Hunting moose in the rut

gerry

Ammo Smith
Mar 1, 2007
6,636
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I was fortunate to draw a moose tag for the first time since 2006, the season will be from Sept 25 - Oct 19 plus our 3 day season to Oct 22. In this area we have thick bush and low moose densities but it is possible to find them.

Any extra advice on calling them in would be appreciated, I have done it in the past but I really haven't hunted moose much in recent years. I picked up some moose scent sticks, the kind that you light and it sends out a cow moose in estrus scent supposedly. I have talked to people who say it does work.
 
Gerry, make sure you follow the directions for using a bucket to disperse the scent properly; doesn't work otherwise.
Found the Buck Bomb scents to be more effective! Works even better when used in conjunction with a Montana decoy. Very effective, as you are giving him what he expects to see and smell when he comes in! Have stalked across open fields to within bow range using this method.
Use the whiny cow moose call and small bull grunts. This will make a bull think that a smaller bull is pestering a hot cow that he can come in and steal.
Once you have called and get a bull moose coming to you, if alone, move downwind to another spot where you will have a clear broadside shot when he arrives, as he will come in to the exact spot you were calling from, and/or will circle downwind of that spot to try and get the wind of the "moose'" that was calling to him. He will likely hangup in a spot where he thinks that he should be able to see that "moose" he is responding to.
If not alone, have your hunting partner stay behind some brush and keep calling and raking brush to keep the bull focused on that spot, while you move around to get the proper angle. This is a more effective method.
Hope this helps! Best of luck!
 
I've also found the "bull magnet" works really well, just a piece of plastic shaped like a megaphone...you can project your calls much further. You can also rake brush with it.

Sometimes bulls can take forever to come to a call. We called to one on a hillside a couple years ago about a mile away...and he finally showed up two days later.

Our season closes before the rut really gets going, but your dates are the hottest portion. If there's a bull around you should be able to drag him in. I'd also find a bunch of cows and hunt near them. Any group of cows that time of year will have a bull around.
 
No joke, but hat Scotty said above. Best of luck this year! Any idea what rifle we be getting the call this year?
V/R,
Joe
 
How has the hunt gone so far, Gerry. You should be in the midst of rut.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. Only made it out a few times so far with life getting in the way. I plan on spending the day out there this Monday being a day off and Thanksgiving, I have 10 days left now to try to find one.
 
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