Well guys as some of you may recall my post, I finally drew a bull moose tag here in Maine after putting in for 16 years. I figured I'd do a little write up of how things are going, update here with some trail camera pictures and some info of how my scouting is going... Last week my father and I did some scouting in one area that we are going to hunt. There is a very remote pond out in the middle of no where, with only a few logging roads that get nearby. I have been scouring google earth photos of the area and making notes on the map of where I want to check out. This pond was one of my main areas I wanted to focus on, especially right now because of the warm temps a lot of moose will be hanging near water and in the north woods those ponds are usually surrounded by softwood forests.. It was about .3 tenths of a mile from the nearest spot we could park the truck and hike in to get a look.. On the walk in it was so thick we couldn't see more than 10' at times! But I did notice a few game trails with moose tracks in them. As we got to the waters edge I could see a moose out in the pond close to 300 yards away. Looking through my binoculars I saw that it was a very decent looking bull! Bingo! That's what I'm looking for! Scanning the rest of the pond there was another small bull out in the middle, at the time only his hump was out of the water. I didn't know it was a moose until his head came up for air! Doing a little more glassing, on the other side of the pond was another moose which turned out to be a cow and her calf. So here we are at the first spot we want to check out and there is 4 moose right in front of us, one being a bull that will be a contender come October! I put a cam out on a wicked trail on the edge of the pond, hoping to catch more bulls in the area. The surrounding forest has been cut some in the last couple years, and it was beat up with moose tracks! Down the road a ways another bull stepped out in front of us, and he is going to be a decent bull as well! Things have sure started out looking promising. I'm out to kill a respectable bull with my bow. I'd love to get a 50"+ bull and my chances are quite good for that, but I'm also not going to pass a good shot on a smaller bull with my bow in hand. Here's a couple pictures of the two bigger bulls we saw. I'll be heading up to check the camera I put out in a day or so and also hang another in a different spot. I've switched to FMJ's and going to use Exodus heads. My finished arrow weight is 476gr. and should do the trick just fine on a big ol bull! Sorry for the quality of these pics they are from my cell phone zoomed in.
Man O Man!! Congrats. I actually just started this year getting points. Probably a little late in the game at 38 but better late than never. Best of luck and keep us updated.
Congratulations !!! Really happy that you drew for a tag. I also feel sorry for you that you had to wait 16 years to finally go moose hunting... All I have to do here is go at the convenience store and buy a tag, every year. Just a few tips though to help you out since you waited that long. (If you don't mind that is...) I never hunted Maine, so I don't know the situation over there, but I heard that it was kind of like New Brunswick in Canada, with lots of moose and a lot easier to hunt than where I live. The fact that you got great pictures and saw 4 moose on your first visit confirm that. Still, summer habitat for moose is very different than in the fall. Chances are you will not see these big bulls anywhere near that pond comes September. A famous guide around here said: If moose hunting was done near ponds and lakes, it would be called moose Fishing ... Peak of the rut is normally between September 22nd and September 28th. They will be receptive the week before and a week to 10 days after, but not as intense. In the fall, when daytime temperature is over 15C or 59F they will normally stay in shady, cool areas like mature forests and covered mossy wet areas. They will normally go out in the open to feed only early mornings and at night. Best place for calling is always in a feeding area, near a rest area... (Simple but important information...) Anyway, I could go on for pages... (But I won't) Took me 6 years to break the ice and get my first one (at 48 feet with a bow),so don't get over confident.... moose is not an easy hunt. Best of luck
Happycamper and Trial, I got zone 7, which is the October hunt (10th-15th). I would much rather have the September hunt, but the zone I have is a good area, and the last few years the September week has been very hot, shutting down a lot of the moose activity... Good luck to you as well happycamper!! Choppersk61, thanks for the tips!! I've been on a few moose hunts here, and to say they are easy wouldn't be the truth. If you put your time in and get off the roads then your success rates will jump for sure. The area where I put the camera is a big softwood forest on one side of the pond and a hardwood ridge on the other side. The softwood side has been cut in the last few years and is LOADED with moose sign... The local warden says the general area is where he would be putting his focus if he had the permit I do. I put out another camera in a different spot this past Tuesday. Checked the one I put out the week before while I was up there.. Had a couple cows and a calf on camera, a few does, and a really nice buck but no bulls. It's still very early though and it had only been out a week. I'll update with some of the trail camera pictures very soon!
Zone seven is a fantastic unit, my buddy hunted it last year. I know the area very well. Hunted up there for years. Good luck to you!
