The earliest I’ve ever called in a bull was the 9th of sep, and up until this year the latest was the 4th of oct. This year it became a game of bulls barking back from way off in the alders and never showing up, or just days of chattering squirrels and the wind in the trees. Mornings and evening, same, now and then a grunt, way off, but couldn’t seem to get them too interested.
I don’t recall a fall this warm, great days to be out, but I don’t think it was inspiring for the moose rut. I’ve been calling moose for over 3 decades, and usually have good success, this I think was the trap. My daughter is a biologist in training and has spent some time studying moose behaviour. She hunted with me many days. Although her studies didn’t include rutting activity, they did touch on feeding and bedding habits. I believe this discussion may have turned the tide for me this year.
Oct 11th, after a 2 mile hike we settled into or stands. 15 minutes before legal shooting time I cow called. Way off to the east a bull grunted, and another to the south. Far enough away we questioned what it was, but knowing it couldn’t be anything else. There was nothing out there, nothing man made, no dogs, or machines, no people, just miles and miles of creeks choked with alder surrounded by towering poplar and spruce, it had to be a bull.
Many years before I worked on a bull for over 2 1/2 hours before he walked out right at dark. He grunted and trashed off and on all the way in. I’ve used this measure over the years as an extreme case with most bulls showing on average from 20 to 45 minutes after my first call. Over the years as I pass the 90 minute mark I tend to move on. This strategy has worked well for me, and we’ve been consistently successful. Well, my discussions with my daughter changed my thinking. Stubbornly I stuck to the old habits, but those talks about feeding and bedding made me re-evaluate my plan.
She explained moose finish feeding about the time the first morning light shows up. By the time the sun is up they are bedded, or about to do so. Mid to late morning they are becoming active again and by noon they are often up and feeding or on the move. Now this applies to behaviours outside the rut, but I decided to apply this information to my morning calling.
Sitting for hours for me is difficult, so I brought a big lunch and a book and settled in a long sit. There was barely any light at all when he grunted seconds after my first call, and for over 3 1/2 hours I called off and on, usually between chapters of my paperback. And over 3 1/2 hours after that first response he grunted again. Close now, a hundred yards out, just inside the screen of alders. He caught me off guard, not a peep since his first grunt in the grey light. I gave one quiet cow call in the opposite direction and out he walked At 85 yards.
3 1/2 hours is a long time to wait, and I doubt I normally could have, had it not been for gaining some understanding of moose behaviour. And it worked, the first time out.
I don’t recall a fall this warm, great days to be out, but I don’t think it was inspiring for the moose rut. I’ve been calling moose for over 3 decades, and usually have good success, this I think was the trap. My daughter is a biologist in training and has spent some time studying moose behaviour. She hunted with me many days. Although her studies didn’t include rutting activity, they did touch on feeding and bedding habits. I believe this discussion may have turned the tide for me this year.
Oct 11th, after a 2 mile hike we settled into or stands. 15 minutes before legal shooting time I cow called. Way off to the east a bull grunted, and another to the south. Far enough away we questioned what it was, but knowing it couldn’t be anything else. There was nothing out there, nothing man made, no dogs, or machines, no people, just miles and miles of creeks choked with alder surrounded by towering poplar and spruce, it had to be a bull.
Many years before I worked on a bull for over 2 1/2 hours before he walked out right at dark. He grunted and trashed off and on all the way in. I’ve used this measure over the years as an extreme case with most bulls showing on average from 20 to 45 minutes after my first call. Over the years as I pass the 90 minute mark I tend to move on. This strategy has worked well for me, and we’ve been consistently successful. Well, my discussions with my daughter changed my thinking. Stubbornly I stuck to the old habits, but those talks about feeding and bedding made me re-evaluate my plan.
She explained moose finish feeding about the time the first morning light shows up. By the time the sun is up they are bedded, or about to do so. Mid to late morning they are becoming active again and by noon they are often up and feeding or on the move. Now this applies to behaviours outside the rut, but I decided to apply this information to my morning calling.
Sitting for hours for me is difficult, so I brought a big lunch and a book and settled in a long sit. There was barely any light at all when he grunted seconds after my first call, and for over 3 1/2 hours I called off and on, usually between chapters of my paperback. And over 3 1/2 hours after that first response he grunted again. Close now, a hundred yards out, just inside the screen of alders. He caught me off guard, not a peep since his first grunt in the grey light. I gave one quiet cow call in the opposite direction and out he walked At 85 yards.
3 1/2 hours is a long time to wait, and I doubt I normally could have, had it not been for gaining some understanding of moose behaviour. And it worked, the first time out.