My first moose

[RichP]

Just got back from Newfoundland hunting with Moose Valley Outfitters. I was a solo hunter teamed up with a couple of guys from upstate New York. We flew into camp 1 day early due to bad flying weather on Sunday. Sunday was an off day for the guides. I decided to take a walk behind camp and explore. I got about a hundred yards in and had a cow Caribou walk right up to me. This is a great sign I said to myself.
I was teamed up with Ivan for the week. After a short boat ride and about a 1.5 mile hike in we set up. Now I have been training for this trip since Febuary. Nothing I did in the gym preparmed me for this hellish terrain. Everything is trying to trip you and suck you in the mucky bog.
So we set up on an elevated knob in the middle of a bog. Ivan took watch on the south side me on thr north. A short while later here comes a bull out of the scrub timber at 127 yards. I look over me shoulder to tell Ivan, but could not see him. I slowly and quietly chambered a round in my 300 win mag. This got Ivan's attention. He spots the bull and after some discussing I decide to take the shot. The rut was winding down and calling bulls out of the timber was getting difficult. I also prefer filling my tag a sap. It would have haunted me to let that bull walk. I will fing out later in the week I made a good decision.
The bull was standing behind some scrubs and was only showing his neck and back. We tried calling him out a little more, but he was not buying it. So I put the crosshairs on his neck and squeezed the trigger just like I have done every weekend since Febuary. After the muzzle jump I did not se anything in the scope. I turned to Ivan who had a big smile and said in a heavy Newfe accent "aaaa you thumped him"
Ivan immediately starts putting on his pack to check. Now I'm a whitetail hunter and said aren't we gonna wait a little bit. At least to let my hands stop shaking.
We head out to the spot where we last saw the bull and there he is. Dead before he hit the ground in a nice open and dry for Newfoundland spot. After a hundred pictures we start to quarter up my prize. Now I have been pack training with 50 pounds on flat dry trails. Well 100 pound quarters hopping over bottomless bogs and scrub brush we got everything out in 2 trips.
He is by far not the biggest moose, but not the smallest.
For the rest of the week I happily helped the other guys fill their tags and pack out their moose.
All in all for me this was a hunt I will never forget.

 

[orionsbrother]

Congrats! You’ll eat well for a while.

 

[12ring]

Congrats!

 

[Cody_W]

Congratulations on your first bull! Should have meat until you head out to harvest the next one! Gorgeous country up there. 1 shot and dropped is always nice! What bullet were you using in the 300?

 

[RichP]

Congratulations on your first bull! Should have meat until you head out to harvest the next one! Gorgeous country up there. 1 shot and dropped is always nice! What bullet were you using in the 300?

180 gr Nosler Partition

 

[Trial153]

Congrats on the moose! we had great time this year there. Happy I arrowed my Caribou and got a few days moose hunting in. My dad killed a small bull as well. The moose hunting was slow this year for sure.
Gald you got one. Ivan is good shit. The whole crew there is.

 

[PA Hunter]

Great story it’s addicting up there, you will go back.

 

[Short Track]

I got about a hundred yards in and had a cow Caribou walk right up to me.

Caribou are dumber than sh!!t. I walked up to a bull, or stag, or whatever you call them. I could have touched him, but stopped at 20 yards. .. for my own safety. Stood there for 5 minutes.. He couldn't care less. Finally he snorted at us, and walked off. Then another one.. we watched him from the truck for 10 minutes. Well within his eyesight.

They must know we didn't have tags. There is no other explanation they let us get so close.

 

[bartman9]

Awesome! Congrats! Curious if you would have had other opportunities is you passed on that one?


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[DFP]

Congrats

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[tntrker]

Congrats on a fine bull!! I'll be headed up there in 21 for my 1st moose. Any words of advise dealing with rifles and Customs, rooms, etc?

 

[RichP]

Awesome! Congrats! Curious if you would have had other opportunities is you passed on that one?


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The other guys in camp had to hunt HARD for their bulls. All in the same size range. I'm very happy I took it when I did.

 

[RichP]

Congrats on a fine bull!! I'll be headed up there in 21 for my 1st moose. Any words of advise dealing with rifles and Customs, rooms, etc?

I bought a new Kimber Mountain Accent light weight rifle for this trip. I practiced every weekend for 8 months. I was going to the gym 3 times a week weight training and stairmaster machine. Also Pack trained every weekend with 30 - 50 pounds of weight. I can't stress the pack training enough. Walking in the boggy ground and hopping over bottomless mud holes is hard enough, but with 100-130 pounds of meat on your back it takes it to another level.
I flew in. TSA and customs was not to bad, just give yourself extra time. I had a Navunk hard case for my rifle and optics. You need a form from US customs (a DD45 I think). Get it prepared at your local customs office before your trip. This involves taking your rifle to a Federal Building. Was not to bad I had an appointment and had the rifle cased and locked. You will also need a form for Canada. Your outfitter should provide you with that.
Hope this helps. I had such a great time I'm probably going back in a few years.
Start training now!

 

[afalcone]

I bought a new Kimber Mountain Accent light weight rifle for this trip. I practiced every weekend for 8 months. I was going to the gym 3 times a week weight training and stairmaster machine. Also Pack trained every weekend with 30 - 50 pounds of weight. I can't stress the pack training enough. Walking in the boggy ground and hopping over bottomless mud holes is hard enough, but with 100-130 pounds of meat on your back it takes it to another level.
I flew in. TSA and customs was not to bad, just give yourself extra time. I had a Navunk hard case for my rifle and optics. You need a form from US customs (a DD45 I think). Get it prepared at your local customs office before your trip. This involves taking your rifle to a Federal Building. Was not to bad I had an appointment and had the rifle cased and locked. You will also need a form for Canada. Your outfitter should provide you with that.
Hope this helps. I had such a great time I'm probably going back in a few years.
Start training now!

Awesome! Congrats!

 

[rwmorgan48]

Just got back from Newfoundland hunting with Moose Valley Outfitters. I was a solo hunter teamed up with a couple of guys from upstate New York. We flew into camp 1 day early due to bad flying weather on Sunday. Sunday was an off day for the guides. I decided to take a walk behind camp and explore. I got about a hundred yards in and had a cow Caribou walk right up to me. This is a great sign I said to myself.
I was teamed up with Ivan for the week. After a short boat ride and about a 1.5 mile hike in we set up. Now I have been training for this trip since Febuary. Nothing I did in the gym preparmed me for this hellish terrain. Everything is trying to trip you and suck you in the mucky bog.
So we set up on an elevated knob in the middle of a bog. Ivan took watch on the south side me on thr north. A short while later here comes a bull out of the scrub timber at 127 yards. I look over me shoulder to tell Ivan, but could not see him. I slowly and quietly chambered a round in my 300 win mag. This got Ivan's attention. He spots the bull and after some discussing I decide to take the shot. The rut was winding down and calling bulls out of the timber was getting difficult. I also prefer filling my tag a sap. It would have haunted me to let that bull walk. I will fing out later in the week I made a good decision.
The bull was standing behind some scrubs and was only showing his neck and back. We tried calling him out a little more, but he was not buying it. So I put the crosshairs on his neck and squeezed the trigger just like I have done every weekend since Febuary. After the muzzle jump I did not se anything in the scope. I turned to Ivan who had a big smile and said in a heavy Newfe accent "aaaa you thumped him"
Ivan immediately starts putting on his pack to check. Now I'm a whitetail hunter and said aren't we gonna wait a little bit. At least to let my hands stop shaking.
We head out to the spot where we last saw the bull and there he is. Dead before he hit the ground in a nice open and dry for Newfoundland spot. After a hundred pictures we start to quarter up my prize. Now I have been pack training with 50 pounds on flat dry trails. Well 100 pound quarters hopping over bottomless bogs and scrub brush we got everything out in 2 trips.
He is by far not the biggest moose, but not the smallest.
For the rest of the week I happily helped the other guys fill their tags and pack out their moose.
All in all for me this was a hunt I will never forget.

GREAT STORY. wHICH CAMP WERE YOU IN. i AM 70 YEARS OLD AND CONSIDERING BOOKING WITH THEM , NOT SURE i AM UP TO IT.

 

[Truaxdw]

Congratulations, I had my first moose hunt with my dad this year reading your account made me want to post my experience as well thanks for sharing

 

[ORfish]

That is a great story! Also glad to see you had a reasonable gun and bullet. Not every large animal needs a bazooka to kill.

 

[Truaxdw]

Rwmorgan48, I would recommend that you are upfront with your abilities and limitations, The outfitters can pick a camp that would work best with your hunting Capabilities, we saw hunters in wheelchairs with able-bodied companions that were successful hunting moose back in town. I use that as an extreme example of course.

 

[RichP]

GREAT STORY. wHICH CAMP WERE YOU IN. i AM 70 YEARS OLD AND CONSIDERING BOOKING WITH THEM , NOT SURE i AM UP TO IT.

I went with Moose Valley Outfitters. I won't sugar coat the hunt. I trained for a year in the gym and pack training on trails. I'm 53 and in pretty good shape. The walking up there is the hardest I ever experienced. Everything is tripping you or trapping you in bottomless boI know there are outfitters that will drive around in an Argo. Be honest with yourself and what you can do.

 

[Short Track]

Sounds like a good outfitter. But for me.. it's not worth the risk of injury.