Great pics guys!!
Reminds me of my annual moose camp trip with friends. Was just 2 of use for years now we have more friends out. Had a couple guys (non hunters) come out for a couple days to have some fun.......they did that for about 2-3 years, got hooked and now hunt. We have been in the same spot for about 22 years now.
Our group are meat hunters, not saying that if a trophy bull comes out it isnt going down, but as long as its a legal bull for us, its down. Times have changed from being single guys, 9 families need alot of meat...good thing we usually get a few elk each year too. Last year we got 2 bulls on the moose camp trip and then the following week later, 4 guys went out on a 1/2 day trip one morning.....seen nothing and were about only a mile away from the trucks when they seen 2 bulls fighting over a cow. So they got both as our group had a total of 4 moose tags last season.
Pics of camp and of the meat pole from last year, along with the guys dragging the 2 downed bulls from their half day trip in a new area.
Takes about 6-7 hours to set up camp. There are a few trips back and forth from the trucks/trailers to tub trailer supplies in. Arrive with trucks around 8:30-9am after about a 1-1.5 hour drive from home, start packing in. Usually by 3 pm we are setup, firewood supply for couple days chopped up and we come up with game plan for first evening out, and gone from camp by 4pm. Its alot of work , but as you all know, its worth it!!!
Walked into the middle area of a cutblock, got setup on an old chip and log pile and started cow calling. Called in this bull (pic of me) for one of the guys with a tag in a cutblock about 400m west of camp on first trip out from setting up camp this year (same block I called in bull the year before on the first evening out after camp set up...GOT to LIKE IT !! first day bulls!! and very close to camp). I could hear the bull grunting back and coming in to the east of us. The bull stopped at the edge of the block, then after what felt like an eternity, took couple steps out,turned broadside and stopped again. One shot at 114 metres broadside-double lung from his old 270Win with a 140gr Accubond did the job..the bull took about 3 steps and then dropped on the spot!
Took awhile to pick a path and cut with a chainsaw thru the cutblock to drag the bull out as with the tall grass it was hard to see the old fallen wood and stumps..trust me, my shines paid for it dearly. By the time we got the quads into the bull, dressed it out and were about to drag to the cutline, a few of the guys showed up as by then it was dark and they knew where we were and that a bull was DOWN!!! The beer and rum tasted good that first night at camp topped off with a victory cuban cigar (not that I'm a smoker-far from that, but once a year is ok) around the firepit!!
We like to split up in groups of 2 or 3 and explore/call in different areas to look for sign, that way we are not trying to call in the same bull.
Meat Chimes from the first moose.
A friend practicing his calling in a cutblock.
We had a bull come into my calls in the morning and was on a full run in, then the wind swirled, hit his brakes and turned and wheeled away. The bull was at least a 45", so we went back that mid afternoon and set up in a small bluff of trees in the cutblock right where the bull stopped on us in the morning. The bull was about 350m away the first time when he ran in, and being straight on, my friend passed up the shot. We never did see the bull again. BUT...his paitience paid off later.
He did get his first bull on the 1/2 day trip. What a great first bull!! This is our friend that just use to come out for a couple days and really got into the moose hunting now.
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Couple pics of the guys with their field dressing completed of the 2 bulls that were fighting over a cow hooked up ready to drag to the trucks/trailer.
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Now I cant wait till this years trip. This year I will be drawn and so should one other guy and then we have a couple guys that may or may not get drawn. The way we have our draws set up, we should have at least 2 tags every year.
Usually the weekend before, we make a day trip out to the area and take the kids/families and have a weenie roast. This year, I'm buying a Rhino and installing the rear roll cage and seat for the back for my 2 young boys!! Much easier than on a quad.