Now were feeling it, hope to take one more day off this week or it's already done. Super crunchy snow now, like walking with bags of popcorn popping on your feet. But if you go slow and soft, watch a lot, its not too bad. The bulls are no where to be found....yet. So it will be what it will be, not really disappointed if I can't sneak away from work one more time as there is meat in the freezer from last years bull and it was a fun 2 months with learning to be a bow hunter and all the practice that comes with it, that tops the list so far.

The deer rut seems non existent yet their tracks are everywhere. On Saturday we were walking the big property where the most moose sign is and went to the other side where the trail cam is in the afternoon. Yup, at 11:30 am, a buck chasing a doe on cam. With the crunchy snow, it sounds like a herd of them running by the cam, not 2, so we knew we were not missing out on deer and moose sneaking away as we for sure would have heard them coming or going. Just not there when we are.

Fun fun and I'm still hopeful.....

I agree Lever, I have never defined my hunting season or fishing to the size or quantity, it's the time spent in the woods. From the chickadees to the hawk we seen take down a squirrel right off a branch last Sunday. The sparrow that landed on my son's bow, while he was holding it last year. The raven that flew over to check out the noise he heard on Saturday, then seemed to be laughing at what was my attempt at blowing my yote call. 

If no moose is taken, I am good with that. I can remember many last day drives home, others in the truck quiet and pouting about the tag soup. I have always come home on last day with a smile on a season spent in the woods.

I am really missing the wall tent moose hunts we did way back from the road. My go to northern wmu is hurting with moose numbers the last 5 yrs and wasting a tag is what you get there.

Fun fun, no matter the outcome

Well Gents, that's a wrap with tag soup. Murphy tends to screw with my sure thing draws and this one was no different lol. A real change in numbers of moose sightings this year vs last year with the boys tag. It seemed like they were hanging out elsewhere yet, I did see 3, 50 inch shooters and was shown a couple pics of others by a bow hunter I made friends with and share access on one property.

Not one bull grunt or cow call heard or response to my calls. Last year it was hair raising fun. But you know, seeing some big boys with a bow in hand was fun even if they were too far out. Walked a ton, pretty much know every game trail on these properties now. Going from not shooting a bow to practicing like a fool to be confidant up to 30 yrds was a quick learning curve but I like this archery thing and will keep shooting so I can reach out a bit more. These properties have deer and minimal elk that are general with a bow so it will be an option to bow hunt being so close to the city.

I had one smaller bull in Nov within rifle range but passed in hopes to see one of the big boys. Having a moose in the freezer from last year helped to stay with the trophy thoughts. My goal was to beat my 44 inch crown land bull. My biggest to date.

And I mentioned Murphy, well have a look at these two pics. That buck? On the last day, my son and I were walking down the road to the same grown in line that he got his big bull on when that buck trotted across from North to South. So with permission where he went to, we took a walk that way to see if we could see him. Nada. Off we went to the North side grown in line and that property for the morning.

My bow hunter friend was back in his stand watching a clearing for the afternoon, my son had the day off for the last day of the season but had to leave at noon. So I found myself back on the north side for the early afternoon as well, with no moose sightings, I wandered back to the south side of the road for the last hour ish, collected my trail cam and went and watched a good spot till dark for deer and maybe a bull. Nada. During this, when a shot would be heard, the text line would buzz between me and the bow hunter, was that you? Nope lol. Dark came and that was it.

I was loading up the loose stuff I had taken out there into the box to make dealing with a bull easier, like my pull behind sleigh, hitch and a couple things so I would have room to bring home the Argo and sled the following Sunday when I noticed a text. Bow hunter dude had shot a buck in the clearing and had asked if I had time to hold legs and help drag it back to his truck. I was done so I drove over. Mr buck was the same one we seen cross the road.

Mr bull pic, when Bow hunter dude got home and checked his memory card and sent it to me at 8 pm Friday, is a true brute and was on his clearing trail cam the night before the last day. Up until his pic was taken, no one had seen him in person or on any of our cams or knew he existed. I was watching that clearing with my son in the am and I have walked that property extensively since Sept and had no clue of him. Murphy just wanted to say have a nice winter with that bull pic .

All in all another good season in the books, as mentioned, it's not all about the harvest anymore for me. I plan to sled these lines and clearings a lot this winter in hopes of finding a shed. Bow hunter dude says he had a 6x5 WT with a drop on a cam, his target buck for the whole season, so with some luck, maybe find his sheds too.

It's almost sledding time and the summits are ready and waiting to blast down the cutlines of western Ab. Plus I hope to find some time on the hard water.

Only a 4 or 5 yr wait to continue Moose Rut Fun part 3

Have a great winter everyone

^^^

I am with Walleyes.

Taking the time out to actually write your Moose adventures was a joy to read. 

I liked the way you composed your day by day adventures.

What you did was share a learning experience. Loved it.

Best wishes to you and your family in this holiday season.

A lot of folks take time to show and especially educate on this forum. Thank you for being one of them.

Beautiful animals .

Maybe get him next year

Joe:

You know where Mr. Slobernose lives. Ever think about about collecting those horns when they drop off in the next few weeks?