I just got back from an Alberta moose hunt with Ryk Visscher's Hunting Adventures. My buddy, Dan, and I were guinea pigs this year for a wall tent camp north of Edmonton about 80 miles. We were smack dab in the middle of moose country and hunted right out of camp on a couple of days.
I turned 51 on Tuesday, September 29th, and had a good feeling about the day. My guide, Eric, found a nice moose shed on our hunt that morning and I thought that was some pretty good mojo. He later used it to call in the young bull I killed that afternoon.
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Eric knows this area like the back of his hand and we were deep in the bush early that afternoon at a place that we had hunted the day before. We had found a ton of rut sign in there and had some bulls talking to us so we were quite optimistic. Eric had dug some of the urine-soaked soil out of one of the rut pits and was using that as an attractant. He had sprinkled some on our trail and had hung a little bag of it up in a tag alder that was about 10 yards in front of the ancient treestand we were hunting out of.
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After 90 minutes of sitting quietly, Eric decided to do some calling. He cow called a couple of times and then started to rake the tamarack our treestand was attached to. As soon as he did that, I heard the brush pop behind us about 30 yards. I urgently told him to stop and listened hard for more moose noise. I heard twigs snapping two more times and I knew that we had a moose really close. It was the same exact place we had heard one the day before and I was afraid that this one would wind us like the last one did. Eric hadn't heard the commotion so I don't think he really believed me. We sat quietly for 15 minutes or so and the Eric suggested he get down from the stand to rake some more trees. I said "No Way!" because I knew that we had a moose in our midst and we just needed to wait it out.
Another 10 minutes goes by with me staring in the direction I had heard the noise when suddenly Eric poked me in the leg and whispered, "Get ready, he's coming in!" Now a moose is a big animal and I was a bit puzzled because I couldn't see a moose anywhere. Eric whispered that the bull was on the path we came in on but I couldn't see it because a tree blocked my view. I leaned way over to Eric's side of the stand and saw a moose-colored object about 35 yards away. Now I started getting excited.
The moose stood there for what seemed like forever. I still couldn't make out any details until he finally turned his head sideways and I was looking at a nose that was easily 6 feet off the ground. With that confirmation, I started to really get excited! Slowly the bull started coming down the trail, smelling the soil that Eric had sprinkled around. The problem with the direction he was coming was that he was quartering to me at a pretty good angle. I sat there with tension on the string just hoping that the animal would give me a shot.
When he reached the dirt bag hanging on the alder, he was about 10 yards away. The bull sniffed on that for a bit and then started walking to my left like he was going back into the woods. The distance was great but I am left-handed so it was going to be tough to swing around and shoot without spooking him. Luckily, he turned back right towards the pee dirt and gave me a 5 yard broadside shot. I drew my bow then but he saw the movement and quickly turned completely around. Now he was quartering hard away and heading back the direction from which he had come.
Quickly thinking, Eric grunted softly and the bull turned to his right and was now 15 yards away and broadside. I let go of the arrow and watched it hit him in the lungs; a little higher than I wanted but still a good shot. Within seconds, we heard the bull coughing and we knew we had a dead moose on our hands. He ended up going a little over a hundred yards through some of the thickest stuff imaginable! It was pure luck that Eric stumbled upon the carcass as quickly as he did.
After I put my hands on the bull, I gave thanks to his spirit and told him that he would not go to waste. His young body would provide a lot of good eating for my family and some great memories. We took some photos, congratulated ourselves on a successful hunt and then the work began.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-1Small_zps8kygvymc.jpg)
I used a Tall Timbers longbow made by my friend, Don Orrell, in Fordland, MO. It pulls 55# @ 28". I made the arrow from a 11/32" maple shaft and tipped it with a 190 grain Cutthroat broadhead. The total arrow weight was 812 grains.
Darren
Moose camp
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Eric doing his thing
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Loading up. The gentleman on the left was our other guide, Ken Madsen. He was the first person to kill all 8 big game species in Alberta with a bow that made Pope and Young. Now that's some pretty good cred!
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-4Small_zpsc5smtchc.jpg)
A truckload of moose. I got 263 pounds of processed meat from this bull not counting the 5-8 pounds of tenderloin we ate in camp. It cost me a fortune in baggage fees but I wasn't going to leave a scrap behind!
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-3Small_zpsrkulzkus.jpg)
Moose tenderloin hot off the grill! We ate like kings on this trip.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-7Small_zpsimjis6me.jpg)
Very cool, Congratulations on your moose.........
That is a dream hunt for me , well done , Congrats....
,,,Sam,,,
That is awesome! I would love to shoot a moose some day!
Congrats,
Bisch
Good on you! Thx for nice story and pictures...
Way to go !
:notworthy: :notworthy: OUTSTANDING :clapper: :clapper:
Congrats! My dream hunt.
Congrat's.......I've been watching to see how you did.
Sounds like a great hunt. I was looking at booking a hunt with them before I get to old to do it. I will be getting in touch with you for more info.
Well done! That's something to be proud of for sure.
:thumbsup: congratts! :thumbsup:
Well Done Darren! :clapper:
Nice. Good eating right there.
congrats! :clapper:
Man that is fantastic. You did good.
Hooray for you. A moose is #1 on my wish list.
Great story and pictures! I felt like I was in the tree stand with you! Very well done! Congratulations! :clapper:
Bernie
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Alberta is a special place. Congrats Darren! :clapper:
Well Done!!! :thumbsup:
The tenderloin looks delicious!!!
Congratulations on the Moose & Happy Birthday!
Denny
Excellent for you , happy birthday.
Congrats!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :archer:
Excellent!! Love moose stories. Congratulations. :archer:
Awesome!!!!!!!!
That looks delicious!
Congrats!
Happy birthday and great hunting!
Congratulations! A great story and a great hunt. One of the hunts I'd like to do myself. I have put in for the few tags we have in ND for years. But so far no go.
I bet that was one unbelievable experience! good for you!
Congrats,
Great story!
Ernie
Congrats on a nice Moose! :thumbsup:
Well Done Darren.
Congratulations! Thats alot of meat.
Great job, Darren!
And a question for you and others that have taken Moose.
Can you describe what Moose meat compare to or taste like?
I know I'm asking a hard thing to describe.
Way to go, Darren! Good Story!
Very cool good job on my life's to do list. Widow
awesome! hell of a birthday!
Congrats! Now that's a birthday celebration.
Congrats! My birthday then too. I had to wait a few days for my Bull tho. Enjoy, best venison there is IMHO.
Well done...congrats on the Moose, and a belated happy birthday.
I can't think of a better birthday gift. Congrats!
Good job Darren,glad for you
Terry
That's a pile of protein! Great story - congratulations!
Hey, Gun, I heard you got to guide a little for Ryk that week. I know Dan sure wanted to meet you in person since you and he had talked. I'm glad you got some meat on the ground!
Darren
Congratulations on a great Moose, great hunt. Happy B-day.
Congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations and Happy Birthday.
Congrats and Happy B Day.
Thanks for posting and congrats Brother!
Here's some more pics from the adventure
That place was crawling with coyotes and they weren't afraid of anything. This one came right up to the stand we were in.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-15Small_zps0jl4pgvo.jpg)
Eric and I saw this moose out in a field about 200 yards away as we were driving to Eric's house. Eric jumped out and proceeded to call this moose in to within 40 yards. It was incredible! After the first cow call, this bull came running like you had just whistled for your dog. He would have came closer had I not moved to get better video.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-5Small_zpswfughyve.jpg)
There were lots of ruffed grouse too. They call them chickens. "Lots of chickens in the bush, aye?"
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-20Small_zpsntqhln26.jpg)
This is my hunting buddy, Dan Novotny. He hunted hard the entire time but didn't even see a moose. The full moon at night certainly didn't help the situation.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-19Small_zpsyros0mc6.jpg)
I sent this photo to my wife and told her we were making moose head soup. She actually believed me! With us being together for over 30 years, you think she would have known better.
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-6Small_zpsyr5xkxps.jpg)
Some scenery
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-23Small_zpsi9yjmfhw.jpg)
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-18Small_zps4lt8cwcv.jpg)
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-17Small_zpsf69lbjxj.jpg)
you're going to need a bigger freezer..!
Congratulations Darren!!
Thanks for sharing with us.
God bless,Mudd
Congrats on the bull! I'm booked with Ryk for 2017, and can't wait!
Very well done and great pics to boot! Thanks for sharing and congrats to you Sir!
Sweet! congratulations Darren. Glad you all had a good hunt. Awful fat and healthy looking coyote, It'd be hard to let a yote that pretty live. He'd make a beautiful quiver....BeauJ
Fantastic! Congratulations!!!
Happy mooseday Darren and congrats
Cograts! Now THAT is a good birthday!
Congrats !!
That's some really cool stuff.
NICE!! I like how the skull cooker is notched to hold the antlers, way to go
Owlgrowler, the guy we got that skull cooker from does whitetail guiding for Ryk Visscher and his brother, John. The man has killed several BIG whitetails including a couple of 200"+ bucks. This is a picture of one of his outbuildings. The dude had antlers laying everywhere!
(http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt/DeadMoose-34Small_zps7ukd7ddz.jpg)
Here is a link to a video of my guide, Eric, doing his calling. The little bush he is raking on is right in front of the treestand I shot my moose out of and the one that he had a bag of pee dirt hanging from that my bull came in to sniff on. The distance to that tree is about 10 yards.
Eric calling moose (http://vid137.photobucket.com/albums/q240/dhaverstick/2015%20Moose%20Hunt%20high%20resolution/VID_20150928_082658262_zps119sgnyy.mp4)
Darren
WOW Darren congrats.
Good luck hunting Mo.
Looks lile I'll miss the squirrel hunt again, family stuff.
Awesome
Simply awesome! Congrats!
Darren,
Congratulations on a fine critter and thanks for sharing the recounting. You done Good!