Never tire of this one......way to go Walt!

Wow! Awesome story, thanks for sharing!!!  

Well done! Thanks for sharing.    

What a hunt !!

Thanks for your time and great story telling.
Great pictures also.

WOW is all I can say.Congrats and what a hunt.  

Well done and well told.  As good as iot gets for a hunt!   Congratulations!!!!!

great report!!!!!!!!!! great hunt - awesome well done. makes me wanna go  
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A terrific story! Thank you, Walt, for taking the time to write and post this excellent narrative for all of us to read.

Well done, sir!

   
Mike

Im proud for ya Walt!!
Mike

Walt...congrats Bud.  That was one great read.  Sounds like the hunt of a lifetime...and the "piss ant" bull you got was a blessing as I am sure he weighed a good deal less than some.

Anyway, he looks like a trophy to my eyes. I am sure he did to you too!! Great job all the way around.    

Everybody, Thanks!

Randy, how is your season going so far?

Guess I should clarify my "piss ant" statement.  First, in no manner am I unhappy with my bull.  Fact is I am extremely pleased about it; my feet didn't hit the ground until returning to work almost two weeks later.  It was a large bull, the meat processor said it was the most meat they had received on a moose this year.  Dave and I split the meat, had all of it processed, and then shipped home as excess baggage.  To put the size of my bull rack into whitetail perspective: My bull was equivalent to a large bodied 140-145 class deer, similar to what you shoot most years.  Kevin and Bryan are more like the Wensel's and Mitten, they hold out for the equivalent of a 165+ class deer, and they are fairly consistent at taking moose at or near the B&C class ( Like me, I don't believe they enter critters in the books).  There is an account of their hunt this year on the PBS web site.  It if an excellent read for everyone.  Anybody who is contemplating or thinks they might hunt moose sometime should make it a mandatory read.  They have Gene's number one rule down (paraphrased) "to kill big bucks/bulls you have to hunt where they are".

Great story ,and good information.

Walt I'd be extremly happy with your bull,congrats.You are a mentor to many of us who can't take advantage of this type of hunt,great story and good luck in the future,

I'm not speaking for you Walt, but I took your 'piss ant' description as that of a humble man tending to play down his accomplishment. I like that incidentally, as there is far too much chest-thumping these days. I know about your bull...and anyone who thinks it's an average animal need only walk up to it for the first time. Hell of good one in fact, and far better than the average Alaskan will do with a long range centerfire rifle. Your no-ego style appeals to my ways!

Having done more than any sane man's normal amount of moose hunting...I can confidently make this statement: Kill a representative (or bigger) Alaska-Yukon bull with a simple longbow. Walk up to it and be shocked by its size. Lay your longbow across its massive chest and shoulder...then marvel at how a small weapon did this. Grab an antler and try to level out the head. Get a feel for what you've done. Get ready to feel real pain as you spend the next one or two days butchering and backpacking out your bull. Feel the pride of a job well done, and enjoy the magic of watching your moose rack soar away on the struts of a Super Cub...against the blue Alaska sky. Do all these things as Walt and his partner Dave did, and you'll understand clearly that Walt's bull...your bull...is a spectacular trophy regardless of what any man-made tape measure says.

Finally...Walt's an honest guy and trustworthy to a fault. Just don't necessarily believe everything he says about Bryan and I. We consider ourselves to be enthusiastic students of big moose, and our classroom is Alaska. Every year we learn something, and sometimes we flunk an exam!

I love that picture with the rack hanging on your pack as you are walking.  What a toad!

My season has been good Walt...if not a little lazy for my standards.  Work and young kids have been taking there toll on me and I feel a little lazy lately.  A tree-stand thief chapped my back-side and I let it effect me as well.

I got a small Bull Elk Sept 27. I really appreciated his smaller size when I had to pack 3/4 of him alone in the dark in grizz country.  Never have put 2 quarters on my back at one time before but I have now.  The rest of the season is all gravy now! Just like you.  Congrats again on your Moose.  Gotta be a special animal to get "under your belt" so to speak.

Walt, thanks for the link earlier.

Note to self: start drinking coffee!!

Congrats again!

Wow Walt! I was in the Bridger Tetons when this post went around the first time. Moose with an osage self bow... you are my hero! Just to take a real bow to the moose woods is a winner and to take a fine bull is gravy. Great story and fine feat.

I forgot about this. Awesome hunt.

Amazing story telling. Alaska has always been a dream of mine. Some day....

Till then....