Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Drew a Montana moose tag

After applying for 40+ years, finally drew a Montana moose tag. It's for a cow, which is what I applied for, since Eileen and have 4 bull racks crowding our limited space already. (She didn't draw this year, after already having drawn a bull tag the first time she applied in 1989--when she got exactly the bull she wanted on opening morning--a 34" meat bull. And then she drew an antlerless tag in 2007, which she filled three miles from the house,)

Am far more interested in moose meat than antlers these days....

Congratulations!! That is very cool and good luck this moose hunting season.

Outstanding. You were certainly due. Looking forward to the full hunt story come fall!
Rex

Congrats on the tag. A cow tag would be fine with me as well. Moose is my favorite game meat. I trust this hunt will be material for a future article.

Question, will this hard to get tag require your most dependable rifle or will you go exotic with the hunt being close to home?

Good for you, do you need any help?

Antlerless Moose Tag? Sounds like a job for a "B-Tag Rifle."
A big B-Tag Rifle ;o)

WooHoo! Congratulations

Nothing better than meat in the freezer, especially moose meat!

Looking forward to the story.

Grats! I recall your writing more than once that you had never drawn one, glad perseverance finally paid off.

Congrats

Thanks!

The area I drew for contains a no-rifle Montana Wildlife Management area north of our little town along the Missouri River--about six square miles of ideal moose habitat. The legal "weapons" are bows, handguns chambered in "traditional" straight-cased handgun rounds, and muzzle-loading rifles, including "modern" muzzleloaders. This is where Eileen filled her antlerless moose tag in 2007, using my Remington 870 12-gauge with standard-velocity Federal 2-3/4" 1-ounce loads--which are almost unobtanium anymore, since apparently even whitetails can't be killed with anything less than 3" magnum 12-gauge ultra-velocity ammo.

On the WMA, I am tempted to use my 7-1/2" Ruger Bisley .45 Colt with 305-grain FN cast bullets, but would probably opt for the same 870 with good slug loads. Dunno what rifle I might use for hunting in the mountains west of the WMA, but it might be the custom Griffin & Howe 1903 Springfield I acquired earlier this year.

Congrats John, finally after all these years. I drew my MT. bull tag in 2013 and after nearly 20 days and hundreds of miles both in the truck, on foot, bicycle and even skis when the snow came I was only able to find two without horns so tag soup.

Use your Bisley so I can live vicariously during your hunt while I fondle my own .45 Colt Bisley dreaming of that big dark shoulder coming into view. I'd think those 305 grainers will slip through both sides making short work of the great Elq.

That is one of the best tags in the US. Very few get to hunt moose in their home state . Have fun in your preparation deciding what firearm to use and what area you chose to conduct the hunt .
NWT

John,

I can't help you with the Federal slugs, but I've had good luck with Remington 2-3/4 inch 1 oz. slugs. If it comes down to it, I have a good stash of them should you need some. I've set up quite a few slug guns for myself and friends. The Remington slugs have always been accurate.

Woot woot! Can't wait to hear about the hunt.

Nice! I’ve never drawn. What district did you draw?

That is great to hear! You deserve it! Congrats!

Congrats John!
I know that the pursuit will be the best part.....

Bill

Congratulations sir.
Isn't funny as we age, and the antlers are not so important. Like you, I'd be thinking about the great eats. Hopefully the one you get will be an easy retrieval back to your truck.

Wishing you all the best.

Best of luck JB looking forward to the story and the details...mb

Congrats and best of luck to you sir. IMO, probably the best wild game I’ve ever eaten.