516-50 Montana Moose Ride-a-long
- Thread starter YoungGun
- Start date
Thanks, Powell! We're planning to focus on a large burn complex within the unit that will allow for more glassing opportunities. Last year we hunted the Main Boulder River drainage which is very thick country. This made it difficult to glass, and with the bulls moving so sporadically, our encounters were fleeting. We spent ~20 evenings in the unit this summer and located a handful of cows. Our initial plan is to keep tabs on these cows with the hopes that an older bull shows up.
Given the bulls move so far to rut, our scouting has primarily been used to learn new access points, and potential areas to check on during the rut. Living close to the unit, we were able to make ~15 evening or morning trips to the unit last summer. It was amazing the number of bulls that showed up around Sept 20th. Although the West Boulder/Boulder/East Boulder country is thick and difficult to hunt at times, it leaves some room for surprise. It will be fun to see if some of the same bulls from last year return to the same areas to rut.
Best of luck to you this fall!
Ike
Given the bulls move so far to rut, our scouting has primarily been used to learn new access points, and potential areas to check on during the rut. Living close to the unit, we were able to make ~15 evening or morning trips to the unit last summer. It was amazing the number of bulls that showed up around Sept 20th. Although the West Boulder/Boulder/East Boulder country is thick and difficult to hunt at times, it leaves some room for surprise. It will be fun to see if some of the same bulls from last year return to the same areas to rut.
Best of luck to you this fall!
Ike
SFC B
Well-known member
Always amazes me just how massive those critters are......moose is my only real "bucket list " hunt.......Hopefully in about 5 years I will be headed to BC to cash that chip in 
YoungGun and I just wrapped up our first few days of Moose hunting. Yesterday morning we located the cow and calf we had watched most of the summer. She had two young bulls with her. Both were bulls we hadn't seen yet. Off in the distance, we saw another young bull cruising. The bulls were not right on the cow but hanging out a few hundred yards away. I saw two older bulls in this area during the summer. Either they have moved on to another cow, or are not rutting yet. Being new to the moose game, we're interested to see if the older bulls will show up later in the month/early October?
We ventured over to Bridger Creek on the Eastern portion of the unit this morning and looked over some of the country in Derby Gulch, West Bridger, etc. The country has potential for moose but we have not located any in the region yet. We are headed out for an extended period of time late this weekend and next week and will do our best to keep everyone posted.
We ventured over to Bridger Creek on the Eastern portion of the unit this morning and looked over some of the country in Derby Gulch, West Bridger, etc. The country has potential for moose but we have not located any in the region yet. We are headed out for an extended period of time late this weekend and next week and will do our best to keep everyone posted.
520 Road Sow
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2017
- Messages
- 6,818
Few doggies in there, keep at it old Bullwinkle will show himself sooner then later saw a little rut activity this last week not far from you.
We just wrapped up an eventful few days of moose hunting. We started our four day trip in the Deer Creeks and were unable to locate the cow and calf that we had kept tabs on all summer. We hiked into the bottom and found a decent amount of rut sign but the moose had relocated.
From there, we spent a few days jumping back and forth between the Main Boulder and East Boulder, checking on several cows. We were surprised to find most of the cow moose alone or with only their calves. Meanwhile, we received reports of two bulls moving up and down the Boulder, one being a ‘good bull’. We’d called in a young bull but had not laid eyes on the larger of the two yet.
On Tuesday night we checked on a cow/calf pair just north of the Chippy Campground (Main Boulder). They were still alone. The next morning we’d heard the bull moved in and was trying to mount the calf. We spent the day trying to locate them on a timbered flat in the river bottom and located found a cow but never laid eyes on the bull. On Thursday morning, we left camp and immediately saw the bull with the cow and calf bedded nearby. We made a quick move before they hit the timber and the rest is history. By 12:30 we had the bull back to the truck and headed for Bozeman.
I’m glad the hunt lasted 8 days and was especially grateful to share it with good friends. Like we’ve said in the past, YoungGun and I would be more than happy to share all our info with anyone who draws the tag in the future.
Also, thanks for all the great photos, YoungGun.
There appears to be a fair number of 1-4 year old bulls in the unit but there is always the potential for something older due to the units size and proximity to the wilderness. There are several areas that appear to receive very little moose hunting pressure. Some of these bulls may migrate to the main Boulder to rut but there appears to be a good number that stay put in the Deer Creeks, West Boulder, etc. Thanks for following along, and best of luck to everyone with their current and upcoming hunts!
From there, we spent a few days jumping back and forth between the Main Boulder and East Boulder, checking on several cows. We were surprised to find most of the cow moose alone or with only their calves. Meanwhile, we received reports of two bulls moving up and down the Boulder, one being a ‘good bull’. We’d called in a young bull but had not laid eyes on the larger of the two yet.
On Tuesday night we checked on a cow/calf pair just north of the Chippy Campground (Main Boulder). They were still alone. The next morning we’d heard the bull moved in and was trying to mount the calf. We spent the day trying to locate them on a timbered flat in the river bottom and located found a cow but never laid eyes on the bull. On Thursday morning, we left camp and immediately saw the bull with the cow and calf bedded nearby. We made a quick move before they hit the timber and the rest is history. By 12:30 we had the bull back to the truck and headed for Bozeman.
I’m glad the hunt lasted 8 days and was especially grateful to share it with good friends. Like we’ve said in the past, YoungGun and I would be more than happy to share all our info with anyone who draws the tag in the future.
Also, thanks for all the great photos, YoungGun.
There appears to be a fair number of 1-4 year old bulls in the unit but there is always the potential for something older due to the units size and proximity to the wilderness. There are several areas that appear to receive very little moose hunting pressure. Some of these bulls may migrate to the main Boulder to rut but there appears to be a good number that stay put in the Deer Creeks, West Boulder, etc. Thanks for following along, and best of luck to everyone with their current and upcoming hunts!
LowRange(Formerly BTF)
Well-known member
Congrats on a great bull. Its hard to find a more beatiful drainage than the boulder. Congrats to both of you on 2 years of moose adventures!
SFC B
Well-known member
That is a great, classic bull. Congrats.
6mm Remington
Well-known member
Congrats on a nice bull and for sharing. Very nice to offer up advise for someone down the road. Very classy!
mdunc8
Well-known member
Congrats. Great country to spend a week.
El Jason
Well-known member
Nice pictures, and solid work.
el unit
Well-known member
Yes, and congrats on a fine animal!
nidahunter
Well-known member
Thanks for the great write up, I always enjoy stories like this one. Congrats!
D
Deleted member 16014
Guest
Love the photos, you got your money's worth out of the tag and a result to enjoy.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
Enjoyed the ride while waiting to go on mine. Congrats on a great moose in a beautiful area.
