Newfie Moose

[brownbear932008]

I was lucky enough to enjoy a great moose hunt in Newfoundland last week. Eight of us had the trip planned for almost two years. I know this is a DIY site but thought you guys may enjoy the hunt. This was definitely not an easy walk in the park guided hunt with animals right in camp and all that. We walked around 40-50 miles last week chasing moose in soggy terrain and some of the nasty tuck brush which we tried to avoid if possible.
We ended up broken into three groups in different camps because of our party size. Hard to believe we went 8 for 8. The hunt began on Thursday the 21st and ended on Wednesday. On Saturday morning we spotted the bull I took about three miles from our glassing point and the hunt was on for him.

 

[brownbear932008]

The bull I was after had been chased off by a giant bull the day before as we watched them most of the morning from across the valley. I would have loved to have had a crack at that bull but I'm a firm believer one in the hand is better than one in the bush.
We watched the bull Saturday morning with two cows. We decided to begin a three mile stalk and went into the lake filled valley to begin the fun. We didn't have the best wind so we first went south to get a little more advantage with the wind direction. When we were about halfway across the valley we notice one of the cows had us pegged. I could not believe how these moose would pick you off so easily.
Luckily the moose just kept an eye on us and didn't bolt out of the valley. We finally made it out of eyesight and began gaining some elevation on the moose. We worked our way into 400 yards and saw the bull sky lined above us. He looked huge standing on top of the hill. Our scent was going right toward the moose and they were getting restless some what so we backed out and decided to split the crew into two groups to hopefully get a shot at the moose. My buddy posted up watching a saddle while we went to the top of the hill after making a large circle we could see the cow once there but couldn't see the bull bedded so we backed out once more going higher on the hill and the backside.
We once again came over the hill just in time to see the animals running down the hill and around the saddle. We thought at that point the gig was up.
We made our way to the ridgeline and began scanning the tuck brush to hopefully spot the bull and calling some. We couldn't find them anywhere in sight so the guide decided he would circle and make a push through the tuck to hopefully move the bull.

 

[JohnCushman]

*impatiently waiting for the rest of the story and pics*

 

[brownbear932008]

CWEH only for you buddy. I had plans on holding out on you guys but lets finish this today.
So the guide decided on a drive to hopefully move the moose in the tuck brush. He left behind my position to go to the top of the mountain and circle back around to the ridge we were on. I turned when I heard him return and he was frantically pointing at the brush right below me. I scanned the brush two or three times and was unable to see what he was pointing at from his position 10 yards behind me. He finally decided I was blind and crawled to my rock. He whispered in my ear the moose are right below us 50 yards away on the edge of the tuck. I couldn't see the animals from my sitting position so I raised up just a tad and there is the cow. She runs into the bog and we watch her trot over the hill for three hundred yards. Jerry says get ready the bull will follow and about that time he steps into an opening in the tuck brush. I put my cross hairs on him and decided to wait until he enters the bog. He finally hits it but begins to trot straight away from me offering no shot. At 230 he finally stops to a cow call and I fired two quick shots and he went down shortly there after. We saw around 60 moose over the week. My moose was shot 5 miles from camp and my buddies was taken the last day last hour 8 miles from camp. We also saw several giant bears and all kinds of woodland caribou. It was a great week with some really great company and we had a blast as we hunted our butts off.

 

[brownbear932008]

 

[Trial153]

Excellent p! Congrats ! Went to the rock last year with my father and we had great hunt killing a couple nice bulls. Who did you hunt with?

 

[jvanhoy]

Man that's awesome. Was just wondering how you did. Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[JohnCushman]

Friggin awesome!!! I found an outfitter on NFL that I like and his hunts are reasonably priced. The one plus is we can drive all the way to it. I like the idea of going there (eventhough after travel expenses and everything I could do a moose hunt closer to me) because I go right through the areas my family and a lot of my friends live. We can visit on the way through, and even cough up some meat to them.

Did you have any issues bringing meat back to the states? How much of a pain in the arse was getting a rifle across the border?

 

[LCH]

Congrats on a successful adventure!

 

[Trial153]

Friggin awesome!!! I found an outfitter on NFL that I like and his hunts are reasonably priced. The one plus is we can drive all the way to it. I like the idea of going there (eventhough after travel expenses and everything I could do a moose hunt closer to me) because I go right through the areas my family and a lot of my friends live. We can visit on the way through, and even cough up some meat to them.




Did you have any issues bringing meat back to the states? How much of a pain in the arse was getting a rifle across the border?

As long as you have passport, and your cleared to enter ( clean US records for example no DWIs etc) crossing is very easy. There is one firearms declaration for and a 25 fee.
Bringing meat over s east as well.you Outfitters will give you a USDA form to enter with meat, or you can get it at the crossing. You will need your hunting license and permits from the hunt. Pretty easy all told.

 

[brownbear932008]

As long as you have passport, and your cleared to enter ( clean US records for example no DWIs etc) crossing is very easy. There is one firearms declaration for and a 25 fee.
Bringing meat over s east as well.you Outfitters will give you a USDA form to enter with meat, or you can get it at the crossing. You will need your hunting license and permits from the hunt. Pretty easy all told.

Yeah pretty painless Cush just a few forms and checks and your done. We flew up but I would definitely drive next time I go. Moose numbers are great up there.

 

[brownbear932008]

Man that's awesome. Was just wondering how you did. Congrats on a great hunt.

It was a good one man I was looking for your elk today where is he?

 

[brownbear932008]

I went with ironbound outfitters. Thanks great place

 

[SFC B]

Congrats on bullwinkle!!

 

[NC2CO]

Very cool. Congrats!

 

[jvanhoy]

It was a good one man I was looking for your elk today where is he?

Still in WY haha. We had a good but very strange hunt. We saw about a dozen bulls but they wouldn't bugle at all the first week. It was more like deer hunting. We had crazy weather. It snowed 4 inches or so 3 different times with 30 to 50 mph winds most days. I had one shot opportunity through a small hole in the timber but clipped a limb. Great hunt but tag soup for all of us. Congrats again a moose is on my bucket list for sure. Stay in touch buddy.

 

[targetpanic]

Congrats on a great Moose!!!

 

[Elkhunter24]

Congrats!

 

[ashersdad]

Congratulations!! Sounds like a great hunt.

 

[BlakeA]

Awesome!! Congrats