my combo hunt.

Newfoundland moose hunting can't be beat for the relatively low cost, and its geographic location which is drive-able from NY. We are booking again for Sept 2019.

FWIW - I used a 338 RUM with 250gr Accubond bullets on both hunts. A shoulder shot dropped the big bull on the spot. My 3x3 was shot behind the shoulder at just over 300 yds. He walked about 30-40 yds before he dropped. The 3x3 was much more tender.

I hunted last October with Besaws Log Cabin Outfitters Newfoundland. Helicoptered in to the Long Range Mountains. Country was steep and rugged. Alot more physically demanding then I imagined. We spiked under canvas in some nasty conditions. Saw moose and some nice bulls but because of the terrain many couldn't be reached. Looked like I was going to eat tag soup. Last day my luck changed for the better. Located a shooter the night before and got on him the next morning. Dandy, 51" spread, 20 points and wide paddles which scored real well. This completed my moose slam. Outfitter was excellent! Guides were excellent! They run a quality operation. They don't do shows as they don't have too. They book up quick with repeat clients getting first chance. If you're looking for a chance at a Trophy bull contact Pius. They'll put in every effort they can to put you on a good one.

I also hunted with Westwoods in 2014. I shot a cow and my hunting partner shot a small bull. The weather was awful and the moose were pretty scarce the week we were there but Newfoundland has the highest concentration of moose in the world so I'm sure I would see more if I went back. I really enjoyed my time with Stewart, Grace and their staff in the Westwoods camp and I would love to go back. If you are looking for a really big rack I think you would have to fly in to the more remote camps. They're up there, we saw several on our way up & back. The meat is outstanding!
I used a 338 Federal with 210 Partitions. DRT.

54Woody, I read your post last year and just enjoyed reading again. Great effort tying together the story and pics. Certainly a dream hunt and a superior best posting.
Charlie, I will PM you.
Thanks for the various comments. I'm in the process of finding an outfitter with space available. Trying to keep it within 4 hours of Port Aux Basque.
Not using the outfitter I used before as they liked to get out early, be back to the lodge by 10AM, then go back out in the late afternoon. As most of their hunting was an hour or so drive, there was to much time sitting in the cabin mid day and riding back and forth. No other real complaints.
I have requested availablilty and info from Westwood, Besaws, etc.
Thanks for the help!

There are big moose in NF, but that is generally not how they advertise. It is a moose hunt and that is all, for the most part. I killed a moose with a super-heavy, tall, 40-inch wide rack back in 2011. I saw an absolute monster, but there was no chance to get to him, as he was on the move. Some outfitters seem to have better luck on big racks, than others. If your buddies were not happy with the quality of animals, then they did not do their homework very well. There are 50-inch racks taken every year, but not by everybody.

If you want to lay out 12 grand plus for the chance at huge antlers, well then, go for it. I, personally, would go to Newfoundland two or three times for that money and just experience a great hunt, in a great area, with great people, and possibly even get a monster. A lot of the hunts in other areas do not come anywhere close to NF for success. It is hard to argue with a 90 percent plus success rate.

I would agree with this train of thought and could care less about antlers. Having a great time and bringing home some excellent meat is far better than putting antlers on the wall. The moose in B.C. are doing quite poorly because of mismanagement so wouldn't recommend anyone come here till they turn it around. Newfoundland by far offers the best moose hunting in N.A. right now and it's priced right.

I have heard that a fly in hunt in Newfoundland has a much better chance at a good rack than the ATV/drive in variety. There is a lot of meat hunters with tags and they keep the average age of bulls in accessible areas trimmed back pretty well. Paying for a fly in might help.

I hunted with Ironbound Outfitters in October, it was a fly in hunt. I was told before the hunt that if I was to hold out, there shouldn’t be a problem getting a 40” bull. I killed one that was 34” on the 6th day of a 7 day hunt, and it was by far the biggest one we saw on the hunt. My guide told me that it’s best to go to a camp either early in the season before all the big bulls are killed, or when they are just opening a camp (for the same reason obviously). I’m not disappointed by any means with my hunt, but the trophy expectations were a little high for me, at the time I went, I suppose.

I’ll go back to NL to hunt moose again, but I might go somewhere cheaper for a meat hunt (best meat I’ve ever had so far!). I think if I want a larger rack, I’ll travel somewhere West of Newfoundland.