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2022 Colorado Cow Moose

jwatts

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2015
Messages
182
Location
Mississippi
I figure as much info and intel I have gained from this forum, it would be bad form not to post a thread on my upcoming cow moose hunt. I became interested in pursuing a moose several years back. I always thought that was solely an Alaskan adventure. But, from reading here, other forums, and skimming the draw odds for all of the Western states, I saw that a cow moose tag was obtainable for a non-resident. I started buying Colorado points and, in the back of my mind, started planning to use those points sometime in the future.

Fast forward to mid-2021. A few friends and I try to make a hunt out west each year. In 2021 2 of us made the trip to Nebraska for turkeys. That meant when the time to hunt big game rolled around; I found myself wanting to be in the mountains or sage flats chasing something other than the whitetail I was going to be pursuing at home. Those moose points crept back into my mind, and I studied odds and units. I settled on a few different options and dug deeper into those, finally deciding on what I believed offered my best odds at a tag and, ultimately at a shot at a cow moose.

Application season rolled around, and my hunting buddies and I devised a plan. Looking at past draw results, we figured that I could apply for moose and have my results pretty close to the close of the WY antelope/deer application period. If I was unsuccessful, we would all apply for a WY antelope unit that we should all be able to draw. I threw my name in the hat and waited. And waited. And waited. Here we are, the day before WY applications are due, with no results.

Let's talk about bad timing for a minute. I work on an offshore oil and gas facility. We had a COVID outbreak around this time, and guess who tested positive the day before WY ended? This guy. I had to quarantine and wait on a medivac, which meant there was a good chance I would miss the draw results for Colorado for a few days. We talked it out, and the other guys put in for antelope, and I just hoped my name was pulled for the cow tag. If I didn't draw my moose tag I would be the camp cook and small game shooter. It turned out I was able to get back on land just as the results were posted. I got my tag. Now the other guys were waiting to see if they pulled their antelope tags. They did. That meant that in October, myself and one of the others would make the drive from Mississippi to Colorado to hunt moose. Our other friend is making the drive from Montana to help us out. After the moose hunt we'll be headed toward Wyoming to fill their antelope tags.

So, here we are. I have a moose tag in my pocket, a ton of gear packed and ready to load in the truck, and a few weeks to wait until I can get back into the mountains and try my hand at moose hunting.
 
After the results posted I couldn't stand it. I had to make a run to Colorado and check out the terrain, get a lay of the land, and scout a few areas. I wanted to see what the place looked like on the ground. I wanted to see what the road situation was, where I could camp, and maybe cross a few spots off the map and add a few pins for October. I pitched the idea of a camping vacation to my wife. She doesn't camp. A chance to get my son and me out of the house for a week was enough of a vacation for her. My son and I loaded up in early July and struck out for Colorado. He had never been there and had ambitions of camping, fishing, and hiking a 14er. I wanted to look at several drainages and get a little fishing in myself.

I'll call the trip a success. We were able to eliminate one area. I was able to validate a few spots I e-scouted. I was able to add a few new spots to my map as well. I had managed to get an idea of what the moose wanted, where to find that, and how to get there. Now all I have to do is wait for season to roll around and hope that my scouting and research pays off.

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I can relate. I put on for a CO cow moose, did not draw, and put in for WY antelope. I drew the antelope tag, and a week later CPW offered me the moose tag that someone turned back in. So I'm headed to CO then WY in a few weeks. Good luck on your tag!
 
I can relate. I put on for a CO cow moose, did not draw, and put in for WY antelope. I drew the antelope tag, and a week later CPW offered me the moose tag that someone turned back in. So I'm headed to CO then WY in a few weeks. Good luck on your tag!
That sounds like a good problem to have. Good luck on your tags.
 
Thanks. I'll keep everyone posted as we go. We're heading out with a truck full of coolers and guns. We're gonna be armed for moose, antelope, waterfowl, and everything in between. Once we get a moose and a couple of antelope down, nothing between us and home is safe.
 
Scouting day 1 down. Put some boots on some new ground. We also revisited some places I scouted this summer. Lots of fresh sign, but no cows where I can hunt. We had a few afternoon storms keep us on the run. We're going to be at a glassing point at daylight to see what we can turn up before visiting some different spots.
 

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