Eastern Idaho Cow Moose hunt

[Troutslayer]

Don't know the area but I can offer some advice I learned on my moose hunt last year. I think with the growing wolf population the moose in the region have become much more wary than we are accustomed to. I can't count the times I was observing peaceful moose only to see them take off at a full run at the sound of distant ATVs. I found most of them at high elevations acting more like elk than moose. Take that for what it's worth.

I almost always see them while glassing early in the morning and getting a cow shouldn't pose too much of a problem but I would highly suggest not driving around on an ATV and looking for one at the same time. That's what the other hunter I met in my area did the whole time and he saw lots of sign and couldn't figure out why he didn't shoot a moose on his hunt. There were plenty of them there. They are in the bottoms but like it just as well up high.

I ended up taking a nice shiras but it was a lot more work than I thought it would be never having hunted them before. Good luck and make sure to post pics when you get one.

 

[srhaggerty]

The unit is 69-3. Antelope Creek is the area. little bit more towards Swan Valley than Tex creek. Roy if you need a google earth pin or something let me know.

 

[royinidaho]

How about Lat & Long coordinates from GE to show me your particular area of interest?

Things are drying out quickly.

Plenty of snow above 7 thou. 1 foot +, depending.

P/Us are pretty much mud covered when they come out.

 

[srhaggerty]

Weather permitting I am looking at making an earlier trip over there than November. I was looking at the 24th and 25th of Oct. hunt. Depending on a positive scouting report and dry roads of course.

 

[srhaggerty]

Roy you have a PM.

 

[royinidaho]

Yup, I got it.

Took a look......

It seems that if the image is sloped your area of interest is a triangle shape, generally, with about a mile from the coords you sent to the peak to the south.

I picked up my tags this morning, got the old geezer discount.

Its less than 7 miles from the main hiway to your coords.

I'll snag the son-in-laws ATV and snoop around. However, if it ain't too muddy my HIV (Habitat Invasion Vehicle) should be able to get around on the legal to use roads.

We'll see.....

 

[CoachChris]

I just came in for lunch. Everything slick but drying up quick. Snow is melting fast.

 

[srhaggerty]

To the south and east is the area of interest.

I am getting excited. Can't wait to know there are some moose around there.

Sounds good. Keep me posted. When I was there in November they were out big time at first light.

 

[royinidaho]

Sean,

Talked w/a fella that hunted Antelope Creek this past weekend. He did see a cow moose.

I went to my honey hole for a quick look-see.

Watched a very large cow moose and calf for half the morning.

She presented plenty of 850 to 930 yard shot opportunities. And I'm 110% confident of my 270 AM drop chart out to 1117. However, but and whatever, my tag is for an antlerless elk.

This spot is in Moose Unit 69-1 and she'll hang in that drainage but some days even though I know she's there, I just simply can't find her.

A fella took a stragily looking 42" bull moose over the ridge from my honey hole. He gps'd it at a mile and a half from wolverine road. It wasn't the big one I saw last year though.

Good luck.

 

[srhaggerty]

Roy,

I wonder which guy it was. I saw about 5 different rigs all with 69-2 Bull moose tags.

I was actually able to tag out Friday morning. 300 yards shot to the spine. DRT.

 

[MT4XFore]

Congrats, Sean! Now where is the story and the pics? They are mandatory, ya know!

 

[srhaggerty]

LOL well I thought about it. I was thinking it was just a cow and only 300 yards. I will try and post pics when I can.

Well we loaded the 4-wheeler into the back of my Dakota Wednesday night as I was to leave straight from work Thursday night. 4 o'clock finally rolls around I am hitting I-84 to Idaho Falls. Finally arrive at my buddies in-laws (base camp) where they have a brand new 28 foot camper ready for us. So after a little visiting and some TV heads are off to hit the pillows.

6 A.M. alarm goes off and it time to start the day. After a little breakfast we hit the road about 6:30 A.M. The drive to Antelope Creek only took about 30 minutes so we had to wait a little before driving up the road. After a little bit of time we start up the road headed to the top for a great look out point. As we crest the ridge I spot 3 black objects about 200 yards away. "Shoot", They are in a different unit. So my buddy who has a deer tag decides he is going to drop down below them and walk up the ridge looking for deer. So I continue on looking at my spots to glass. After pulling over to let the 10th vehicle pass I turned to head back to my buddy. Low and behold the 3 black objects are now standing in my unit. So I pull over grab the gun and start down the ridge after them. Unfortunately with all the traffic they were pretty spooked and they darted into the timber be I could get a shot. So I get to the truck and pick up my buddy and drop down below them as I know there was an ATV trail right underneath them. So we head down to the pull off and grab packs and guns and head out walking. After about 3/4 of a mile we turned around because I felt we walked past them. So my buddy take off into the trees to try and push something out and I continue on the road path as I would have a clear view of everything. Sure enough in one of the opening out comes these 3 objects. I of course left the rangefinder with my buddy, so I do my best to use football fields to judge. I sighted the gun for 3" high at 100 so I knew I would be ok out to 300 with a dead center hold. Not the way I wanted to do it, but it was what I had to work with. So I figured about 250 yards. I ran to the closest Aspen tree to rest on a branch. Certainly not a dead rest, but close. Chamber round 1, boom! Nothing. Chamber round 2, boom! Nothing. Chamber round 3, boom! Whack! DRT. I had forgot that 2 night before I had cleaned the gun and oiled the barrel. My intent was to foul it the next day, but I was so busy with work I just packed and went. After going back to the truck after the packs we ranged it and right at 300. So not bad for 1 morning of hunting. I was done by 9:15.

Here are some specs from the hunt:
Gun: Rem 700 XCR 300 WSM
Ammo: Winchester Supreme 180 grain E-tips

I borrowed this rifle from a buddy as mine is not built yet.

 

[royinidaho]

OK Sean, Why in the heck do "I" have to work so hard for a shotge(

One of these days I'm gonna shoot something, really

Good goin!

If I recall correctly, that's two trips and two moose?

 

[srhaggerty]

Actually 2 one day trips and 2 moose. But only for cow moose do we do so good.

14 days of archery elk and I did not draw the bow back.

We went deer hunting the next day around Pine creek or something and walked clean up the mountain and downa and saw nothing.

Wish you could have made it.