There are several different vocal moose calls that hunters use for different reasons.
Earlier in the season I'm using cruising looking for cows. Go slow , moose are always grazing so strip leaves or break a small branch. Stop a lot. Sound like a moose, not a bear.
I believe that a cow and calf always know where each other is because they do a light chirp sound. I have tried this noise on a lot of moose bulls included and almost all would react. I will do this in an area that has fresh sign. I believe that the cows will respond by moving more and towards me. Find the cows faster. And calfs can get curious.
Find the cows. The bulls know this time of year. Again just my thoughts but daylight plays a big part here. And hormones start producing. They start to wander feeling the itch. I will do a few light cow in heat calls as if she's feeling her hormones change. Ready to wean the kids away a bit and get ready for more. This doesn't happen over night. But again daylight comes into play. Probably a bit of diet here. Plants have less nutrients and moose travel more. And the wolves are moving more too.
I'll sit dawn quietly. Just watch. Dusk is party time. Go visit the neighbors wildlife. I'll increase the cow in heat calls, get a few loud n long ones in. No bull calls.
Don't want any bulls to know I'm here. Just another hot date. Middle of October and I will do long hard calls and fairly often. But when a cow is in full estruss time. I will burst out a short bawl nearly as loud as I can. For at least 30 seconds. I've often heard cows bawl like this for a half hour straight. Kinda sounds like a dairy cow in heat. It's tempting to try n move in but a risk. Every moose around is on alert n watching. I will simulate the same sounds and bring a bull in.
I don't use a bull grunt often. Soft ones like an immature bull if I need to pull one out that gets cautious. Big grunt will make him more cautious. Little bull is a risk worth talking if he wants the cow. Not unusual to hear a bull coming in as he's walking. He will grunt with each step. Ugh ugh ugh putting others on nothing he's coming better be ready to fight. Great to watch with their heads down. Lips n tongue trying to taste scent. When they stop be ready because it's going to turn.
I do all calls by hand. Visual aids are good at times. I will break off a couple devils club leaves near a ground blind. They turn yellow overnight and simulate a pair of small moose antlers. Hang them in a willow n let the wind work them naturally. Like a feeding moose. I use a reconditioned pint plastic whiskey bottle with a stick in it for raking. Nice to have a couple around never know when you need one.
I've been blessed to live around moose for a while. Like every winter. Had a calf sleeping in our hay shed. Another dead one next to drive I'll deal with. Getting charged.
I try to get learn so I try different sounds. And watch the interactions. Call bulls into our yard during season. Mostly blessed to have a remote cabin that I can fly to and just hang for a month or two. Go out n watch the pond at night. Wolves are cruising. It's a different world.
Hey hope I didn't get too long in the tooth here. I really enjoy getting out. Any season any time I can. And live where I can just go. Heck walk out the door. And a beautiful wife n family that supports me.
Most blessed man in the world
Earlier in the season I'm using cruising looking for cows. Go slow , moose are always grazing so strip leaves or break a small branch. Stop a lot. Sound like a moose, not a bear.
I believe that a cow and calf always know where each other is because they do a light chirp sound. I have tried this noise on a lot of moose bulls included and almost all would react. I will do this in an area that has fresh sign. I believe that the cows will respond by moving more and towards me. Find the cows faster. And calfs can get curious.
Find the cows. The bulls know this time of year. Again just my thoughts but daylight plays a big part here. And hormones start producing. They start to wander feeling the itch. I will do a few light cow in heat calls as if she's feeling her hormones change. Ready to wean the kids away a bit and get ready for more. This doesn't happen over night. But again daylight comes into play. Probably a bit of diet here. Plants have less nutrients and moose travel more. And the wolves are moving more too.
I'll sit dawn quietly. Just watch. Dusk is party time. Go visit the neighbors wildlife. I'll increase the cow in heat calls, get a few loud n long ones in. No bull calls.
Don't want any bulls to know I'm here. Just another hot date. Middle of October and I will do long hard calls and fairly often. But when a cow is in full estruss time. I will burst out a short bawl nearly as loud as I can. For at least 30 seconds. I've often heard cows bawl like this for a half hour straight. Kinda sounds like a dairy cow in heat. It's tempting to try n move in but a risk. Every moose around is on alert n watching. I will simulate the same sounds and bring a bull in.
I don't use a bull grunt often. Soft ones like an immature bull if I need to pull one out that gets cautious. Big grunt will make him more cautious. Little bull is a risk worth talking if he wants the cow. Not unusual to hear a bull coming in as he's walking. He will grunt with each step. Ugh ugh ugh putting others on nothing he's coming better be ready to fight. Great to watch with their heads down. Lips n tongue trying to taste scent. When they stop be ready because it's going to turn.
I do all calls by hand. Visual aids are good at times. I will break off a couple devils club leaves near a ground blind. They turn yellow overnight and simulate a pair of small moose antlers. Hang them in a willow n let the wind work them naturally. Like a feeding moose. I use a reconditioned pint plastic whiskey bottle with a stick in it for raking. Nice to have a couple around never know when you need one.
I've been blessed to live around moose for a while. Like every winter. Had a calf sleeping in our hay shed. Another dead one next to drive I'll deal with. Getting charged.
I try to get learn so I try different sounds. And watch the interactions. Call bulls into our yard during season. Mostly blessed to have a remote cabin that I can fly to and just hang for a month or two. Go out n watch the pond at night. Wolves are cruising. It's a different world.
Hey hope I didn't get too long in the tooth here. I really enjoy getting out. Any season any time I can. And live where I can just go. Heck walk out the door. And a beautiful wife n family that supports me.
Most blessed man in the world
