Drew a MT 331-50 moose tag

[Coastie1984]

I drew a MT 331-50 moose tag. Once and a lifetime chance and I couldn't be more excited. If anyone has any information or advice I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

 

[jryoung]

Welcome.

 

[Schaaf]

Congrats, Welcome to the forum.

 

[Coastie1984]

Thanks!

 

[Mthuntinfool]

congrats. PM me if you like and I can give you a few places to start looking.

 

[sneakypete]

Congrats! Scout, scout, and more scouting. Here friends with Strong Backs or 2 extra horses. They are great beasts! You'll get hooked.

 

[Coastie1984]

I've got four horses and two old men to help me if I'm blessed with a moose! Hopefully it'll be enough!

 

[sneakypete]

The best meat you eat. Stew meat makes great wraps!

 

[Carnage2011]

Once you start scouting and have some specific questions let me know. I know the country up and down from one end to the other. i spend a ton of time in the area between work and play.

 

[JLS]

An ATV would be a huge asset in your scouting efforts.

Also, have contingency plans. I met a guy last year that had an either sex tag. Between the rain and snow, all of the areas he had scouted were pretty much inaccessible for about 4 days straight.

Enjoy the tag. There aren't many places on earth that I like more than the Ruby Valley.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Big time jealous. Don't be afraid to get up high. I've seen some nice bulls up on the ridges in Sept.

 

[Hem]

Damn, I was planning on calling in a bull during the rut down on the river bottom. Good strategy in archery season to pull one off adjacent lands that are off limits.

 

[Carnage2011]

Damn, I was planning on calling in a bull during the rut down on the river bottom. Good strategy in archery season to pull one off adjacent lands that are off limits.

Are you sure they are off limits?.....

 

[Coastie1984]

Thanks for the help everyone! This may seem like a stupid question but is the rut the best time to hunt them or after the rut when they have settled back down into one area?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Thanks for the help everyone! This may seem like a stupid question but is the rut the best time to hunt them or after the rut when they have settled back down into one area?

If it were my tag I'd be putting in some serious time from the middle of Sept till the beginning of general rifle. Don't be shy about asking elk hunters if they have seen any nice bulls. I see several every time I hunt the area. Earlier in the season the moose tend to hang out in smaller areas so if you get a hot tip or see one in an area there's a fair chance you can find him again another day.

 

[Coastie1984]

Thanks Gerald!

 

[Coastie1984]

 

[Joe Hulburt]

Congrats! Cool looking bull.

 

[MooseCaboose]

Congrats on your success

 

[Coastie1984]

Sorry for the upside down pictures- I can't figure out how to switch them around. Anyway, the hunt of a lifetime is over! I shot this bull on the 12th day of the hunt and we hiked and drove every creek bottom and drainage in my district. I was saddened by the lack of numbers of moose as we only saw around 20 moose and a few of them we saw more than once. We stopped and talked to every elk hunter we came across and they also did not see the numbers they had in past years. I also talked to a lifelong rancher in the area and he confirmed my suspicions that the wolves have moved into the area a few years ago and have completely destroyed the moose population in the area. We found this bull on the second day of the hunt and decided to let him go in hopes of finding a bigger one. On the 10 day of the hunt we returned to same area and he was still rutting two cows. On the 12th we decided to pursue this bull due to a lack of options. We crested the ridge to glass the bottom that he lived in and saw him on the opposite ridge and was trotting up and down the ridge checking every trail searching for a cow. We moved into the bottom of the drainage for a good shooting position and after a cow call he came right in presenting me with a shot at 150 yds. I managed to put 3 .338win mag bullets in him and down he went! It took three of us two days to get him 2 miles out to the trailhead and rest is history. It was a great hunt and a memory that will last a lifetime!