wild guide: late season moose
my rifle, I carefully looked through my
Swarovksi scope. Grateful for the crystal
clarity, I carefully looked to evaluate the
size of his antlers, but my heart sank when
I saw and realized he was a young bull.
His antlers were only about 30-inches
wide. As I strained to make out the whole
body, I noticed another seemingly well-
camouflaged body, standing only behind
him. It was another bull! Again, carefully
looking and waiting, I noticed bigger and
darker antlers. It wasn’t the one I’d been
after, but it was certainly a great bull in his
own right. With only one more day to hunt,
I decided he would do nicely. Settling the
crosshairs on his chest, I gently squeezed
and my .300 WSM barked. A shower
of snow fell from the trees and the bull
instantly vanished.
“I couldn’t have missed,” I thought to
myself.
Giving him a few minutes, I slowly made
my way over. Perplexed, I couldn’t see any
blood sign. Thankfully, I was able to follow
his tracks and discovered him piled up only
30-metres from the point of impact. The
150-grain Winchester Power Max Bonded
bullet performed flawlessly.
Kevin took this fine bull long after the rut,
in late November of the 2015 season.
“
With each passing day, I watched the moose rut heat up, peak, and
subside. I’d seen many different bulls, cows, and calves, and had
enjoyed some spectacular calling action. Each interaction was
special, but after building enough priority points to draw a tag, I
wasn’t going to shoot just any bull. This hunt was about more than
filling the freezer. I was looking for impressive antlers as well.
H
unting central Alberta, I’d carefully chosen a zone with not only a high moose
density, but also good trophy potential. October had come and gone and, with
the arrival of snow and the whitetail rut, I began to wonder if I’d ever catch
up with any of the big bulls I knew were in the area. I’ve seen bulls respond
to vocalizations in the post rut, but it’s really hit and miss. The motivation to breed has
subsided by this time and, with the arrival of cold weather and winter-like conditions,
moose are moving less and sticking close to cover and browse. When the snow and cold
hits, they can seem so elusive that you wonder if there’s any moose around at all.
Then, on November 25th a blanket of fresh snow created a window of opportunity.
If there’s one thing that puts a smile on any late season moose hunter’s face, its fresh
powdery snow. Bulls don’t move far at this time of year. I knew if I could find a fresh
track, I’d have a good chance of walking him down.
The next morning, I donned my backpack and began hiking into the same deep woods
that I’d been working earlier that fall. Less than 10 minutes in I found them – huge, fresh
tracks! They couldn’t have been more than an hour old. At -25 degrees Celsius, the still
frigid air had a bite to it. Along with it, came a distinguishable squeak with each step I
took. Slow and easy, I methodically followed the track. From each high spot, I strained
to see through the trees. The key with this type of walk and stalk hunting is extreme
caution. Your goal is to see them before they see you … and I did. My plan came together
nicely when, a short while later, I picked up a small patch of black through the aspens.
Standing statuesque, only 80 metres away up on a shallow ridge, was a bull. Shouldering
11 Wild Guide
. Fall 2017
WHEN THE RUT SUBSIDES
The romance associated with hunting
moose during the late September and early
October rut is undeniable. Vocalizations,
the pungent odors of fall as leaves turn
and drop, the dominant posturing we
yearn to see as bulls approach each other
and, on occasion, we get to witness a full-
blown antler-clashing battle between rival
bulls. Indeed, these are the things we value
when it comes to moose hunting. Like
other ungulates, these otherwise reclusive
animals become more vulnerable during
the breeding season. During the rut, we
can more easily identify where they live
and readily entice them to a call, but
what happens when the urgency to breed
subsides, the weather grows cold, and
moose hunker down to brave the elements?
Don’t despair; consider a few facts and
you’re well on your way to finding a moose
in the post rut.
If you like hunting the rut, then you
know the action can be incredible. Some
days cows are moaning and yes, in some
situations the bulls can be very vocal as
well. Some years the weather, temperature,
and the animals cooperate bringing the
woods to life.
In sharp contrast, the stark and often
bitter cold November conditions are
arguably less appealing to moose hunters.
Unless of course, we know when, where,
and how to hunt them. In many instances,
it can seem as though they’ve been beamed
off the planet.