My boss of 15 years is sending me moose hunting! I am on cloud nine. My hunt is booked with Victoria Outfitters and Lodge in Newfoundland. Any body with any moose experience please give me some pointers. I checked there web site WOW! 85 to 95 percent success. Not real sure if there set up for bowhunting or more for gun do i take both? Any help would be great.Did i say i am pumped!!!! TD.
Take the bow and put the heat on them moose. You can definately get a moose called in closer than you are comfortable with having it. Sharp sticks make for more satisfying kills.
Wow, now that is a boss I am sure most of us wouldnt mind having!
Best of luck!
That is AWESOME, go get gettum!!! :thumbsup:
I'll be up there in Oct. For the price, for those of us that have to pay our own way, lol, I'd bring a gun too, which I am. I'm gonna do my best to deflate one within three days, before I consider the gun. My biggest dilemma is...do I hold out for a mature bull, or take a lesser bull or cow. I'd hate to pass up a shot early, just to use the gun. I'll have an either sex tag. (but, I want a huge bull, of course)
Good luck.
A bird in the hand...
Congratulations on the trip. Is your boss hiring??? LOL
I will be there in Oct. as well i will have a either sex tag also.Really like to get it done with my bow.Has anyone hunted with this Outfitter? TD.
I'm very jealous! go get 'em. Your call on the gun. If it were me I'd feel like I compromised my values and weak if I walked away from the challenge of my longbow and took a gun the last day. I'd like to think I was stronger than that.
I did that once with a recurve and a compound and found I left the recurve in camp...I regretted it afterwards and still came home empty handed.
A good rule to think about is "what would I shoot on the last day of the HUNT? Whatever the answer to the question is shoot that animal anytime during the hunt that a shot is offered.
You won't be disappointed. I have this conversation with everyone I take elk hunting.
Mike
Three stickbow friends and myself will be also in Newfoundland in October after moose. This will be the hunt of a lifetime for me and personally I would rather come home empty handed as kill one with a gun. This is just me though and I would not hold it against anyone taking a backup gun. I will be taking my Black Widow recurve and the others are shooting longbows. Good luck to you fellas and have a safe trip.
Never been, but a friend of mine has. The #1 lesson he learned is take lots of socks and two pair of boots. He told me that the moose were in really boggy terrain and keeping his feet dry was impossible with what he brought footwear-wise.
Good hunting!
Take both, we can all talk of keeping faithful to the bow but these hunts are perhaps once in a life time and if you find the moose are holding up way out of range then go for the back up the next opportunity. I would much rather take a moose with the bow too but working men and women have only so many opportunities like this. From what I have read and heard from others, like stated previously wet feet and never underestimate the weather. I would love to go myself so I hope you won't mind if I ask for the whole story when you get back, Joe
Cool that so many are hunting moose in Newfoundland. A good friend of mine from MD Bowhunters Society is headed there also for a bowhunt. I can't wait to pick his brain so I might follow in his footsteps next year.
Have fun and keep us posted. Share some stories and photos when you get back.
Dream hunt baby! Enjoy!
leave the gun at home
Heed Wingnut's advice. If you'll shoot it on the last day, then don't pass it up during the hunt. That's how I've always approached it and encouraged others to approach an elk hunt. I'll tell you this...never had a disappointed hunter, myself included, who killed a spike or cow midway through a hunt.
Good luck on your hunt.
Travis
your gonna have a great hunt. more moose there per mile than anywhere else in canada.nothing better than getting your bull with bow. good luck
Thanks guys i am in the process of getting more info. I think there in the rut when i am going trying to find out average shot distance. Some nice bulls took with bows on there web site. I will be the only one with a bow in my party. This is absolutely the trip of a life time for me.Leaning towards taking my Black Widow and a 300 mag i am only going to get to do this one time. Wish me Good Luck! Thanks. TD.
Leave the gun home!!!!
And practise hitting the refrigerator door from about 5 or 6 yds!!!!! :saywhat: :saywhat: :bigsmyl: :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by TooManyHobbies:
...do I hold out for a mature bull,...
Sure, as long as you are okay with going home empty. With greater risk comes greater reward- and greater disappointment. Not an expert but the rut may be winding down. In maine where I grew up they where really into it in Sept.
Joshua
No pics from the hunt?
Hey Tim ,Welcome to Canada.sounds like alot of southern boys heading north this year and thats great!.How you hunt or what you take to hunt are your decicions and yours only.We all have our own beliefs and nothing is really right or wrong.I put my guns down many years ago and can't see myself ever hunting with anything else but my recurves and Longbows,but thats just me.I now take in the WHOLE hunt ,from the people I meet to all the other wildlife I encounter filling my senses with the total outdoor experience.If I get ann animal it just adds to my experience.I live in probably the greatest deer country in the world ,yet in the last three years I haven't loosed an arrow,yet every year it just gets better and better.Just my 2 cents worth and Enjoy yourself to the fullest my friend.
Decide for yourself what is most important and rank them in order. Remember only that you personally can come up with the answers. Example: Is it the preparation? Is it the thrill of the hunt? Is it experience getting close to game? Is it the shot? Is it the blood trailing? Is it the kill? Is it the camaraderie? Is it the scenerie? Ect.............Is it a particular combination?
Personally I had prepared three years for a 5 day whitetail hunt in Iowa. My goal was to thoroughly enjoy the experience and to harvest a 150+ class deer or nothing. Passed up two P&Y's on the 1st & 3rd day then on the last day had a 160+ monster get close three times without presenting a shot. What an experience? I have never once looked back and wished that I had drawn on either of the two nice deer encountered earlier in the week. The preparation, the anticipation, the viewing of numerous big bucks and seeing 2 B&C's in conjunction with the whole experience far exceeded my failing to harvest a deer.
Only you can decide what your priorities are and what you truly expect from the hunt.
Try to be realistic with your expectations of what will make this hunt an experience to remember.
In 1995 I went on a Sitka blacktail hunt in Alaska with two buddies . We brought bows and guns . It rained like a skunk every day so we started out taking our rifles to scout . Yes I took some deer and no not with my bow . The last hunt I ever took a gun along . I've come up empty sometimes but also had some very successful hunts , I've never regretted it . But it is a personnel choice , you make it and you live with it , you don't have to answer to anybody .
On a side note make sure your guide has bowhunting experience . I was in Alberta with a buddy bowhunting moose in 94 . His moose held up and wouldn't come in closer than 75 yards . We would call and move in on him and he would move back keeping that 75 yard comfort zone . We set my buddy up and moved back slowly from the moose calling every so often and he followed us back right into my buddies range and he took his first moose . Three days later we called a good bull which ran up to me at 5 yards but because of the small birch trees I couldn't get a shot . He got nervous and turned to leave and I stepped out from the willows and shot him at about 15 yards . Good deal . They are big and you can get them close if things go right , best of luck and enjoy yourself .
By the way best of luck to you also Bill K. I know you will enjoy yourself . Fred
You will love Newfoundland. Cool people & awesome scenery. Look at it as an adventure, smell the roses & if you kill something, all the better. It is a beautiful place. Lots of walking!
If you're happy taking a moose with a gun leave the bow behind, If you're not happy taking a moose with a gun leave it at home. The only time I've brought a gun with me on a trip of the lifetime(there's been many)was to Kodiak Island for protection from Bears.
Any moose with trad equip is a trophy. I would not advise holding out for a monster as Newfoundland is not known for monster moose period. Yes they do take some good ones each year but there are alot of small bulls. The small bulls will come in first 9 out of 10 times. If you get the shot you want I'd take it and be proud of your achievment. Size only matters when hunting trophy wives
Leave teh gun at home. There are so many darn moose on NFLD, if you can't kill one with a bow you should quit bowhunting. Any moose with a trad bow is a trophy
I hunt squirrels and a kill a doe/year with a rifle. It (rifle hunting) is different and I enjoy it. However, the vast amount of my time is spent bowhunting because of the extra challenge and tremendously long seasons. Personally, I would not take the rifle. I'd make sure the terrain and the guide were well-suited for a high probability of a bowrange encounter with a moose. Here's the litmus test I recommend. If you kill the moose with the rifle, when you are describing the hunt to your buddies (post-hunt story-telling is a big part of the enjoyment of hunting for many folks) will you have a bit of an apologetic tone for having killed it with a gun or not. If so, don't do it. By the way, I'm not suggesting the moose, the hunt, or the hunter is a bit less or more based upon the equipment used to take the animal. It's all about what winds your clock.
In 2008 I sort of got "trapped" (long story) into an antelope hunt recommended to me by a collegue. My buddy and I took our bows, no rifles. The rut was over, they weren't using waterholes, and the terrain was terribly open for getting close. We ended up borrowing my friend's son's rifle to fill the antelope tag. The son flew in to Casper to rifle hunt. We were excited at the time and I don't regret taking the animal. However, I still feel like I didn't get er done on that hunt. My poor planning was the culprit. Irony -- we put the son in a ground blind and I sort of "drove" (walking) some antelope along a fenceline right to him -- his first bow kill was a buck antelope and we had to fill our tags with his rifle -- he sure had fun rib'n us, bless his little stink'n heart.
I just contacted a NFLD moose hunting guide by doing a search on Google. He sent me an e-mail right away with prices and a description of the hunt (7-day hunt - $4,500 for 1 on 1 hunt a bit less he said for 1 guide with 2 hunters). $5,500 for "trophy" hunt of 10 days. I was surprised it wasn't much more. Of course I'd have lots more investigation to do before selecting a guide. This wouldd be the first time in 45 years of bowhunting I would hire a guide. I'll be checking with my buddy who is going this fall (I'm planning 2011) because personal reference is what I'd trust most.
Tim;Good luck, I know you'll do well.
wow!!! you lucky Dog!!! good hunting :thumbsup:
Thanks guys for all the input. How about my boss! how do i ever repay him for this i also got a raise. His entire family has always treated me like one of there own. His dad has been my cut man for 15 years he know is 76 years old. His dad is like a father to me a great man.I have been very blessed to know this family! Thanks TD.
Great bosses like that are rare. Congrats and have fun!
Tim
You may repay your boss in full by your continuation of your great work ethic, unyielding integrity, ownership and always striving to improve. Great bosses respect an employee who is exceedingly loyal, yet still maintain life's priorities.
Your boss' wonderful generosity may truly be a lavish display of meaningful appreciation and sincere respect.
My best friend and I were taking off for an elk hunt in Sept. 2006. When he opened his truck there was an envelope with $500 cash from his boss wishing him well! Totally unexpected. Of course I asked my friend to tell his boss I was going with him also the next time!
Any more info or gear to take would be very helpful. I don't want to leave any stone unturned. Thanks for all the comments and help. TD.
QuoteOriginally posted by goosespirit:
Leave teh gun at home. There are so many darn moose on NFLD, if you can't kill one with a bow you should quit bowhunting. Any moose with a trad bow is a trophy
Hehe, yeah, that's what I thought the first time I went. So many moose, how do I choose. It was my first big game hunt away from home. Not only did I not get a moose, I didn't even see one for the entire week (except the one my partner shot). Not the guide's fault, the weather was horrendous with torrential rain and wind from hurricane Juan.
Trip two, the guide and one of my friends talked me into bringing both the bow (wheels) and gun. After a full day hunting with the bow, we took a trip down river to check some bogs. I brought the rifle with me (STUPID). Sure enough, on the way back, a lone 9pt bull was with two cows. Yup, I got my bull, and it was cool. The ironic part, he was withing bow distance.
I will shoot the first adult moose I see this trip up, if given the chance, with recurve. If it were just me, I wouldn't take the gun. But, we all agreed (bow and gun hunters alike) that all meat would be shared. I want all of us to have plenty, so if I feel I must use the gun late in the week, I will. I'm planning a three day hunt to get my animal. Maybe four, but last day I will bring both weapons and hope for a bow shot.
Tim, what bow and gear will you be using?
I will be using a Black Widow recurve 53lbs cx heritage shafts and a two blade head. Option no.2 300 Weatherby Mag.This bow combo has worked great on deer sized game i guess a 900lbs bull is a good one up there.I will have to keep my shot close 20yds max what do you think? Thanks. TD.
20 yards for me too, hopefully half that. 50# Bear Super Kodiak, 2 blade Magnus heads on 2315 xx78 aluminum shafts.
I went to Kittery Trading Post in Maine today, there were two full body moose there. I was already picking my spot. Good luck to you.
Tim,
I hunted moose in Newfoundland last year. I put an arrow in a bull but we never recovered it. If he were a 3D target, the shot would have been an 8 but I must have hit a rib square and only took out one lung. It was a real bummer but it happens and it was still an awesome trip!!
My advice (since you asked for some):
- Newfoundlanders typically do not bow hunt, they are meat hunters. The guys I encountered are excellent woodsman (the best I have ever been around). They know the moose very well and can/will get you close enough to kill with a rifle but if you are going to use a bow you should take some control of the hunt.
-To the previous point, learn how to do the moose calls yourself, you may need to. My guide had a little electronic call that worked great if you struggle to do them by mouth. It sounded cheesy up close but at a distance it worked like a charm. I have seen them in the big name sports stores and they are pretty inexpensive.
-Knee high rubber boots are a must and bring a tube of Shoe Goo, they will likely get punctured. The "bush" is thick and full of sharp edges!!
-Rain gear is not optional. But also be prepared for freezing or 75 degree temps. It would be helpful to brush up on Cel/Far conversions. When they tell you it is 15 degrees out, it means something different to them then it did to me...
-Be in good shape. I have been to Colorado 4 times elk hunting and this was every bit as challenging physically (excepting the altitude acclimation).
-Don't step anywhere there is not a clump of grass growing, you will know what I mean within the first 1/4 mile of your hike.
-Binoculars are a must, decent binoculars are a plus. My 8x32s worked good and my guides also had 8x32s. Bigger optics would be okay if they are not too bulky for your tastes.
-Drive if at all possible. The outfitter had a lot of flight horror stories. It took us about 24 hours to get to the ferry from Pittsburgh so I am guessing it would be the same from Erie. On the way there we stayed overnight in Maine, woke up and drove to the ferry, slept on the ferry overnight then drove to the rest of the way. Did the same on the way home. With that being said, if you drive definitely spend the money to get a cabin on the ferry.
I did not bring a rifle, only 2 long bows. My buddy strictly rifle hunted. He killed a caribou and a moose by the 4th day. You will likely kill a moose if you bring a rifle but I would not trade the close up encounters I had for a freezer full of moose meat, decide what is important to you.
If there is anything else I can help you with, let me know.
Good Luck!
Brian
Tim,
I just thought of something else.
If you are not hung up on antlers and would be satisfied with any moose, ask your outfitter about an either sex tag. They can get them but in my experience they did not offer it out right.
I would not consider shooting a cow with a rifle (there are plenty of bulls around) but I would have been thrilled to shoot one with my bow.
Brian
Brian thats the kind of info i am seeking! Thanks. TD.
if you drive definitely spend the money to get a cabin on the ferry
Ditto that. It cost us $212 round trip for the cabin/vehicles per person (8 of us).
Good Luck....
You will probably have more enjoyment and satisfaction shooting the moose with your bow....
:archer2: :archer2: :archer2:
It is nice to have an employer who appreciates your work...........enjoy!