After the D-beaver float plane lifted off from the lake it dropped me at, I was alone for the next 15 days. This time I brought a raft with oars to get across the mile long lake, and better reach moose habitat. There were multiple such lakes in the area that I would hike to that also provide extensive shore lines providing huge advantage for packing out meat. Soon after pitching my tent, I looked up at the towering hill the rose 1000 feet above me. This would be my lookout!
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:campfire:
Here we go!!!! Bring it!!
I was hoping this one was coming soon!!
been waiting for this
After blowing up my raft, I cruised around the lake and caught northern pike. There were other small bluffs I could reach at the north east portion of the lake and further increase my visual and calling range. I arrived at this hunting spot, and scouted two days before the start of the moose season. Right away I realized that there were not as many moose in this area as I had hoped for. It was quite simple- from my 1200 foot perch I could see 360 degrees, had good visibility down through the spruce and open timber, and incredible range to my calling.
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On the third day of the season I saw my first bull. He was about a half mile away and responded to my calling from the saddle of the lookout hill. I heard his response grunts to my calling, and his antler raking was also audible to me. While continuing my cow and bull calls, he started coming in my direction. He locked up at about 600 yards. It took me the rest of the morning to coax him to the base of my hill. While trying to keep tabs on the bull and gain more visibility, I climbed from the saddle up to the peak. The bull went silent.
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After waiting and glassing most of the afternoon, the bull's sporadic grunts held my attention for hours. Around 4 PM, I could hear increased grunting and antler raking from the spruce thickets below. Knowing the bull was up from his nap, I increased my calling frequency. Realizing he was climbing up toward me, I dropped down off from the peak to the saddle to meet him half way. At 200 yards I could see he was at least 50" wide, but had weak palms. He could be legal, but his antlers and body mass told of an older bull with poor quality antlers that I could not definitive say was wide enough. I decided at that point not to shoot the bull, but hoped to call him near for good videography. He eventually climbed up to me, where I had positioned myself for a good cross wind. He passed my position at less than 20 yards. After passing me, I grunted him back to look for me. He responded with grunts of his own and antler raking. I could see this old bull had many tumors on the skin of his side and hind quarters. With his ears laid back and obvious frustration building, for safety reasons, I remained silent. He eventually found my form standing 15 yards away, and his active tongue told of efforts to catch my scent. He became very nervous and turned to slip away. Only after retreating slowly for 30 yards, did he break into a run and trotted down the opposite hillside and disappeared.
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Mike hope this turns out as good as Bryan and Bryan's story. Keep it coming, love this stuff!!!
During the next five days I saw only one more small bull and two cows. After calling from the lookout late in the evening, I returned first thing in the morning in hopes of catching the attention of any bulls that may have committed to my calling from the previous day. It worked. I watched another bull leave his smaller bull companion and come to my calling. He ran at times only to stop and rake his antlers through willow brush. This commotion spooked a caribou bull which I had been watching. The caribou got out of the way of this rut crazed beast as he freight-trained up toward me. This bull had a long hanging dewlap, indicating a younger bull. His antlers had more tines than the older bull I called in earlier, but his antler width were still only around 50 inches that left me less than confident about legality. As he approached, I had to once again release the grip on my bow and focus the video camera on this would be prey. I again had to hold back as this bull also passed at close range. He was magnificent as his muscles bulged and defined the boarders of his shoulder blade. I focused momentarily on the low flat spot just behind the shoulder where my arrow should have struck. Seeing this animal through the camera's viewfinder was not natural, and several times I found myself pulling away and taking in the sight with my own eyes. Once the bull passed me uphill, the wind caught his nose and my scent carried on it put him in full alert. After looking at me briefly, he turned and ran away, tracing the escape route taken by the older bull a few days earlier.
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These two close encounters defined my hunt. Experiencing rain nearly everyday and very few other moose sightings, I left my Alaskan home with a feeling of effort given, and rewards received other than fresh meat.
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Some of many rewards from a very rainy two weeks where I only saw one sunset.
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Mike, I would take s hunt like that any day!! Thanks for sharing
Two weeks in Alaska with bow in hand. Sounds like a good way to spend time. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.
I had my solitude, and felt fortunate to many other moose hunters who got stranded in the bush from flooded rivers during one of the most rainy Septembers on record. I also felt a blessing that my trip went as planned, the terain was very huntable and meat packable, but just low moose numbers near me hampered my taking of a moose. After I reached a remote village on a stop during my return out after my hunt, I learned of a float plane that crash the day before I arrived only 300 yards from where I landed (killing three).
I could see many miles from my lookout, and even the river valley where I later learned sevral big moose were taken by rifle hunters. Alaska is a tough place. The rewards can be immence, but all can be taken away in an intance. I am better for my experience in Alaskan's solitude. Mike
great story mike. always a pleassure to read
Great thread! Congrats on your hunt and encounters!
Great story and pics. Very successful hunt in my eyes.
Awsome story Mike, thanks for sharing!
Denny
15 days in Alaska would be a dream. Great experience, sorry for not bringing any meat home. Next time !
What an awesome experience! Thank you once again for sharing your stories!
Aloha,
Ryan
Thanks for sharing
wow!
Mike,
Thanks for sharing your adventure, no meat for the table, but a feast for the soul..
Love Alaska, great pictures.
Very cool hunt with great pics as usual. That was a successful hunt in my opinion.
Great story of a successful hunt Mike.
Thank you for sharing it with us!
Thanks Mike for sharing your adventure with us. All of us here would love to do a hunt like this just once in our life time. Your stories though sure help fuel our dreams.
Mike
Great story and great pics.
Thanks for taking us on another one of your solo hunts Mike.
Sounds like an awesome journey.
That was a great read Mike... I appreciate you taking the time to tell the story
What a GREAT story mike as always thxs for taking us along what beautiful country and pictures you had them bulls in your lap!
Thanks for taking the time Mike
Cool adventure mike. Thanks you for sharing it with us.
Beautiful pictures and a fine story. Thanks
The best therapy there is! Thanks for sharing.
What an amazing experience that must be. Thanks for sharing you photos and stories, I really enjoy them.
MIKE
Welcome back...glad you had a safe trip.
The story is great and pictures are fantastic. Just seeing bulls and being so close is a thrill and accomplishment
Looking forward to hearing more of the story over a beef burger at Compton. :)
Joe
Great story Mike, as well as awesome scenery. Sounds like a hunt of a lifetime. Thanks
Thanks, Mike.
homebru
Mike, thank you...........
Beautiful photos Mike! The juice was worth the squeeze my friend. Thank you for the photos and story!
Incredible stuff!
Fine photos and story .... it feels great to be alive when going solo in a place like Alaska, thanks for sharing
best to ya, Ken
All of the cloud cover and rain kept temperatures above freezing, so the black flies were bad at times.
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....... But Alaska has a way of causing a simile. Thanks for the interst guys. Good luck to all this fall season.
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Gee whiz Mike, you must have been in sub tropical AK...probably just cruising around those lakes with the fancy bikini model from your raft advertisement.
I was wiping this mess off me every couple hours a bit north of you
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/osminski/2015%20Alaska%20Moose/C6D1AED5-82DD-4393-AF83-B0C41D754280_zpsmcqjrv8r.jpg) (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/osminski/media/2015%20Alaska%20Moose/C6D1AED5-82DD-4393-AF83-B0C41D754280_zpsmcqjrv8r.jpg.html)
Glad you are back and recharged. I'm still worn out!
Tremendous. Thank You.
Dan in KS
Very nice, thanks for story and pictures. Pretty area. The raft was a good idea.
Looks like an awesome experience!!!!!
Getting one is nice, but for me at least, it ain't all about the kill!
Bisch
Great pics and story! :thumbsup:
Ah yes Steve. Alaska is such a big state and vastly different weather based on which side of the mountains, elevation etc etc. I was done with my hunt about the time you guys were just getting started. I would take colder weather over the bugs any day. Ha! Can't tell you how many bugs I sucked in during the climb trying to get enough air. Ha!
Those rafts and boats up there always seem to be cold and wet. Glad you are home safe.
Great stuff!!
Great Mike!
Another great adventure Mike, thanks for sharing. 15 days alone would be the toughest part for most of us. Next would be judging a legal bull; do I see 4 brow tines on the left side of that first bull? If so, wouldn't that make him legal?
Thanks for taking us along Brother! Experiences I hope to have one day.
Always enjoy your sharing of experiences.
Very cool!
Great adventure Mike. Thanks for taking us along. Jeff Harper :campfire:
Thanks Mike for sharing....one of the most memorable hunts of my life was in the Interior just above the Yukon. Solo hunt also, didn't kill anything but I can remember it like it was yesterday, and it was 33 years ago. Alaska is a very unique place.
David
Thanks for sharing your hunt with us.
Great story and photos Mike thank you for posting them.
Thanks!! It is about the hunt, and you had a great one!!
Great tale, always appreciated. Thanks.
Good stuff Mike! Not all hunts end with meat, yet still recharge or batteries and stir the soul. Sounds like you had a good one.
Mike,
thanks for taking us along with you, Alaska is my dream hunt! I always enjoy your stories and posts. Moreover, I loved your book!
What a experience it must have been! Thanks for sharing it
Thanks for taking us along. Beautiful pictures. You captured a lot of the feeling.
Thanks eveyone.
Jeff Holchin- Yes that older moose 4 brow points on left side and make him a legal bull. I have passed up many legal bulls in the past. I was hoping for a lot more action and sighting of mature bulls as the season progressed, but it just didn't happen. But yes after the fact, and you start measuring rack widths off of the computer screen you may find that both bulls were legal. Just tough to call in the field. The part of the moose's head from outside eye socket to outside eye socket is usually about 10 inches, so if you do multiples of that 10 inches to both sides you may end up with about a 54" rack on that younger bull as he is looking at you. His palms were very narrow and that is what turned him away for me.
:campfire: really awesome!!!
Nice adventure. I think you did right by now shooting the smaller bull. I personally don't believe he would make the 50" minimum. He might be right at 50" but not much more
Thanks for a great story well told.
Great hunt Mike! Thanks for sharing. I'd guess the second bull as over 50", but not by much at all. Too close for comfort and you have a few bigger anyway. Probably cheaper to just get a half steer instead!
What do you think the abscesses were on bull #1?
Great attitude Mike. You earned a couple chances which is all that we can hope for. A hunt well done. Thanks for taking us along.
Mike, this was a hunt that I have been looking forward to hearing about for the last 9 months. The story did not disappoint.
Mike
It's always great to go along with you on your hunts, at my age I may never go in person but I feel the the rush through your sharing , thank you .
Thanks for sharing! Moose is on the bucket list for me!
Great adventure, Mike! Thanks again for sharing....-Mark
Thanks for the adventure Mike! I wish I wasn't too old and stove up to make that trip.
It's time to read your Book again Mike. Thanks for your post!
I'm not sure what the abscesses were on the skin. Old fight wounds? or tumors?
Thanks
Mike,
Thanks for sharing, your recounting has refueled my anticipation for AK moose hunt #3 next fall.
Great Story! One of my bucket list hunts too..
Great story and Pics. Thanks for the share.
Great stuff Mike!!! Thanks!! :archer:
Tough weather in many parts this year. Great pics and write-up.
Mike I hope you don't mind, but I emailed the pics of the moose with tumors to a moose biologist friend. Hopeful that he might know what they are from.
Chinook907- That would be great if we could get a response from a biologist. I think they could be viral induced tumors (wart like). Sometimes bitting insects can spread them. But then again, from only the photos and video, I don't realy know.
Thanks to all of you for your support over the years. Mike
http://www.adn.com/article/20090821/moose-warts-ugly-benign
Here you go. A little info on the tumors.
Mike, this was only my second fall since the mid-70's to not be home in Alaska hunting (chasing elk this year in Colorado) so it was wonderful to read the story of your hunt this year. Gave me a taste of home.
Hunts don't always result in the harvesting of an animal but they always result in the creation of life-long memories.
Thanks very much for sharing your moose hunt with us!
Two questions: 1) were you using an Alpacka raft?, and 2) did you use the same lace-up boots/waders this year as last?
John
Mike-the guy I asked said yes, likely warts from a papilloma virus (harmless). He get's several reports a year on them, some years more than others.
I figured that was what the growths were and see them on deer from time to time. They look bad, but would not have a problem taking meat from that bull.
As I hunt I look for legal moose, but more than anything I look for a very good bull with wide palms and wide rack.
John- I looked at Alpacka rafts and several other pack rafts they weighed 6 to 15 pounds, but decided since I was getting flown in with a Beaver (weight not an issue)and I did not think I need to pack the raft very far, I went with a larger model. The raft was a Intex Mariner 3 from Cabelas. (on sale for $179 plus a $20 off and shipping of $16 to Alaska) It has inflatable seats which helped my knees while rowing by sitting up off the floor. It came with two oars, patch kit, and pump. Everything together weighed 65#. The raft features an inflatable keel and 18 inch side tubes with abrasion bumpers. The thing that adds weight is the collapsible accordian plastic flooring. I could stand in the raft while casting for pike. I rowed the raft for miles around the lake in heavy wind with no problem. I heard the smaller pack rafts are harder to manuver. This raft might not be as durable going up against rocks or sweepers in a fast river, but was perfect for me on this trip and could certainly freight out full moose meat.
I did use the same hip boots as last year, but this year after heavy use and rain every day the left boot started leaking around the ankle. I noticed they are not available anymore and could be due to inconsistant quality control. I am working with Sitka Gear on a boot project now that may fill our needs in the future.
I wore Sitka Stratus Jacket and pants every day. The windstoper worked well. The pants were custumized for me with water proof seat and knees. As you know we sit and glass for hours in wet moss. I hope they develope the product line for future use.
More than any place I have hunted, Alaska draws me in.
Thanks for the gear report Mike. Sorry to hear about the boots not holding up. Wet-country boot systems are always a lousy solution. The best hip waders suck for hiking and side-hilling. The best hiking boots with overboot waders suck for crossing streams. No solution is good. The best choice is to hopefully select the least lousy option. That's the main reason I always prefer to hunt my moose about 3400' above water level.
Good news on the raft. I bought and used an Alpaca raft a few years ago but it was only to line moose quarters down river - not to ride in with gear. Perhaps it would have been fine but I felt using it as a lined packhorse (boat?) was the best option.
I'm with you on Alaska. Nothing, nowhere, no place, any time tugs on my heart strings like my home of Alaska. Can't wait for next September!
I always enjoy your writings and pics, Thanks
Cool stuff as always........ :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Wow !!