My Rifle Hunt Tactics for Moose Number Three

First and foremost, like deer hunting, the wind can bust your efforts. I carry a wind powder in a small squeeze bottle and will check the wind at each of my moose bog setups and discuss strategy with my guides.  I use some Dead Down Wind powder.

 

And I have 4 bottles of synthetic moose/cow-in-estrous urine and will use it as a cover scent and attractant.   Reviews say the scent works and I will test it too.

I would have liked some bull moose urine too but could not locate any. If when hunting, I find a moose wallow, I will put some wallow urine on a rag and carry it for cover scent. Moose will not fully come-in if they suspect any human smells thus the scented rag trick can work with either estrous or bull scent. 

If all is right, I think  calling by mouth is a good initial strategy for me and listen for a bull to respond. I am pretty good at calling with my hands or a funnel type caller. Being able to make a long vibrato call for a cow mimic or a staccato-like grunt for a bull..

I just learned that moose talk,   between moose is usually a “rrruh” sound that says “I am a moose”. Good to use if you are making noise getting to your stand to cover your mistakes

I like to mock-stage-a-fight, raking trees and making a racket with a moose scapula. It’s great fun too. I killed a New Hampshire bull with that tactic.

I sometimes use the tending grunt if a bull is located, where you grunt by pinching your nostrils and cone your hands and “softly” say mwahh and mwahh as if saying, me want, and the “t”  is silent.  This tending grunt indicates a bull is tending a nearby cow-in-heat. If the listening bull is in rut, he will likely challenge the tending bull and show himself.

Below is a great video on moose vocalizations and raking antlers and how moose talk to each other. A must see… But the video did not talk about moose wallows, where male urinate and roll in it like a cologne for the ladies.

If at a distance we will use a power electronic caller. If he is close we can try to mimic a bull and thrash and rake trees with my moose scapula. If all goes well this September we will have a 1000 lb moose to quarter and haul out. Once boned we will have roughly 300 pounds of delicious meat to freeze and eat. And maybe a large rack of antlers. 

Below is my small racked bull taken in 2018. It does not look big in the photo but was 300 pounds of meat to take home. 

I am hoping for a much bigger rack this trip.

 

Good Hunting!

 

 

Recent Moose Hunt Gear Purchases: Duffles, Packs, Headlamps, Rifles and Bullets Etc.

As my readers know, Soon, I will be moose hunting in Newfoundland in September. You might be interested in my hunt gear below.

My new Allen Hunting Duffle. It is huge and rugged, and holds most all my gear, including tripods for its $40 cost. 

 

 

I had to purchase a larger daypack. It is amazingly well made.  Waterproof Camo Hunting Pack with Rain Cover, Durable Large Capacity Hunting Day Pack for Rifle Bow Gun. Cost $59. It is disappointing that its made in China but I bit the bullet.

It can strap on a rifle in the back of the pack and has a rifle butt sleeve for support and can carry a hydration system if you have one. Pockets on left and right of pack can store vacuum sealed water bottles like these below.

I used camo tape to cover the bottles. These bottles can hold liquid hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 hrs. 

 

Frog Togg Hip Waders Cost $55

Synthetic Moose Estrus

My USA made Night Head Lighting

My scent eliminator below.

Below is My TriPod, Death Grip which is like a standing field bench rest. I love it for long range shots and grips your rifle.

 

My self-built 440C stainless knife and custom sheath. I purchased the blade and built the handle and had an eagle feather custom sheath created for it. Stunning!

 

And of course my Browning X-Bolt Speed in 7mm Rem, Mag. with Leupold VX-6 Scope and hand-loaded Nosler 175g AccuBond Long Range bullets.

 

 

X-Bolt Speed Suppressor Ready

Good Hunting!

 

 

 

 

Synthetic Deer Scents – Do they work?

I am a believer in the use of scents especially estrous scents for use during the rut. That said,  I also feel responsible to help prevent CWD. Many conservation minded hunters feel the same way.

For a long time now, the doe pee industry has been working on synthetic scents that mimic doe estrous urine, yet have no CWD issues as they are not urine based. 

And I believe these non-urine synthetic scents have come a long way and today, are field proven.

Large on-line retailers have a rating system that I personally use to determine customer experience. Some research on your part can put you onto some of the best synthetic attractants on the market today and help to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Here is the greatest thing about a synthetic lure, they don’t spoil over time. You can use it again next season and the season after!

My favorite synthetic lure manufacturers are:

Tink’s

Wildlife Research

Code Blue

Outdoor Hunting Lab

Pete Rickard’s Indian Buck Lure (no deer urine used)  natural formula. 

So go on line and read the reviews and try these lures today. I like those that spray a fine mist. 

Good Hunting!