It finally Happened !!!!!!!

[Silvertip]

After several years of attempts to bag a moose with a muzzleloader and some close calls we finally did it on sunday shortly after lunch.
We were out on Saturday from noon t'ill about 4:30 but had no luck never even seen any sign but got soaked in the rain.We pushed one mountain and called it quits.I made a call with my can caller and wax cord in hopes the late rut might still be going.We then headed home before dark set in.
Sunday the weather was good ..cloudy with some sunny breaks and a cool breeze.We left my Dads farm at about 8:30am and headed into the woods.We didn't get far when my brother in the lead noticed a moose track fresh in the wet leaves.We tracked for a while trying to jump him or see if he went up on a mountain where we might corner him.Suddenly he turned and headed into a large unfriendly swamp.We decided to push the swamp but no moose came out.After lunch we decided to try again and this time go right into the deep part.My brother and I was elected for this task because we new the swamp best.One wrong placed step and you could be waste deep in muck or water.We were just getting into the thick of it when kaboom up on the ridge.Shortly after a voice came over the radio that we had a cow moose.My brother and I quickly abandonned our swamp push and headed for high ground.The cow came out first and from behind the stander followed by a calf and bull.Our friend had already shot the cow seconds before the other two showed.It was a different bunch of moose as we were tracking a single moose in the swamp and from the opposite direction.I don't know if my call brought some moose into the area overnight or if it was just a coincidence but suddenly we had moose around.Coyotes were howling all through the day and we worked hard to get the cow moose out before dark.We did not want to have to leave it overnight and take a chance on the yotes.We hooked two ATV's single file with winches and put a logging chain around the neck of the moose.It had to come up out of a deep gully in thick woods before we reached the height of land.This took some effort but inch by inch we winched and winched until finally we got to where the trail was good going.Five o'clock the moose was in the barnyard at my Dads place and hangin from the front end loader of the international.
It was a good day and a great hunt.

cheers-Silvertip

[rimrock]

is it just me or does it seem like theres something missing to the story here?

[Silvertip]

After several years of attempts to bag a moose with a muzzleloader and some close calls we finally did it on sunday shortly after lunch.
We were out on Saturday from noon t'ill about 4:30 but had no luck never even seen any sign but got soaked in the rain.We pushed one mountain and called it quits.I made a call with my can caller and wax cord in hopes the late rut might still be going.We then headed home before dark set in.
Sunday the weather was good ..cloudy with some sunny breaks and a cool breeze.We left my Dads farm at about 8:30am and headed into the woods.We didn't get far when my brother in the lead noticed a moose track fresh in the wet leaves.We tracked for a while trying to jump him or see if he went up on a mountain where we might corner him.Suddenly he turned and headed into a large unfriendly swamp.We decided to push the swamp but no moose came out.After lunch we decided to try again and this time go right into the deep part.My brother and I was elected for this task because we new the swamp best.One wrong placed step and you could be waste deep in muck or water.We were just getting into the thick of it when kaboom up on the ridge.Shortly after a voice came over the radio that we had a cow moose.My brother and I quickly abandonned our swamp push and headed for high ground.The cow came out first and from behind the stander followed by a calf and bull.Our friend had already shot the cow seconds before the other two showed.It was a different bunch of moose as we were tracking a single moose in the swamp and from the opposite direction.I don't know if my call brought some moose into the area overnight or if it was just a coincidence but suddenly we had moose around.Coyotes were howling all through the day and we worked hard to get the cow moose out before dark.We did not want to have to leave it overnight and take a chance on the yotes.We hooked two ATV's single file with winches and put a logging chain around the neck of the moose.It had to come up out of a deep gully in thick woods before we reached the height of land.This took some effort but inch by inch we winched and winched until finally we got to where the trail was good going.Five o'clock the moose was in the barnyard at my Dads place and hangin from the front end loader of the international.
It was a good day and a great hunt.

cheers-Silvertip

[rimrock]

congrats on your first moose
hopefully the younger calf moose survives

[Silvertip]

I agree .....I sure hope it survives too ! If there was a downside to the whole experience that would definately be it. Ideally we would of much preferred to of shot the bull and let the cow and calf go but the way it all happened the cow appeared first without the calf and it was in a narrow gully with little time before it would of been gone so the shot was taken.Unfortunately seconds later the calf appeared with the bull.I sure hope the Timbers or
Eastern Brushwolves( cross of timber/yotes) don't get him.

[John Y Cannuck]

That calf should be fine on his own now.

This one, bagged with the mighty 30-30 shows calf size. I'm 6'2"

[Silvertip]

John ...did you get that one this fall ? If so congrats and all that stuff.It will make good chowing too !
Your defying all hunter logic killing those moose with just a .30-30. I mean come on there are claims a .30-30 can barely kill a fawn deer at 50 yrds and here you are killing moose ???