Ontario Moose Hunt

Hey fellas,
 
I haven't been on here for a while so I thought I'd fill you in on my moose hunt this year. I went up to northern Ontario moose hunting with my Dad this fall and we went two for two. Dad shot a nice bull, not huge but nice (38") and I ended up taking a young bull (26"). We flew in the day before season, it was supposed to be two days before but we couldn't fly the first day due to high winds. We found a spot about a mile from camp that had some rubs and fresh tracks so we decided to start there. I told Dad on the drive up, he was going to be the shooter first, no matter what. I wanted him to get one. We called that night in this spot and when we went back in the morning, this bull was there. As soon as I let out my call cows we heard what sounded like someone slapping a sheet of plywood with a wooden spoon. I knew what that was. Then he started grunting. It was echoing across  the marsh and the lake, unbelievably awesome, just like on t.v. I was calling from the boat and Dad had got up on shore to lean against a dead tree so he had a good rest and vantage point. Twice that bull stopped and stood still just listening so I'd give a little cow call and he'd start grunting and coming again. I got to watch this guy walking down a little neck to Dad, grunting every step and Dad couldn't see him yet. When the bull disappeared on me I was watching Dad get into his gun and drill him. It was unreal. The coolest hunting memory I'll ever have I swear. I wish it could've lasted forever. We've talked about doing this my whole life and we finally did it together, just the two of us and got two bulls.
My bull wasn't exactly what I was looking for but I'm proud of him anyway and he tastes great. It got really windy after we got Dad's bull gutted, quartered and hung up (about 5 hours of the good kind of work) but we hunted the afternoon anyway and didn't see a thing. The next morning we woke up to 40 mph winds or so. We didn't dare try to get out on the lake with our little boats. The third morning was decent. We hunted in the morning and didn't hear or see anything. The wind picked up to 20 + again around noon so we decided to just use that time to scout. We went and checked out a spot where two creeks came together with a blowdown area right where it met the lake to set up on. Perfect for a big bull. That was where I was going to shoot my big bull. I had "the feeling". We were heading back to camp and decided to check out one more blowdown area in the back of a shallow bay not far from camp. We walked in and looked around, didn't see much sign and came out. When we got to the edge of the lake there was my bull walking in the pencil reeds about 200 yards out. I really wanted a big bull so I  hesitated. I whispered to Dad that if he walked towards shore, I wasn't going to shoot. If he kept coming to us, I'd take him. Well, obviously he kept coming and I took him. Bird in the hand and a lot of meat in the freezer. Anyway, it was a unbelievable trip. Everything went great. We couldn't fly in the day we were scheduled to because of the wind but big deal. That's hunting in Canada and that's the only thing that didn't go as planned. Now I have to get back somehow to hunt that drainage. I told Dad I know there's a 50"+ bull waiting for me.
I tried to upload a couple of pics but it didn't like them for some reason. I'll try again later.

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

dodge:

Awesome story!!!!!  Thanks for sharing, man!

Congrats to you and your Dad!

I'm going to send you a PM.  You can E mail me the pictures and I will resize them for you so that you will be able to post them.  I'm sure everybody will want to see them, including me!

Take care and Good Hunting!

Best Afield,

Steve

Yea, get on those pictures dudes, LOL!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Here's a pic of Dad with his bull.

Attached Image(s)

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

Dad and I with his bull.

Attached Image(s)

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

The ones of mine didn't turn out too good. Dad's not a photographer that's for sure. lol. Oh well, we really should have taken pics with him laying out in the pencil reeds, that would've been cool. We were so dang excited and anxious to get to work on him that we hooked him up to the boat and pulled him to camp before taking any pics. That was funny in it's own right, pulling a moose across the lake with a shallow 14' boat powered by a 9 h.p. Merc. I lmao while we were doing it.

Attached Image(s)

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

Sounds and looks like the two of you had a great trip!  There is nothing like hunting with your Papa!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Great story, dodge' ... allus fun to see family succeed ...

I wuzn't able to go with father-in-law on his moose hunt in '83, but I helped (?) oldest daughter with hers in '92, my wife in '08, and really enjoyed my success in '09 ... (Nodak is OIL for moose, elk and sheep, with sum miniscule chances for a second lifetime license if one has enuf money, so each of these wuz perty much a major thrill ... )

Glad it all werked out for both of you ... 

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

Hey Dodge, what an awsome account of what had to be a great hunting experience with you dad. Any time spent in the woods or on the water with your dad has to be cherished, I unfortunately didn't get to spend much time doing either with my dad and really regret not being more pro active in making it happen while he was able. Thanks for sharing and congratulations to both of you on your success.
Steve Albers

dodge:

Thanks for sharing the pics and the story.  AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATS!!!

Take care and Good Hunting!

Best Afield,

Steve

Looks like you and your dad had a great time, Congratulations dodgeman

Thanks guys. It sure was a special trip. We've talked about going back to get a big bull for me but I don't know... even though I'd love to get a big bull I don't think any other moose hunt will ever be as good. I'm just thankful we got to do it once together.

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

Congrat's dodgeman. It looks like you and pop's had a great trip. And you got some animals to boot.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Great story, glad you had a good time together. You'll always remember it. Nice pictures too!

Congrats on a successful hunt Dodge. My dad is my best hunting partner and at his age I relish every minute of the hunt. I wish he could hunt more out here in Mt.

Yeah rik, I'm with ya on that one. No one else could compare as a hunting partner in my eyes as I'm sure you feel about your Dad. 

Good luck, be safe and shoot straight

dodgeman_29

I gotta say, gang ... it goes both ways ... now that I'm on the other side of the deal, it's a major item of feelin' good, when Son #1 wants to have me along on the hunt ... same goes for the grandkids, when they say "I wanna hunt with grandpa ... " (or even when one gets a disappointed look when there's not room in a vehicle, and they're ridin' with dad, instead of me) ... 

It's a mutual-admiration society, this sport of ours ... when we find the good partners, we like to keep 'em ...

All of life is six-to-five against, just enough to keep you interested. (Damon Runyan)

Gravity makes all the important decisions ... (John R. Powers)

NRA, REMF, PF, NAHC-L, NAFC-L, KC, NPPA

I would love to spend more time in the wooods with my son but geograghy and his near blindness prevents it. He has a rare condition called Stargarts. It is the childrens version of Macular degeneration. He loves to hunt but can't safely hunt without someone next to him as a spotter. I havn't been able to hunt with him since I left Wis.