Colorado Cow Moose Hunt ‘24

[cnelk]

Returned home yesterday from my cow moose hunt.
It was requested to show some pics so I’ll do a little write up too.

15 years ago I drew my Colorado bull moose tag. I was fortunate enough to take a B&C bull. It took me 18 years of applying back then (even before PP&WP)

 

[cnelk]

After that, I fronted the license app fees for my son for a few years so he could get some moose PPs.

When the CPW decided to stop sending in license fees with your app, I decided to get some more moose PPs.

This year I had 3+3 and applied for the same unit I got my bull 15 years earlier.

When I got the CC charge for the moose tag, the planning started.

 

[cnelk]

I’ll skip the couple of scouting trips and get right to the hunt time.

I arrived to the unit on Friday Sept27. Archery elk season was still going on for a couple more days and I wanted to chat with elk hunters to see what they had seen for moose.

Got my Davis wall tent set up for the stay.

 

[cnelk]

The weather was absolutely beautiful. The fall colors were at their peak.

 

[cnelk]

Season started on Oct1 so I had a few days to enjoy the weather, ride my atv and scout for moose.

Elk hunters had seen a spattering of moose here and there. Nothing consistent, probably due to the nice weather.

I hiked around, and drove around and did see moose which was encouraging.

 

[cnelk]

Each night I would do some calling from camp. A few cow calls a couple bull grunts.

In the morning I didn’t have to go far to see a moose. Also encouraging. Not sure if the calling worked but it didn’t hurt.

 

[cnelk]

Rifle Bear Season was also in effect.

A couple of nice bears were taken over a moose carcass taken earlier by an archer.

 

[cnelk]

Also in my scouting I came across an elk wallow and someone’s tree stand. Not active with elk.

 

[cnelk]

I met a couple of moose hunters that were camped down the road from me. One guy had a bull tag.

I told him about the bull&cow (pic above) not far from my camp.

They had been hunting for a couple weeks (Season Choice tag) with no luck so they were excited to hear about the bull.

 

[cnelk]

Opening morning came.

I decided to drive about 5 miles away from my camp and hunt a meadow that had some moose sign.

That didn’t work out.

When I got back to camp about 11am, the two hunters were skinning that bull about 100yds from my tent.

I went over and helped them. They said the cow was also with the bull and ran right by my tent.

I coulda shoulda stayed in camp! Ha!

 

[cnelk]

The weather pattern did not change. It was warm and sunny. 70 degrees during the day and barely freezing at night.

A guy only had a couple hours in the morning and evening to hunt before the temp rose.

I didn’t see a moose for a few days.

I did have an issue with my Crispi boot.
Had to go into town and get some silicone to fix.
(There’s a thread on the Footwear forum about it)

 

[cnelk]

Friday morning Oct 4.

Boot was ready to go. I did a 2 mile hike behind camp looking for moose.
Nada.

I decided to drive a few miles up to where I saw moose sign earlier in the week.

I was almost to the area when I drove past a small lily pad pond.
Then I saw some tracks on the road coming out of the pond.

I stopped the truck and got out and looked.

A moose had just crossed the road and the water in the tracks was fresh!

I backed up the truck, parked and got my rifle and started following the tracks in the woods

 

[cnelk]

I went about 30-40 yards and saw a small dry opening ahead.

Snuck up to the edge and I saw a moose standing on the other side behind some willows.

I couldn’t determine if it was a cow or small bull at first but then it took a couple steps and cleared the willow and I could see it was a lone cow!

Bang!

 

[cnelk]

Earlier this year I made a post on the moose forum about what rifle to use for this hunt.

My 340Wby or ‘06

I decided on the ‘06.

My Winchester M70 pushed that Hornady 180gr Interlock fueled by 46.5gr of Varget right through that moose.

Distance was 80yds.

At the shot, the cow actually ran towards me! I almost sent another one but she started to wobble and down she went.

 

[rookieforever33]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the meat

 

[cnelk]

Since I was by myself and the temps were going to be warm I got busy.

I had several friends plus my son that were ‘on-call’ if I needed extraction help but this pack was going to be less than 100yds!

If you don’t have or use ‘mule tape’, man that stuff is the best. Strong and lightweight.

 

[cnelk]

 

[DKennedy951]

Great write-up and congrats on filling the tag. Good eats ahead for you and the family.

 

[cnelk]

I had her all quartered up and loose meat in bags in just over 2 hours.

Not bad for an old man.

 

[cnelk]

Another important item to have when by yourself is a Jet Sled.

I pulled a hind and a front quarter at a time to the truck.