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jslo
09-06-2018, 21:44
Headed out at 6 in the morning. After a 7 mile hike to camp, hope to be glassing by mid afternoon.
Good luck to all the muzzleloaders.

Irving
09-07-2018, 00:27
Had to read your post a few times. I was wondering how you had cell service when you were seven miles in.

I don't understand how you can pack all of your gear in that far, then also pack an animal back out.

Speaking of packing out, what do you do with evidence of sex while packing out? You aren't able to carry everything at once, so is there a priority to how you handle evidence of sex? Do you pack that first, last, does it matter?

jslo
09-07-2018, 05:47
There are 3 of us, and because of where we are, we aren't greedy. We take one cow and split it. One trip out with the meat and one back to get camp.

Irving
09-07-2018, 06:56
Makes a lot more sense. Especially since you probably have good sized frame packs, and not the little 3-day pack I hunt out of.

GilpinGuy
09-07-2018, 07:52
First day for me will be tomorrow AM after work. I've seen a herd hanging around the general area I'm going to for muzzleloader - saw 30 or so an hour ago. I'm heading into National Forest off of my buds property whose seen a bunch lately too. Hopefully they won't be 10 miles away tomorrow morning. LOL

Hummer
09-08-2018, 08:49
While scouting moose areas yesterday I talked with a number of archery and muzzleloader elk hunters. The archery hunters had gotten within 65 yards of elk but hadn't connected. There are a lot of camps set up in 20/29. I'm making contact with fellow hunters in hope of getting tips on bull moose. (Just call, text, PM or e-mail!) It worked for an old friend who took a big bull moose in area 29 last year.

A friend told me he had a herd of 50 elk move through his property Sunday. On Monday, a bull elk was seen in my yard, which is rare. It's so warm it doesn't seem like elk season--but I hunt late October. But the weather is changing and elk are on the move. Good luck everyone!

SamuraiCO
09-08-2018, 09:57
Best of luck to everyone.

Irving
09-08-2018, 16:36
Only a few deer this morning.

whitewalrus
09-08-2018, 18:50
Good luck to everyone getting out. I got lucky and got a doe first day of archery season.

Hummer
09-10-2018, 19:38
Good luck to everyone getting out. I got lucky and got a doe first day of archery season.

Any big game with bow and arrow is a fine accomplishment. Congratulations! Excellent steaks there!

While scouting for moose today I met an archery hunter from Ned looking for a cow moose. His season started two days ago. He'd seen bulls but no cows. We met a Sheriff's officer who said he'd seen two cow moose off Magnolia, so the archer headed that direction. While exploring I came upon a cow moose at 60 yards and save the coordinates for the fellow hunter. A while ago I called him and he was already butchering his cow moose.

I met a muzzleloader buck hunter from OK and pointed him to where I'd seen two nice bucks earlier. He'll probably go there in the morning. I didn't see a bull today but both he and the cow moose hunter showed me where they'd seen bull moose. I like meeting other hunters in the field and while there's an element of competition, particularly when you're hunting the same game, I figure we're all in this together.

Yesterday, Mrs. Hummer and I scouted another mountain canyon and drove by a house. The resident had a big sign on their truck that said, "It's not food, it's violence". This is the mindset that should keep hunters (and shooters) working for one another.

whitewalrus
09-10-2018, 21:44
Any big game with bow and arrow is a fine accomplishment. Congratulations! Excellent steaks there!

While scouting for moose today I met an archery hunter from Ned looking for a cow moose. His season started two days ago. He'd seen bulls but no cows. We met a Sheriff's officer who said he'd seen two cow moose off Magnolia, so the archer headed that direction. While exploring I came upon a cow moose at 60 yards and save the coordinates for the fellow hunter. A while ago I called him and he was already butchering his cow moose.

I met a muzzleloader buck hunter from OK and pointed him to where I'd seen two nice bucks earlier. He'll probably go there in the morning. I didn't see a bull today but both he and the cow moose hunter showed me where they'd seen bull moose. I like meeting other hunters in the field and while there's an element of competition, particularly when you're hunting the same game, I figure we're all in this together.

Yesterday, Mrs. Hummer and I scouted another mountain canyon and drove by a house. The resident had a big sign on their truck that said, "It's not food, it's violence". This is the mindset that should keep hunters (and shooters) working for one another.

Great job on sharing of the information with the other hunters. Always have enjoyed talking with other hunters in the area who are open to talking about things they are seeing. Good luck on the moose hunt, I am sure its been years in the waiting for it.

Sadly, a lot of non-hunters think that way. If they only knew that the violent part is such a minuscule amount of the time spent in the woods. I doubt it will change most minds, but I have ran into some that when talking to them at first they seemed like it was shooting fish in a barrel as they only know of animals in the city parks. They left with a different understanding of how different the real wild animals are.

hunterhawk
09-11-2018, 02:36
On a side note anyone hearing any bugles? Everyone i have talked to has said they havent heard much and it has been warm. I have yet been able to get out. I know every area is different and every day is different. I'm just curious. If I can't get out this weekend i want to shoot for next week.

CS1983
09-11-2018, 10:18
They've been bugling where my buddy and I have been going. But it's not consistent. Also, generally only mid/late afternoon and somewhat into evening. Nothing in the morning.

zimagold
09-11-2018, 20:36
I was up along the divide in 38 this weekend on a training hike with my daughter. Ran into a small group of Elk above 11,000ft. Haven't heard any bugles this year. Looking forward to October.

GilpinGuy
09-13-2018, 00:17
I was up along the divide in 38 this weekend on a training hike with my daughter. Ran into a small group of Elk above 11,000ft. Haven't heard any bugles this year. Looking forward to October.

I hunted in 38 up near the divide myself the last few days. I heard some bugling on Tuesday morning, that's it. He was moving and sounded off 3 or 4 times between 9 and 10 AM. I thought it was my buddies that were a few hundred yards away, but they heard the same as me and we saw nobody else up there. That's it. My buds have been up there since Saturday morning and have seen nothing but a few deer. I saw a doe - got a buck tag of course.

Kind of a funny story. Apparently, someone shot a bull moose up there. Someone called the Ranger because they thought the bull was poached since the head was gone and it looked like the the body was intact. The Ranger inspected the carcass and the hunter had just laid the hide over the gut pile for some reason. He said it was cleaned very well and nothing was wasted. Yay.

hunterhawk
09-13-2018, 05:10
Thats a happy story and funny. I think im going to head to AZ to help my buddy fill his tag instead and if not ill have more fun than if i went hunting by myself..especially if i get one down haha

Hummer
09-13-2018, 15:45
This morning I explored a drainage that I'd found on Monday to be full of fine moose habitat. It was extensive willow and shrubby cinquefoil with patches of aspen surrounding. I climbed the canyon to timberline and saw plenty of deer, elk and moose sign. Pungent, fragrant elk.
On the way back I busted a young bull moose from his bed in the willows at about 20 feet. Told him I wasn't there for him but he followed me down the hill for a couple hundred yards.

Check out his spike antlers, about 11" on his right and 8" on his left side. He's just a little fellow, about the size of a big bull elk.


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Irving
09-14-2018, 07:47
Coming back with four unfilled tags is humbling.

sniper7
09-14-2018, 08:29
Yeah but that makes for a good serving of tag soup!
I’ve got dozens of tag soup in the freezer!

kawiracer14
09-14-2018, 11:19
I was up near Snowmass and Capitol this weekend and Wednesday Thursday. Saw a small buck near Geneva Lake by Snowmass but nothing good sized.

Wednesday hiking into Capitol Lake I saw two doe that were decent sized. Talked to some hunters and they said they saw a large Bull but it was on private property right on the boundary with Forrest land.

Irving
09-14-2018, 13:10
The trip wasn't a total loss. I got to watch a 6 point bull close up, saw a few bucks, and even saw a heard of elk the second day in, but alas, I was already behind them. It was HOT this year and I heard exactly one bugle, from at least a mile away. Next year the season starts on the 14th and I expect to hear more rut activity. Going to start putting in for bulls though, so I likely won't have a tag for a while.

Others in my party downed some small bucks, so I still got to hone my field dress skills, and even started teaching myself to quarter to make it easier to carry stuff out. I field dressed without the people who taught me how being there and made it through just fine, so that is a plus.

Hummer
09-15-2018, 08:18
From what I could tell around the area I was scouting, elk were bedding among the clumps of trees around timberline in the tundra-forest interface at 10-11,000 feet. Probably feeding at night, first light and last light in the surrounding meadows and tundra. As long as the warm weather holds this is where I'd be hunting elk and bucks.

A friend called to give me a line on a big bull moose that's in just this kind of country. If only I could find him in two weeks.


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Hummer
09-17-2018, 21:56
Today I drove in the Coney Flats Road to scout moose country. I climbed the Buchannan Pass Trail calling every 50 yards or so. At the junction to Red Deer Lake, I looked down into some willow parks from 10400' and heard a faint bull moose grunt. I called again and he answered. He responded every few seconds, then repeatedly as he climbed from the basin below in my direction. If I hadn't called I would never have known he was there, but soon I caught a glimpse of a big bodied bull with some very nice antlers. In five minutes he sauntered up the hill that would have taken me twenty minutes to hike. I dug the camera out of my pack and took some hurried snapshots until he was within 40 yards. I would like to have gotten some better photos but I didn't want to be too close to an aggressive, horny bull moose so I hustled down the mountain and into another drainage.

How cool, I called in a bull moose! It's the most fun day I've had in a while.


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jslo
09-17-2018, 22:15
That's a nice bull!

Hummer
09-17-2018, 22:48
I think so too, a beautiful Shiras, maybe a 46" spread but need a better frontal photo. I'll keep looking for something bigger but would be happy to find him about day 10 of the 14 day hunt.

I met a few bow hunters today but none have seen elk and only one reported hearing a bugle. I found some inactive wallows but didn't see any recent sign up there either. I did spot two cow elk on private ground this evening about a mile from our cabin.

I need a jeep, or an ATV/Mule. These back roads are rough on old Tundras.

sniper7
09-18-2018, 08:14
Good looking bull Hummer!

Hummer
10-01-2018, 22:39
Today was the CO moose rifle opener. This morning I found a decent bull at first light but decided to pass on him for something bigger. He had nice points and tines but not great spread. A young woman came in to kill a cow he was with. I moved on up the drainage a couple miles and called in a bull. Turns out it was the same one. This fellow was grunting and thrashing antlers in the vegetation as he came toward me. I stopped calling and he circled around me to get a better view and scent. I moved into some trees to get something between us, but it was scant protection. When a bull moose comes in to a call he's raring to fight. There's an element of dangerous game hunting with bull moose. Very exciting and a little scary.

Here's a couple pics from this morning. Any guesstimates on his spread? Would you have taken him?


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def90
10-01-2018, 22:43
Great pics! you’ve been doing the scouting so passing him up just means you know there is something better out there. His rack is pretty narrow and vertical as far as moose I’ve seen in the wild.

sniper7
10-02-2018, 00:06
Great pics, definite pass this early given what we know. Last couple days of the season might be a different situation as you don’t want to go home empty handed but still plenty of time left.

hunterhawk
10-02-2018, 13:54
Thats awesome! Good luck!!

Hummer
10-02-2018, 14:09
Thanks, fellas. This morning I went to a different location and at first light as I got out of the truck, a cow, calf and bull walked right by about 25 ft. away. I grunted back and forth with the bull. He was about the same size, maybe smaller than the one yesterday.

I hunted the wetlands around a big lake and as I returned I met the only other rifle moose hunter in areas 20/29. There were four bull tags issued in the two units, one muzzleloader hunter killed a bull, and Sniper7's friend took a great bull with a bow.

Hummer
10-03-2018, 19:09
Today I came across two bull moose. The first as I was driving the Peak-to-Peak to Caribou. Nice bull but I didn't get a frontal view of the spread. It was still dark and he moved onto private land so I had to let him go. Then when I got home and began unloading the truck, a bull walked by me at 15 feet. As he walked up the driveway I grunted and he turned around. When I gave a cow whine he walked toward me. What great animals! He'll be a shooter around day ten of the season, and I won't have to pack him very far.


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Irving
10-03-2018, 19:34
I'd have shot any moose pictured so far, but I've never even seen one in person, so I'm not a great judge of what a big one would even look like.

Hummer
10-03-2018, 20:45
You can get an up close and personal experience if you come up to pack one out with me. :)

Irving
10-03-2018, 20:53
Well, keep updating us.

hunterhawk
10-03-2018, 21:01
Since Colorado is a one and done on bulls i get your restraint... but man that would be tough! How many points did you have? Just wondering i have been putting in for PP for years.. not even sure how many points I have but i really want to get one with my bow

Hummer
10-03-2018, 21:41
I drew after 19 years. An old friend drew last year after 32 years. A CPW officer I know drew this year at 12 years, and the other rifle hunter here drew at 5 years. The woman who took the cow Monday drew her second cow license at 5 years (not sure how that happened). But as I understand, once you get three points you can get lucky and hit the lotto. Next year I'll begin applying for cow moose as first choice.

My restraint is guided by my quest to find the best bull that I can given my limitations, my confidence in perseverance, and the fact that the new 21 cu. ft. freezer I ordered won't arrive until Friday. Last week I bought an almost new refrigerator off Craigslist for $200, specifically to keep the meat cold until I get it all butchered.

Elk season begins six days after moose season ends. :rolleyes:

hunterhawk
10-03-2018, 21:55
Thanks for that.. that woman needs to buy lotto tickets.. I guess I'll start putting in to draw.. My biggest fear is drawing and not finding them. Only seen one moose and it was a real good bull while elk hunting near Kremmling

Hummer
10-03-2018, 22:29
You should put in for the draw. The hunt is fun, for magnificent animals in beautiful country. With the new rules it won't cost much up front. When I started the state took your money and held onto it for 4-5 months. I couldn't afford to draw for sheep or goat, too, but now wish I had.

Of course hunting takes serious effort but moose hunting isn't as hard as elk hunting, and if you draw I'll help you find moose.

hunterhawk
10-04-2018, 09:25
Deal, im going to start putting in for moose.. yeah i hear ya i couldnt put in for sheep, goat, and moose amongst my other tags so i chose moose..because everyone needs a moose mount to complete a cabin.. except i don't have a cabin haha.

And yes I was amazed at how big moose were when I had the big bull run by my camp at 40 yards. Made elk look small!

Hummer
10-06-2018, 20:02
Short version of long story, On Thursday I drove the Coney Flats road in my Tundra (WHOA!), camped at the creek crossing and hunted up to Coney Lake. Heard a cow moose whine but a big bull emerged and came at me at 20 feet. I didn't want to take him there, too high, steep and deadfall, so I scrambled into some trees and readied the rifle in defense and shouted no, go away! He grunted and walked by. I continued up the trail 20 yards to find a cow and calf moose looking at me. So both cows and bulls give the whine calls. On Friday and Saturday I climbed up the mountain to call and lure him to a place where I could get him out with pack horses but didn't see him again. Did see a cow and calf and later a spike bull on Friday. Sleet, rain and snow. Got soaked a couple times and dried out.

This morning in the thick fog at first light I watched another cow and two calves with a spike bull near my camp. Watched them for 2 hours hoping a bigger bull would show. No big bull today but the scenery and moose watching was just magical. I saw 14 moose in three days in the most beautiful high Colorado country.


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Irving
10-06-2018, 20:50
How close to the end of the season are you getting? Let us know if you get something down and need help. I may be able to peel away and help you.

hunterhawk
10-06-2018, 20:52
Nice picture! Sucks he would have been so hard to get out... that is definitely a factor. HOWEVER you get a big bull down im sure you would have people willing to help right? I would volunteer but pulled my hamstring and my deer season has started! But surely some people would help! Either way love seeing the updates! Good luck

def90
10-06-2018, 20:58
Bummer, should have took him and put a call out here for some pack out help. It's a mind fuck when you are by yourself. Well, he should still be in the area. :) Good luck! Next time take the shot and figure it out later. ;)

Irving
10-06-2018, 20:59
Agreed. ^

sniper7
10-07-2018, 08:55
Cool encounter! Drop one this week I’m around to help out

cableguy11
10-08-2018, 20:06
Who is heading out this weekend? Headed out to Walden Friday morning. Daughter got a cow tag and she is primed and ready to hunt!!

zimagold
10-08-2018, 21:13
Headed out Thursday night or Friday morning to Kremmling. Quite eager as I put a lot more prep into this year.

Hummer
10-08-2018, 21:13
Saw this bull a half mile in from the truck, then tracked him for hours all the way up on the Pawnee Pass trail.


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Irving
10-08-2018, 21:28
So do you need help getting him out?

And Congratulations!

def90
10-08-2018, 21:46
Saw this bull a half mile in from the truck, then tracked him for hours all the way up on the Pawnee Pass trail.


Awesome! Great job! Now the hard work begins.

Did you get him in front of a bunch of hikers? Will we be reading about it in the Daily Camera tomorrow? :D

Hummer
10-08-2018, 21:53
Ha Ha! I'd need an army. It's too far and he's way too big and heavy for backpacking, so I'm hiring an outfitter with horses for later in the day. But I could use help tomorrow morning prepping him for the packout. Above Brainard from the Long Lake trailhead it's 1.7 miles in on a fairly easy trail. I promise an adventure for anyone who wants the experience. PM me if you're interested. I'll be out of internet and cell phone service after about 9 a.m.

Irving
10-08-2018, 22:00
What time do you plan on being at the trail head? Sending a pm.

Hummer
10-08-2018, 22:03
Awesome! Great job! Now the hard work begins.

Did you get him in front of a bunch of hikers? Will we be reading about it in the Daily Camera tomorrow? :D

Ha! There were plenty of hikers at Lake Isabelle where we were watching him with a cow and calf. And they knew what I was doing there. I'm not bashful about educating the public. We watched the bull swim across the lake and move up the mountain with the cow & calf. I lost then re found them in a back cirque meadow at 10944 ft. Spent half an hour watching before deciding to take him. Two shots at 42 yards offhand, 7mm-08, 120 grain Barnes Vor-Tex. He took three steps and fell.

CS1983
10-08-2018, 22:44
He must have sure been tame to let you take a pic while he was relaxing for an afternoon nap. :D

I hear copper supplements have a taming effect on wild animals.

Oh, and congrats!

Hummer
10-08-2018, 23:37
What time do you plan on being at the trail head? Sending a pm.


Irving, thanks for volunteering to help! I'll see you (and anyone else) at the Long Lake trailhead 9:00-9:30 tomorrow. Who knows, maybe we'll call in another bull moose.



Here's a photo this morning from where I first saw the bull by the SW corner of the lake, then tracked him way up the drainage and up to Lake Isabelle, then up Pawnee Pass. I tracked him up the valley left of the far mountain in the center, over a saddle behind it, and up into the clouds to the right.

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Watched him swim across the lake. Too cold for me. He got out slow and stiff legged too.

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Hummer
10-09-2018, 00:07
He must have sure been tame to let you take a pic while he was relaxing for an afternoon nap. :D

I hear copper supplements have a taming effect on wild animals.

Oh, and congrats!


The bull was lying down and napping when I shot him. Not an ideal shot forward of the shoulder and quartering back as it was a potential one lung shot. But I expected him to stand and offer a perfect double lung broadside second shot behind the shoulder. Happened just like that. The second round really wasn't necessary as the first took out the aorta.

The cow and calf were laid down by the bull and the suppressor made the shot so soft they didn't even get up. I had to throw rocks at them to get them to leave. It's my first time using a suppressor for hunting. Did I need to carry an extra pound on the end of the rifle? Not so much for moose where I could take time for ear plugs, but for snap shooting elk in the timber, absolutely!

It also was my first time using Barnes Vor-Tex lead free ammo. It's a copper slug with a plastic expansion driver tip. I was concerned about the effectiveness of the 120 grain bullet, but no longer. I will use it for elk in a couple weeks.

hunterhawk
10-09-2018, 01:39
Thats awesome! Figured you would be getting one down! Persistence paid off! Congratulations on a beautiful bull!

sniper7
10-09-2018, 10:04
Congrats that is an awesome bull!
Just left you a voicemail and a PM

ChickNorris
10-09-2018, 10:26
Oh wow. Congratulations indeed. : )

SamuraiCO
10-09-2018, 10:59
Very nice and cool to see the moose population really do well in Colorado

whitewalrus
10-09-2018, 14:20
Congrats on the bull moose. That’s a real nice one!

GilpinGuy
10-09-2018, 17:45
Awesome job Hummer! [Beer]

Irving
10-09-2018, 20:18
I had a lot of fun today, thanks for the experience!

ChickNorris
10-09-2018, 20:24
I had a lot of fun today, thanks for the experience!

But... but that's it? I was looking forward to hearing more.

cableguy11
10-09-2018, 20:36
Congratulations, that is awesome.

Irving
10-09-2018, 20:42
Not my story.

Irving
10-09-2018, 21:02
Okay, here was my favorite part. Walking up the trail on the way, we crossed paths with some hikers coming down with a couple of dogs.

HikerMan: Can I ask what's in your pocket that has the dog so excited?
Hummer: Oh.....well I smell like blood.
HikerMan: ...
Hummer: I killed a bull moose up there yesterday.
HikerGirl: What are you going to do with it?
Hummer: Spend the next two years eating it.
HikerGirl: Oh okay. Sorry, I don't know anything about hunting.

def90
10-09-2018, 21:36
^ good for you for helping out!

Irving
10-09-2018, 21:42
I appreciate any new experience and knowledge I can get. And I especially appreciate Hummer for letting me in on his special hunt. Thank you again.

Frac
10-10-2018, 06:10
Congrats, hummer! Way to get it done! I’m still collecting points while I figure out how to hunt Elk. With that in mind, I’m really impressed with your hunt and story.

TRnCO
10-10-2018, 07:19
Congrats on a fantastic Colo. moose. A whole lot of good eatin' there.

Think I now have my 3 +11 or 12 pps and with the change in application cost, figure it'll be like winning the lottery in about two more seasons, to even draw a tag.

Hummer
10-10-2018, 12:48
Yesterday, Irving and I met at the trailhead and had a leisurely walk into some beautiful country. It was great to get acquainted and to share some of what we know about other members of the forum. I have to say that I like Stu even better than Irving. ;) What a nice guy!

On the way in we studied animal tracks and talked about our hunting and shooting experiences. It was such an enjoyable time. When we arrived at the site we still had a lot of work to do. I had eviscerated and skinned most of the carcass, removed legs from the top side but was stuck because the animal was just too heavy for me to turn over alone. You can't imagine how much bigger moose are than bull elk until you're faced with one on the ground. But one step at a time we broke it down and bagged it up ready for packout. I had arranged to have an outfitter come in to transport the meat out. More on that in the next post but I must say that Irving was an absolute champion and a godsend. I couldn't have done it all without his help. I will always be grateful for his generosity and service.

My only regret is that I wasn't able to find a live moose for Irving as he had never seen one. We did try. But his first was on the ground where he got to observe from a very different perspective.

I also want to thank Sniper7 who offered help. He was on a Pronghorn hunt at the time otherwise he would have been there with us.



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Hummer
10-10-2018, 12:56
We didn’t expect the outfitter to arrive until the following day but he made it to the trailhead just after noon. This morning I learned that the outfitter went to the trailhead with horses and was turned away because apparently that trail is closed to livestock. If I had known this I wouldn't have hunted there. I have lumbar issues and can't carry much weight on my back. So now I’m faced with trying to muster some help for a packout tomorrow. I want to get all of the meat and the head out of there.

We’re up against a time constraint because the gate concessionaire supposedly plans to close the access gate to Brainard earlier than previously scheduled. We need to get everything out by Friday.

I’m planning a packout party for tomorrow, Thursday Oct. 10, to begin at 9 a.m. at the Long Lake trailhead. Seven or eight guys can do it in one trip, two miles in, two miles out. The outfitter’s guide is arranging a few young men to help and I might pull in some others. One fellow can’t go in until noon but that’s okay, we just need bodies, even Friday if necessary.

So here’s a chance for a cool mountain adventure, and a conditioning hike for those planning to hunt later this fall. If you’d like to talk about what you need to bring, I’m at 970-250-6161.


Location:

The Brainard Lake area begins on Highway 72 at the town of Ward. Go around Brainard Lake to the Long Lake parking lot.

The GPS location for the bull is N40 04.359' W105 36.755' at 10,949 ft.

From the Long Lake parking lot it is 1.57 miles straight line distance, and the track is ~2.3 miles by trail. It is north and slightly east of the east end of Lake Isabelle about 1/8 mile, in a cirque/meadow east of the Pawnee Pass trail 907.

As you go up the trail heading for Lake Isabelle (and before you get to the lake) there will be a couple switchbacks. There is orange and blue flagging tape in a tree on the right, and up the draw all the way to the animal (about 300 yards). Go up, veer right, then left.

Along the trail for a mile or more are painted stakes with numbers progressing up the trail. At stake #41 is the flagging tape marking the off-trail route.




https://www.ar-15.co/attachment.php?attachmentid=76347&d=1539198034

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def90
10-10-2018, 16:58
I’ve got appointments scheduled for tomorrow but if you still need help Friday I can be there. I’ve got a load carrying pack and gear so..

Irving
10-10-2018, 17:02
Let's help Hummer out if we can. I've been called out of town so I'm unfortunately unavailable.

Hummer
10-10-2018, 18:39
Thanks fellows, I know most people actually have jobs. :D

Def90, thanks for the offer. I'll let you know if it continues into Friday. It will be a miracle if....

ChickNorris
10-11-2018, 07:54
Hummer! I should have called last night but I had to sort something this morning first. I did just leave a message. Missed the 9am window, but could meet up with whomever @ noon or can do tomorrow.

Since I havent spoken with Hummer, if anyone has an idea as to the specifics of what the 'need to bring' list is, I'd like to know it. Then I might be able to arrange what I will need to actually be of some use.

Irving
10-11-2018, 09:18
I believe at this point it's just help being a laborer. The animal has been quartered and everything put into game bags. The challenge now is the carry them down off the mountain. The challenge being that each bag is stuffed with 60-80lbs of meat. Besides whatever cold weather clothing you need to keep you comfortable, you'd want to bring a backpack that you can either fill, or strap stuff onto. If you bring plastic trash bags, you can put the game bag inside the trash bag so you aren't filling your backpack with blood. At this point everything is going to be pretty well frozen though. My suggestion of bringing additional game bags was because a few of the bags hold only meat, with no bones, so it'd be easy to put some into a new bag so it can more easily fit into a backpack/be carried. We were expecting horses, so we stuffed everything full.

ChickNorris
10-11-2018, 10:46
Here's my thoughts since this IS infact my first rodeo.

These may seem like silly points of concern for those who 'do' but I'm not familiar with the area & have no idea of the schedule or specific route the other folks are taking right NOW because plans sometimes change. Sure, I could march up the hill unaccompanied (have gps) to the coordinates & miss everyone on the way... or just wait at a trailhead for dunno how long to find there were plenty of folk @ 9 & it's been sorted. You also only made mention someone was coming at noon & that's not enough for me to count on.

Apologies, again my first rodeo. Good intentions I have though a bit late out of the gate. If you need assistance tomorrow Hummer, I'm your girl & you have my #.

def90
10-13-2018, 07:40
I’m assuming you got everything out on Thursday?

ChickNorris
10-13-2018, 08:10
I heard yes & believe Hummer was planning to post about it soon. : )

Hummer
10-14-2018, 19:38
We did get the moose out in one trip with 3 sleds and 7 people. It was a miracle. Definitely an adventure to remember. The women led with the first meat sled and kicked our butts all the way down the mountain.

Since getting home we've had to concentrate on cutting and packaging the deboned meat which we just finished. Tomorrow the legs. Bull moose are considerably larger than bull elk and have a lot more neck and shoulder meat. Will post pics and more of the story when the power and computer come on.

brutal
11-04-2018, 18:36
Congrats Hummer, and glad you got it out despite the obstacles.

Sorry I missed the play by play.

Hummer
10-01-2019, 12:21
Bullwinkle is home from the taxidermist! He's a beauty and the new elephant in the room. I had him mounted in a "sneak right" pose so it would fit in the space on the wall. The antlers were scored by an official Boone & Crockett scorer. The Shiras bull would have make the B&C trophy book if it hadn't been for two broken tines.



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As a followup, here's a couple pics of the super folks who helped me pack the moose out on sleds a year ago. And, thanks again to Irving for helping me prep Bullwinkle for packout.

On Sunday, I hiked to the site off Pawnee Pass above Isabelle where the animal was taken. The spine was intact, almost 6' long, and the rib bones were well chewed on and the location of the gut pile was barren of vegetation where it had been scraped clean by scavengers. I routinely revisit kill sites to see what nature has left.



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Irving
10-01-2019, 12:37
Excellent!

whitewalrus
10-01-2019, 18:49
That?s a really nice spot to have shot a moose. Experience of a lifetime.

Mount looks great as well.

Frac
10-01-2019, 18:52
Nice! I love the spine picture.


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