Got my moose!
10-01-2004, 04:23 PM
#11
RE: Got my moose!
Well done.
Not being from North America and knowing very little about Moose and Game management of them, there's something I can't get my head around;
Why there is a size restriction? and why are you are encouraged to take a smaller Bull.
Wouldn't it make more sense to let the smaller fella grow out and target the bigger ones.
Or is it a question of "Culling" poorer genetics, reducing population size and reserving the Big Boys for higher payers?
Not being from North America and knowing very little about Moose and Game management of them, there's something I can't get my head around;
Why there is a size restriction? and why are you are encouraged to take a smaller Bull.
Wouldn't it make more sense to let the smaller fella grow out and target the bigger ones.
Or is it a question of "Culling" poorer genetics, reducing population size and reserving the Big Boys for higher payers?
10-01-2004, 05:16 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Bradford, Ontario
Posts: 2,205
RE: Got my moose!
Tim Buma,
There is no size restriction in Ontario for moose. Bull, cows, and even calfs are all on a tag lottery draw. The province in broken down into around 100 game management units and you basically apply for either a bull or cow tag. Most zones allow calfs to be taken automatically when you purchase a license. There is no size restrictions as they are basically managed for quantity not trophy quality. To draw a bull tag is difficult and most people are quite happy to take any moose regardless of antler size. Moose meat is about as good as it gets around here ( we don't have huntable elk so can't compare with them) and is highly prized. A nice big rack is always nice but makes poor eating. The rational behind the encouragement to take calfs is that they do not breed until thier second or sometimes third season but consume as much food as a mature animal who can reproduce up to sometimes 4 moose by the time the calf gets bred. You might think that you are limiting the growth of the herd but in fact this system has greatly increased our herd in Ontario. Calfs are actually not easy to take as the cows are quite reclusive when with calfs. I have been hunting moose for 20 years and have only taken 4 calfs. The meat is pink like veal and you can cut it with a fork. You just plain don't ever give calf meat away!
There is no size restriction in Ontario for moose. Bull, cows, and even calfs are all on a tag lottery draw. The province in broken down into around 100 game management units and you basically apply for either a bull or cow tag. Most zones allow calfs to be taken automatically when you purchase a license. There is no size restrictions as they are basically managed for quantity not trophy quality. To draw a bull tag is difficult and most people are quite happy to take any moose regardless of antler size. Moose meat is about as good as it gets around here ( we don't have huntable elk so can't compare with them) and is highly prized. A nice big rack is always nice but makes poor eating. The rational behind the encouragement to take calfs is that they do not breed until thier second or sometimes third season but consume as much food as a mature animal who can reproduce up to sometimes 4 moose by the time the calf gets bred. You might think that you are limiting the growth of the herd but in fact this system has greatly increased our herd in Ontario. Calfs are actually not easy to take as the cows are quite reclusive when with calfs. I have been hunting moose for 20 years and have only taken 4 calfs. The meat is pink like veal and you can cut it with a fork. You just plain don't ever give calf meat away!
10-02-2004, 02:39 PM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: creemore Ontario Canada
Posts: 5,525
RE: Got my moose!
TerryM! congrat's on the bull glad to hear of your success this season ,I've just gotten back from 21B and yes the weather did not co-operate and the bug's were absolutely horrid this season .Although we never got the opertunity to bag our bull or cow we did have moose in close but they never committed themselves to coming into the open for us to get a shot .We made a couple serious mistakes which as far as I'm concerned is what cost us from bringing our moose home this season .This is the first season in 9 years that we have been skunked ,and we knew sooner or later it would happen .Well I guess we can start over on a new streak next season .The bull's were answering to a certain extent but were not coming in to the call's they would hang up on us ,I'm sure if the weather had co-operated we would have been bringing moose home with us but that's how it goes. Next season I guess .
nubo
nubo
10-02-2004, 03:48 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Bradford, Ontario
Posts: 2,205
RE: Got my moose!
NUBO,
Sorry to hear about your bad luck, been there bought the Tshirt! We found that they were just not moving and coming out at all. I just got lucky and found a stupid young bull! I see you live in Creemore, thats a real nice area. I live in Bradford just south of Barrie. If ya need a moose steak to help heal your wounds let me know maybe I ca help you out!
Sorry to hear about your bad luck, been there bought the Tshirt! We found that they were just not moving and coming out at all. I just got lucky and found a stupid young bull! I see you live in Creemore, thats a real nice area. I live in Bradford just south of Barrie. If ya need a moose steak to help heal your wounds let me know maybe I ca help you out!
10-03-2004, 06:46 PM
#15
RE: Got my moose!
Thanks for the info. I can see where you're comin from. Pop off the young ones and let the older ones breed-up more young ones.
I like the way you guys manage your game. Down this way we have no game management whatsoever, so the accessible hunting areas get well and truley shot out, and the less accessible areas are over populated. Would be nice to balance things up a bit.
We have wild moose here in NZ, but very few of them. Liberate about 100 years ago for the purpose of developing a hunting population. Initially they shot a few, but the last one shot was over 50 years ago, and no recent sightings. We have a guy researching them and he has a network of tracking cams set up in the area where they are. So far only one blurry photo, but plenty of moose sign: browse, droppings, one shed antler and footprints.
It's kind of like the hunt for big foot, however I believe there are a few there. the terrain where they are is very thickly forested, wet and inhospitable and is a huge virtually unexplored corner of the world.
I guess the guy doing the looking has quite a dilemna when he spots one i.e. does he shoot it, to prove his critics wrong? or does he leave it alone to breed up? I guess a good photo would be the ultimate answer.
I like the way you guys manage your game. Down this way we have no game management whatsoever, so the accessible hunting areas get well and truley shot out, and the less accessible areas are over populated. Would be nice to balance things up a bit.
We have wild moose here in NZ, but very few of them. Liberate about 100 years ago for the purpose of developing a hunting population. Initially they shot a few, but the last one shot was over 50 years ago, and no recent sightings. We have a guy researching them and he has a network of tracking cams set up in the area where they are. So far only one blurry photo, but plenty of moose sign: browse, droppings, one shed antler and footprints.
It's kind of like the hunt for big foot, however I believe there are a few there. the terrain where they are is very thickly forested, wet and inhospitable and is a huge virtually unexplored corner of the world.
I guess the guy doing the looking has quite a dilemna when he spots one i.e. does he shoot it, to prove his critics wrong? or does he leave it alone to breed up? I guess a good photo would be the ultimate answer.
10-03-2004, 08:00 PM
#16
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Manitoba,Canada
Posts: 277
RE: Got my moose!
Hey Congrats Terry!
I just got back from my week long hunt on Saturday. We had a tough hunt this year too and came home empty handed. The bugs were brutal for us too. It was the first year that I actually had to wear a head net to keep from going nuts. Not fun. The morning were ok but the evenings were brutal.
The beginning of the week started out great. Monday night my buddy had a bull respond to his cow calls but he held up just on the other side of a creek. Every time he'd get fired up and start heading to the creek a cow would moan back in the willows and he'd head back. Then another bull piped up a few hundred yards to the north and that was it. He went back there to chase him off.
After that we were pretty fired up about our chances. Wednesday morning I had a bull going but he too held up in the timber way down at the other end of a giant slough.
After that the weather tured sour. Rained all night Wednesday and into Thursday. Wind started howling and basically blew hard for the rest of the week. We couldn't even hear our own calls at a few hundred yards let alone a moose. Pretty hard conditions for calling moose.
Oh well, maybe next year.
I'm heading out this weekend to hang my stands for muzzleloader deer season and shoot the gun a bit. That'll help with the post moose season blues. I hope.
I just got back from my week long hunt on Saturday. We had a tough hunt this year too and came home empty handed. The bugs were brutal for us too. It was the first year that I actually had to wear a head net to keep from going nuts. Not fun. The morning were ok but the evenings were brutal.
The beginning of the week started out great. Monday night my buddy had a bull respond to his cow calls but he held up just on the other side of a creek. Every time he'd get fired up and start heading to the creek a cow would moan back in the willows and he'd head back. Then another bull piped up a few hundred yards to the north and that was it. He went back there to chase him off.
After that we were pretty fired up about our chances. Wednesday morning I had a bull going but he too held up in the timber way down at the other end of a giant slough.
After that the weather tured sour. Rained all night Wednesday and into Thursday. Wind started howling and basically blew hard for the rest of the week. We couldn't even hear our own calls at a few hundred yards let alone a moose. Pretty hard conditions for calling moose.
Oh well, maybe next year.
I'm heading out this weekend to hang my stands for muzzleloader deer season and shoot the gun a bit. That'll help with the post moose season blues. I hope.
10-05-2004, 07:49 PM
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: creemore Ontario Canada
Posts: 5,525
RE: Got my moose!
Thank's Terry your a real sport,luckily I never gave all the meat that I had from last season away so I think I'll be o.k. but sure do appreciate it .Sometime your heading for Barrie let me know and maybe we can meet up with you .I like to meet other hunters with the same interest's .
nubo
nubo
