I've been hunting my spot near home mostly this year because it's been good for moose in the past. I was getting a little frustrated because I was seeing a lot of moose sign around my stand but no moose. I figured if I was persistent I should get some payback eventually though that may mean many boring hours in the stand. We got some snow here Wednesday and on the way home from work I was seeing alot of game movement. That and the fact that the moose should still be rutting was all I needed to convince me to sit in my stand that night. I got into position after coming across some fresh moose tracks on the way in. The snow had stopped and the evening was calm so I decided some calling was in order. After an hour the wind came up and it got cold. I decided to keep calling even though I wasn't sure anything could hear me.
A few minutes before dark I was very cold and thinking about the fire in the fireplace I was sure my wife had going. About the time I started packing my gear I heard a grunt and then the next one was much louder. Soon I could hear branches breaking and I knew he had come looking for the cow that had so seductively called out to him. He came downwind about 25 yards out and facing me, threw his head up and was trying to catch the scent of the cow he knew had to be there some where. My stand must be high enough to put my scent above him because he never detected me. As he slowly made his way closer I realized he wouldn't be broadside to me until he had reached a point behind the tree I was in. If I was going to get a shot I would have to turn in my stand.
After a long pause he started moving again and so did I. Just before he made it into my next shooting lane I started to draw my bow and he stopped perfectly in the opening at about 15 yards. I picked my spot and watched the arrow disappear through his rib cage. My initial thought was that I had hit him a little far back but that it should still be lethal. He ran about 50 yards but stopped when I grunted at him. After looking back breifly he started to move off again. I threw a cow call his way and that stopped him again but I could barely make him out through the willow he was behind. After a few minutes he started moving again and I noticed he was a bit unsteady on his feet. Then he completely dissappeared from my sight although I could still hear him moving occassionly in the same spot.
I decided to give him some time due to the location of the shot but 15 minutes later I was shivering so bad I had to get out of the stand. I was a little worried about bumping him out of his bed when I got down but I managed to leave with out hearing him get up. Because of where I thought the shot was I went home, arranged some help,and gave him a couple of hours. We went back in and took up his trail finding him right at the last place I had heard him. Judging by how stiff he was I'm sure he was dead by the time I had climbed out of my stand. A quick look for the entry wound revealed a better shot than I had thought I made and he had expired quickly. I was impressed with the complete pass through I got with my 55lb bow and 587 grn. VPA broadhead tipped arrow. He'll fill the freezer quite nicely!
Topic: Alberta Moose (Read 4244 times)
