Author Topic: My season was terrible, how was yours??? (Read 1244 times)

Rick Teal · « **on:** December 03, 2002, 04:01:07 PM »

Tom:

My season was similar.

During the bow hunt for moose, two of us had a bull and cow tag, but the only moose we saw were in the Temagami Game Preserve on the way up. The bulls weren't answering the call, we had a small one orbiting our area, but he never came in. On night we had one grunting at us in the dark (about 9 PM), but he was gone by morning.

During the firearms moose hunt 5 of us had 1 bull tag, but the leaves were so thick on the trees that we never even saw the two moose we got close to (one was definitely a bull).

During the first week of deer, 11 of us got 4 deer and 1 bear. Over 20 deer and 3 bear were seen, but none by me. During the second week, 8 of us got 1 doe, having seen only 6 deer and a bear. I missed a nice buck (130 class or better), and I still don't know how. :oops: It got dark before I could thoroughly check the reason (we spent the time being sure I hadn't wounded the deer), but I suspect it was a piece of unseen brush - at least that's the story I'm sticking to. :wink:

I'm planning to get out a few times with my bow before the end of the month. After-all, I still have a buck and a doe tag to fill.

Rick

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2002, 07:16:57 AM »

Moose season, we struck out. Had several encounters with adult animals. No calves, and thats all we had tags for. I watched a cow moose feed fifty feet from me, with a yearling, (just a bit too big to be a calf). I was standing in the open too. Shoulda seen her eyes bug out when she finally saw me.

Deer hunting, despite the damn leaves, was the best season for me yet. Shot three myself, of five I saw. Two bucks, a fork horn, and a 6point, and a nice fat doe. The forkhorn was cool. We had gone back to the camp for lunch, I heard a dog chase going down the lake. I said to the guys that deer's going to be coming back. I posted myself by the picture window. About ten minutes later, I see the forkhorn walking in the shallow water by the dock. Ran outside in the snow in my socks, and nailed him. Our dock is at the bottom of a steep hill. Maybe 60 foot shot. He never looked up, and was completely unaware of me running around. Camp got 5.

Butler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 05, 2003, 07:05:58 PM »

My season was great.I got my bull moose draw and got a nice one..Also got a nice big 4x4 muley..Passed on a nice whitetail,I had enough meat and the wife would have given me hell.Probably get skunked next year!

Hud · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2003, 02:01:08 PM »

It's just vegetables for me this winter. :cry:

Hud

Butler · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2003, 04:14:22 PM »

I passed on a lot of smaller whitetails and muleys early on in the season.On Nov 4 I stopped work at 3:00 pm and went for a walk down a seismic line. About 500 yards up the line I came around a small birch patch and up on top of the next hill I saw a bull.I scoped it but I could not get steady enough to even think of shooting,so I began trying to sneak up the line.lol ,the moose heard me right away and was looking my way but did not move.After what I thought was 100 yards it was still sticking his head out onto the line .Still I couldnt get steady enough on a small willow for a rest so I walked some more.Then I noticed a second bull beside the first one. The smaller bull got a bit spooked and started walking away,and the bigger one took a couple steps onto the line broadside. I knelt down and tried like heck to get my breathing under control .My crosshairs were all over it but finally they stopped wavering and I squeezed off a shot.The bull abruptly spun and was out of sight.I waited for 20 minutes excited as all heck and finally wandered up the line.Nice spray of blood in the snow .Ten or so more steps and I saw him off to the right across a couple deadfalls in an old cutblock fifteen or so yards off the trail..It was the first bull I have took by myself and it was a bit of a job gutting him out..Been a few years since I shot one.I got him back to camp just after dark. Thank goodness for some fresh snow , it helped the quad drag alot..Lots of good jerky and sausage this winter..No smell to him and my wife even likes the meat!!

Butler · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2003, 04:26:32 PM »

I work in the bush during the summer,and seeing alot of game is quite common.A few days after I got my moose I went for a walk about a mile or so from where I got my moose.Poking along on a block trail near the end of the cutblock I Took a trail into the bush,a nice aspen stand.About 100 yards down the trail I saw some movement,A nice buck..My heart jumped a bit and I looked for a good rest and headed towards a poplar with a snag at about the right height for a rest..I got my rifle up and ,,no buck..Damn I thought. I figured I better walk some and see if I could spot him farther up the trail.I no sooner took ten steps and I saw him coming my direction through the trees. I went back to my tree,took aim and waited.The bush was fairly thick but I noticed a nice 3or4 foot opening in between 2 poplars.I held my crosshairs there and in a couple seconds there he was.It was the first time I had a deer run after it had been shot with this particular handload that I had made just for deer.He was hit hard however.He travelled maybey 20 yards, still in my direction ,spun around a couple times and fell over.I was some happy.It was by far the biggest muley I have ever got.Just 4x4 but nice and big.I got him with my browning 30/06 with 165 gr interlock at about 40 yards.The moose I got with 180 gr partition .I hip chained the distance at 310 meters..Both one shot kills.The moose I didnt have a chance for a second shot and the deer obviously did not need one.Good year for me.My neighbour got skunked this year, so I can share some meat with him.

lsukava · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2003, 02:59:08 AM »

I had an excellent season here in NW Ontario. Was fortunate enough to harvest a large buck and moose within about 600 yds of the house on the "ranch". The unfortunate part of my season was that it was far too short (only 3 hunting days!) ... because of the restrictions on non-res hunting in Saskatchewan, I did not for the first time in over 30 yrs hunt the west in '02. Looks like the deer and moose populations will increase again in this area in '03 after a relatively mild winter and little snow.

Rick Teal · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2003, 07:48:24 PM »

Isukava:

Welcome aboard!

I live in the Ottawa area, and so far this winter has been relatively easy as well. A little chilly sometimes (a few -40's), but very little snow so far. Over in Muskoka and Parry Sound (where I hunt) I guess its been a different story with some heavy snow falls. I understand snow depth isn't a major problem until March, so here's hoping the levels are low when the deer are ready to move out of the yards. It'd be nice if we could get back to a 100% antlerless allocation again.

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2003, 11:44:46 PM »

it would be really nice if those cold temps freeze up all those moose ticks too.
Despite the cold, we don't have a lot of snow, and I know from digging holes, that the soil under the frost is extreemly dry.
Most years, the dirt freezes to the bottom of our dump trailer, owing to it's moisture content, not so this year, slides clean.