Carl 9.3x62
Well-known member
I didn't realize ND has moose, let alone an open season! Those are some big bulls! Can't wait to hear if you connected with the big one.
Once In a Lifetime
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520 Road Sow
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You've gotta be shitting me right now. Those bulls are incredible bulls. Very cool.
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
Wow! We have moose galore in my corner, but I’ve never seen a bull anywhere close to those two. Great story so far...doing justice to that tag.
Good luck on the hunt. North Dakota has always had huge moose. Nothing new there. Reminds me of growing up in SW Montana pre wolf era.
Years ago while going to College in ND my roommates girlfriend had a tag. I was invited to help out on the hunt. She knocked down a booner in the Turtles.
The biggest lower 48 moose I saw was during that Fall on the Pembina.
Once again, good luck.....
Years ago while going to College in ND my roommates girlfriend had a tag. I was invited to help out on the hunt. She knocked down a booner in the Turtles.
The biggest lower 48 moose I saw was during that Fall on the Pembina.
Once again, good luck.....
NDGuy
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Applications are for residents only, unless you mean moving here haha
The week at home, away from moose country was brutal. I had texted some photos to friends of both Big Hank and the Day 1 bull. As many of you would expect, my friends thought I was crazy for not going after either bull. They were probably correct but I wasn't ready for this hunt to be over. I was enjoying seeing new country and watching these incredible animals.
After being home for a few days a friend texted me that he thought Big Hank had been killed by another hunter. He included a text with a social media screenshot and sure enough it was Big Hank. I was happy for the other hunter but couldn't help but think I let him get away. I had had every legal right to go after Big Hank when I saw him but opted not to.
After being home for a few days a friend texted me that he thought Big Hank had been killed by another hunter. He included a text with a social media screenshot and sure enough it was Big Hank. I was happy for the other hunter but couldn't help but think I let him get away. I had had every legal right to go after Big Hank when I saw him but opted not to.
After a week at home I was headed back to moose country hoping I could find the Day 1 bull and perhaps another big bull rumored to be in the area. As soon as I arrived I started seeing moose just as I had on the last trip. This time many were void of velvet and several were among cows vs being solo as they were the week before.
Despite seeing several moose that evening I did not see the Day 1 bull or any other bull that I felt was a shooter.
Despite seeing several moose that evening I did not see the Day 1 bull or any other bull that I felt was a shooter.
My second day of the trip I was able to spot the Day 1 bull. He wasn't far from where I first saw him. There was standing crop in the area so landowner permission would be required to legally pursue him. I got lucky and found the landowner (I'll call him Bill) in his yard near the end of day two and stopped in to visit with him.
Bill wasn't a man of many words but did give me permission to hunt on his land with the caveat that I stay off any land with standing crops. I thanked him and hoped I would find the Day 1 bull the following morning.
Bill wasn't a man of many words but did give me permission to hunt on his land with the caveat that I stay off any land with standing crops. I thanked him and hoped I would find the Day 1 bull the following morning.
At first light I was in a position to glass where I had last seen the Day 1 bull. There he was! With a cow and two calves, in a wetland area in a harvested wheat field!
Even though I had permission to go after him the setup wasn't great with the current wind direction. In just a few minutes the moose wandered into the middle of the cattails where they would likely bed for the day. I had seen him here before and had a good plan for him when he got back on his feet in the evening.
Even though I had permission to go after him the setup wasn't great with the current wind direction. In just a few minutes the moose wandered into the middle of the cattails where they would likely bed for the day. I had seen him here before and had a good plan for him when he got back on his feet in the evening.
Later that day I was again joined by @Flatrock and by evening we were in place to make a move on the Day 1 bull should we spot him and he take a route I'd seen him take twice before.
Unfortunately he didn't appear where I expected him. Instead he appeared on the other side of the county road, in a wetland surrounded by standing wheat. While he was in a place I could physically access I wasn't going to break Bill's rule.
I had three days remaining on this hunt so I was going to be on him each day hoping he'd be in a spot where I could hunt him.
Unfortunately he didn't appear where I expected him. Instead he appeared on the other side of the county road, in a wetland surrounded by standing wheat. While he was in a place I could physically access I wasn't going to break Bill's rule.
I had three days remaining on this hunt so I was going to be on him each day hoping he'd be in a spot where I could hunt him.
DJ1
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Awesome story can’t wait to hear the outcome. I was fortunate to draw a moose tag in UT this year and know what you were feeling.
Cheesehead
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This is fantastic...
sacountry
Well-known member
You can see the tourist campaign now...." Ahhhhh..,.North Dakota, Come and shit your pants"
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I wish I could tell you that I found the Day 1 bull the next morning and was able to fill my tag but that didn't happen.
Flatrock and I hunted together for another morning and then he needed to head out for an AZ elk hunt. We did see some bulls but not the Day 1 bull. Here's one very photogenic bull.
At last light on the day @Flatrock left, I relocated the Day 1 bull about 2 miles from where I had last seen him. Daylight was diminishing quickly and he was in a field of standing canola owned by Bill. I watched him until dark and hoped yet again I'd find him in the morning.
The next morning I was able to relocate him but he was another 2-3 miles farther away from where I first saw him. The rut was obviously kicking in and he was on the move looking for and picking up cows.
His location this time was accompanied by at least six cows but in an area heavily posted with "no trespassing" signs. My gut told me this was a piece of property that I would be unable to gain access to.
Flatrock and I hunted together for another morning and then he needed to head out for an AZ elk hunt. We did see some bulls but not the Day 1 bull. Here's one very photogenic bull.
At last light on the day @Flatrock left, I relocated the Day 1 bull about 2 miles from where I had last seen him. Daylight was diminishing quickly and he was in a field of standing canola owned by Bill. I watched him until dark and hoped yet again I'd find him in the morning.
The next morning I was able to relocate him but he was another 2-3 miles farther away from where I first saw him. The rut was obviously kicking in and he was on the move looking for and picking up cows.
His location this time was accompanied by at least six cows but in an area heavily posted with "no trespassing" signs. My gut told me this was a piece of property that I would be unable to gain access to.
There's a bit of a back story that I should insert at this point. I didn't pick this area of my hunting unit on a whim. @Flatrock has some family in a different part of the unit that were extremely helpful and generous. They provided "boots on the ground" information that is only gained by living in the area. They offered their knowledge and even opened their house as a place to stay. To them I'm indebted and grateful.
One gentleman in particular (I'll call him Dan) had reported seeing big bulls each fall in an area near where he lived. That area happened to be where I first spotted the Day 1 bull. On my first hunting trip Flatrock introduced me to Dan and we visited about the area, moose and moose hunting. Several times after that meeting I would see Dan on the roads with his pointing dog riding shotgun. I'd show him pictures of moose I had seen and he'd let me know if he had seen any and give their whereabouts. I would also let him know if I had seen any upland birds and their whereabouts since he's an avid upland hunter.
I believe it was the afternoon that Flatrock left to go home, but before I saw the Day 1 bull in Bill's canola field that I stopped to visit with some people stopped on the gravel road. It turns out they were looking for a whitetail doe as their grandson had a youth tag. Not long after I stopped, Dan happened by as well. We all were visiting when I mentioned I had a moose tag for the unit. The newly met gentleman went on to talk about how much damage moose cause, his disdain for them and how he wished them all dead.
That's when Dan spoke up and quietly said, "I just hope I can draw a tag before I die." Dan is an elderly man and hearing him say that hit me like a Mack truck. I was holding a tag that most people who apply for it will never draw. In 2020 over 22,500 people applied for 200 "any moose" tags in the various units open for moose hunting. If I had ever wavered, Dan's words helped to reinforce my intent to get the most out of this hunting opportunity I was blessed to have.
One gentleman in particular (I'll call him Dan) had reported seeing big bulls each fall in an area near where he lived. That area happened to be where I first spotted the Day 1 bull. On my first hunting trip Flatrock introduced me to Dan and we visited about the area, moose and moose hunting. Several times after that meeting I would see Dan on the roads with his pointing dog riding shotgun. I'd show him pictures of moose I had seen and he'd let me know if he had seen any and give their whereabouts. I would also let him know if I had seen any upland birds and their whereabouts since he's an avid upland hunter.
I believe it was the afternoon that Flatrock left to go home, but before I saw the Day 1 bull in Bill's canola field that I stopped to visit with some people stopped on the gravel road. It turns out they were looking for a whitetail doe as their grandson had a youth tag. Not long after I stopped, Dan happened by as well. We all were visiting when I mentioned I had a moose tag for the unit. The newly met gentleman went on to talk about how much damage moose cause, his disdain for them and how he wished them all dead.
That's when Dan spoke up and quietly said, "I just hope I can draw a tag before I die." Dan is an elderly man and hearing him say that hit me like a Mack truck. I was holding a tag that most people who apply for it will never draw. In 2020 over 22,500 people applied for 200 "any moose" tags in the various units open for moose hunting. If I had ever wavered, Dan's words helped to reinforce my intent to get the most out of this hunting opportunity I was blessed to have.
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