New Area what do you do?

[donnie7]

Ok guys and gals,

Here is the situation, you are heading to a new area to hunt moose, you have looked at topo maps for weeks / months etc. You have tried google earth but figure you'll be blind before you see what you are looking for. So what do you do, what do you look for, how do you find the moose in a limited amount of time? What has worked for you in the past?

I have only been moose hunting for about three years. The guys I go with have been going for about 8-10 years but this year we are heading somewhere new. This is why I am looking for suggestions.

Thanks in advance

Donnie

PS. Sue I only have 8 days not a full month (I am jealous)

[missmod88]

donnie7 said:

PS. Sue I only have 8 days not a full month (I am jealous)

yea I know,, sorry dude,, did I mention I love my job?? ;D

I think I would do a bit of scouting,, check for sign, and go from there,,
I know my hubby would walk way back into an area, and check for sign of moose, many times he's dropped something wayyyyy back there, and they had to cut trails to get the monster out!
he doesn't like the fact that I fly an area before hunting season, he thinks it's 'cheating' but I rarely see moose when I am up there,, well once I did ;D but we never got into the area he was,, he was a big bull I usually go flying an area in August, strictly for picture taking of the layout of the area we want to work. oh, yea I guess I got off topic huh?

it's gotta be hard to go into an area for the first time, and be faced with a hunt for the first time!! it's exciting I bet! makes a kill that much more worth it and means something a bit more than it would for anybody else!!

Sue

[10 Pointer]

The quality of questions on this board are phenomenal!
The first thing I would look for is tracks ;D ;D ;D LOL
Seriously, in this situation I would look for a mix, moose seem to love it all. You have some higher easier going terrain, water is key, marshes, low lying areas swamps and what not. They are just like us in regards to the route they will take, the path of least resistance, how many times have you seen the just walking down the logging road or down the ATV trail? I know we have all seen it on our way up, there is some areas, due to the terrain, that are virtually untouchable, the moose won't be there unless they have to.
It doesn't hurt that easier terrain is easier on us too. Burns that have taken place 5-7 years ago, the end of a logging road where it becomes a walking or ATV trail, this makes it tougher for hunters to move in on your set up.
Just my 2 cents
10

[missmod88]

you know 10, you touched on loads in your reply there, and all true,, giverguns is my guide, and he knows all what to look for, he's not missed many years of no moose.
he knows what to look for, and what areas you'll see moose in.. he is the head of our camp, and often times he'll ask me what I think of an area, or to come up with something of my own,, I try to be involved in areas we hunt, but bottom line is, he knows way more than I do about where to find the big hairy beasts!!

he knows where they'll be seen, what they'll eat, where they'll be in day times, where they winter,, and how they'll behave (mostly) at certain times of the year.

if I didn't have him, I probably would hang my rifle up, nobody can compare to him

[10 Pointer]

He sounds like the he is to moose hunting what Adrian Hare is to Turkey Hunting

[missmod88]

he'll tell you he ain't, but I think he is he knows his stuff

[10 Pointer]

those usually are the ones that do know there stuff
10

[donnie7]

Sue it sounds like you have one heck of a guide, I hope to learn just a fraction of his knowledge I think I would be doing well.. I have been trying to read and understand as much as I can but I think years of experience will be more valuable than any book. There seems to be alot of things regarding "the big hairy beast" (I like that it was funny) that I don't know. Especially where they are during the day, how to find wallows etc. etc. so all this information is really appreciated.

Thanks again

Donnie

[missmod88]

donnie7 said:

There seems to be alot of things regarding "the big hairy beast" (I like that it was funny)

LOL that's just one thing he calls them, the others aren't fit to post

lol

he's 45 years old, he was raised in the bush by a trapper, and been hunting since he was in his early teens, I am sure he dropped critters before that though. any wonder I feel safe with him close at hand?

[giverguns]

Missmod you are embarrassing me

True I have spent my whole life enjoying mother nature. One thing i can tell you all for sure if it was not for my Dad (god rest his soul ) and my uncles i would not know half of what i do about moose and deer hunting. I have had the privilege of hunting with some of the best big game hunters i have ever known. Guys who would take to the woods at daylight and hunt all day long and i am talking walking 12 to 14 miles a day hunting standing timber they were true moose hunters my uncles and my dad.

donnie..

If you are heading to a new huntin hole and have no time to scout it you will need to do your scouting while you hunt. The first 2 or 3 weeks of the season the moose are near the water this is there main food source all summer and they hang there till freeze up. some have mentioned looking for tracks tracks are good but you can not always see them. Look for rubs the bulls like to pick on poor like spruce and balsam when the are starten to feel like they need a lady. Also look around old beaver marshes and along lake shores anywhere where the is swamp hay they love to bed down in that stuff. The area you are going to if you can bring it up on Google earth look for those areas where the swamp hay grows and then start there. One more thing i have found over the years is after the first week you need to use the one mile rule and what i meen by that is if you are not a mile off the road you are not far enough. I have shot many moose over the years and have only ever shot 3 along the road and they were all the same day a cow and 2 calves. The rest of them have been off the road as far as 3 miles. I could go on and on here but i think this is a good foundation for any new moose hunter to start with.

If you have any questions feel free to ask if i can answer them i will

Happy hunting

Mike B

[donnie7]

Thanks Mike I will take your information and begin to form my plans for this up coming year. As you know it is only about 7 months away... I have tried the google earth thing but am either doing something wrong, the monitor on the laptop is to small or I really do need glasses because it is pretty blurry and I don't think I would be able to pick out beaver grass. I will continue to try, I had found an area that looked interesting, well interesting to me hopefully interesting to moose as well. A road bisected a river (we are going to try and setup near water as some guys only want to hunt the water). The river flowed a good distance either way, on the one end there was some clear cuts (I am assuming remember my google issues) that came pretty close to the river / creek with some large tracks of bush nearby.

I will however continue to try find areas that you are talking about.

Thanks again

Donnie

[bigugly]

Hey giverguns, the place I go for moose has a huge old dried up lake that is full of swamp hay. There's a clear cut on one side, creek on one, thick high ground on another, and at the far end a creek that runs to a lake. This year we are determined to hunt it. It's a little off the path and will take some work to get to but we,re going in.

[giverguns]

bigugly said:

Hey giverguns, the place I go for moose has a huge old dried up lake that is full of swamp hay. There's a clear cut on one side, creek on one, thick high ground on another, and at the far end a creek that runs to a lake. This year we are determined to hunt it. It's a little off the path and will take some work to get to but we,re going in.

Sounds like this might be a great place to do some calling.. Off the beaten path is good as soon as the moose start gettin a wiff of us humans they head for the tall timber. Last fall where we hunted I came across a meadow that had 14 beds in it. However with our 5 and the 4 that moved in on us it was not long and the moose cleared out from us leaving our stink all over the place..

[donnie7]

Giverguns,

Do you hand call or use something else?

[Northerner]

In my experience If you are hunting a new area, it will take the first two maybe three days to get to know where the moose are.

I usually like to get in 2 days before the opener and that gives me time to do some pre scouting.

Like Giver says water is a good place to start and swampy areas are really good.

If there happens to be a fresh cut, this will be a good spot usually too.

Although nothing is for sure and you can do all the right things and the moose are no where to be found.

The weather is a huge factor especially when it is too warm. When it's warm the moose are down low and deep in the thick stuff trying to keep cool.

That's one of the things I admire about moose hunting and moose hunters. You need to go deep in the bush and that's where the serious huntners are.

Good luck.