Outfitter pressure was unbelievable this year. One of the two outfitters in the valley killed a sub 50 bull the day we arrived. The other POS out of Montana had dudes on horses from one end of the valley to the other. They were also flying 2 planes EVERY day twice a day looking for moose. I guess for $15,000 you better get your moose at whatever cost.
On the final approach to my bull I ran into the outfitter and his dude on horse back. I was maybe 100 yards from where we'd last seen this bull 2 hours before and figured he was bedded for the day. A quick chat with them and telling them that we were about to get into a bull right here, the outfitter said he was just passing through not to worry about him. So off in to the brush they went... right where I thought the bull was bedded.
Unfuggin believable!!!
I climbed the hill about 100 yards, hoping to let them push the lower section and me the upper and run the bull to my hunting partners... No bull ran out. I circled back around to make one more push a little higher. If I had to bet, they'd spotted that bull from the air the evening before and was taking the dude into kill it. They didn't care about us, we're taking food out of their childcare's mouths...
The bull ended up being about 400 yards to the left and slightly lower than were we'd spotted him the two previous days. My partners had no shot from their position. Then I noticed the that the outfitter and dude had unloaded and were trying to get into position for a shot on the bull. They were considerably closer, but unfortunately for them, 400 yards with is not out of my comfort range. Bang, bang... dead bull.
Now for the fun part, maybe next time I'll tr to find one a little closer to the strip. I broke moose hunting rule No. 1 again... and shot one over a mile from the strip... well over a mile. 3 days later he was packed up and out...
This moose hunting is over rated.
I just finished packing out bull number 3 for the year. I think I'm going to let my back have a week or two off.
