Alaska Solo Moose Hunt -2022

[Herdbull]

I hunted moose alone in Alaska for 20 days in September. I drew a limited tag and was dropped in a new area that I have never hunted. During the first few days I called in several bulls that were not quite legal. They need to be 50 inches wide or at least have 4 points on one brow palm. Most of the bull looked nice with many points but not quite wide enough or lacked the 4-point front. I did call in a huge bull, but he came in after it was too dark to shoot. I also called in a wide bull that would be legal with a cow in tow, but he stopped his advance and made a rut pit, urinated in it, and laid down in it. Shortly after the cow approached and nuzzled him up to his feet, where they exchanged rubbing and licking. She then rubbed her face and neck in the fresh pit and laid down in it to immerse herself in his scent. With two sets of eyes and a bad wind direction, I lacked the cover to approach the couple before they escaped.

[Herdbull]

[Herdbull]

 I called in other younger bulls from good distance to. Since I want to film them, I must hold out until I can determine their antler size and legality. I one case I could not determine antler details until the bull was 25 yards away. He was raking brush which gave me the opportunity to advance on him. I used the drooping branches of a beetle-killed spruce as cover, as the bull came into my cow in heat calling. I did not have enough time to swap my bow out for the video camera in my pack before the bull marched out from behind the spruce with posturing antlers rocking side to side. His eyes were rolled back, as walked up to a heavy willow bush that protruded from the sides of another dead spruce and began raking his antlers with great vengeance. The scene was only meant for me to absorb as I was watching while holding my breath at a mere 8 yards. When he finished, he walked forward passed me and at one point was about 5 yards away before he caught my scent or felt my anxiousness to remove my pack and retrieve my camera. He turned his head and looked at me before trotting off. I could only get about 15 seconds of fleeing footage of the beast that was just moments earlier distracted and raking a bush in my lap.

Camp!

[Herdbull]

During the course of the hunt, I would make my way to distant drainages, one to the north and the other to the west, and call down into with hopes of getting a bull to come up from the bottom and make packing the meat out easier should I be successful in getting an arrow in. During one trip over the top ridge, I saw a bedded caribou bull. I snuck up to him and got great video footage since I did not have a caribou tag.

Clae range moose, but not quite legal size.

[Herdbull]

I looked for cows in hopes that a mature bull was bedded near by.

A bit of reading during days of getting socked in due to rain.

[Herdbull]

I called in many other lesser bulls and a couple legal bulls during the first 14 days of the hunt. Some would lock up in open dwarf birch ridges where they could pinpoint my calling, but not see the source. I lost out on some of the wide bulls due to fog and rain.

[Herdbull]

After the last day of the season in this unit, I had arranged to get picked up and dropped off at a second location in a different management unit that was 5 days longer in length to finish out the 20 days there. With camp nearly taken down while waiting for the transfer flight, I heard branches breaking in the willow swamp up behind camp. I hurried up there and began calling like a cow in heat and subordinate bull. Imagine my surprise when I saw the huge bull that I called in earlier but lost shooting light. He was magnificent as he pounded into a willow bush and raked his antlers. He turned toward me at the sound of my calling and began grunting with every step as he came closer. Once in bow range I could clearly see details that I could not discern earlier. He was over 60 inches wide with four impressive brow points per side. He had about 17 points per side overall and his palms were wide and long. I was looking through the view finder at a huge bull as I filmed. At one point he moved away, but I called him back into bow range a second time. What an experience! It was just 9 hours too late to be my meat for the winter.

[Barry Wensel]

I just sent in a "quick reply" and it didn't get posted. Sorry Mike. bw

[Herdbull]

After getting moved to a second location I hunted the last four days of the season in that unit. I did not see much moose sign, and not one bull responded to my intense calling. It was a very fun trip, but not without hardship. It rained 17 out of 20 days. So over all it was a great adventure where I found the silence from human activity and the freedom that can only come with solitude.  Mike

[Herdbull]

[Wudstix]

Truly Amazing and Incredible!!!
 

[Gun]

Well done Mike. It takes a lot to put up with that much rain. Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

[Friend]

A splendid rarity of experiences. Thank you for sharing.

[cacciatore]

Great adventure Mike. Can you eventually tell about your camping stuff.

[Sawpilot 75]

Great write up and pics Mike. How special it is to get away from the day to day stress. Thanks for posting this.

[Bow man]

Another phenomenal trip for you Mike 

[kennym]

Awesome, just awesome...

[GCook]

Great adventure.  Great pics and story. Thank you for sharing it

[Mighty Big Country]

Mike, your solo adventures continue to be inspiring!  Well done.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Thank you Mike for sharing your Story and photos.