OK, We hunted with Moose Valley Outfitters and this was our second time with them. All hunting was done by boat and on foot. Your putting that lump of rear quarter on your back.
We drove to Pasadena which is just south of Deer Lake and took a float plane about 1/2 hour inland. We had our own cabin with separate bedrooms and all the ameneties. Homemade bread every day along with top shelf meals although after a long day of hunting I would have eaten arsenic if Elsie cooked it.
Guides are top shelf also and dont hesitate to go the extra mile to get a chance at your critter. All guides have many years of hunting this area, my guide Hector is 62 and another is 69 years old. I watched the older one keep up with his 20 year old grandson with rear quarters on their back, no problem.
The first four days of hunting were tough, bulls had cows in trees and just would not come out very much. I passed a 14 point bull at 50 yards the first morning and saw a huge bull around noon but was too far away for a shot. All week I saw 4 trophy bulls but once again they were too far away. I saw 10 caribou and was more than happy with my bull due to a huge slide in the population of Woodland Caribou.
On Thursday our luck took a change for the better, we were after a decent moose when we spotted 5 bou feeding on a far hill. After what seemed like a 5 mile hike we were able to locate and take a bull out of that bunch. Only had to haul meat and hides about 200 yards to shore for pick up later. Had a luch and while we were hiking back to our original location I found a giant moose shed. Had to have that.
When we arrived back at the rock I cleaned up my rifle and just for fun told Hector to cow call and I would wack a small tree with my shed antler. I beat the heck out of the tree and grunted a few times. Jumped back up onto the rock and it wasn't 5 seconds when Hector said"Mark" and pointed behind me. There stood a bull at about 200 yards. Needless to say I scrambled for my rifle and put him down in short order.
I could not believe that it worked and we had taken both animals in one day. We were really pooped after that day and spent the next cleaning skulls and taking care of capes.
One of my friends shot his bull late that afternoon and another tagged out the next day.
I must tell you that walking there is extremely challenging and if it weren't for the caribou trails it would be really tough. If vegetation is more than 2 feet tall, go around it. Everything bends but always tries to grab hold of you. I fell twice on this hunt and another friend did summersaults down a hill after loosing his footing. He also fell off the dock and into some really cold water but that is another story.
I shot my trusty 300 WM using 180 grain Nosler Partitions over 79 grains of H1000. Rifle has Jewell trigger and HS stock but is all factory other than that. Scope is a US Optics SN-3 3.2x17 with GAP reticle along with Seekins rings and US bases.
All in all I cant wait to go back, great hunting and people to hunt with. I think you want to be there right before or after the peak of the rut. Which for that area is the first week or 3rd/4th week of rifle season.
Good Hunting,
Grin
