Advice Needed Newfoundland
Moose
I'm thinking about booking a hunt in NF this fall 2014. I know it is late and most outfitters are booked for their best weeks. I have talked to a few outfitters and I have an option on hunting the early archery season from september 7-14. I wanted to know if anyone has been there during this early season and is it worth it or should I start planning for next year. Any advice is appreciated.....
The early bow season is strictly spot and stalk for sure buddy. There just won't be any rutting activity going on. That being said it can still be a productive hunt. If you are still looking for a rut hunt let me know as I may very well have an option for you in Newfoundland. If you do decide to go early make sure that you check references that hunted EARLY.
Wherever you go I wish ya the best and hope you can find the hunt your looking for.
Best regards, Scott Alberda - Bowsite Sponsor
Bow and Arrow Adventures
I've hunted there the last of August and beginning of Sept and killed a bull that was called in, they will respond to calls much earlier than people realize. I wouldn't rely on calling exclusively but they will come.
I went the Sept 16th week this past fall and bulls did respond to calls for some guys, but every guide I talked to in camp said they would recommend the last week of Sept or first week of Oct for the best rutting activity.
If you want the best hunt, don't force it, get the right guide and best dates!
If you are bowhunting only I would wait until the following year unless you will shoot anything.
If you will use a rifle then that should be fine.
The rut would be the only time I would go to NF with bow only to kill a nice bull if that's what I wanted.
You will be able to fish which would be a bonus for me and BB hunting will be better that time of year.
I hunted during the opening week in NF two years ago for moose and caribou. I would not go again during that time slot. I loved it there and saw animals but hunting was tough. Wait for the rut. They told me too that they will come in to calls then, but I saw quite a few and called to them and they just looked and sometimes took a few steps in our direction. Beautiful place though. I'm sure you could be successful and many have, but your best bet is later during the rut.
Actually the single biggest issue that will affect your hunt will be the weather. which is totally unpredictable. Hot temps will screw you up regardless whether it is the peak of the rut, pre rut or post rut. and you can't predict when you will get hot temps. This year I went the first week of Oct and the temps were 80's. no shortage of fresh Moose sign but they were moving at night. I have hunted there on Halloween and they were short sleeve shirt temps Whether you hunt the peak of the rut or not is of far less importance. I have also had good luck late in the season, post rut.
I actually find early season in NL to be very productive. Charlie Rehor killed a real nice bull or two early season, around the same time you are going. without going back and reading his report, I seem to remember there were some kind of calling tactics involved, possibly raking brush.
If you are planning on hunting with a bow, be sure that your outfitter understands that and his guides are bowhunters. I went with a guy who was very nice, but none of his guys had ever even drawn a bow, I guess it is not very popular up there.
TBB
If you will shoot a small bull then go early and hunt hard. If you won't shoot a small bull then wait till the last week of Sept or first week of Oct. It's really that simple. Mike
If your criteria for hunting NL is whether your guide is a bow hunter, you're going to stay home. Very few people bow hunt on the Island. In 20 + hunts in NL I have never seen an instance where it made any difference. A rifle hunter can call a moose into your lap, they know where the moose are, the rest is up to you regardless. The guide isn't going to stalk the bull for you and he isn't going to shoot it for you.
September 3rd, still in velvet. Called in from 500 yards away. Saw 21 moose day 1 and 18 moose day 2. Chased bears the rest of the week. Most important think is to get back in the bush! Good luck!
+1 on everything BB said.
It made a heck of a difference for my hunt BB. The guy kept taking me to all hi favorite spots that were clear cuts for 100+ yards. He didn't have a clue about what I was talking about.
If that is the case fo the whole of NFL, then A lberta might be a better choice. The outfitter I went with was a ver nice guy, even offered me a discounted hunt to return, but told me that I had better bring a rifle if I did. I decided not to return.
TBB
I'm going to edit this post, I don't want to side track the original thread. I will just say I disagree with you Bob on your idea of what a guide is supposed to do and leave it at that.
Thank you all for your input. I decided to not rush the hunt this year and instead start planning now for the 2015 year so I can hunt during the rut. Now the wait begins!!!
hope4deer, Are you looking at any particular outfitter? I am going this year at the end of September/beginning of October with Ray's. I can give you a full report when we get back.
iceman
iceman; actually Ray's and moose valley were the two I had narrowed down, I am leading towards Ray's a bit more. I would love to hear back from you after your trip. Good luck!!
I booked with Portland Creek Outfitters for the last week of September 2015. Leonard Payne has been in business for a long time and all his camps are fly-ins. Go to Premier Hunting Adventures website and look at Hunt MO-34.
From all the research I did, I learned that a lot of guys start out hunting with bows and then switch to guns in mid-hunt. Then they kill a moose within bow range and wished they hadn't switched. I'm sticking with my trusty longbow!
hope4deer, will do. Hope to have a good report for you.
Hope4Deer: You did the right thing. Unless you can go every few years I think it's a big mistake to go to NF with the bow and not during the rut.
Too many variables can change things.
When they are in the rut it cuts most of those variables down.
Most important is you are doing a remote, fly-in hunt. I think that's the key to NF.
I also agree that you can't worry about your guide being a bowhunter because there are so very few in NF. You just need a good guide who knows how to play the wind and has a good head on his shoulder.
My guide was phenominal and was always playing the wind which is why we go on top of my bull the first day. We had to hike an extra mile but it was worth it.
Good luck!
BTW I would go with MVO over Rays as many guys have nothing but great things to say about MVO in here. I went with Ironbound who uses helicopters. That was awesome!
Here's a pic of the helicopter coming to get my meat - see the white bags.
I was bear hunting and had my telephoto on and snapped these pics from more than a mile away. The guy on bottom right is my guide. I shot a respectable moose.
I was hunting with rifle and was there the last week of the season. I had a second to shoot and decided he was big enough (since the last time I went I hunted 6 days straight and averaged 5 miles through the bogs and didn't see a moose).
I was going to buy another tag but decided too late as they were out of tags. I ended up looking for bears and helping the other hunter in camp try to get his moose.
One thing is for sure make sure you are in shape. This makes an elk hunt look easy. My rule of thumb is multiply every mile by 2 due to the bogs and water that grab your feet with almost every step. Plus some areas are up and down all day PLUS the water.
It's beautiful country!
