Newfoundland, better early or late?

[GeorgeShaw]

Is there really a better time, really bird gets the worm, or wait for the rut later on? Going up in 2025. Thanks for any advice.

 

[duckcarver]

No personal experience, but I read a lot of reports when planning a hunt for this fall. Seemed to me that the most recommended time was the peak of the rut in the end of September/beginning of October.

 

[GeorgeShaw]

No personal experience, but I read a lot of reports when planning a hunt for this fall. Seemed to me that the most recommended time was the peak of the rut in the end of September/beginning of October.

My thoughts are that there can only be so many nice bulls, or bulls at all in a region. The saying, The early bird gets the worm comes to mind. I'm thinking the first week after archery myself.

 

[pacoalcracker]

In the case for Newfie moose, the early bird does not work. They move very little until the rut comes into play...then they are on the move big time. Before the rut...you are going to put on a lot of miles in very thick brush trying to find one and success will be very low. Calling won't work at that time either. End of September is usually still too early. Late into the first week of October and the second week of October are very good. I speak from experience.

 

[Novahunter]

I went the 2nd week of October in 2017, and the first week of October in 2022.

Two totally different hunts. Got a 4pt in 2017, and a 17 point (my profile pic) in 2022.

In 2017, we never heard a bull respond to the calls. We would just see them wandering around.

In 2022, we heard bulls calling every day. We called mine in for over 2 hours. It was thrilling.

Both experiences were fun, but the hunt during the rut was special.

I'd try to target the last week of September to first week of October if possible.