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Just Moose'in around
Moose
Contributors to this thread:
petemc 17-Oct-13
elkmtngear 17-Oct-13
petemc 17-Oct-13
cope30tyee 17-Oct-13
Florida Mike 17-Oct-13
Ace 17-Oct-13
Ole Thumper 17-Oct-13
ScottParson 17-Oct-13
tobywon 17-Oct-13
weekender21 17-Oct-13
Buffalo1 17-Oct-13
Bear Track 17-Oct-13
Straight Shooter 17-Oct-13
Apex Predator 18-Oct-13
caribouken 28-Nov-13
Jack Harris 28-Nov-13
Mark Watkins 28-Nov-13
Charlie Rehor 28-Nov-13
CurveBow 02-Dec-13
Julius K 02-Dec-13
From: petemc
17-Oct-13

petemc's embedded Photo
petemc's embedded Photo
The wandering hunter has returned safe, sound and tired. I left Wisconsin on September 21st for a visit to the NE United States, Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland. Absolutely a fantastic trip. The first 11 days I ate lobster 9 times and never got tired of it. Most I cooked myself while camping. Nothing like a pound of clams, steamed lobster, fresh bagette and a beer for dinner - multiple times.

Stayed at Acadia National Park in Maine, Roosevelt Campobello International and Fundy National Park in New Brunswick and then Cape Bretton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. After an 8 hour ferry ride to Port Aux Basque, Newfoundland I toured Gros Morne National Park and the surrounding area.

Attended the Cow Head, Newfoundland Fall Festival and met some wonderful people. Local music, crafts and even the Moose Supper at the church were great.

Well the reason for all this was a moose hunt in the Long Range Mountains and, again, it was perfect. I told my guide and the others in camp that my ideal hunt was to hunt every day and kill a moose on the last day of my hunt. That's exactly how it turned out.

Last Weds we stalked to within 40 yards of a couple of cows before I went solo for the last 25 yards. Still, at 15 yards she wouldn't step into the open for a shot and heard my foot suck water in the moss and spooked. Oh well, still a rewarding experience.

Then on Friday my guide called a 14 pt bull into 15 yards but he was facing me and, again, no shot. As he was looking around for the cow he heard my heart was a trip hammer and my arrow was buzzing like bumble bee. As I told my guide and the others later, if success was measured in heart beats per minute - I won. Almost dissolved into a puddle after he left - THEN he came back to 20 yards and STILL I couldn't get a shot and only saw his back and rack of the top of the tuckamore. He eventually caught my wind and was gone. WOW, what an experience.

So Saturday we were back to the same place and glassed for about an hour before we saw 3 moose (as it turned out it was a bull and two cows) leaving the far side of the ridge a half mile away. Jumped on the 4-wheeler and circled a big knob to get to within about a quarter of a mile and started our stalk. Lost sight of them until we were within 40-50 yards when we saw a cow first over the stunted spruce and then the other cow and finally the bull (we think he was the same bull from the day before). They had seen 'something' and were a bit antsy when the bull finally realized this wasn't a good situation and started to move off. With nothing to lose my guide made three bull grunts and the lead cow RAN right at us, stopped almost broadside at 25 yards and I put an arrow in her. She made it 200 yards before pilling up.

Turns out it was the first moose taken with a long bow in the 25 years this outfitter has been in business and the first time my guide had ever taken a long bow hunter. I was also only the second bow hunter to come to camp without a backup rifle though all the other hunters offered theirs' multiple times. I am still riding on air and have to pinch myself once in a while just to make sure this actually happened. 228 lbs of prime cow moose is now residing in my freezer - whoo hoo!!

The location of the entrance wound is where the two halves of the arrow intersect.

All in all a spectacular trip. Saw 20 moose, 15 caribou, coyotes/wolves, ptarmigan, spruce grouse.

Hope I can come back someday.

Pete

From: elkmtngear
17-Oct-13

elkmtngear's Link
Man, what a great vacation and hunt you had!

Congrats to you!

Best of Luck, Jeff (Bowsite Sponsor)

From: petemc
17-Oct-13

petemc's embedded Photo
petemc's embedded Photo
I guess the money shot got lost in transit with my original post. This should be it.

From: cope30tyee
17-Oct-13
Awesome!

From: Florida Mike
17-Oct-13
Very nice! Congrats on a very difficult endeavor. Mike

From: Ace
17-Oct-13
Excellent Job Pete! That's a nice moose, and you're right, it's the best eating around.

Way to stick it out and do what you came to do, and the way you came to do it! You are to be commended for sticking to your guns (so to speak).

Congratulations, sounds like you had a great adventure.

From: Ole Thumper
17-Oct-13
From one trad hunter to another, I'm glad for you Pete! Great Hunt and a freezer full of meat, it doesn't get any better than that!

Ole thumper

From: ScottParson
17-Oct-13
Congrats sounds like you had an awesome trip!!!

From: tobywon
17-Oct-13
Awesome, great story and congratulations. Great part of the country.

From: weekender21
17-Oct-13
Awesome adventure, congrats!

From: Buffalo1
17-Oct-13
Cool trip and a great hunt- congrats on a nice trophy.

From: Bear Track
17-Oct-13

Bear Track's Link
Sounds like a complete and wonderful trip. Good for you!

17-Oct-13
Nice job, congrats!!

DJ

18-Oct-13
Great job man!

From: caribouken
28-Nov-13
Pete...just got the chance to see your pics and story. I can see why you want to go back! I am trying to think of a way back asap.

Ken

From: Jack Harris
28-Nov-13
Great adventure and story - thanks for sharing and congrats on your moose!

From: Mark Watkins
28-Nov-13
Thanks for the update Pete! Congrats on a fine adventure and moose!

Mark

28-Nov-13
Gotta love a story like yours. You enjoyed the entire experience. That's the key and you did well! Congrats and enjoy! c

From: CurveBow
02-Dec-13
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing....

>>>>-------->

From: Julius K
02-Dec-13
Sounds like a great hunt, adventure and now you ahve some great eating!

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