My Moose Success!

by Mike Langlois
(Indian Head, Saskatchewan)

The Beginning

It all started on a Sunday afternoon at home packing my truck for a anticipated moose hunt.

I had put into the draw for a number of years and this was the first time I had been drawn for moose, it was a long time coming and now it was only a day away until I arrived the 5 hours north to where our moose camp was situated.

I was stoked to be on this trip, although it wasn't much different than any other moose trip, I was with my family who I always go with and enjoyed spending the time bonding with, but with some members of my family getting older, I savour each hunting trip as it may be their last with me.
This moose hunting trip was in a sense different as it has taken me years to get drawn for this magnificent creature and to make it that much better it was during the peak rut for the moose.

Opening Morning

I couldn't wait till the morning when I could get dressed in my hunting gear and throw my trusted 30-06 over my shoulder and pursue my game. Moose hunting has been my all time favorite animal to hunt and me my family feel blessed to have its great tasting meat fill our freezer.

Opening morning had finally come it was a cool crisp October morning, and I wanted to jump into the woods and start my quest, but I needed my coffee in the morning first and besides it was only 6AM, so I guess I may have jumped the gun a little being dressed and ready hit the forest lol.

The Plan

During the morning coffee my father and my brothers and I decided to put a plan of attack into motion, we all decided where we were going to a place called mile 11 which was about" yup you guessed it 11 miles from our camp" we drove most of the way there and by 7am I was finally on the hunt for MR. Bullwinkle.

I went to a area about a hours walk through a clear-cut where I had always seen moose sign and as it was a previous clear-cut the new popular saplings were a great food source, I just knew there had to be a moose in there somewhere.

I had perched myself on a bit of a hill where I could get a good vantage point of traveling moose looking for a mate, and decided it was time for me to do some soft cow calling hoping to get some bulls attention and seal the deal with my trusty 30-06.

An Unwanted Visitor

I called for about 15 minutes when I caught some movement to my left, standing there about 100 yards from me was a beautiful timber wolf, I sat intently focusing my eyes on him as he did to me, made me a little nervous as I had a friend of mine who was attacked by a wolf on a previous moose hunting trip and I didn't want to be a statistic that year. I was happy to see him sneak down into some timber and fade away, my competition for my moose had left.

A short time later as I was still calling for moose I heard the unmistakable sound that I had been hoping to hear" UHGGG"" UHGGG", yup thats my best impression of a grunting moose lol anyways, I waited patiently as been taught by my father and to give him some time to come in, but hours passed and I had a no show, it seemed he just disappeared into thin air and I was back at square one.

Lunch time was soon approaching and I decided to make my way back to the truck where I knew my father would be sitting having a hot cup of coffee and wondering what has transpired on the opening morning hunt,I joined him and had a cup and was telling him about my bull I had grunting back at me but it seemed far off in the distance.

OMG!

He assured me if he was coming he might not be rushing it, I finished my coffee and decided to head back down the clear cut trail to try my luck again. I got a couple hundred yards down the trail and was searching intently for my moose when all of a sudden there he was, standing there just 50 yards from me looking at me as if to say "you look like a funny looking cow moose to me " he was a giant, a true warrior that had seen his fair share of battles.

I raised my 30-06 and a shot rang out, it seemed to echo for 50 miles in the forest but when I looked up he was laying on the ground in the same place he stood.

Breathless

He was an absolute beauty 53 inches wide and about 1600 pounds. I knew my family and I were going to enjoy this winter and the tasty meals to come. I walked over to my moose and let out a WHOOOOO and then sat on him thanking God for my success and for letting me harvest this magnificent animal.

Of Course now the Work Begins

After a few pics were taken and I gathered up the rest of the help, the work began, 2 atv's and a lot of blood sweat and tears, but I loved every second of it and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The rest of the day was shot dealing with the moose and getting it ready for the butcher. Later that evening there was a few celebration drinks being had and reminiscing about the events that unfolded that day.

Memories of the Hunt!

I will always remember this hunt and I will never forget what my father had told me, he said "Getting a moose is just a bonus of a hunting trip"; as I see it he's right. It has a lot to do with being with friends family and spending time in the outdoors and sharing the experience with others. Happy Hunting!

Like this page?

---

---