any help for moose hunt!

[manboy]

my first and maybe my only moose hunt is going to happen sept. 6th, any help at all would be great, it is a 6 day guided hunt. this is my first guided hunt, any help for guided hunts would be great. just not sure what to expect.
   any to do's, or not to do's  

[ChuckC]

Ronnie...I think it is wise to have a heart to heart with your outfitter and guides and let them know what you expect and let them tell you what they expect.  If everybody is on the same page your hunt can probably go as YOU want it to.

ChuckC

[Jeff Holchin]

Here are several tips that I learned on my first and only guided hunt:

1.  Try to talk to previous hunters at the camp and determine which guides are good and which are not.  This is VERY important.  Be bold and talk to the outfitter ASAP and strongly request the best guide - don't let the guides pick their hunters.  On my hunt, there were 2 repeat hunters and they quickly hooked up with their former guides.  The "best" guide in camp chose the only rifle hunter and encouraged him to shoot the first bull he saw, which was a 30 incher.  I saw several bulls close to 45" that would have been a piece of cake to kill with a rifle.  That guide wanted to get out of camp ASAP for a little visit with mama.....My buddy and I ended up with 2 fishermen guides who were new to guiding in general and bowhunters in particular.  My guide REALLY liked being back in camp before supper, and towards the end of the week actually refused to hunt very far from camp!

2.  Discuss and agree on hand signals BEFORE you hunt. Not doing this likely cost me a nice bull.  The very first morning we went up on a hill and glassed a big meadow with a cow feeding at the water's edge about 1/2 mile away.  Soon a nice bull stepped out of the brush and approached the cow.  I wanted to leave immediately and close the distance, circling downwind.  The guide insisted on staying put and let out some cow calls, which the bull barely reacted to.  Soon he returned to the brush and we waited.  Next time I spotted him 15 minutes later, he was quickly closing in from the downwind side of the meadow.  We retreated and set up, but he hung up 80 yards away - that is when my guide whispered "shoot"!  After explaining again that I needed to be 20 yards from the bull, he sent me circling around downwind while he did some cow talking.  I got close to the bull but couldn't see him so I looked back for help.  After a series of wild arm gestures and pointing, I thought I was supposed to advance to my left and did so, only to spook the bull.  He was telling me to wait and he would call the bull past me........

3.  Beware if your guide instructs you to lie about the game seen that day, especially that 45" bull, so that "the other guides don't steal my area"....

Good luck.

[Barney]

You live in Wyoming. We have shiras moose here.    

[GrayRhino]

For anyone seeking more information on moose behavior, calling tactics, shot placement, etc., I would HIGHLY recommend the dvd set entitled "Gouthro's Moose Madness Series".  It is a four dvd set, over six hours in length and it gives valuable instruction on moose hunting.  Gouthro knows his stuff, and the video is very good.

[northern trapper]

A guide's job is pretty obvious , but he is like all of us and if you show appreciation for his efforts I will bet he will work even harder for you. I have seen fellows come to camp and the expectation is everything will be done for them , compare this to the hunter that is smiling and willing to pitch in when needed I will bet you the guide he has will give it that extra push. For me making new friends and seeing beautiful country is paramount , believe me no one wants to kill on a hunt more than I do but if it does not happen so be it . So be prepared with your gear and shooting and do not sweat the small things that may go wrong but focus on the great things you are going to see and experience. Best of luck

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'm going to try this again....evidently i was a bit too blunt for the moderators here on my first post. Using a bit more tact this time, i hope to express myself in such a fashion deemed appropriate.

Be very careful when going out with a guide that is toting a rifle for "Back up"....make sure you make it clear to these guides you do not want bullet holes in your moose, or they will gladly let you stick an arrow in it.... and then blow it full of holes for you. i had a very close friend shoot a nice bull, one shot...right behind the shoulder....by the time it was all said and done it had 5 bullet holes in it.....Those guides shot it to pieces....

Listen to the advise the other guys have shared...TALK WITH YOUR GUIDES EXTENSIVELY....This is your hunt, you paid for it.Set up good communication PRIOR to your going into the field. Hopefully your guides have catered to bow hunters before...Good luck....