Messing With Moose

Newcomers to north Idaho soon realize that the moose they liked seeing in their yard has a ravenous appetite for their flowers, shrubs, and trees. A moose can strip limbs bare in a few minutes and destroy a flower bed in a flash. People find that sending out the dog doesn't do much good, as the dog usually ends up getting chased back to the house by the big intruder.

Over the years , Ardella and I have had many exciting encounters with these big deer. We experienced being chased by irate cows in the spring and charged by a lovestruck bull one evening as we came off the mountain from archery hunting elk. I had called this bull in one morning in the same area while archery hunting elk and he had a huge rack. About three years later I went with our neighbor who had a moose tag and I called this bull in for him. The rack measured fifty inches . It was sort of sweet revenge for the night he charged us.

The most unusual encounter with a moose happened one fall afternoon as my son-in-law and I were archery hunting elk. As we climbed the mountain, we heard some loud growling and sounds above us. We finally reached an old road so proceeded down it toward the area that might have some elk. Thane and I rounded a bend in the road and saw a cow moose standing just off the lower side with her calf . She had the calf pressed up against the bank and was looking down into the brush below her. The old cow hardly paid any attention to us. Just then the brush erupted with a loud growl of a bear and the cow responded with her own warning reply to the predator. We realized the bear wanted her calf for lunch. The cow and bear were in a large patch of thimble berries that were just high enough to conceal the bear from us. We moved about thirty feet past the cow and I gave a blow on my cow elk call. The bear decided elk might be easier and I could see the thimble berries move as it came at us very fast. I came to a full draw waiting to shoot the bear at about ten feet , when the thought entered my brain that this could be a grizzly bear. A big black head appeared just feet away but it saw me before I could release an arrow into the chest . The bear took off down hill and all was quiet. The cow gathered up her calf and started to leave. After taking a few steps, she turned to looked back and seemed to be thanking us for saving her calf. We didn't find any elk that day but I didn't care.

An eighty one year young friend named Kenny drew a moose permit for the last half of September. Today was the last day for his hunt slot. Kenny put in the time and miles looking for a bull moose but had warm weather most of his hunting period. I went out with him one afternoon last week and we walked a few miles on an old road that usually has a bull hanging out this time of year. We couldn't even find a recent track so went and sat at a beaver pond that was covered with tracks but no moose showed up that evening. I was amazed how physically fit he is. He never tired.

Yesterday I went out with Kenny again and we stopped to glass an large clear cut that moose heavily use do to the great food available. We glassed and checked out every dark spot hoping a bull would be seen. No luck. So we went up the road and checked out two more areas but could not find a moose. As we drove back down the road along that first area I saw something that looked out a place and told Kenny to stop. Six hundred yards away on the opposite hillside was a bull feeding. I gave out a cow call to tell him that he was a good looking hunk and the bull immediately turned and started down the hill to find the cow. Kenny and I dove over the side and worked our way down the mountain until we were about hundred yards from a creek that dissected the clear cut. I had Kenny set up by a large stump and I stayed above him and continued cow calling to the bull. I also threw in some bull grunts to let him know another bull liked this beautiful long legged gal. He never answered back which surprised me but soon showed up on the opposite side of the creek . Kenny took a steady rest and fired. The bull lurched and ran off out of sight. I cow called again and got a glimpse of his rack which suddenly disappeared as if he went down. I was so excited for Kenny that I could hardly contain myself from shouting. Kenny appeared quite calm. We proceeded to where I had last seen the bull and there he laid. Later, my son-in-law Vance and his son-in-law Larry came and helped us pack it out. The full moon came up over the mountain just before we reached the trucks and completed a perfect hunt. I forgot to mention the bull had a forty six inch spread.

I learned a few things hunting with this great guy. Patience, patience, patience. Proverbs 14:29 says a patient man has great understanding and Kenny sure does. Kenny kept the faith that he still had ample opportunity to bag a moose.

Kenny also taught me something else on the previous hunt. A large green trash bag make a great rain coat.