2013 Alberta moose

[Sheepshooter]

This story was originally posted in the Alberta Forum:


I decided to take a break from elk hunting since the moose should be going hard. I went and sat in my old faithful "Swamp Funnel" stand yesterday morning. I had done a few calling sequences and was thinking that I needed to sit in the stand as long as possible because anything could happen at any time of the day in early October.

At about 8:30 I heard a branch break but couldn't tell which direction it had come from. Then I heard another break and had a direction but still wasn't seeing anything. Finally he came out of the brush at about a hundred yards but he was not coming towards me, but paralleling me. When he stopped I decided to let a soft call out to try and turn him. Just as I called he started moving again and didn't hear me. I tried calling again but he just kept walking into some thick stuff. I wasn't sure if he was going to make a little circle in the thick stuff or not so I opted to wait for a bit and see what happened.

After about 5 minutes I didn't think he was heading for me and I didn't want him to get out of earshot so I did my best LOUD impression of a sexy cow. 4 minutes later I knew he liked whatever it was I said to him because I could hear his antlers coming through the hazel brush! He was heading for a trail that came through a little clearing right under my stand except when he got to the trail he didn't take it but instead cut across the corner of the opening. I wasn't sure I would get the shot but there was one small lane that would have him at about 28 yrds. That was getting out there for me. When he got to the opening I grunted. He stopped and I picked a spot. When I released the arrow it looked like I was going to miss low but when the arrow got to him he took off hard and I could see my arrow buried deep in a good place.

He made 60 yards in what seemed like less than 2 seconds and stopped when I cow called to him. After a few seconds he turned to leave. As he took his first step he disappeared behind some brush and all I could see were his antlers which were looking a little wobbly. His antlers disappeared as I heard a big crash followed by some death moans and then silence.

I began to shake violently. I blamed it on the frosty morning but I may have been a little excited. After waiting a very long 30 minutes I got out of my stand and went to where he was standing when I shot. A few steps later I found the back third of my arrow with some pink frothy blood on it, a good sign. I followed the trail through the high grass for about 20 yards til I found the first blood and then followed the blood to my bull. Not that I needed to follow the blood trail....I knew exactly where he lay.

I payed my respects to this magnificent creature and then lit up my phone to let my buddies know and try to find some help.

It was a long hard day yesterday but hard work never felt so good!

[Sheepshooter]

http://i.imgur.com/GW4vI8G.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8zOCeiQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qkDhGi9.jpg

My 84 year old Dad who instilled this love of hunting wasn't going to miss out on the adventure of hauling this moose out!

[Brian K]

Too cool!!

[Joeabowhunter]

Congratulations, that's a beautiful bull.

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

That is a dream hunt for me , congrats sir.....

,,,,,Sam,,,,,

[recurve3]

Awesome Bull, congrats!! that is a dreamhunt for me also!!

[Doug Campbell]

Congrats, awesome bull and experience!

[GRAYBEARD]

Way Cool!! It is truly great that your Dad is involved, cherish that. I miss mine every day. He is on every hunt with me but not in the same way.

[Sheepshooter]

Thanks guys! GRAYBEARD, my dad still rifle hunts, sometimes by himself, which freaks my mom out. (he never did take up bowhunting)I try to do a couple of hunts with him every season cuz I just don't know how long I'll have the opportunity.

[jeanpaul3006]

Awesome bull, congrats. Nothing gets your pulse going like a moose hunt.  
It's great that you can still share your hunt with your father. Great memories.

[FerretWYO]

Great story and a really cool bull. Congrats to you.

[Sockrsblur]

Thanks for reposting this here. I never would have seen it. Cool bull and super that your dad took to bush to be a part of it. It left me wanting to stick that photo of the two of you in a frame and put it on my wall! I can only imagine how u feel

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

awesome!! way to go!! I love hunting moose!!

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Awesome Bull!!!!!!

[Huntrdfk]

Great hunt and a great bull! Congrats!


David

[babou]

What a great story et great hunt !

how old can it be ?

[Sheepshooter]

Thank you everyone! babou- I think he would be 5-6 years old.

[Daniel G. Banting]

Great story. Great animal. I expect by looking at your Dad's hands that helping to haul out your Moose was not his first hard work.

Congratulations,
Dan

[kwc]

wow,now thats some bull!

[happy1]

Awesome Bull!