SleepyJones
FNG
- Joined
- May 27, 2024
- Messages
- 35
I had a trail camera out (cell camera that will send 100 photos a month unless a guy pays for more... which I don't) and this camera stayed out for 1 year. The animal I target is elk, but in this area I get all kinds of animals coming and going and this specific spot had a lot of moose. I went out to retrieve the camera this July to inspect the SD card and to put the camera in a different spot since I had a years worth of intel. I got there and packed up the camera and figured I'd take a look at an area where I consistently saw moose come and go from (based on the photos that camera was sending). Only about 150 yards away from where I originally had the camera set up was a dry muddied area that looked like a fairly large wallow type area with tracks everywhere. Instead of taking that camera home, I set it up at this spot and when the camera connected, I got 100 photos in 2 days: Cow moose, calves and bulls all frequenting this spot. It's out of control.
I know the moose rut is months away and I didn't smell any odor like an active elk wallow. As far as I've been led to believe, moose will make scrapes or smallish rut pits but only during the rut. When I found this area the region was in more drought conditions and the 'mud' was dried except for some tracks that held a bit of water. Maybe there's a mineral seep or a water seep where they can drink from but it looks like a wild animals living room for lack of a better description. Has anyone found a spot like this for moose before? Is this something that seasoned moose hunters look for that isn't discussed much? Like a communal area they congregate in? I've just always thought of moose as less social then this.
I don't have a moose draw but can get an archery tag from Aug 25th to Sept 23rd. I plan on setting up an ambush on that 150 yard trail leading into that area and potentially trying some cow calling or raking getting closer to Sept 20th. If I do some calling I'm calling from the mud and setting up on that trail... Can't believe I had that camera so close to that amazing spot and didn't even know it was there. Also with the whole year of that camera sending photos, I did not receive 1 picture of a human, so it's an isolated spot.
I know the moose rut is months away and I didn't smell any odor like an active elk wallow. As far as I've been led to believe, moose will make scrapes or smallish rut pits but only during the rut. When I found this area the region was in more drought conditions and the 'mud' was dried except for some tracks that held a bit of water. Maybe there's a mineral seep or a water seep where they can drink from but it looks like a wild animals living room for lack of a better description. Has anyone found a spot like this for moose before? Is this something that seasoned moose hunters look for that isn't discussed much? Like a communal area they congregate in? I've just always thought of moose as less social then this.
I don't have a moose draw but can get an archery tag from Aug 25th to Sept 23rd. I plan on setting up an ambush on that 150 yard trail leading into that area and potentially trying some cow calling or raking getting closer to Sept 20th. If I do some calling I'm calling from the mud and setting up on that trail... Can't believe I had that camera so close to that amazing spot and didn't even know it was there. Also with the whole year of that camera sending photos, I did not receive 1 picture of a human, so it's an isolated spot.
