Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    	Pete,
    The first thing I would do is go for the shoulders. But that is
    strictly my opinion, others may differ. As far as cooling the meat
    on a warm day, you must get it away from the big bones as soon as
    possible. If you are lucky enough to have ice near by that would
    be great, but don't forget about the size of the animal also, you
    might be looking at 400-600 lbs. of meat. A hack saw will work fairly
    well on the bones. Cows do taste better than bulls, and that goes
    for alot more than just moose I might add. You could probably get
    away with just quartering it. As far as getting the head ready for
    mounting you have to skin it way back from the neck in order to
    give the taxidermist enough to work with, to the middle of the
    shoulders should do the trick, it's called a cape I think. The .308
    with 180 grain bulletts should do the job quite well. Good Luck!
    							Bret

    Do you know how to practice for Moose Hunting ?
    
    
    
    	Drive around a farm in your pick up. When you see a cow, get out
    	carefully, aim your rifle and dry fire. Just make sure you've
    	got permission from the farmer. He might get a little nervous
    	when he sees you aiming a rifle at his heifer..
    
    
    
    	But, seriously, most of the tagging stations have mobile butchers
    	set up to skin, cut and wrap your moose. For a few extra bucks,
    	they'll even freeze it for you. I know Greenville usually has a
    	couple of butchers plying their trade.
    
    	I'm a firm believer in allowing a deer, or in this case a moose,
    	to hang for six or seven days. Of course, this all depends on the
    	weather. If it is warm, which it usually is during Moose season,
    	letting a moose hang for any length of time could mean you loose
    	the meat.
    
    	As mentioned before, a hack saw or chain saw will help quarter the 
    	animal.  You will need a come along, and several yards of something
    	strong, read steel cable, to pull the animal to where you can get 
    	to it. Especially if your going after a large rack, as these older
    	wiser moose will not be caught near a road.
    
    Good luck...I've been tring for a moose permit since the thing started.
    Never been picked, although I know SEVERAL people who get picked just
    about every year.
    
    Jim

    Re: Pete
    
    	Congratulations on getting the tag for Moose. Picture driving
    	a VW Bug into the woods, taking it's wheels off and dragging
    	it out again. If you do this 5 or 6 times during the summer
    	you should be all set for the hunt.
    
    	Smile,
    
    	Red

>    I'll be hunting with a Browning BLR in .308, iron sights.  Will
>    probably use what I use deer/bear hunting, factory 180 gr.  Here are
>    some of the questions I have.
    
    I use the same gun, no problem. Don't expect the moose to drop
    dead tho. I always aim just behind the front shoulder, just low of
    centre. This is guaranteed to take out both lungs and drop the
    animal in about a minute (he can still go quite a ways). If you
    hit low you take out the heart & he drops pretty quick. Just make
    the 1st shot count & don't pepper him because he is still moving.
    When approaching the downed animal shoot him in the head to make
    sure.

>    Unles I'm lucky enough to drop it on a road, how and what's needed to
>    quarter a moose?  My brother and I will be bringing a good size utility
>    trailer.  How do I keep the meat from spoiling if the weather is warm? 
>    (I was thinking of using ice or dry ice wrapped in blankets and plastic
>    with the meat, other ideas?)

    A small pack saw will do the job. You need this to cut the brisket
    and the backbone (a larger saw will make the backbone easier tho).
    I wouldn't recommend a chainsaw unless you like bone chips :-).
    These are tough animals, when gutting you have to cut most of the
    connecting tissue with a knife (a deer you just rip by hand), so 2
    good knives and a sharpener are recommended. A small block &
    tackle is also handy if you a fair sized tree nearby (makes
    cutting easier). I have never had anything with a 'wild' taste so
    i recommend you gut it with care, don't break the bladder or cut
    any glands. Remove the hide as quick as possible, this is probably
    once you have it back at camp, a good supply of cheesecloth will
    protect it from dirt & flies.
    If there are just 2 of you and it is a fair sized moose then cut
    it into 7 pieces. Remove head, then half it up the backbone. Half
    each side between ribs 2 & 3 (from the ass-end). Remove the front
    legs at the shoulder (there is no ball & socket, just muscle).
    Wrap each piece with cheesecloth and carry it out (sounds easy
    eh?). Since you have worked so hard to get this far, i wouldn't
    play with ice & stuff to keep it, get it to a butcher & hang it
    for a week if possible. If you are lucky enough to get 40F
    weather, then just wrap it the cheesecloth & hang it in the shade.

>    As far as quality of the meat goes, am I
>    better off with a bull or cow?  For that matter, is it best to take the
>    first moose that comes along or not?

    The taste really depends on the age & health of the animal and to
    a great degree on the care of the meat after you shoot it. Don't
    fool around, do the right thing.
    
>    The plan at present is to get up there at least a couple days early and
>    scout around.  Perhaps if possible a weekend scouting trip before hand
>    too.  My brother and I may camp in a tent if that's possible or we may
>    try to rent a place.  That depends on where we will be hunting.
    
    Careful about scouting. The best day for moose is the 1st, before
    they figure out what is going on. Once they determine they are
    being hunted, they change the rules and become harder to find. The
    best time to hunt moose is in the rain. Don't go back to camp &
    wait it out, have a good rainsuit & keep hunting. In the rain,
    their hearing & sense of smell are impaired and the noise you make
    walking around is minimized.

>    I've heard conflicting stories on what part of the animal to shoot at
>    first.  One guy told me to disable the animal first by shooting for the
>    shoulders first so it couldn't run off and leave me with a long tough
>    haul.  Another said, "just like a deer", go for the vitals first.
    
    Discussion above.

    Good luck.


    mark (15 moose in 10 years)    

    Pete,
     Just wondering, since I've never been lucky enough to pull a permit
    for the Maine Moose hunt, but have you checked with the warden service
    about quartering the carcass in the field? Better double check first,
    as they MIGHT require it be brought out and inspected field dressed
    only.
     No matter where your permit is for, you should check around for
    somebody with a skidder that would be willing to go after the critter
    for you in the woods. Sure makes it a lot easier on all concerned, and
    the skidder owner would probably enjoy the chance for an easy bottle of
    Jack, or a few extra bucks. (or both)
     If it needs to be field dressed only, perhaps you should consider a
    couple or three blocks of ice in plastic bags put inside the cavity to
    rapid cool?
     I wish you all the best with the hunt. I'll be curious to hear from
    you 6 months after your success to see if you're sick of moose meat by
    then.  ;^)
    
    Bob
    
    P.S. Best look around for good buys on freezers...Industrial size!
    

    Hey Pete, do you own a freezer??  If not I have a friend that owns
    an almost new one and wants to sell it. It's being stored at my
    house. I put in for both Maine and N.H. and have not been lucky
    enough to get one yet, good luck.
    
    John.
    
    P.S. Don't ever cut up your moose with a chain saw unless you like
    bar oil flavored meat!!!!

    
    Pete, it is perfectly legal to quarter the moose to get it out. When
    you receive the "package" from the fish and game people it will have
    some small tags which you should write your name on. then when you get
    the moose out just apply a tag to each section.
    
    
    
    
    							Dan

    My zone for the hunt is the Northwest zone.  That's the one at the very
    top of the state and to the west in the Allagash/St. John's rivers
    areas.  Even the permit book says "individuals hunting this zone must
    plan to bring all equipment and supplies they will need."  Unless
    someone
    knows of a reasonable cost for a camp or cabin, my brother and I will
    likely be camping.  We've got a good tent and with just the two of us
    in a GMC Suburban wagon, we should have plenty of room, even if the
    weather should turn sour.
    
    So now that I know the zone, anyone got any more ideas?  The one's so
    far have been great and much appreciated.
    
    Pete
    

    
    Congratulations!  I'll put in my $.02 since I was in the same position 
    last year.  The details of my trip is in note 519.21 if you want to 
    look it over.  I was also a first time moose hunter.
    
    The .308 BLR should be just fine - I used the exact same gun but with a
    scope and had no trouble knocking one down.  As was mentioned before,
    it depends on where it was hit.  My was hit right in the heart but he
    still walked another 20 yards before dropping.  Of course that's only 
    about 3 steps for a moose!
    
    I think that the most trouble you might have is cooling down the meat.
    Since the season has been moved back into September, it may be even 
    warmer than last year's October hunt.  You've got to get the meat cool
    as quick as possible.  Once mine was shot, I immediately gave one of
    the other guys $20 and told him to go buy all the ice he could while we
    gutted out the moose.  He got back with $20 worth of blocks and cubes.
    We literally stuffed the inside of the moose with the ice keeping it in
    the plastic bags.  DON'T buy cubes!  These melted in a matter of
    minutes.  The blocks held up until we got to the cutter's place -
    although these were just about gone as well.  Approximately 4� hours.
    
    The only other ways to cool it quickly is to skin it or quarter it. 
    It's unbelievable how much heat the hide can hold - a lot of steam came
    of this animal even after the ice, skidder haul, truck ride, when he
    was finally skun out.
    
    Since you're going to be in the Northwest zone and possibly close to 
    the Andover/Rumford area, there must be a ton of skidders floating
    around and the paper guys are pretty helpful.  I'd find one to help
    pull the moose out.  You'll be soooo thankful, and it's worth any money
    that you might want to donate.
    
    Also, as .4 said, hunting moose in the rain seems to work well.  We got 
    both our moose when it was raining.
    
    Hope this helps, and best of luck!
    
                                                        Dave
    
     

    One more thing...re: feeling lucky
    
      I heard on the radio that this year's odds for a resident permit
    was 1 in 72,000.  For a non-resident, 1 in 135,000.  Didn't calculate
    them myself, just hearsay on the box.
    
    

       Congratulation on the permit....I've been hunting that part of Maine
    four five years. There are a couple of good Guides in this area. Also 
    cheap lodging. I'll give you a call and talk to it off line.... 

    
>    The only other ways to cool it quickly is to skin it or quarter it. 
>    It's unbelievable how much heat the hide can hold - a lot of steam came
>    of this animal even after the ice, skidder haul, truck ride, when he
>    was finally skun out.

I've never hunted moose before, but the advice I've always 
followed for deer is to get the animal skinned ASAP.  There was a 
story not too long ago in Field&Stream on caring for game 
animals, and one of the examples was an elk that had to be left 
in the mountains overnight because it was snowing too hard or 
something.  They got back to it the next day and the meat was 
still warm in the shoulders after sitting all night in the snow!

RE: one of the early replies ~.4.  You mentioned shooting the 
animal in the head to make sure it was dead.  This makes sense 
since a moose is a pretty big critter and a pi$$ed-off moose could 
probably do a little damage ;^).  But wouldn't shooting one in 
the head ruin whatever trophy you had?  Is this the standard way 
to make sure a moose is dead?

Just curious...

Scott

>>probably do a little damage ;^).  But wouldn't shooting one in 
>>the head ruin whatever trophy you had?  Is this the standard way 
>>to make sure a moose is dead?


One trick I've used (not on moose, though) is to touch your gun barrel
to their eye.  Just be ready to move real fast.

Jerry

    The way I been told is if the animal is down and the eye is open it's
    dead. If the eye is closed - back off quick. So far that has been true
    with the animals I've shot, except with the black bear, I never gave
    him another chance, can't see their eyes anyway for a distance.
    
    Anyone else heard this ?
    Mark

    Approach the animal from the *back*, hooves facing away from
    you. Flailing hooves can hurt you badly. 
    
    If you reload, you might consider making up a few 'finishing'
    rounds, reduced loads just for such an occasion. A solid or
    roundnose in the neck and it's 'lights out'. Alternately
    a handgun can be used. 

    I approach from the back, hooves away. I've seen lots of bruises
    from hooves..
    
    I have my rifle in my left hand. A 357 in my right aimed at the
    animals head. I poke it with the rifle. If it moves, 158 grain
    bullet in the head ensures the animal dies quickly.
    
    Jim
    

    IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SHOOT ONE ON THE ROAD,BRING IT BACK WHOLE.
    A COME A LONG WINCH IS EXTREMELY HANDY AS EVEN 2 MEN CANT MOVE AN
    ANIMAL OF THAT SIZE.DO NOT WRAP ANY MEAT IN PLASTIC AS IT DOES NOT
    ALLOW THE MEAT TO BLEED AND WOULD CAUSE SPOILAGE TO OCCUR.IF THE
    WEATHER IS WARM YOU SHOULD TAKE IT OUT RIGHT AWAY AS SPOILAGE WILL
    START WITHIN 12-24 HOURS.CHEESECLOTH IS OK TO WRAP YOUR QUARTERS
    IN AS IT KEEPS THE FLIES AWAY.A GOOD SHARP KNIFE AND AN OILSTONE
    IS ESSENTIAL FOR QUARTERING.JUST CUTTING THRU THE HIDE WILL DULL
    THE SHARPEST OF KNIVES.ONCE YOU HAVE TRIMMED THE MEAT TO THE BONE,
    A BONE SAW OR CHAINSAW WILL QUICKLY TAKE CARE OF THE REST.
    AS FAR AS WHAT TO SHOOT,TAKE WHAT COMES ALONG AS A COW WEIGHING
    1000 LBS OR SO IS NOTHING TO KICK AT.A CALF CAN WEIGH UPTO 750 LBS 
    WILL PROVIDE VERY TENDER MEAT.YOU MAY NOT SEE ANOTHER ONE WHILE
    HUNTING FOR YEARS TO COME SO IF YOU HAVE A TAG..FILL IT.
    
    
    REGARDS   FITZ
    
    
    

         1000 lb. COWS AND 750LB. CALVES.?? Pretty muscular animals!!!
    

My old moose hunting buddies had this story...

Shot bull moose & walked up to shoot it in the head. As he put the gun
to the moose's head it reared, he stumbled back, the gun went off, the
bullet richocheted(sp) off the antlers...

Moral: make sure he's dead before approaching him

 mark (i hope some see the reason why i changed hunting buddies)

         
                I know a guy who shot a moose with one shot from a muzzel
    loader and it had three holes in it. One in the head, just in front 
    of the forequarter and in the foot. When I asked how he managed that
    he said that when he shot the moose, he standing there with his head
    turned around to the side and scratching behind his ear with his 
    back hoof.

    Thanks for all the info thus far.  It's really been a big help.  I've
    been deer and bear hunting for about 15 years, but admit to thinking
    the
    moose hunt will be my "ultimate hunt" thus far and I'm still a bit in
    shock that I am actually going to have this opportunity.  Any more
    helpful hints appreciated and I'll be sure to post the results after
    the hunt.
    
    Pete
    

    Forgot one thing.  Too bad I wasn't able to hunt a bit south of where I
    have to and to have been able to hunt this past week.  I was in the
    Andover Maine area with my kids.  We located a bog off an old logging
    road and went to it twice.  Both times there were moose feeding in the
    bog.  First a big cow and next a good size bull.  Both times we got
    within 100 yards.  The cow spooked and ran off another 50 yards, but
    the bull just kept munching swamp grass.  Hope they have equally docile
    relatives further north.
    

    Any last minute advice?  This Friday it's off to the north country. My
    brother and I have all our camping gear ready and checked out.  Meals
    planned. Fresh ammo. Rifles checked.  Saws and knives (and hone) ready
    to use.  Route planned.  Permit and related info all safe.  New hunting
    coat and binoculars (Thanks to Mrs. P.!).  Car and trailer ready.  Got
    a come-along and plenty of rope in case Bullwinkle decides he or she
    doesn't want to lie down in the trailer after being dispatched.  Proper
    amounts of beer and other refreshments stored (not for use during or
    just prior to hunting).  The state of Maine provides lots of good info
    or the means to get it, including detailed maps showing roads,
    campsites, barriers and bridge-outs.  Even got a book with over 100
    moose recipes in it.  (Don't know if moose fries (sauteed testicles!)
    are quite my cup of tea!).  We've decided against a boat or canoe as
    some noters have suggested.  Any last minute hints or suggestions or
    "things we might not have thought of" are most welcome.
    
    Due to budget considerations, we are not using a guide or staying at an
    outfitter/camp.  We both feel comfortable camping and we figure we will
    have about 1/2 day on Saturday and all day Sunday to pick some likely
    spots for Monday's hunt.  I've even been having dreams about this trip.
    
    Thanks for the advice that some of you have sent and I will give a
    report on how we do in a couple weeks.
    
    My kids have told me they can tell I'm about ready to head off for a
    hunting trip because I'm starting to talk and act funny.  Maybe the rut
    is on.  (Look out Mrs. P.!)
    

    
    I don't have any advice (sounds like you're all set) but I wanted 
    to say good luck and I wish I was going with you. 
    
                          Walt

	The only advise I can give is to try and hit at least 1 shoulder;
those big critters can run along way with just a chest hit.
	Good luck, and be safe!
	Jim

    I wanted also to wish you luck! 
    
    I noticed that your node is hyend:: I reside in Mro1 as I believe you do 
    also. Stop by sometime, third floor pole MP20
    
    Barry

    good luck up there, hope to see some pictures coming my way!
    
    Barry your still alive!!!!  hows things???  I still have your tape
    sitting here on my desk... when can we hook up?!?!
                                                 
    Fra
    
    

    Well, the hunt is over and it was one I'll never forget.  Even the
    delivery of the moosemeat, all neatly butchered and packaged, had some
    excitement.  My phone rang at 4:30 AM this morning and it was the Maine
    state police saying they had this guy stopped that claimed to be
    delivering something to me.  They wanted to know what I was expecting
    and then what the tag number was.  All turned out well though and over
    400 pounds of steaks, roasts, mooseburger, etc. was delivered to my
    dad's house (he has the big freezer) about 8:30 AM today along with the
    nice 12 point, 42 in. spread rack.
    
    Damn I'm happy!  I got my moose and it wasn't anywhere as easy as I
    kind of expected it to be.  Here's the long version.
    
    My zone was the Northwest, about as far up (down?) Maine as you can
    get.  My brother and I left late Friday afternoon.  All gear ready. 
    Food packed.  Lots of extra ice in coolers to chill the moose after
    bagging it. (We were optimists.)  Now it's on up the interstate.
    
    We had decided that mainly for limited budget reasons we would not stay
    at a sporting camp or hire a guide.  We both feel comfortable in the
    woods, although neither of us had ever been much beyond Baxter or
    Moosehead in Maine.  We had a tent and determined we'd find a campsite
    somewhere in the middle of the zone.
    
    We arrived in Ashland, Maine at about 2:30 AM and asked and got
    permission from an all night general store to sleep in the car in the
    lot.  6:00 AM it was coffee, a phone call home, and off into the woods. 
    75 miles of dirt road later, we arrived at the campsite.  Spotted a
    small bull, a calf, and a huge cow moose along the way.  Spirits high. 
    Cross the Allagash, then the St. John, and there's our site, right on
    the bank of the St. John River.  Only 516 miles from beautiful downtown
    Maynard, Mass.  We set up by 11:00 AM and did some scouting for the
    rest of the afternoon.  
    
    Heavy rains at night.  Gee, those tent seams haven't seen water in a
    while have they?  Did a bit more scouting on Sunday and formed plans
    for Monday.  We were pretty confident that we'd see enough moose on
    Monday that we might even likely bag one then and allowing Tuesday for
    the ride home, be back in the office on Wednesday.  Wrong.
    
    Monday we were up at 4:30 AM.  Breakfast made.  Sandwiches packed.  And
    off before dawn.  We covered a lot of dirt road, but almost no sign. 
    We were a little surprised given our expectations.  Did see some red
    foxes and a coyote, but no moose.  Then about 3:00 PM a big bull ran
    across the road right in front of us.  We stopped the car, piled out,
    clip inserted in rifle and went into the woods after it.  But after a
    few hundred yards it became apparent that this moose had no intention
    of slowing down.  And if we did get him, we would have one hell of a
    haul.  So we quit on this one.  After all, there would be plenty of
    others.
    
    A little further down the road we came across two hunters that were
    just loading their moose on their truck.  Took them three hours with
    come-alongs, etc. and this bull had dropped literally right beside the
    road.  Magnificent animal.  These guys were psyched.  One had a video
    camera.  He even taped the gut pile!
    
    When asked about technique, these guys siad they, like us, just cruised
    the road and when they saw this one he started to run away, but they
    played a moose call tape in the cassette player and the moose stopped,
    turned around and actually came right towards them.  We were going to
    offer to buy the tape, but it belonged to one of their friends.
    
    Monday ended, but no moose.
    
    Tuesday.  Pretty much a repeat of Monday except didn't see a moose at
    all until about 1/2 hour after sundown.  We followed this bull for
    about a mile in the car and clocked him at 30 mph.  He looked like he
    was hardly moving, being so big.  The only high point of the day was
    seeing that moose and later a small black bear.
    
    Back at camp we talked with the othergroup of hunters that shared our
    site.  It turns out they were checking with others and like me, most
    others were either permit alternates or had numbers way up towards the
    high end of the drawing.  We began to think that the Northwest Zone was
    not the place to be.  Two days of hunting and only one legal-time, live
    moose spotted.  (We did spot MANY stumps that sure passed for moose
    until we put the glasses on them.)
    
    Wednesday.  In to town across the boarder in Quebec.  Needed gas and a
    few supplies (a.k.a. beer).  Also looked for a sporting good store to
    buy one of those tapes of moose calls.  We found a store and after much
    sign language (they only spoke French and we, only English) we found a
    tape.  The problem is it was an instructional tape so there was lots of
    human voice mixed with moose and the voice was all in French.  What the
    heck.  We managed to dupe another tape with just moose on it.  (I'll
    probably never know what our moose tape was saying to any other moose,
    but we concentrated on the parts of the tape that played love music and
    where I occassionally recognized the word "armour.")
    
    Well, back into the woods on Wednesday PM, but no moose to be seen,
    tape or no tape.  Now we are really getting discouraged.  The only
    consolation was that we weren't alone.  A lot of other hunters were
    having difficulty too.
    
    At least the weather was nice.  Maybe even too nice.  Warm evenings and
    nights of about 50F and days of 65 to 70F.  A few clouds and a little
    rain every now and then.  The scenery was fantastic.  Foliage in full
    color.
    
    Almost forgot something.  Wednesday about 1:30 AM I woke up and either
    my brother was having a real wild dream or else we had a moose or bear
    just outside the tent.  Lots of huffing and noise.  Figured it was a
    moose.  If it was a bear it probably would have started for the coolers
    and cooking supplies.  When we came out of the tent at about 5:00 AM to
    start breakfast, something charged off through the woods snapping all
    kinds of branches.  But it wasn't a good omen for Wednesday as it
    turned out.
    
    Thursday.  Running out of time.  I told my brother, "Let's do something
    different today.  Let's just go for a ride on this new road that seems
    to go up and down a lot by the looks of the map.  Lot's of valleys and
    streams to cross."  Off we go for our ride.  Almost immediately on this
    road there are all kinds of moose sign, more than we've seen the rest
    of the week put together.  Things are looking up.
    
    About 8:00 AM a logger stps his truck beside us.  Usually we just
    scramble to get out of their way as they barrel along.  This guy asks
    us if we want a moose.  According to him there are some that he's seen
    a couple miles up the road.   We go a bit further and check out a side
    road.  No moose, but lots of fresh tracks.
    
    Back on the main road we look about a mile down the road (sloping
    downhill) and there's another truck stopped in the middle of the road. 
    This is unusually since nothing can get by.  Then the door opens and I
    can see a figure step out.  In a minute I see him wave his arm towards
    us.  He's waving us to come towrds him.  NOW I've got the idea. 
    There's a moose there and he's waving to us to come and get it.  He's
    waving franticly now.  We speed up and stop behind the truck.  "You
    want a moose?"  You bet, I tell him and we go charging off through the
    slash.  After about 100-125 yards I can see the moose.  It's a nice
    bull.  We stop and just as I'm about to plant my feet for the shot I
    fall flat on my face from stpping on a slick log.  Now I'm back up. 
    Breathing heavy, Adrenalin pumping.  I can feel my heart racing.  How
    the hell am I going to get a good shot off?  Buy my new found friend
    the trucker tells me now is the time to shoot.  I line up the open
    sights on the Browning .308 BLR and squeeze.
    
    About 75 yards away the moose falls in a heap.  Didn't even take one
    step forward.  Damn.  I GOT HIM!  I can see him kicking and trying to
    get back up and he sort of half makes it, but another shot finishes the
    job.  As it turns out, both shots were right through the lungs.
    
    Then began the dirty work.  For his efforts we offered the trucker some
    money, but he asaid he'd rather have the moose heart.  We obliged.  And
    just as we finished the gutting job, the truckers buddy showed up with
    a huge back hoe.  (We were about 200 yards off the road.)  Rope around
    the bucket and the antlers and in a few minutes the bull, later
    estimated by the F&G people to be about 800 pounds was beside the road. 
    A couple more hours and we had him on the trailer and back at camp and
    packed the body cavity with that optimistic ice we brought along.
    
    Friday we broke camp and after 5 hours and one flat tire on the trailer
    carrying the moose, we made it back to Ashland.  Because the weather wa
    so warm we decided to have the moose butchered there.  At the local IGA
    we met a butcher who even offered (for a very reasonable price) to have
    the meat delivered back to Mass. for us.  (I should mention that the
    backhoe operator got a crisp $50 for his trouble too.)
    
    What a trip.  My brother and I had a wonderful time.  Great country. 
    Lots of nice people.  The rack on the moose is 42 inches and it will
    sure look nice on the wall.
    
    If anyone else out there gets the chance to go moose hunting, don't
    pass it up.  You'll regret it for the rest of your life.
    
    Pete
    

    	Pete,
    
    	Great story Congrats!!!!!
    
    
    	MMMMmmmmmmmmm MMMMmmmmmmmm, 800 pounds? Dressed, I do hope you will
    be partaking in the annual game supper this year?? yes? PLEASE!!??!!
    Pretty PLEASE??????????
    
    	Steve 

    My wife (to-be then) and I were at the game supper in 89.  We brought
    the bear roast.  This year the supper was held the evening we were
    returning from a week's vacation and couldn't make it.  As long as it
    isn't held in '91 on the 3rd or 4th weekend of April you can count on
    moose at the supper.
    

    
    
      ALL RIGHT PETE!!!!
    
      I was thinking about you this past week and wishing you luck.
      Glad that you had a fantastic time.  I sure understand the rush of
      adrenaline, and I laughed out loud here in my office when you said
      you fell flat on your face.  Those choppings are not the easiest place
      to run through.  And those black stumps... look like a moose almost
      every time.
    
       Sounds like you guys had a guide without having to pay for one.
      Awful nice of that fella to point one out for you - they definitely
      know where the moose hang out.
    
       Enjoy your meat, especially the tenderloin, and welcome to the 
      two-year waiting period.  Congratulations.
    
                                                    Dave
    
    
    
       
    
    

    I thought I'd add one final entry here on some of the things I learned
    on this hunt. This info is intended for anyone else that might be lucky
    enough in the future to get a permit.  Some of this info is from other
    noters that responded to my initial request, some if from my own
    experience, and some is from what I read.  This worked for us.  Your
    mileage may vary.  I sure hope others in this file draw permits in the
    future.  I've got to wait 2 years.  (But my brother doesn't !!)
    
    Good binoculars are a must.  Every other stump tipped on edge has a
    root system that just has to be a moose.  Glasses needed to verify.
    
    Scouting.  Unless you are in an area that has moose everywhere, I
    suggest you do a lot of driving around before the Monday opening.  We
    realized late that we should have covered more ground scouting.
    
    Find your campsite early (if tenting).  We were set up by Saturday at
    11:00 AM.  By Sunday, all the "improved" campsites were taken and it
    was only the side of the road sites left.  "Improved" means there was a
    table, outhouse, fire ring (no need for a fire permit), and rough roof
    over the table.
    
    Bring extra coolers packed with BLOCK ice to cool your moose. We used 1
    and 1/2 gallon milk cartons and although we didn't use the ice until
    Thursday PM (6 days after we packed it in the coolers), we still had
    about 1/2 of what we brought left.
    
    Sharp knives are a must as is a hone or sharpener. That hide is real
    tough.  Also bring a sharp axe or hatchet and a good hacksaw.  You'll
    need these to open up the moose.  Hacksaw doesn't leave bone chips.
    
    Bring lots of cheese cloth or something to cover the animal. 
    Especially if it gets warm out, there will be LOTS of flies.  We used a
    big old tarp over the trailer we put the moose on with plent of
    airspace between the tarp and the moose for air circulation.  NEVER use
    plastic.
    
    Be sure to have a come-along, plenty of strong rope, and a pulley.  The
    pulley can be used to double the pull of the come-along or to redirect
    the line of pull, such as in using your vehicle to drag the animal to
    the road. (Of course this depends how far off the road you drop the
    animal.  We were 200 yards!)
    
    Bring LOTS of extra gas with you.  This depends how far you are from a
    town.  Where we were, there were no U.S. towns within 75 miles, but
    found out we were only 15 miles from a Canadian town.  I saw several
    pick up trucks carrying 55 gal. drums and pumps.  (These were't the
    lumbermen, these were hunters.)
    
    Spare tires.  Make sure they are in good shape and pumped up (or bring
    a pump).  Bring 2 spares if you can.  We had a flat on the trailer and
    it was caused by just the sharp rocks on the road.
    
    If I had it to do again, I'd have a call or a cassette tape of a call.
    
    Cover lots of territory until you find an area with lots of sign.  Just
    like with deer, the edges of thick stuff where there were streams and
    swamps seemed to be best.
    
    A CB radio would probably help (we didn't have one).  I gather there's
    a lot of chatter on them among the lumbermen and other truckers about
    who'se seeing what.  (Might have to know French tho ;^)
    
    I saw an interesting set up in several pick up trucks.  Seems one or
    two guys stand in the bed with binocs and the driver cruises the roads
    slowly.  This gets the line of sight above the brush and growth along
    the road sides.  I even saw one truck with a raised platform and an old
    car seat on it.  Comfy!
    
    Be prepared for weather that can range from snow to mid 70s. (this was
    about as far north in Maine as you can get.)
    
    Get some good current maps.  We used the Delorme Allagash and St. John
    map.  We found it very reliable and a heck of a lot cheaper than buying
    ever single topo of our zone.  But beware.  There are new roads being
    built all the time up there for lumbering and sometimes the "main road"
    isn't.
    
    We sent for the info offered by the Maine North Woods.  Maps, and other
    goodies arrived for just a couple bucks.  Good investment.  Also
    ordered the book advertised ("Moose, from Forest to Table", I think). 
    It has lots of good info and over 100 recipes.
    
    Bring water or water purification tablets. There are a few springs, but
    not many and the water of the St. John was loaded with iron and organic
    stuff.
    
    Be prepared to carry out all your trash.  We planned our meals
    carefully and after a whole week we only had to carry out about 1/2 a
    shopping bag of non-burnable stuff.  We also planned most of our meals
    as one pot meals; less clean up.
    
    Of course a lot of this info would not apply if you were staying at a
    lodge or near a town that you could hop over to easily.
    
    We did stop in to look at one commercial lodge called McNally's.  What
    a beautiful place.  $65/day per person including three meals and HOT
    SHOWERS!  Built right on the bluff overlooking a nice stream near
    Clayton Lake.  This place has been in operation for 100 years!  The
    owner (a 70+ year old lady) gave us a loaf of fresh bread and home made
    jam as we left and would have sat and talked with us all afternoon if
    we wanted to.  Might go back there for fishing sometime.
    
    Anyway, hope this compilation of info helps someone in the future.
    
    Pete
    

Just wondering if playing the 'moose tape' on the vehicle cassette
system doesn't constitute an 'electronic call'. I'm sure the use of
electronic calls here in the Great White North is against the law.

 mark

    .33
    I hadn't thought of that.  If true, I'm glad we didn't get spotted by a
    warden.  I'll look again in the regs.
    
    One other thing that we did the first day that would have gotten us a
    fine had we been caught was that I had a loaded pistol on my belt.  If
    I downed a moose, but needed to give it the final shot to finish it, I
    didn't want to have to use the rifle at real close range.  On rereading
    the regs. after the first day, I figured that the pistol would have
    been regarded just like carrying a loaded rifle in the car so I decided
    to not carry it.  (I do have a valid permit in Mass, but not Maine, but
    I don't think this would have mattered in a hunting situation.)
    
    I do try to follow all the regs, but even good intentions aren't enough
    I guess.  (Especially with the fishing laws in Maine!  I read that book
    every year, but am never quite sure I know it all.)
    

To finish the animal off we always shoot it in the head from a safe
distance with the rifle. Shoot it in the neck if you want to keep the
head for a trophy. Pistols aren't allowed anywhere here (except to go
from the house to the shooting range & back - with no stops). If the
eyes are open & glassy and the tongue is hanging out, it's dead. Be
very careful if the eyes are closed.

 mark

PS. We had a large cow moose stand 30m in front of us on a lumber
road Saturday morning for over a minute, then she trotted off.
Couldn't find the calves she had stashed in the bush. Our bull tag
becomes effective next Monday.

    I did end up putting a final shot behind the ear with the rifle just to
    make sure.  Also, the logger who was our "spotter" said that the animal
    should be dispatched immediately in this manner to make the meat taste
    better.  He contended that as long as the animal still had any life in
    it, it was pumping adrenalin that would affect the taste.  Sounded
    logical.  I seem to remember reading somewhere once that an animal
    taken totally by surprise will taste better by virtue of being caught
    unawares versus one that has all it's guard up.  Don't know if it's
    true, but sounds plausible. (Besides the fact that the animal should be
    dispatched immediately for humane reasons too.)
    
    Bull tag soon?  Where are you moose hunting?  N.H.?
    

I used to hunt Northern Ontario (Cochrane area), got 4 moose in 4
years. I then switched hunting partners & moved closer. We hunt just
east of North Bay (3 hrs north of Toronto). We have shot 12 moose in 9
years. It works on a draw system, you buy the tag in April and are
allowed a calf, you send in the tag with the desired area & sex. If
you were drawn last year the chances of an adult tag are 0 in most
areas. The 2 areas we hunt it's about 50/50 if you didn't get drawn
last year. We had 3 eligle hunters for this year but only drew 1 bull
tag. This season starts next Monday and is 6 days long. The season
that is open now is north of Hwy 17 and goes til mid-November, but for
us is calves only. You look for little hoof prints and then
concentrate on that area.

 mark

    I reread the general rules and the specific moose hunting rules last
    evening and could find nothing about electronic calling devices being
    ilegal.  Does anyone know for sure that these are or are not legal to
    use in Maine for moose or other species?
    
    On the subject of calling, a fiend of mine told me yesterday that a
    hunting buddy of his was out bow hunting in PA recently and while he
    was up in his tree stand, a doe came and bedded down right at the base
    of the tree.  The doe was calling out with a bleat every couple minutes
    and after a short time a nice buck answered the call and came right in
    and met with the guy's arrow.  Talk about using a realistic call!
    

    re .38 Great story ! The first deer I ever shot bedded down 15 feet
    from the tree I was in. The trunk was in the way, so I dropped my
    flashlight and shot the deer when it spooked up and started walking
    away. If I had read your note I might have waited a while to see
    if she'd have called a buck.
    

    Maybe I could stake out a tame doe...