Alaskan Moose Hunt (part five)

[iahntr]

Back to the hunt,,, after we left our little lake and were headed home we had several fresh
sets of cow tracks cross the trail we were on. We decided that we would head back up to the
area in the morning and see what we could come up with. The next morning shortly after sunrise
we took off back up there and were half way there and we had a cow run across in front of us.
That raised our anticipation a little bit, any action is better then no action. We went to a spot
overlooking a small meadow and did some calling and waited awhile to see if we had any takers.





Nothin happening yet, so we decided to walk around some more and check out a few more areas.
At one point we came upon this little guy so I thought I'd walk up on him and see what he would do,
he stopped eatin on his leaf and kinda looked at me like I was bothering his breakfast time and he kinda
puffed up and waddled off.  



As we were walking around we went back down to where we had seen some of the cow tracks earlier.
I think there were about four different sets of tracks, one had a calf with, two others were single cows,
and then we came upon the other set, and out from timber came a set of bull tracks that followed the
cow tracks for a bit on the trail and they both went back into the timber. Again our hope was raised and
we thought we had a good chance in this area. We went back up that evening and did much of the same.
We walked around to a few other areas, and at one point heard a cow calling. We stopped at the main
meadow and did some more calling and waited right before dark, did one last cow call and we went back to the Argo
and called it another day, but still feeling good about the area. On the way back we had another cow cross
the road in front us. We shut the Argo off as she slowly walked back just a little ways into the timber. She
stopped and kept looking back over her shoulder. At one point we thought we heard a bull talkin back to her.
She walked up and away. I think we were both getting more excited at this point, and thought we were getting
closer to sealing the deal. After another night of anticipation, shortly after sunrise we headed back up. We went
back to the meadow where we ended the day before with one of Johns lonely, horny, come and get me, cow calls,  
and waited again there for a bit, and decided to walk to look at a few other spots near by and would come back. We
only made it maybe a hundred yards or so and we heard something a little ways into the timber and caught just a shadow
of something. Not sure exactly then what it was, John backed off behind me a bit and did a little tree raking and made
a couple grunts. After a short time with nothing else happening we decided to circle the area and come back to the
point where we started out with the cow calls. We came up to the top of the meadow and down below us were a cow
with two calves. We glassed around a bit quick, and I decided to slip my camera out and snap a pic.



I put my camera back in my pocket and we just barely started walking the tree edge to get a different angle, I looked
up ahead and slightly to our right and saw a moose standing behind some trees looking down at the cow and calves.
I grabbed John's shirt and motioned to it and whispered I think it's a bull. As John brought up his binoculars, I drew
back my bow in the same motion, put my pin on the spot I had between two small birch trees, and waited for Johns
go ahead. He verified, gave me the go, and I released. Now mind you this all took approximately 3 seconds from the time
the bull was spotted. The arrow hit it's mark and the bull instantly exploded over and through about 15 to 20 yards
of trees. He came out and ran down towards where the cow and calves were. As soon as he came into the clearing I
could immediately see by where the blood was on him that it was a good hit. He ran exactly 70 yds from point of impact,
I ranged it afterwords, he turned around to see what the heck just happened, did a little wobble, and was down.  







I gotta say I was pretty danged pumped !! I think John was a little excited too.  


Now, I know that the size of his antlers aren't gonna get him in any record books, or any big bull
scrap books, but I could care less ! This bull is a trophy of a lifetime to me, special in so many ways !
There were several times on this trip that things didn't go exactly as we had planned, that's life, we rolled with the punches,
changed plans, and the good Lord put it all together. At no point was I ever upset or disappointed  in the
way things happened, they all happened for a reason. Well, other then the Airlines and flights !!
That's a whole other story !   I went into this reassuring John that I wanted to experience
Alaska as much as possible, all aspects of it, and I would not gauge the success of the trip on whether or not
I killed a moose. The fact that I did was just icing on the cake. We did several everyday duties while I was up there,
and I enjoyed them all ! This hunt has been planned for some time, I don't even recall exactly when, but I went
into this planning basically with, John, one of my "internet buddies", and left with, John, a true lifelong friend.
Not only John, but his whole family too. I enjoyed spending the time I did visiting with Dian, sharing some of each others
pictures and even razzing John a bit, trying to pull him away from all his texting and Mocha Latte' Frappuccino's.    
Sorry buddy, had to through it in there somewhere, ya know I love ya man.   The second night
I was there, having supper with the whole family, and a couple of the kid's friends, any nights that were spent
on the couch with the cuddle of a good dog  , I appreciate the kids giving up a bed for me,,,,,, and a lot
of other things, that I'm sure I'm leaving out at the moment, but won't be forgotten, each making the trip special in it's own way.
So Thanks so much again John, Dian, Megan, Shawn, Charlie, Leslie (Lilly, Rex, Lonnie, Audrey, and Tyson  ) I've probably
screwed up some spelling, sorry. It was the trip of a lifetime, God willing not the last in our lifetime.


I was reading a hunting magazine in the plane on the way home, there was an article in it the with a poll of what the
"Hunting trophy/trip of a lifetime" would be if you had a chance. For a brief split second I thought to myself, "a Moose
huntin trip"  Then I smiled and said to myself " hey,,,,,, I did that "    

[iahntr]

I do have another series of pics of the "process after the kill" that I'll post in the next couple of days.
Between things being busy here, and my typing and photo computer skills, these trip posts have taken me
about two plus hours every night this week.  I thought I better get this post up before I lost all interest. 

[KySongDog]

Excellent story!       And congratulations on your moose!    

I knew John and his crew would take good care of you.   That was a great ending to an adventure you'll remember for a lifetime.  

[Tappen]

took ya long enough to finish the story!!! but congratulations

Only question is, i thought alaskan moose had to exceed 50 inches to be shot?

[Todd Rahm]

Scott that is probably on of the most detailed four part post I ever read, but damn good with super results. Makes me want to go to Alaska. 

I'm glad you got the chance, the great guide and the super rack complete with a life time memory. 

[FinsnFur]

Scott you cant be done Were not ready for these posts to come to an end.

By the way, I renamed the title of this one to "Alaskan Moose Hunt (part five)". You had two part fours.
I'm actually quite surprised it let you name them both exactly the same like that.

Now lets get ya going on part 6

[alscalls]

 

Sounds like a wonderful time!  You post all the pics you want...... I just turn on the lathe while they are loading...... and I have enjoyed all parts......and seen every pic!   
Now lets here what ya done with that big boy!   

[Dave]

Great posts and stories.  No doubt a trip of a lifetime.  Take your time posting as one tends to add more details if not rushed, and it's all about the details. 
Congrats to both you and John.  Hope you brought some of the meat home - there's nothing better.  Can't wait to see the butchering post and the size of those hinds!   
What was your reaction when walking up to it?

[Hawks Feather]

Here all this time I had been thinking that you were just up there taking pictures of the scenery for a moose hunt.  More great pictures and to have harvested a moose with a bow is even better.  Congratulations!

Jerry

[Silencer]

Great write up... and congrats on the trophy !!!   

[weedwalker]

Great pictures and story Scott. That is definatly one of those hunts of a lifetime. And thank you to John and his family for making it happen.

[possumal]

Mighty fine story and pictures, Scott.  Kudos to all involved in making a true trophy kill.  Nothing like a bow kill.

[linemansteve]

Great story  and very cool, its something you will always remember. Steve

[Tikaani]

To all of those here at Fins and Fur that have read and enjoyed Scott's posts.

We have now had two members of this site as guests in our home and have made life long friends with Johnny (Semp) and his wife and now Scott.  It was a true pleasure having Scott as a guest in our home, at no time did we feel that our home had an unwanted guest.  He understood that life went on as usual, chores had to be done, water hauled to the house, garbage to the dump and everything else that goes with our day to day life.  He helped when ever he needed to, did his own laundry, dishes and above all else never disrespected my family or my dogs (the dogs took to him quickly, even the one who had been abused as a pup and never really cottons to anyone but us) and as I told Scott if my dogs don't like you there is a good chance I won't either.  Scott also understood there were no guarantees, that I am not an outfitter with guides out looking for moose, that this would be more than squeezing the trigger then running back to the lodge, he would have to hunt for his moose and that we do not measure moose by inches across an antler but in how many cubic feet it will take up in our freezer.  In the years to come we hope to meet more people from this site, it has been amazing to share our "little" part of the world with such wonderful people.  To Jim, thanks again for an amazing site that allowed this hunt to happen and now Scott you understand when I say-

Hunt hard, Die tired
John

[coyotehunter_1]

  to Scott and a to John.


Thanks for sharing your world.

[HuntnCarve]

You got to live the dream Scott!  It was great that you got a moose.  But like you realized, that was only part of the experience.  You've made some friends for life, and some memories that will last a lifetime.

[iahntr]

Thanks a lot Semp !
Tappen, it was 51"        
Thanks Todd, Alaska is a great place   Sorry I couldn't meet up with ya, maybe another time  
Thanks Jim   Part 6 probably tomorrow   I only have a dozen or so hours into the first 5  
Thanks Al !
Thanks Dave, I did take a little meat home, and was honored to leave most of it with John and his family. I've been pretty close to moose before in different hunting situations so I could already appreciate the size of them, but, there's nothin like walkin up on one ya just arrowed, and then you fully appreciate there size when you first start movin it around to gut ! It ain't no Iowa whitetail !    
Thank You Jerry, Silencer, Ed, Al, and Steve, much appreciated !
John, Thanks so much for the compliments. It was an honor and a pleasure ! Talk to ya this weekend.
Thanks coyotehunter_1
Thanks Dave, and you are correct on all parts ! That's the way all my hunts are. There is so much more then "squeezing the trigger" and success isn't solely gauged on whether or not you kill something or by the measure of a tape.  

       

[iahntr]

Oh, and Tappen, just yankin ya, there's many different regulations,
areas, draws, resident, non-resident, bow only areas, cow, spike/fork, any bull, 50" plus, etc. etc.

[Frogman]

WOW!!

What a great series of posts.  The pictures really helped tell the story.  I really looked forward to the next post!!  What a great adventure!

Thanks for sharing!

Jim

[iahntr]

Thanks a lot Jim. It was great !