Moosings - Idaho - 2019

[trphyhntr]

Maybe tomorrow morning, big one 

[Heat]

Keep working and good things will happen.  Good Luck man!

[Flatlander]

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.

 

 

[trphyhntr]

Looks like a shooter 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Looks awesome..i wish I made it up there

[Big Browns]

Great update!  Good Luck tomorrow!!!!

[stanley]

Awesome, Andrew!!!   

[bonecollector]

Keep Hammering

[yotebuster]

Awesome!!  Keep after it!  The cool thing about moose hunting is a big one can literally show up any time, anywhere, scouting doesn’t mean crap to a rutting moose!  

[Flatlander]

Day 4

Went looming for the bull I found last night. Not sure If it was him but I found one with a cow and calf in the area. He was a shooter but unfortunately he was 70 yds onto private.  Tough to see him tucked back in the quakies but he is circled below. 

Met up with an elk hunter who owns a large farm in the area. We drove around his place and he put me through the paces on what to expect and how to hunt these moose. Very helpful. We didn’t turn up any moose son his farm so I headed I to town to refuel and visit an of friend. A milkshake was nice. Tried to clean the undercarriage on my truck to no avail. Should have picked up a phone slope but forgot.

Back after it tonight and saw a bull booking it across an open CRP field about 1,000 yds out. He was on private but headed for a small BLM island. Hauledass up there and was able to get to the BLM before him and there was just enough rise in the field to keep me concealed from sight. I could just see his horns coming over the crest below me. Unfortunately he was going to stay on the private, I called and called but to no avail. He crossed 100 yds outside of the BLM. Unfortunately no chance for pictures. 

Later that night I passed the elk hunter on the road near where I passed up the borderline bull on day 2. We exchanged notes for a minute and went on our way. A few minutes later he sends me a pic saying a bull just crossed in front of him right where I had been glassing. Looks like the bull from day 2.

 

 

[firstcoueswas80]

I'm super jealous. I wish you the best of luck.

[Explorer]

Sounds like you are having fun regardless. Have you ran into any other moose hunters?

[Flatlander]

Met one tonight. A guy from Michigan our hunting with his wife. Only 10 tags so hopefully won’t see anyone else. Most of the locals probably just hunt deer and elk and take their moose incidentally. That’s what I would do.

[Flatlander]

Day 5

The day was pretty slow to start and ended up being my lowest moose count since Day 1. Did my normal glassing routine in the morning, turned up nothing. Decided to hit the high stuff, 10k’ +, mid day. There is still a fair amount of snow up there from this week’s storm so I figured I could at least see if anything had been wandering around. It was pretty but The scenic views were all I found.

 

For the evening I was pretty set on going back where I saw the private land bull the night before. I have seen 3 bulls walk across the same CRP pasture in 4 days so I was committed to getting there early and seeing what showed up. No sooner did I get back to camp and get gear in my truck than I got a call from the Michigander. He had killed the bull I saw the night before. I know everyone is dying for some dead bull pics so here is one of his. Not a bull I would have shot so I am happy he was able to take it.

Tomight I was feeling burnt out. Driving the same roads, glassing the same spots, even starting to see the same moose. I was cruising down a public land draw when I saw on silver leg sticking out of a quakie aspen. I hit the skids and grabbed my glass and immediately saw a paddle. My mind went from 0-60 in 3 seconds. I grabbed the rifle and my bino’s and found a stealthy way out of the truck. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t a shooter. But he did get my heart racing and was kind enough to pose for some pics.

At the halfway point. Cant help but hear that clock ticking in the back of my mind. 

[rossislider]

That clock ticking in the back of the head can do funny things to your mind. I experienced first hand this past weekend. Keep at it, you will find him.