Shot my 1st Moose in Wyoming

[Hunter78]

After 7 years of buying prefernce points, I put in for a bull tag and drew one in area 25.  My father shot a slightly smaller moose in the same area 2 years ago.  I was unguided but anouther local hunter gave me some help and had spotted this bull when he was mule deer hunting.  I had gotten there a couple of days early to scout.  I glassed several other bulls prior to season, but this was by far the largest.  The problem was that it was on private ground where they did not alow hunting, but I could see him easily from the public ground.  On opening morning, I used an atv belonging to the other hunter, so I could get to my glassing point faster, but the atv blew a tire half a mile away and I had to walk.  I just got to the hilltop and saw him with a cow in the middle of the public section heading for the private ranch!  I quickly made a 3/4 mile stalk.  I ran out of cover about 375 yards from the bull and layed down and put the scope on him.  At that moment he saw me (shine off gun or scope?).  I pulled the trigger and he took off surprizingly fast.  I stood up and shot several more times once he stumbled and then collapsed.  I had thought he was farther away and aimed high and led too much.  The first shot was perfect into the vitals, the next hit was through the palm of the antler (just made a .30 caliber hole), and the last actually went into his earhole and destroyed the brain but didn't split the antlers or ruin the cape.  I got very lucky with no damage.  Shooting offhand stanting at that range on a running animal is not my favorite shot, but I had done it with whitetails before.  The real work began as we quartered the bull.  Luckily I had some help and gary had fixed his atv.  we got my truck about 75 yards away on the other side of the creek and used the atv to transport the meat to the truck.  I also had a pronhorn tag that I used the first afternoon I had gotten out there .  Rifle was a remington 700 in 300 rum.  180gr scirocco. 

[Sweet 6.5]

 

Great moose!

Sweet

[mattmillerrx]

Looks like you had a great hunt.  Hope I can do one similar one day.

[Skunk]

WTG Hunter78!!! Great job on the hunting and nice pictures too.

[wyohandi]

Well I had this big rant all ready, but I guess since your a non-resident
and a different area I'll let it slide
I've been putting in for the area I want to hunt for 12yrs I figure
in another 8-10yrs I just might get lucky
Great job on the moose.

[Hunter78]

Thanks, I'm happy with this moose. 
I'm trying to decide whether to have it mounted or not.  I don't have that much room and the antlers do look nich just on the wall. 

Wyohandi, I've heard of residents applying for 20 years and not getting a liceance.  If it makes you feel better I did pay alot more for my nonresident liceance.  I hope they put it to good use for the moose like maybe shooting a few wolves or something.  Alot differnt from hunting whitetails here in wisconsin, however, now all the deer look really tiny.

[wyohandi]

My daughter shot her moose with my crossbow at 30yds in Sept.
Last week she got her elk, with a Handi rifle. After the hunt around
the campfire she told everyone she really liked getting her elk, but
it was nowhere near as big a rush as the moose. Looks like I might
have a hardcore bowhunter on my hands!
OR maybe it was becuase
she didn't have to shoot UP on the elk  them moose sure are big at 30yds.

[Hunter78]

Tell your daughter congrats.  I wish more women were hunters and I comend you for taking your daughter hunting.