Tricks

[LoggerDan]

How many of you guys pack a moose scapula on your frame or pack? What tricks do ya keep in the ol bag? Good stories?


bonus - is this a legal moose in a 50” or three point brow unit? Let’s hear em.

 

[Robinhood21]

We used Laundry detergent or big oil jugs with the bottom cut out. It has a nice hollow sound when raking willows/alders. The first year was an oil jug and the opening at the top where you call through was a little small so next time I used the laundry detergent jug with a larger mouth opening. It really worked great but by the end of the trip the detergent jug was trashed.

I don't believe that's a 50" and not sure of 3 brow points.

 

[Arcticmanak]

That bull is definitely not 50", but would need a better angle to see if it has 3 brows, but probably not. I've toted a scapula around and found that if in prolonged wet weather they tend to get slimy and soften, and eventually start to crack and fall apart when raking on trees and brush. I prefer a smaller sized wooden canoe paddle if I'm not hiking long distances. I also have the fiberglass moose magnet caller and it works well for projecting calling sounds, but I don't do much raking with it for fear of breaking it apart. It's also cumbersome to pack, but I made a paracord lanyard to have a way to attach it somewhere. I called a bull in with a Powerade bottle with the bottom cut out. You can also shove the bottle on the end of a stick and use it for raking. I recommend the Mtn Blast flavor for best results.
The custom of a friend of mine is that when he first arrives in camp he makes a large funnel from birch bark and uses that for calling for the duration of his hunt.
Plastic jugs, action packer lids, even just beating the brush with a large stick will work. Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[william schmaltz]

Empty 1L fireball bottle or canoe paddle for me.

I’ve watched about everything on calling moose and a subject I’m amazed I’ve never seen discussed is moose wallows. If you can find a wallow, it’s essentially fishing with dynamite. Rake the branches in the wallow and then take your dirty water bladder and hold that sucker as high as possible and pour it out in the wallow. Then sit back and wait. If you can’t find a wallow, the water (piss) call still works, just pour it in some mud. I’ve seen guys mention pouring water in lakes to mimic the sound, but I think it’s more effective on land, as that makes it a territorial move. I could also just be in my own mind and they’re really coming into the raking…..

Tent in background of first picture. We called in (and shot) two moose on day one of this hunt. One was right next to the tent.

Couple others that I’ve taken photos of and called from.

 

[Marbles]

Not 3 brow tine. Unlikely to be 50 inches, though angle is not perfect. I would not shoot it.

No help on the scapula.

 

[LoggerDan]

Well, you guys are right. He’s not 50” nor a three, at least in that picture. He is now.

I usually pack a shoulder blade. It just sounds so good to me. Even used o e for a rifle rest on the fly.
I mostly mouth call for cow sounds, but I do use a smaller coffee can and wet string for smaller bull sounds.
A neat trick is to fill a bottl with water and hold it up high and slowly pour it out into some still water. It sounds just like a cow having a pee in the water and the sound works pretty well, sounds natural and isn’t somet that a lot of moose have heard hunters do. I’ve watched it draw moose in.

 

[diamond10x]

I use a wooden paddle and also a scapula. Prefer the scapula as it sounds the most realistic to my ears.

When walking in water pick up your feet completely out of the water before putting it back down. Thats how a moose does. a distinctly different sound than when a person is just casually walking in ankle to knee deep water.

 

[VernAK]

I never try to guess if a bull is 50". Think 60"..........if he's not looking close to 60", I let him walk.

 

[Catchfish]

Not 50” and looks to be 2x2 the lil drop point is hard to tell where it originates from and the size of it.

 

[AKBC]

If its dry and noisy and I cant walk quietly, I like to drag the scapula in the brush so that moose will think I am a bull. You can also hold the scapula up over your head if you get busted to try to convince them you are a bull. Sometimes I carry a small antler instead of the scapula but a scapula is lighter.

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Definitely not 50".
I have used a scapula, but usually just use a paddle or like other guys have mentioned plastic.

One thing I like to do when hunting lakes is call in bays before dark or first thing in the morning, than return later in the day or the next day and call again. Lots of my clients think im crazy, but it works very well. Lots of times the second, third or fourth time back to call we call a bull in thats hanging out right in that area because of the calling we did the previous days.
Another good trick if a bull hangs up and wont step out is to rake bush or willows with a paddle or stick. This will usually get them to step out to get a look.
I also agree with William, if you can find a wallow and cow call or rake brush it can be a killer setup. Lots of times you’ll smell the wallow long before seeing it.

This bull has a pretty funny story. I’ll post a write up later when I have time.

 

[Alaskan89]

I always carry a Bull Magnet when hunting moose with a piece of 550 cord run through it so I can carry it over my shoulder.

 

[Scottf270]

Northcountry, nothing about that picture, knowing the work involved, looks "fun or funny" to me lol.....

 

[medvedyt]

rattling can bring some crazy bulls for sure and you wont stop them if not too energetic unless you re challenging the king of the place ...

i heard about dropping water or making big walks in water but never ever needed to do this but something to try,.

cant comment on 50 inches or 3 something as here once antlers are on it is legal ...

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Northcountry, nothing about that picture, knowing the work involved, looks "fun or funny" to me lol.....

Hahaha fun and games in the north. In all honesty I had two beauties from Denver I was guiding for a 9 day hunt. They were younger and packed as much meat as me.
We killed two beauty bulls, one on day 2 and one on day 5. Couple of gems, were still buddies to this day.
But yes, a 12ft boat and a 9.9 mercury doesn’t make a great water tow truck lol

 

[NorthCountryAB]

 

[LoggerDan]

I sure appreciate everyone chipping in. To be honest, id never heard of the plastic jug for an “antler.” Then again , I’ve never moose hunted with anyone else either and with not too many seasons under my belt.It sounds really good? Heckuva lot lighter than a shoulder blade! Now that i think about it and connect the dots, ive sen a few near likely looking calling spots or areas rather. I had thought before that maybe berry pickers were using them.

Does it much matter if the cap is on or off? I wouldn’t think it wouldn’t matter, but a fellow never knows.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

I have the cap off. That way I can use it as a megaphone also.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[akcabin]

I will use devils clubs leaves as antler imitators. Scrape the thorns off and break them off they turn yellow in a day. And look like an immature bull. I don't want to scare a bull away. And the smaller antler would hopefully make them a bit more bravado and come in. Just leave them whenever you have a blind. I will hang a canoe paddle in a willow tree n let the wind catch it n move in around. While I have my hands free to call or shoot.
Learning how to call saves a lot of issue trying to pack a large call around. Every moose sounds different to others I suspect just like people have different voices or accents. If you can get close it's usually OK and then keep getting better. I rake with a recycled RnR whiskey bottle. Plastic pint on a stick. I can pour with this also.
When still hunting I try to imitate a moose walking. They are brousers and move slow. Tear leaves off branches.
Best trick is getting out

 

[medvedyt]

here is what im using.

for calls i will suggest to always avoid calls too strong and deep. it might attract the biggest but also scared the smallest. i do not eat for antlers but more for meat.