Hunt the opener, or hunt the rut?

[SgtTanner]

I'm in the process of booking a moose hunt in Newfoundland. I've researched it, read trip reports, and I still don't have a clear answer. I'll laugh if the poll results are exactly split.

FWIW, I have asked the outfitter, and he recommends opening week. But I'm suspicious that this may be because he only has opening week available. I'll ask him what weeks are available - I should have posed the question to him in that manner from the start.

Some factors on my mind are hunting pressure, the fact that the biggest moose around could, in theory, be shot opening week. Weather issues? Too warm early in the season? Obviously moose during the rut will be more active/responsive to calling, but does that trump weather?

So which week would you prefer to hunt?

 

[JFKinYK]

What are the dates of your opening week?

 

[SgtTanner]

What are the dates of your opening week?

For 2023, I believe that's 9-16 September.

 

[mcseal2]

I’ve only hunted moose once and it was in AK. I liked hunting the rut. If the country is thick and visibility is low having the ability to call seems like an advantage I don’t want give up.

When I first saw my bull he was thrashing a small tree. That image will be with me forever, being new to both moose and Alaska it was one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

 

[Yellowknife]

My family tends to hunt the opener. We've killed dozens of bulls between Sept 1-3. Last year was no exception, with a 64" on the 2nd. They aren't particularly responsive to calling, but depending on the area that may not be a big deal. I'm happy to go find them where they live.

It may be different that far east, but I'd consider anything after Sept 10 to be getting into the rut over here.

 

[JFKinYK]

I would not feel handicapped hunting sept 9-16 but I’ve never moose hunted in NF. Our season starts Sept 1 and I hunt as much as I can starting then but do reserve later in Sept for a longer hunt. I’ve called in a bull on Aug 29 before.

Lately I’ve preferred hunting earlier, more pre-rut time. The weather is generally better and once bulls find cows I think they are harder to call. Many seasons I show up sept 20 or later and trees are already thrashed to heck and moose have paired up and moved on - at least thats my theory.

 

[AKDoc]

I'm in the process of booking a moose hunt in Newfoundland. I've researched it, read trip reports, and I still don't have a clear answer. I'll laugh if the poll results are exactly split.

FWIW, I have asked the outfitter, and he recommends opening week. But I'm suspicious that this may be because he only has opening week available. I'll ask him what weeks are available - I should have posed the question to him in that manner from the start.

Some factors on my mind are hunting pressure, the fact that the biggest moose around could, in theory, be shot opening week. Weather issues? Too warm early in the season? Obviously moose during the rut will be more active/responsive to calling, but does that trump weather?

So which week would you prefer to hunt?

I think you're asking good questions, and it's great that you're doing some research before booking dates. Is it primarily calling that you will be doing on this hunt, i.e., does the terrain preclude spot and stalking? I've never hunted NF...all my experience has been here in Alaska, and the season for the unit I primarily hunt is 9/1-9/30.

My absolute preference is to be in the field when rut starts, i.e., arrive just before rut, and be there when it begins and progresses. That typically gives me some variety in bulls coming to calls. I'm in the field for two continuous weeks for moose season each year, so that kind of time frame fits well with my preference, as opposed to hunting just a few days or sometimes even just a week. It's been my experience that the actual onset/date of rut does vary from year to year, sometimes quite a bit. There are variables that are simply outside our control which seem to impact onset year to year, e.g., wx. I know that point is arguable, but it's what I've seen.

Most of my early season hunting over the years has been spot and stalk. I have called bulls pre-rut with conservative calling (primarily scraping/grunting), i.e., shorter calling sessions and longer intervals between scrapes. However, that's nothing like calling during the rut. The bulls seem much more cautious during pre-rut, and if I can get them to come, there's been many times that I just can't get them to break from cover. Contrast that with cow-calls during rut, when I've had satellite bulls come running to me and even swim across large bodies of water to get to me...it is way more fun for me to call during rut. I've even called them to the meat poll, which is way preferable as I've gotten older...I've humped my share of meat loads from distant kill sites!! I am primarily meat hunting, so the satellite bulls are perfect for me. That said, when rut is full-swing, calling a large dominant bull off of cows is many times mission impossible. They've worked too hard to get those cows grouped-up and have been chasing off other bulls...and too often they're isolated in a location where responsible meat salvage would be a no-go.

That's my long-winded way of saying that I voted for hunting during the rut...sorry about that!

EDIT: I'm sure you're being mindful that everything I shared is extremely remote Alaska moose hunting, which I noted in the beginning. It may not be applicable at all to NF moose hunting.

 

[JFKinYK]

You should also be aware, with all this great AK advice coming in, that the rut works differently there than across the Canadian sub species. I don’t expect the issue of timing to be much different though.

 

[Wapiti1]

It isn't hard to pinpoint a bull there and keep tabs on him. I'd ask how the strategy differs early season to rut. My guess is that the hunting is pretty much the same whether they respond to calls or not. Glass. Move. Glass. Move. Repeat until you kill or go home.

I've been told that the higher moose density makes them roam less to find cows.

Jeremy

 

[PA Hunter]

Always hunt the rut I go to Newfoundland every other year been successful so far every time but on two occasions I tagged out last day last minute of light. When you can’t call them in it can be a very hard hunt.

Don’t trust the outfitters they are trying to fill up every other week and will say anything. If you can’t hunt the rut book the following year not even a thought in my opinion.

 

[Chirogrow]

I'd love to hear other people's input on this. I've heard a lot of people talk about hunting the rut as being more difficult due to the difficulty of calling bulls away from cows and that pre rut is easier. this applies to both moose and elk for what it's worth. I've only hunted moose once and will be going again next year but I thought more people would have been on board for pre rut! I voted for hunting the pre rut but as for a time to be in the woods helping someone hunt or just hiking it's always amazing to be around screaming or grunting bulls!

 

[Akwoodchuck]

Too hard to just give an either/or answer....totally depends on weather, terrain, moose density, and bull/cow ratio, in that particular hunt area...in AK, I want to be hunting high country in the last week of September, with a good hard frost overnight, but before any snowfall....I also would like hot coffee, bacon, cinnamon rolls, pre-warmed slippers, and that day's paper waiting when I wake up....

 

[Short Track]

I hunted opening week, and got a Bear

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I hunted the opener and got a delicious moose in full velvet...sure tastes better than a testosterone-infused rutty. A much tougher hunt though.

 

[duckcarver]

Always hunt the rut I go to Newfoundland every other year been successful so far every time but on two occasions I tagged out last day last minute of light. When you can’t call them in it can be a very hard hunt.

Don’t trust the outfitters they are trying to fill up every other week and will say anything. If you can’t hunt the rut book the following year not even a thought in my opinion.

In your opinion, what is the best week for Newfoundland? I’ve read a lot of different thoughts, but consensus seems to be first week of October or last week of September.

 

[j33]

This fall we got 2 moose in Alberta with our group. First one was early September, was hot but we knew they would be near water on a small lake, small bull down. The other late rut, October 10. Literally played with 2 bulls in the evening and the next morning after a 6" dump of snow overnight we came upon a huge Alberta moose & he was following a cow (I wasn't the shooter but down he went), he wasn't a meat moose like the other one though...

So I would hunt the rut if you could, maybe late rut as they are looking to catch that last cow. We always have better luck during the rut or after, not much luck just before the rut. Temperature matters, if the rut is hot those bulls won't be too active, if you're wearing rain or snow gear that's prime moose hunting time.

 

[Chirogrow]

My family tends to hunt the opener. We've killed dozens of bulls between Sept 1-3. Last year was no exception, with a 64" on the 2nd. They aren't particularly responsive to calling, but depending on the area that may not be a big deal. I'm happy to go find them where they live.

It may be different that far east, but I'd consider anything after Sept 10 to be getting into the rut over here.

When you’re hunting this early are you mostly thrashing? I’m headed out this year the 7-16 which is a little earlier than I’d like but it what I could make work. Any insight would be appreciated

 

[Yellowknife]

When you’re hunting this early are you mostly thrashing? I’m headed out this year the 7-16 which is a little earlier than I’d like but it what I could make work. Any insight would be appreciated

It's about 90% spot and stalk and 10% luck the first week of the season for me. Thrashing/scraping should start picking up by the 7th though.

We tend to hunt near treeline, so our moose technique involves finding high points and glassing... lots and lots of glassing. They will spend most of the day bedded, but will fairly reliably get up for a quick snack and a stretch every 2 hrs and you can pick up the antlers in the brush at that point. A good spotter will tell you if it's legal. It's tough to fool their ears when bedded down, so once located we will sometimes get close'ish and then just wait them out.

The other 10% of the time, you just stumble on one walking back to camp for dinner. That works too.

The 7th - 16th is a very fine time to be hunting moose. They will be getting more active every day and the leaves will be dropping for increased visibility.

 

[Chirogrow]

It's about 90% spot and stalk and 10% luck the first week of the season for me. Thrashing/scraping should start picking up by the 7th though.

We tend to hunt near treeline, so our moose technique involves finding high points and glassing... lots and lots of glassing. They will spend most of the day bedded, but will fairly reliably get up for a quick snack and a stretch every 2 hrs and you can pick up the antlers in the brush at that point. A good spotter will tell you if it's legal. It's tough to fool their ears when bedded down, so once located we will sometimes get close'ish and then just wait them out.

The other 10% of the time, you just stumble on one walking back to camp for dinner. That works too.

The 7th - 16th is a very fine time to be hunting moose. They will be getting more active every day and the leaves will be dropping for increased visibility.

Great advice thanks! So maybe I should forget the glassing and just go with calling since it’s after the first week?

 

[NorthCountryAB]

I think you should trust your outfitter.
If you dont believe in your outfitter than maybe you should reconsider who you book with.
Depending on dates and rut activity the style of hunt you have will vary. Early season hunts have a ton of glassing looking for bulls. Where as rut hunts involve a lot of calling on lakes, rivers and open areas looking for cruising bulls.
Moose have incredible hearing, so calling on lakes, river bottoms and valleys are very productive.
You can sit and call on a lake for days and not see a moose, than all of a sudden a big bull will show up looking for that lonesome cow.
From my personal experiences rut hunts are what hunters are looking for. When a bull comes in eyes rolled back, grunting every step, fired up. Ready to Fu*k or fight is an absolute adrenaline rush.