Moose draw in WA: go figure

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Well, after building some points (9) and listening to my cousin lament year in and year out how the draw system is rigged as his 20 points gets him nothing... I decided to line up a Renfro drop hunt Over a year ago for 2021 with me and my brother. Now that it is only a year away, flit only figures that I drew a Washington bull moose tag!

Big question I have for folks out there, is all the research I have done for calling etc, just as applicable for a Shiras moose an Alaskan moose?

All said a dry run on a smaller critter where the soil is actually stable, that is very welcomed! Even more welcomed is tthat my niece, nephew and brother will all join me ... 8 years after we all helped my niece take a youth draw cow moose at age 11.

 

[Vaultman]

congrats to You! A lifetime tag!!!

 

[colersu22]

Congrats on the tag. I know there is always lots of help on the hunt Wa forum for moose hunters depending on what tag you got. We saw a handful when I was hunting a spring bear tag a few years ago over in the huckleberry unit.

 

[Grundy53]

Awesome! Enjoy every minute of it!

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[Tmac]

I’ve called Shiras in WY. Used cow calls to move moose out of brush for a better look. Cows and smaller bulls responded. Were not any mature bulls to test it on when I used the call. We got a mature bull later the first day where no call was needed. So very limited experience, but worked on both try’s in WY where we’d found black blobs in the brush. It was a call I was shown how to make in AK for Moose. So it worked in WY and on the AK peninsula.

 

[northwesthunter]

Congrats on the moose tag!! I drew one too with 19 points. What tag did you get ? I got Kettle Range.. gonna be fun..

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

I’ve called Shiras in WY. Used cow calls to move moose out of brush for a better look. Cows and smaller bulls responded. Were not any mature bulls to test it on when I used the call. We got a mature bull later the first day where no call was needed. So very limited experience, but worked on both try’s in WY where we’d found black blobs in the brush. It was a call I was shown how to make in AK for Moose. So it worked in WY and on the AK peninsula.

Thank you very much for the input. My ears via videos can’t distinguish much of s difference but that is super helpful.

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Congrats on the moose tag!! I drew one too with 19 points. What tag did you get ? I got Kettle Range.. gonna be fun..

Congrats on the kettle tag. I got drawn for hangman. So looking forward to it... and happy I have the crew to help pack it out as it is all gated lands. I will hit up the wa forum after I actually get over to scout. I can’t in good conscience ask for a bunch of input about the unit until i get out there and get a feel for things.

1st get lucky and draw
2nd use search function heavily on forum
3rd hit the bush
4th start seeking clarification on things I couldn’t discern after putting in some effort on my own.

Thank you everyone for the well wishes. Totally stoked.

 

[lonedave]

Congrats on the tag! What unit did you draw? I drew the Kettle Range unit in 2015 with max points ( I'd actually been putting in every year for 38 years though). I watched a bunch of Youtube videos, practiced a bunch, and called a bull in the day before opening day in the same area as I shot mine the next day. I think it was actually larger than mine. It was to say the least, pretty cool!! Scraping works well to. I had a 1 quart plastic oil container with the bottom cut off and a 3/4" dowel in the end for a handle. It sounded pretty good scraping brush and trees.

 

[Michael Pawul]

That is epically cool! Congratulations on the draw, and best of luck to you. Maybe there is some hope out there for the rest of us in the "rigged" draw system!

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

LoneDave. It is for the hangman unit (Gmu 127/130). Thank you for the advice. It will be a blast. Maybe a bit of a hoof but that is all good. Moved Roosevelt elk enough to have an idea of what the upsized Washington ungulate may feel like.

 

[lonedave]

LoneDave. It is for the hangman unit (Gmu 127/130). Thank you for the advice. It will be a blast. Maybe a bit of a hoof but that is all good. Moved Roosevelt elk enough to have an idea of what the upsized Washington ungulate may feel like.

Yep, they are definitely a large undertaking. I was a little over a mile from my truck and solo. Luckily I had plenty of rope and he fell near a dry pond with lots of small trees around. I don't know how many times I heaved on a leg while tying it off so I could make a few cuts before I had to untie and re-tie over and over through the night. I literally couldn't move it or do much processing at all without the ropes. The other item that was a godsend was the Exo 5500 that I bought that year. It really made those 80# - 90# loads doable and there were 7 of them. I also did a gutless process for the first time on him and that worked really well.

 

[AKDoc]

Congratulations on your draw...and you're doing it with family, which is priceless! Have a great time!

I've never hunted Shiras. It will be interesting to hear the comparative descriptions of your adventures and experiences of the two hunts after your AK hunt next year.

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Yep, they are definitely a large undertaking. I was a little over a mile from my truck and solo. Luckily I had plenty of rope and he fell near a dry pond with lots of small trees around. I don't know how many times I heaved on a leg while tying it off so I could make a few cuts before I had to untie and re-tie over and over through the night. I literally couldn't move it or do much processing at all without the ropes. The other item that was a godsend was the Exo 5500 that I bought that year. It really made those 80# - 90# loads doable and there were 7 of them. I also did a gutless process for the first time on him and that worked really well.
View attachment 192080

Nice moose and thank you for the tips. Given the family and 3 kifaru packs between us ... someone will get the short straw If we each do a couple loads hopefully it will be a bit less painful for all of us.

Once again.. nice pic.

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Congratulations on your draw...and you're doing it with family, which is priceless! Have a great time!

I've never hunted Shiras. It will be interesting to hear the comparative descriptions of your adventures and experiences of the two hunts after your AK hunt next year.

AKDoc, thank you and family is the key! I just shot a group text to the family after our mule deer hunt a few years ago. Got all of them fired up and looking to get moose ! Unfortunately, even through my 20s I didn’t appreciate the memories of time spent in the woods with loved ones. Now, I look for the chances to get out with everyone and try to make the most of them.

As for the comparison... if I am lucky on both ends, I am certain the largest difference is going to be the terrain I have to pack the moose through! While never being in the tundra, I would liken it to marshy tidal flats (at least that is what I tell myself) and walking 1-3 miles in that with a moose... NO WAY.

 

[Westside_elkhunter]

Congrats on the moose tag!! I drew one too with 19 points. What tag did you get ? I got Kettle Range.. gonna be fun..

Congratulations on that tag. Been hoping to draw that one

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[ReinsuranceShooter]

Thank you WestSide. I consider myself quite fortunate.

 

[Mxracer532]

I drew 49° N any bull. Super pumped.

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Totally stoked on my end! Congrats to you ! I would have loved to have drawn that one... figured at 11 points though I had no shot so I adjusted my choices

 

[ReinsuranceShooter]

Mx and westside, hope you guys have been enjoying the anticipation- I went out last weekend scouting (2pm -dark Saturday and 7 to 2 Sunday) ... saw 8 moose, 2 were bulls - one was nice. I am getting pumped (and starting to lean on family to help on the pack if needed as I am hunting walk-in areas).