How to Hunt Immature Bull Moose
Hunting Immature Bull Moose
In my hunting area you are only allowed to harvest immature bulls unless you win a draw.
It seems as if the big bulls are easier to find than the little ones in the rut. Do young bulls respond to cow calls?
The big bulls seem to spend a lot more time out in the open during the rut but not so much the little ones.
Is this your observations as well?
Hunting immature bull moose is no easy feat. First off, there aren't many of them around and secondly, especially during the rut, they won't make themselves too obvious for fear of getting beat up.
Big bull moose are bullies! They'll gladly take out their frustrations on younger and smaller bull moose.
As for young bulls responding to cow calls during the rut, you bet they will. If they figure there isn't any other bulls around they take the opportunity. But running out into the open is not something a immature bull moose will normally do.
I this picture, an immature moose is obviously making the moves on a cow. He's hopeful, little does he know that moments later a large bull will be chasing him off.
Immature bull moose hunting can be very rewarding, they are often the best eating. Young, tender and not terribly wise can make them easy prey for hunters as well as predators. They don't have the armor to wander about and make themselves to prominent such that wolves and bears will take them down too.
I suggest you do cow calls but keep your eyes out along the fringes. The big bulls will show themselves (sometimes the younger ones will follow in) or just keep in the timber, out of sight and quiet. You just never know when one will show up.
Good luck!
~ Mark