Sweet success!Man,wut a rush!It was everything I could have hoped for in a classic moose hunt scenario.Day one of our 3 day season was a little dissapointing,2 moose shot 500 yds away by road hunters,hot weather in the 70's at midday,etc.Evening hunt interupted at prime time by road hunters again /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif (drove into clearcut where we were set-up,hoping to see 16-20pt bull that we had seen evening before).day 2 was alot better.We went in to a spot I'd never seen.Joe and his cousin had found it while scouting last week.The plan was for Joe to hunt a logging rd on the ridge that ran paralel to a chain of beaver ponds and meadows below.He told me to get down to the pond,find a spot with a nice view,let out a couple of cow calls and we'll see what happens."Don't worry Grinr,your gonna love this place".I wasn't worried.Joe and I have hunted together since we were kids,and if he said this was a "creamy" spot,I knew I would like what I seen when the sun rose.Legal hunting time was 6:48 and we arrived at the parking spot at 6:50,perfect for walking in.It took me about 10 min. to walk down the road,down the brook 200yds to the pond.The entire meadow was about 5 acres,1/2 that covered by the pond.i found a nice seat where two deadfalls criss-crossed each other and made a nice little natural blind with a good view of the clearing.It was a cool morning,around 40,and the fog coming off the pond made the far treeline hard to see at 150yds,but a quick look through the scope cleared that issue,I could see fine.I let things cool down for 5 minutes and then let loose with a long cow call that echoed through the valley.I listened for a minute and then let another one go and settled in to get comfy in the deadfalls.i didn't get a chance to get too comfortable,as 2 minutes later I heard a very faint croak way off in the distance,I'm guessing 500 yds up the opposte ridge from Joe.Soon after I heard another croak,this time louder/closer.then another croak,and another and large branch snapping and no mistaken it was a bull and he was comin!Talk about getcher blood pumpin!!Finally,after about 20 croaks/grunts and a dozen large branch snaps,each one getting closer,a large set of antlers appeared swaying from side to side with each step.HOLY S#*T!LOOK AT THEM HORNS!NO,don't look at them horns!!He was making his way around the pond towards me,just inside the treeline,which was flooded dead timber.He paused for a moment at 100yds broadside,but the only clear shot was at his neck.I was thinking about taking the shot when he took another step forward,so I shifted the crosshairs back from his neck to behind his shoulder and squeezed one off.At the shot,he kinda casually turned and started to walk away the way he came.He was quartering away when I settled in behind his shoulder and fired again.Still walking,and nothing but a hind end shot,I fired a third round,aiming kinda high and forward hoping for a neck shot cuz I didn't want to destroy a hind 1/4.I don't know if the third shot connected or not,but he fell 2 seconds later.I could see him inside th treeline,downed but his head was up and makin sum godawful huffin/gurglin,big blasts of steam coming out with each breath.JOOOOOEEEEE!!!!!!!!!I GOT EM!!YEEEEEEEEHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo!!Being as we were sharing a tag,we have to be within visual/audible distance of one another.I start making my way across the swamp to the moose and the tough son of a whore gets up and walks away,offering no shot.He only went 50 yds where he went down for good.I had to get within ten feet of him where he was down in an old clearcut that was grown back thick with saplings etc.I fired one into his neck,about 6" below his skull,he slumped,then raised his head again.DAMMIT!tThe next one went in his ear and it was finally dead.WHEW.Tuff guy.The post mortem later revealed that the first shot had done it,mid chest behind the shoulder and jellied both lungs.The second shot was placed perfect,1/4ing away behind the other shoulder,but the autopsy showed it glanced off the ribs and slid up forward somewhere,I guess the butcher will find that one in the front end somewhere.I'm kinda dissapointed with that bullets performance.Alls well that ends well I guess.15pt bull,47"spread,870lbs feild dressed,620lbs on the butchers hook!Yummy!I will post some pics later today when the wife gets home to help.
http://img70.exs.cx/img70/4977/Captured2003-5-700026.th.jpg[/IMG] http://img19.exs.cx/img19/4664/Captured2003-5-700023.jpg http://img60.exs.cx/img60/6200/moose00003.jpg http://img64.exs.cx/img64/2825/Captured2003-5-700022.jpg Sorry bout all the mess.First time trying to post pics. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
36" and 10-12pts.Things are lookin' good! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ONLY 56 MORE SLEEPS TIL MOOSE SEASON!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif