A Shiras September

[TXCO]

Well I somehow beat the odds and drew two Shiras bull tags this year. Shock is an understatement and family life was crazy as we welcomed our second son back in February. My wife was super supportive but did question the math behind two once in a lifetime tags in one season. So here goes-


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[elkguide]

Tip "two" over and make them leak!

Good luck and don't forget that we need pictures and a good story.

 

[TXCO]

A little background, Ive never hunted moose before. So I had a lot of research and learning to do. The two tags were Colorado and Idaho. I really wanted one with a bow and to also experience the moose rut. I eventually decided to hunt Colorado opener bow and try to catch them hanging in their summer range and hit Idaho for the rut. This also gave me a little time to go back with a rifle if needed. I had to break the hunts up due to family and work too. I also didnt think I could make a late November hunt work in Idaho either.

I honestly was just looking for a good time and moose with decent paddles. Not going for giants but the experience and the meat, especially with two tags and limited time.

Unfortunately our summer schedules were set with vacation in Utah. So I elected to save PTO for the hunts themselves and not prescout especially after talking to folks who said the heat makes them hole up.


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[TXCO]

Two buddies and I drove to my unit in Colorado two days before the opener. I had talked to some previous tag holders and mapped all the kills for the past 7-8 years. The opener coincided with muzzy deer and elk and was an otc elk unit. Ive hunted all over CO since I had hunter safety at age 12 and have never seen so many people in the woods in my life. I agree with all the over crowding threads.

We got there early to scout. We eventually met i think 3 other bull tag holders and 1 cow tag. It was very hot and moose were not out and about. The first day we found one bull bedded on the edge of the timber and a cow/calf. The second day we shot a grouse and found a spike bull and a cow walking out of the timber at last light. Honestly, it was a bit disappointing.

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[TXCO]

Opening day comes and we decide dont leave moose to find moose so we went to find the bull from Thursday. No luck throughout the morning. An elk hunter said he saw 2 bulls up on a ridge above our drainage and so we went up there but didnt find them. So I hunted and called my way down the ridge with a plan my friends would loop below and pick me up. On the 3rd or 4th calling session I catch movement and have a bull walk out at about 15 yards in the timber. He spooks as I draw my bow behind a bush and while he doesnt run off, I can never get a clear shot before he eventually decides to leave.

Id been grunting and raking not cow calling. Turns out he went down and straight into my friends who were looping below to pick me up.


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[TXCO]

The day was sunny and hot. Id found an old
Road and tons of sign and did some more calling. I hiked about 1.5 miles up to a high basin searching for sign which was about as far we wanted to pack voluntarily. We got a tip two bulls were seen in some willows and high tailed it over. We find them and put on a stalk getting to 40’yards in the trees above them but it doesnt work out in our favor. One was the bull from this morning. After blowing that stalk we head to check out new country but see nothing.


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[TXCO]

Next morning we do our loop again. Were glassing a drainage and talking to some campers when I see a moose at about 400 yards. Hes coming out of the timber and it ends up being the two bulls from the night before. We quickly make a plan. Their willow patch and creek is about 100 yards wide and surrounds by dry deadfall so very tough to stalk in bow range. They moved a little faster than I expected and we played cat and mouse for a while. We had a staredown at about 35 yards through some pines and besides that, I struggled to get within 50 yards and have a clear shot.

Then some other hunters started coming through and they got a little spooked and started moving off. The moose seemed pretty good at knowing who was trying to shoot them and who was just taking pictures honestly.


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[TXCO]

My friends picked me up and we looped in front of them. Unfortunately theyd been spooked up a little finger ridge by some road hunters. We were regrouping and trying to come up with a plan when we saw them move to our side of the ridge. I said what the hell and decided to move up the ridge and try to just get in their way to see what would happen. They were grazing and sparing moving towards the thicker timber and shade. I crept to about 100 yards on their elevation and parked myself in a spot to cover this little finger ridge. Eventually they split and one was working a little above me and one directly two me. I get an 18 yard shot at the upper bull and it looks perfect. He runs about 60 yards and goes down!

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[TXCO]

He was a great bull for me. Measured 39.5”. We had a little cloud cover and had to quickly get to work.

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[TXCO]

Since we got done a little early, we went to a friends elk camp in another unit to help them locate elk. I got the bull checked and still came home to the family a day early. All in all a fantastic hunt with my best friends.

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[TXCO]

I was home for almost 2 weeks and them went to idaho. I did decide to hire a guide due to constraints with logistics, friends with strong backs and time. Im glad I did because the moose were more mountain moose in the timber with elk and not loafing in the willows. Id talked to some previous tag holders and locals and while I think I couldve done it DIY, I wouldve needed more time than I had this fall with both these moose tags.


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[TXCO]

We decided to hunt the last week of September and everything Id researched said it should be prime rut hunting. To make a long story a little shorter, we got awful weather. After 5 days of mostly rain, fog, full moon and wind, wed seen one cow. We covered a few miles on closed roads, about 100 miles on FS roads, glassing, calling and talking to elk hunters. It was just dead. My wife and I talked and I was able to stay a few extra days.


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[TXCO]

On day 7 of a 5 day hunt and my last day, we hiked about 4 mile loop chasing a ghost and got more rain and fog. We drove to our different calling locations and on the 4th stop we got our first response grunt!


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[sierracharlie338]

Sounds like an awesome hunt. Congrats on closing the deal!!

 

[TXCO]

He was across a drainage and we got him worked up. We started dropping down and he committed to meet us for a fight. I thought he blew out but we just couldnt hear him in the bottom as he crossed. Eventually hes raking and thrashing working uphill on a steep slope to us. Hes covered in brush over his head but I catch a glimpse of a paddle at about 80 yards and am set up with my 300 win mag and get a broadside shot at about 60 yards. At the shot he lunges forward behind more brush. No clear shot but within second he flips over backwards and starts rolling down the steep slope like a mountain goat. His antlers eventually catch a lone pine to stop his fall.


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[TXCO]

Slipsliding our way down to him, we see a real nice paddle and then nothing. Were wondering did he break off his other side. As we get up there we see he has an amazing deformed antler on his downhill side. Such a unique bull that I couldnt be happier with.

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[TXCO]

This butcher job and packout was tough but some of the guides friends were camped nearby and came to help. Just great people who loved moose.

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[TXCO]

So after hunting 2 shiras moose this season here are a few thoughts and observations-

"Moose are everywhere around here" I heard this more times than I can remember. I saw 3 bulls total on my 2 hunts and shot 2 of them. I saw another 6 cow/calfs. Thats with 11 days in the field. Moose are low density animals in general. Weather matters even though we cant control it. Heat shut them down in Colorado it seemed and the rain/fog/moon (maybe even some wolves) made Idaho hard. Be ready to not see much. And they can hide better than you think. I also will say, dont get frustrated if you dont see any. They're still there and we just have to play the cards we're dealt.

I mapped out previous kills and hunts based on public data. I also talked to several previous tag holders in both units. Having ample time to sort things when the season is going is important.

Game bags- I bought 4 kuiu moose bags and used an additional 3 elk/deer bags I already had for 7 total per moose. The kuiu large moose bags probably are better suited for Alaskan size moose but worked nice. I think you could get away with large elk bags on a shiras quarter, or at least 2 moose bags if you didnt want to buy 4 new ones. If you dont cut the ribs out, I think you could get away with 6 total bags. Or just spread the loose meat out a little more. I think both my bulls were around 900 - 1,000 lbs and 4-6 years old. Looking forward to hearing from the states on ages.

Moose are big. I know people do it solo, especially in Alaska and my hats off to them (I cant imagine a 1500-2,000+ lb bull). Breaking one down and packing it out solo or even with two people is hard work. Its exponentially easier having multiple people, not just linear. Not to mention if they go down in a suboptimal spot. Preplanning recovery equipment/buddies is crucial.

I asked a lot of forums and hunters about rut timing. Sounds like moose start responding to calls mid September and the rut heats up the end of September/Early October. Based on my very limited experience, shading to the later dates and hunting October and being flexible with weather would be better. But bulls are still called in throughout September. I think the outfitter in Idaho is going to always recommend the first week of October after my experience. It was a toss up on which I came up and we guessed wrong.

My 500 grain arrow had a clean pass through. My 300 win mag was double lung. Both moose were down in less than 60 yards (not counting rolling downhill). Luckily neither got their adrenaline going.
Take your time. If I only had one tag, Id have been prepared for 2 5-7 days hunts or at least spending 10 days or more hunting one. I just did not have the time or ability to be gone that much on both tags. A victim of my own success there.

I bought two 120 quart igloos max's and had a 75 quart yeti. Those worked perfectly with ice for the meat on my bulls when I drove . The larger coolers were needed to hold the bigger quarters. I do frozen water jugs for ice.

I bought some cheap 45q walmart coolers in Idaho for bringing meat on a plane. The extra baggage fees were much cheaper than any quote I got for next day air or refrigerated truck shipping.

A comealong, ratchet straps, sawzall, extra rope, a tarp and hatchet were all good tools to have in the truck for breaking down the moose. Since I forgot my sawzall blades, the hatchet worked great on the ribs. I kept all these in one bag so if a buddy had to go to the truck while breaking the moose down, he could just grab the whole bag.

My wife gave me the gerber double knife with the tendon tool. I also was looking forward to the bigger stiff knife blade instead of my normal replaceable blades. The knife came very dull and I cant get it sharp. I gave up on it halfway through just splitting the hide on the back on my first moose. We did both moose with havalons or outdoors edge knives. Im frustrated enough I plan to call gerber about it.


If anyone has any other questions on moose or moose hunting Im happy to share my thoughts. The rest of my gear was just like any other September elk hunt.


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[TurkeyReaper69]

Wow, talk about hitting the lottery. Congrats on Colorado bull. I'm anxious to see rest of ID story posted

 

[TXCO]

Final thoughts- Im so blessed to have had this opportunity. Its so rare to hunt moose and Id been contemplating giving up my CO points for a cow.

The trend for moose is down. Its also reflected in the bull and cow tags issued. Sadly every state seems to have a declining moose population except Colorado. And they're trying to introduce wolves by the end of the year. When I first started looking at applying in Wyoming in college, it was an estimated 7-8 years to draw the NR moose tag I was aiming for. Now with new tag allocations and population declines/tag cuts, it'll never happen. I know how lucky I am just to have had one moose tag in today's world and fulfill the dream.

The area I hunted in Idaho was relatively stable after declining and theyve been putting a hurting on the wolves to help it stabilize. I learned a lot about a new organization - https://f4wm.org/ Its a group of hunters working with other hunters and trappers to help offset wolf trapping/hunting costs. All the people I talked to up there were members and appreciative of the extra income. We saw wolf sign in a lot of places. Right now they're supporting folks in Idaho and Montana who take wolves. I'd encourage everyone to look into them.

Otherwise, Im happy with my bulls and have been sharing the wealth of meat with family and friends. Fantastic stuff so far!!


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