# My first moose three years ago



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Hope this works...been trying again to load up photos. YD has been nice enough help out and it seems they just evaporate ??

Here is my moose from 2007.


----------



## Tommy (Jan 21, 2010)

wow, nice bull! DIY?


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

DIY ?? not sure what that means...


----------



## Tommy (Jan 21, 2010)

Do It Yourself...sorry.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeah, sort of...... a friend took me and my hunting buddy up a river. We saw a number of moose maybe 14 most were cows and a few calves. This was the only leagal moose I saw, a 50". Saw only a fork besides. Heard a couple others but no sightings.

This year we are totally doing it on our own. Rafting a river that we put in off one bridge and float to another 89 miles later.


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Allright !! you got them to load up, nice moose. I wish you would load the pics of the beavers again so I could interject my humor.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

On a call said:


> Yeah, sort of...... a friend took me and my hunting buddy up a river. We saw a number of moose maybe 14 most were cows and a few calves. This was the only leagal moose I saw, a 50". Saw only a fork besides. Heard a couple others but no sightings.
> 
> This year we are totally doing it on our own. Rafting a river that we put in off one bridge and float to another 89 miles later.


 How big a river are you going on? 89 miles, it would take me 3 wks. to Float down her, fishing etc. did you get the bull on the river bank, whats the min. size!! don't know the terrain the river runs through but if theres any small lakes feeding the river thats where you want to concentrate on, I know to many questions.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Allright !! you got them to load up, nice moose. I wish you would load the pics of the beavers again so I could interject my humor.


 No I think we'll stay away from the beaver fever Pic's. !!!!!!!!!!


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Ok...I want to answer some questions. Especially if it is going to help us out on this up coming trip. The river is a larger river with lots of delta's or islands if you want to call them that. It is not a big deep river it is shallower but swift. It is fed off of several glaciers and a good size water shed. The water is sooo silty (in this drainage ) that you cannot see a fraction of an inch through it. But you leave a bucket of water sit over night and it is clear the next day treat or boil and drink. I am not certain how fast it flows but it is a faster river.

This moose was shot 290 yards away I was on the bank of the river and he with a cow was up a slew ( sp ? ). After he was hit he went into the brush another 50 yards and dropped there. Before shooting this moose if I had shot a deer 300 yards away....no biggy...NOT. It is biggy ! it is work getting a moose out even at only 300 yards. I would rather drop him at the bank for sure...with that said...I would however shoot a moose deeper...it is worth the work. We quarted it and had a steel pipe we tied and carried the meat on the pipe to the boat.

This year we are taking pillow cases....thinking of boning it and pack it out to the raft.

There are a few small lakes if you want to look at a map....find Delta Juction and go up river from there...that is where we will be hunting. It is not over run by moose but there are a few. No fishing to speak of in this drainage a few burrbot that is about it....from what I am told.

I thought about down loading satilite photos of the area showing any ponds that the maps may not show...even beaver ponds. But have no idea how to do that


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

On a call said:


> Ok...I want to answer some questions. Especially if it is going to help us out on this up coming trip. The river is a larger river with lots of delta's or islands if you want to call them that. It is not a big deep river it is shallower but swift. It is fed off of several glaciers and a good size water shed. The water is sooo silty (in this drainage ) that you cannot see a fraction of an inch through it. But you leave a bucket of water sit over night and it is clear the next day treat or boil and drink. I am not certain how fast it flows but it is a faster river.
> 
> This moose was shot 290 yards away I was on the bank of the river and he with a cow was up a slew ( sp ? ). After he was hit he went into the brush another 50 yards and dropped there. Before shooting this moose if I had shot a deer 300 yards away....no biggy...NOT. It is biggy ! it is work getting a moose out even at only 300 yards. I would rather drop him at the bank for sure...with that said...I would however shoot a moose deeper...it is worth the work. We quarted it and had a steel pipe we tied and carried the meat on the pipe to the boat.
> 
> ...


 Moose like delta's, especially if there's a creek feeding through it, mornings and evenings are the best times, if theres any side hills along these areas that follow the creek that goes through the delta is where the bulls like to hang out, better yet if theres also a lake that feeds the creek, a fold up stretcher works really well, plus you can also sleep on it to get off the ground, I'd take the ribs before any thing else, 4 hrs. slow cooked over a wood fire on the end of a pole, so so good. Now Burbot for breakfast, Hmmm, find a pool close to where your camping, throw out a set line with 2 or 3 hooks with bait and have fresh fish for breakfast, to clean- stick the burbot on a nail through the head, cut around the head below the gills just through the skin, grab it with pliers and pull down, voilà, fillets. Fry in butter and garlic, in some of the lakes up north is was common to pull 25#'s out.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Wow...sounds like you know your stuff Hassell !!

I am going to try both !!!

We ate the heart the first night but...left the ribs as I remember ?? However...next time will have them too ! How did you cut up your moose ?? We had a chain saw that made it quicker..should I take one again..it just adds to the pile of gear.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

On a call said:


> Wow...sounds like you know your stuff Hassell !!
> 
> I am going to try both !!!
> 
> We ate the heart the first night but...left the ribs as I remember ?? However...next time will have them too ! How did you cut up your moose ?? We had a chain saw that made it quicker..should I take one again..it just adds to the pile of gear.


 Left the ribs, Wow, Oh well, you didn't know, a friend flew into an area up north and I told him to bring out the ribs, said I would even pay any exra for the plane just to have them, he never, boy did I give him a rough time. The chainsaw thing is a real sore spot with me so I won't even go there no matter what, I have a Wyoming take apart saw that comes with a meat and swede saw blades, it wraps around your waist and you don't even know you have it on, think there about 45$ in the states and also have a kershaw knife with a detachable blade, theres a meat saw blade that comes with it. Made up some meat bags with light canvas with a string for the top like they use in pan-yards when your horse hunting, with a 1/4 on the stretcher and two guys its easy to carry, hillside throw a drag rope on a 1/4 and take to stretcher, or break the meat down, pillow cases are two light, if theres any sharp bone it will tear through real fast. The swede saw blade will cut up any wood you will need, usually theres enough lying around.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Well trust me...I love ribs and that sounds sooo good so "no ribs left behind" Will be my moto. Makes you wonder how many have been.

I am going to buy one of the saws you recomended. Please however enlighten me on the reason not to use a chain saw. I never really thought it was a good idea...but it did make quick work. but...there is gas, oil, waste, the sound, the fumes, the waste...and oh yeah the waste. When I talk to others I would like to be able to give good reasons not to.

I like the idea of canvas bags !! I can sew...and sew I will making bags to take...how large should I make them...say laying flat 2'x3' ?

Also...Hassell...even though I have been on the river what gear would you make sure you would take...clothing, gear, safty, etc....

Saw my buddy packing up jeans...I told him...there are better choices...once wet..they take time to dry. Fleece is warm and dries ...so what would be your list ??

Kinda wish you were going with us.

Thank you !!


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

On a call said:


> Well trust me...I love ribs and that sounds sooo good so "no ribs left behind" Will be my moto. Makes you wonder how many have been.
> 
> I am going to buy one of the saws you recomended. Please however enlighten me on the reason not to use a chain saw. I never really thought it was a good idea...but it did make quick work. but...there is gas, oil, waste, the sound, the fumes, the waste...and oh yeah the waste. When I talk to others I would like to be able to give good reasons not to.
> 
> ...


I don't really enjoy the taste of bar oil, gas and bone chips in my meat, I lent one of my hand meat saws to a guy and heard he did the moose process with a chain saw, he gave me some meat for use of the saw and it was so contaminated and stunk so bad when cooked that I had to throw it all out, they were desighned for wood period, I wouldn't even tell anybody that I used one on an animal,thats what knives are for, the size of the bags is about right, never worn jeans hunting yet, Wool is the best for keeping warm and drying, have to go so will finnish up later.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yes,,,I actually did not use the chain saw and was thinking..hmm as he said he was going to...so I am glad you shared. I too had pieces of bone in my meat and some of it was so bad I too had to throw it out...Hated doing that !

Looking forward to hearing more.

Thanks


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'll +1 on hassells wool choice it is heavier than some of the newfangled fabrics out there but it will still keep you warm even when wet. They are pricey but Filsons has a good selection of top quality wool clothing.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Dry and warm....beats cold and wet.

I use wool where ever I can...there is some nice blends out there too. My socks are a wool blend..comfortable and long lasting...still wearing socks from my last trip to AK.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Back for a few minutes, if your going up in Sept. might have a few frosts, the new fangled long johns they have out for skiers, etc. are the best thing for under your your pants, they wick the wet away better than any Stanfield's or other old style brands, my last wool pants I bought were in an army surplus store, I think German or Norwegian army, they were really to heavy for what I was doing, I like the lighter ones, look for army duffle bags out of canvas for meat bags!! save you alot of sewing. You were on the river when last there, camping out so I don't know your living or camping needs, backpacks- do you have or use them, large duffle bags that river rafters use, they float and water proof, as well as matches, could rain for a whole week so have to consider that etc.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

You just gave me some great ideas....duffle bags would work out great. We were thinking of traveling very light...basic small tent, tarps ( the blue plastic type ) good for shelters and what ever you need, canned goods and some fresh foods too, one those single pump up single burner stoves for cooking on...or maybe a pack or sternos, clothes and rain gear, waders...the ones that use the boots you have seperate ( that way you stay dry and they are comfortable and light, Alaskan back pack to pack out meat, ....any other thoughts ?


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Jeez, might as well be going,Ha!! ifs it hot during the day and frosty at night the blow flys will be out so take some pepper to put on the exposed meat, that will keep the flys off so they can't lay eggs, cooking on the fire, have lots of other thoughts but you've been through it once before so I think you have a handle on things.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Pepper huh...never heard of that before...pepper like, black pepper ??

Most likely yes I have a handle...but never rafted and do not need any mess ups or mistakes...like oh..should of , could of, next time I will,

Just looking for your thoughts, your experience is certainly more than mine....if it is a problem please excuse my questions.

Thank you


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Yes Black pepper


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

On a call said:


> Pepper huh...never heard of that before...pepper like, black pepper ??
> 
> Most likely yes I have a handle...but never rafted and do not need any mess ups or mistakes...like oh..should of , could of, next time I will,
> 
> ...


 Not a problem, like YD says black pepper, my first bull elk I shot many moons ago we were on a horse hunt in the Mtns., at night there was 3/8in. of ice in the water bucket, during the day was nice, never seen any flies, shot that bull 8:15 am. and they come out of the wood work, was a rush job to get it cleaned and quartered, luckily there was a creek near by, threw the meat in there which you really shouldn't do cause we Forgot to bring black pepper, don't anyways take some, but if I was going on a trip like you and with the weather the way it can be up there I would hate to lose any of the Ribs!!! Your using a rubber raft, repair kit, first aid kit, what size of raft are you taking, jet motor? solid bottom raft, backup plan.


----------



## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Thank you Hassell. Again..never heard of the pepper thing...so how much do I take ? I am guessing one of those larger tins. And yes...the ribs will be packed and or eaten first along with the burbot surf and turf or is it stream and willow pasture. I am not certain about the bottom of the raft. I am guessing hard bottom. It is a good raft from what I was told. We will have at least one canoe along with us too. As for a motor no, not yet anyhow. There is a section of river that we will have to paddle...getting to the launch. First aid for sure !! with a sewing kit ...we will most likely have cell phone connection off and on....and I have contacted a pilot from the area who runs a taxi.

Sounded like nice elk hunt. Cold enough to chill the meat but at the wrong time of day. Too bad it was not an evening kill. I too had heard not to put meat in a creek. One of my first deer was a bow kill early in the season warm as a get out...I thought I would wash it out in a creek...mistake. I would have been better to wrap it up and cover it. Leasons learned.

I know the raft can hold up to three persons...I will get back with you on the size, type, and floor.

Back up plan....canoes up water sheds into the mountains.


----------

