I DREW A MOOSE TAG!!! Now what????

[FlyGuy]

I am beyond excited!! Found out I was selected for a bull moose tag in Idaho, unit 51.

As a Non-Resident, this isn't a tag you really "plan" on ever drawing. So, I am feeling pretty overwhelmed and unprepared! I have no idea how to hunt moose, and I've never set foot in this unit before.

This is a very special tag and i plan to make the most of it. I am looking for any help or advice I can get from the collective experience here in Rokslide. Hoping to talk to any of the rare few that have hunted this tag before, or anyone that is familiar with the unit. Heck, I need to learn the very basics of hunting moose, so if you are willing to help out with anything related to general moose hunting I plan to soak it up like a sponge! Feel free to PM me, I'd love to talk with any of you. If any of you know of good resources I can check out to get me started that would help as well. I just found out I drew but have been traveling and tied up with work commitments so this is really my 1st chance to get started on research so I came to my favorite place!

I have experience with archery elk, and I was already committed to hunting in that zone with two friends in Mid-September (dates not finalized, but will be there for a min 10 days.) If I don't punch the moose tag in September then I'll be coming back later to try again, but that is likely to be a solo mission.


Some of my immediate questions (thousands more to come later as I learn):

- september arxhery elk hunting is my basis for all mtn hunting. How does Moose hunting differ from that? I know thats pretty broad, sorry. Elevations? Rut timing? Calling scenarios?

- "Best" general dates for Moose hunting?

- resources for Moose calling? I don't see a "MooseNut" app. Next best thing?

- local packers? One thing I do know is that these things look like they are not fun to pack out solo. Advice on max distance one would try and take a Moose from a vehicle 1) in September temps with 2 helpers, 2) in late October with no help?

- am I crazy to try and do this with archery gear? Should my arrow weight be adjusted up from elk? (442 currently)

- I really want to do this DIY, but am I being nieve? Is that stupid for a NR to attempt in this unit? Any recommended outfitters?

- glassing? I've been upgrading my optics this off-season, but I usually don't use optics to find elk. I've always hunted timber and 8x42 work great, I use calls to locate them instead. But, this unit looks more open than I've hunted in the past. It also looks a heck of a lot more steep! Should I plan on lugging in the big spotter? (Kowa 77) or the 15x56?

- advice/resources for field judging moose. Never been too selective on elk, but I'll only get to do this once on a moose so I want to know what I'm aiming at is a quality animal with little ground shrinkage.



Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[Thedeerfarmer]

Congratulations on your tag! While I cannot attest to Idaho, or the unit your tag is for, I can offer some tips in another area or two. In my scouting trips and moose sightings, 9,000 feet seems to be a good starting elevation. Now, depending on the unit, they may be lower. I've spotted them at 7,500 or so a dozen times in the last year. You'll want to look for beaver ponds and willows, they tend to hang around. Archery gear is no stretch for moose. There will be variables, and I have no prior knowledge of your skill level or harvests but moose are not incredibly hard to get close to. In fact, I've had to scare off a few curious cows who got a little too close. However, up your arrow weight. Look into a front of center increase and I would personally look into exceeding 500 grains for your arrows overall. Glassing, use what you always have. If you can find elk, you can find moose. Work hard and best of luck!

 

[wyosteve]

Having had 2 Wyo. moose tags and been in on several other Wyo. moose hunts, I've found the rut will normally begin around Sept. 15. Learn to call them. It's pretty simple and can be done with just your voice. I've had bulls respond to both cow calls and bull grunts. Since they don't hear a tremendous amount of calling to become conditioned, they come in pretty close in my experience so you should be fine with archery.

 

[jspradley]

Here's the most important piece of advice you will ever receive.

Go where the moose are.

Sorry I got nothing better than that but congrats and good luck!

PS we expect pics

 

[robie]

I've researched ID moose a bit and what I learned.

Rut starts early October after Elk season is over.
Benefit to going during elk season is everyone you see you can stop and asks if they've seen a moose. From what I've seen posted this can be pretty successful stretegy.
For packers, Idaho is 1 outfitter per area I believe, and you can look up which outfitter covers the area you want to hunt. (ie not 1 outfitter per unit)
- Little Lost OUtiftters
- Horse Creek OUtfitters
Call those guys about packing out your moose.

Search for an Outfitter

 

[mtnwrunner]

I am familiar with unit 51 and have hunted it extensively. Have not seen a lot of moose there but I've seen a few.
You can pm me for any info I can provide and for $10,000 I'll tell you.
All kidding aside, I'll help out if I can.

Randy

 

[Bowhunterguy]

FlyGuy Excited for you man! I also drew an ID moose tag in 61-3 and will be heading up from Colorado. Will be following this post for sure. Going to try and make a trip over the 4th of July to start scouting. Anyone had any luck running trail cameras for moose?

 

[Jackpine]

While my experience is in Minnesota, which is woods and swamp habitat, very different from what you will probably hunt, I cannot urge you strongly enough to learn to call. As previously stated, it is pretty simple, (we learned from a video tape) and requires a little practice and a birch bark funnel megaphone, if you want to be traditional, but one made from a rolled up manila file folder works just as well. The thrill of a big bull tearing the timber apart and then "marching" steadily toward you is huge.

Good luck.

 

[FlyGuy]

While my experience is in Minnesota, which is woods and swamp habitat, very different from what you will probably hunt, I cannot urge you strongly enough to learn to call. As previously stated, it is pretty simple, (we learned from a video tape) and requires a little practice and a birch bark funnel megaphone, if you want to be traditional, but one made from a rolled up manila file folder works just as well. The thrill of a big bull tearing the timber apart and then "marching" steadily toward you is huge.

Good luck.

Awesome, thank you. I'm very familiar with elk calling so I am planning to utilize that every bit as much for finding bulls as I will glassing. Since I am also still planning to get it done with my bow, I'll need all the help I can get to pull one of those donkeys in close! I've been watching YouTube videos on it and picking up the sounds to make. Enjoying the process of learning about a new species. I am just planning on using my bugle tube since I'll have it with me. But I have toyed with the idea of "rolling my own" out of birchbark or leather. You know what, I've just decided that I'm going to do that. I mean, how many times am I going to have a Moose tag in my pocket? I'm going all the way! I also need to find a moose (or moo cow?) scapula to use for raking as well though. No idea where or how to acquire one of those yet though.

Funny you say that though about the calling. I spoke to both the warden and the biologist for the area recently. I asked both of them about calling and they were like, "well, I guess you could try that. Never heard of anyone calling one in though." (Huh?) Sounds like the preferred method is to drive around, park in the bottom of the drainage, and glass from the truck. Wha---wha---whaaaaa... I'm sure there are a ton of folks that would love to hunt that way but I ain't one of them. Not saying I won't do it, but if that's really the best way to go then I sure hope to get it done quickly so I can start putting some miles on my boots going after elk. I'm realistic that a long, solo pack out on a bull moose is not to be taken lightly, but I still hope that I can't see the truck when I put one down!

Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Im not too sure about rut times in Idaho, but just north of the border in Alberta IMHO the last couple days of sept to oct 10 is the best.
With that said my partner called in and shot his bull last year on sep 26.
3 guys would make short work of a moose. All depends on how fit you are though. Plan on packing out 600lbs of meat.
As for arrow weights and actually killing the moose. Moose arent hard to kill, infact kind of big babies in my opinion. Ive killed enough to establish that opinion. From bigger bulls to cows they just arent that tough compared to an elk IMHO.
They can definitely soak up some lead but from my experience they dont run 5 miles after taking the lead.
Shoot premium ammo and youll be good.
As for advice to hunting them not calling I cant help much, we hunt them in the rut almost exclusively.
With that said glassing wont hurt, itll be hard for you to scout from texas.
If there is an option for a short notice packer to pack your moose out I would definitely look into that. I would never attempt to pack a moose out alone.
Any questions let me know, like I said I have no experience in the southern 48 but tons north of the border.

 

[FlyGuy]

Thank you! That is great information!

As far as arrow weight, I've been at 442 but just ordered a 2 arrow test kit from Valkyrie at 485. Not super heavy by any means, but should be enough to get it done.

I do have a question regarding typical moose behavior. My dates are not finalized, but they will most likely be 11-12 days between the 10th and the 23rd, so most of my time will be pre-rut. There is some chance I could move it to later dates, but it would not be easy to do. And it would mean that I'm hunting solo the entire time instead of having 2 buddies with me. So, I'm probably not going to look to change that unless there is an overwhelming response that I'm just flat crazy to hunt earlier than the 25th. I prefer to hunt elk pre-rut before they have cows and are more susceptible to calls, so hoping it will be the same way with moose. If I don't get it done in September, then I will look to be back in October or Nov for a week.

So, Given my hunt dates. My questions are related to the "range" of a bull moose. I know that bulls will travel great distances once the cows start heating up, but what about prior to the rut? Even though there are only 5 bull tags I'm sure they will still react to hunting pressure from the deer and elk hunters moving into the area, but generally speaking do they cover great distances in a typical day (or week), or do they hang in the same drainage for a while before moving on to other food sources? If you glassed up a feeding, pre-rut bull one day, would you expect to turn him up again in the same area later that day or the next? Are they like elk in the sense that they may move 4-5 miles between feeding and bedding areas? Or will they more typically bed down in the immediate vicinity of where they fed that morning?

Second, Is it unusual to find multiple pre-rut bulls together? Or at least in the same drainage? Or, if I turn up a small bull, should I just plan to beat-feet to the next glassing spot as it's likely he will be the only one?








Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[Blockcaver]

I hunted a Shiras in WY many years ago. Bow season started around Sept 15 as I remember in the Pinedale area. The first week was slow but things got rolling about a week later around Sept 22. I called in two bulls that day, then a bull kept waking me up grunting and horning in the creek bottom below my backpack camp. I arrowed him the next morning.

I’ve shot 5 moose with my bow, that Shiras, two each Canada...BC, and Alaskan bulls. Normal elk hunting archery gear works great on them.

As for calling, I liked voice grunting combined with an elk or caribou shoulder blade to horn willows. Good luck!

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If ya wanna fill that once-in-a-lifetime tag hire a local guide. You won't regret it. I didn't.

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Its not uncommon at all to see lots of bulls together. But getting that close to the rut I wouldnt count on it. The bulls usually spend the winters, spring & summers in bachelor groups.
Just because you see a small bull in one drainage definitely doesnt mean there wont be another in the same drainage.
In my experience pre rut I think if the moose arent pushed around by hunters or predators they will stick pretty close to bedding or feeding areas. The other thing is moose like lots of water, that would be the first place id be looking.

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Alberta just released our draw results. I also got drawn for bull moose so I will be out looking for a moose of my own this year.
I also drew cow elk in the same zone so it should be a good hunt.

 

[FlyGuy]

Alberta just released our draw results. I also got drawn for bull moose so I will be out looking for a moose of my own this year.
I also drew cow elk in the same zone so it should be a good hunt.

That's awesome! Congrats man! I've never looked into hunting BC or Alberta, but if the addiction takes hold after (hopefully) getting a shiras I may have to look into it much closer!

I really appreciate the advice and support. I am really enjoying the process of studying and learning about a new species. Reminds me of my 1st year elk hunting (not that I am an authority by any measure!).


Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[SWOHTR]

Never hunted them, but:

Spent a bit of time in Unit 6 last year looking for elk. Saw moose multiple times daily. Were not hard to get close to, and this was in an area overrun with elk hunters (roads at the top and bottom of every drainage). Also, active logging operations in the area. One bull almost walked on top of me, in fact he was curious and kept walking towards me when I was trying to separate us. Having heard him calling for the prior ten minutes, I’d also venture to say the dull foghorn like RAAAAWR is not a hard sound to make.

This was in September. Bull was not huge (from what I’ve seen, these bulls tend to run a bit smaller). My friend shot a bull moose in this area the year prior using calls (again, the roar). 50 yards and used a .30-06, late September.

I can’t speak to your unit, but if those bulls behave like unit 6 Bulls, you’ll be alright. I’d also venture to say you don’t need a guide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NorthCountryAB]

That's awesome! Congrats man! I've never looked into hunting BC or Alberta, but if the addiction takes hold after (hopefully) getting a shiras I may have to look into it much closer!

I really appreciate the advice and support. I am really enjoying the process of studying and learning about a new species. Reminds me of my 1st year elk hunting (not that I am an authority by any measure!).


Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

All good man, anymore questions let me know id love to help.
Hopefully ill have some pictures of a dead bull and a story to contribute here about mid October lol.
Ill definitely be holding out looking for something approaching that 50" mark.

 

[E Butler]

Give me a call I PMed you with my number as I hunt this unit every year for Elk. I have called in most all of the bulls that I have seen while hunting in this unit. Out of 17 years I have only seen two studs so don't think your going to be covered up in them.

 

[FreeRange]

PM sent