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[Timesawaistin2]

It was the second day of the hunt. We went out in the morning and called, but with the wind and rain it was no good. We went back to camp and I dried out the rifle.

About 2:30 pm, the wind died down, so we went out in the boat. The area is burnt-over spruce forest, mostly flat with a few glacial ridges. We got up on a ridge and called for about an hour.

Then we heard a grunt. Then Denis (the guide) says "He's coming, do you see him?" The moose kept grunting every few steps, and eventually I saw the shape moving through the burnt trees. We changed position a few times, but I ended up standing next to the tree I started from at the top of the ridge, leaning on a tree with my gun up and ready.

Denis says "Shoot when you get a clear shot". The moose stops at the edge of the trees, looking at us. But, I do not have a clear shot through the twigs. The moose turned and walked away. So, Denis moves off a few yards and gives a soft cow call. The moose turned back and took a few steps into an open spot, 60 yards away.

I aim at the shoulder and "BOOM". I cycle the bolt and "BOOM" at the tailbone because he is pointing away. At the shot, he shifts direction slightly and "BOOM" the third shot went in the back of the ribs, angling forward. He stumbles and falls, 30 yards from were he started. That's it except for the picture taking and packing out the meat.

The first bullet was found under the off-side skin, after going through both shoulders behing the knuckle. The shot at the tailbone missed, I guess, because we never found the hole. The last shot nicked the liver and went forward into the lungs.

I used a CZ550 FS in 9.3x62 with a Leopold 2x-7x scope, set at 2x..
I handloaded 286 gr. Nosler partitions with 57.5 grains of RL-15 in Lapua cases with WLR primers.

I would like to thank Denis and Lyle, the outfitter. I really did not know what to expect on moose hunt.. . . They stessed that I should keep shooting until the moose is down. In the end, I learned to do what the guide tells you to do! :D

[Illinois_Dave]

Awesome story and an awesome bull! Congrats!

[cdhunt]

timesawastin----good post--exciting reading--made me feel like i was standing beside you. thanks

[hunter777]

This is the first time I saw this post :thumbsup1:
Nice moose!

[Disturbed]

Nice bull :yes: :thumbsup1: How was that for a adrenlin rush? :thumbsup1:

[Hammer1]

Your ultimate hunt will be when you call in your moose by yourself. calling in the most tedious part.
The best calling I've encountered is during the full moon in September,frosty, cold night, dead calm. Preferably ona slighly higher elevation to the most significant travel area.
Overcalling is the most common problem At least five minutes should elapse between fist andsecond call. No response, wait 30 minutes and repeat. If you get a response, the moose will be probably within 100-200yards at daylight.

If calling near a swamp or lake, right after a call take your moose horn(birtch bark the best) fill it with water and pour it from about head high into the water. To a bull moose this sounds like a cow moose urinating in the water You can imitate this with water spashing on a flat rock also.

On one occassion I got a response from across a lake and nothing afterward
for about an hour when Mr Moose showed up about thirty yard away, between me and my truck. So be a little careful.

[Timesawaistin2]

The moose was officially scored by a Boone & Crockett scorer at 195 1/8". So, it squeeked into the all-time record book by 1/8".

I sure had fun on that trip. Don't know if I will do it again because it is quite an expedition. If I go without a guide, I would have to join a group of about 4 people to be able to do handle all the logistics.

If I go with my guide again, it will cost big money. But, you only live once. . . . I would like to call it in myself, now that I have seen it done. I might even use a large caliber flintlock rifle. It would have to be an archery-type shot at close range. (Just day-dreaming 8) )