Flatlander

I thought this was the norm. Worse for me is glassing until dark when you are way back in on a coues hunt and then having a several hour hike in the dark alone coming out. I hate those nights but it’s a necessary evil. Always tough to balance bivy’img out vs day hikes.

Day 3 Went back and glassed the corner where I saw most of the moose yesterday. Found a cow calf and yearling bull. Worked my way through some new country glassing and driving (that’s 90%) of how I am finding moose. Didn’t find any more moose so I looked back to my original glassing point and looked back across the canyon and found a bull 1.3 miles away tucked up in some trees at the end of a field I have permission for. He bedded down in a stalkable position and I figured I could get within 150 yds. Headed back across the canyon up onto the bench. The wind was perfect and I hugged the tree line as I closed from 800 yds. At the point where I thought I would be able to see him I crawled around a bend in the tree line and there he was right where I left him. After watching him for a few minutes I wasn’t sure he was a shooter but before I could confirm he jumped up and went into the trees. I’m not sure why he did that but there may have been a cow back there. I wanted a better look at him so I let out a nasally cow moan. In less than 10 seconds he was back in the open and coming on a string. It was now that I confirmed that he was in fact not a shooter. But now he was practically in my lap at 60 yds and closing. He stopped to make a scrape and I decided to send him on his way. I stood up and used all the bass in my voice to say “Get”! He didn’t move. He just stared at me and kept pawing the ground. This lasted about 30 seconds before I decided to take my own advice and get out of there. He never left, just watched me gather my stuff and back out. I didn’t see any other moose until about 30 minutes before dark when I found what I think is the best bull yet cruising a stubble field. He was moving fast and covered a mile before I lost him in a creek bottom. Who knows where he will wind up but it’s good to know there is a bigger one around. it finally warmed up this afternoon. All the ice mud is now melting off my truck and I can feel my feet again.

Dammit AZGFD is giving away my honey holes.

My IG is azgillett. But I don’t think I have anyone blocked, maybe That’s my wife’s account, which would probably make me feel better. Saw one moose tonight. Think it was a cow. In the am I am going back where I saw the bulls this morning. I probably wouldn’t pass that bull again. The cold is waring on me.

Unfortunately no. I was trying to get the tripod setup when he decided he had enough.

Still chasing moose. Pics are easier to put on Instagram so I have been updating that more regularly. Day 1 Cold and wet. Low visibility. Saw one bull in the evening but he was a dink on private land. Got camp set and organized. Day 2 was a quick start. The morning was clear and cold about 20. Passed a solid bull on public right at first light. Might have been a mistake, we will see. Saw about a dozen moose in total this morning. More snow through midday and burning off now. The scenery is unmatched.

Officially moose hunting. Visibility sucks but the rain and snow should quit around noon. Its on!

Just 7 more hrs of driving.

Looking to be a wet start to the hunt.

It’s happening ...

I really think that most lost bulls come from hunter’s who do not hunt archery elk often enough not understanding elk anatomy and shot placement well enough. Poor shooting is probably next and situational circumstances like a bull moving just as you take a shot are the least common. I can tell you from my personal experience that it’s really easy to get nervous about a gut shot and hold way too far forward even at close range punching through an elk scapula enough to get both lungs is not likely. It took me several hunts to really understand how far back to hold on a bull. Now I go to the back of the ribs and come forward 2-3 ribs. Lots of lung back there. Up tight to the shoulder of you are high or low of too far forward you are going to have a problem. Just my .02

Thanks Tony!

I have debated about what to say about this as I know some have mixed feelings about these highly sought after tags being donated. But after thinking about it I hope that if we are able to share the story that more people might enjoy the experience this increasing the good that has come The selfless decision someone made to donate the tag. A little background. In April of last year my son Hunter (9 at the time) was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Toothe. CMT is a degenerative neuro-muscular condition that causes muscle atrophy and reduced sensitivity in the extremities. As a result of this condition Hunter also had hip dysplasia in both legs which led to two separate reconstructive surgeries last year. He turned 10 in August and we squeezed in a youth Kaibab hunt as well as a cow elk hunt (from a donated tag) between surgeries. I was proud of his effort as he did whatever he had to and filled his deer tag and stuck with it through three cold days for his elk hunt but that tag went unfilled. He goes to PT twice every week and probably will do PT//OT until he is skeletally mature. We are blessed that his lifespan is not impacted and for now he can walk and ride a bike likE his friends, other than limited strength and the unknown of when and how fast the degeneration of his nerves will occur. Well a couple week’s ago Eddie Corona from OE4A called and asked if Hunter would be interested in an antelope hunt. This has been an aspiration of his for several years since accompanying me on scouting trips for my antelope hunt in 2014. So the next day, after going to PT, and the dr and getting x Rays we met Eddie Corona and picked up the tag. It’s been his top choice every year since so of course we were in. Then to find out it was Unit 10 tag, well, we were over the moon. I hope to share this experience with as many as possible and want to make sure that those involved know how much this means to a kid who has not had an easy past 12 months. Thanks to Eddie and everyone who helps OE4A in anyway and also to Darren Couturier who donated the tag. We can hardly wait to share the journey with everyone.

Now I know where your kid gets it. Stone cold killer for a mom.

I think this guy ☝️ Might want to buy one of the .243’s.

You volunteering to go? Given the option of not going and going alone, I choose the latter. I feel confident, the unit is the periphery of grizzly habitat, there are no known resident bears. And I don’t plan to hunt any back country, in fact most of the moose habitat is almost agricultural. But yeah, the thought of tracking an arrowed rutted up bull moose is hair raising enough, add the bear potential I might need new shorts.

Well I am hunting solo so . . .

Awesome story Fred. Helped give me se confidence before heading out on a solo moose hunt. Which mag is it in?

From my research, the biggest challenge will be the height. You need more clearance than most cargo trailers have.

Oh, and I got this last week. There were never grizzlies there when I lived there but apparently they have been spotted in this unit the past few years. So there’s that ...

T minus 6 days... There is a stack of coolers in the man cave. Rifle has good feed and is confirmed out to 500 yds. Have 6 arrows with sharp FIXED blad wac’em broadheads. I have made a personal rule to keep things within 50 yds, especially on big bulls, be it moose or elk. I have arrangements with a taxidermist to clean my skull should I manage to run into one. Have a beef scapula boiling in the stock pot right now. Got a new spare for the trailer. Things are starting to come together. As tends to happen, some folks who were hoping to come have had to change plans so it’s looking to be a mostly solo adventure. I have been in touch with some locals who have kept their eyes open and can probably help at different times. Word is that the rut is hitting pretty hard right now. Hopefully it lasts a couple more weeks.

I referred Todd here. He's a good honest dude and easy to do business with.

I forgot about the cow elf thread . . .

Wow, the boy is a killer. Congrats.