Well, after applying every year since 1972 at the age of 12 I finally drew a moose tag in a good area. My wife Niki and I went moose hunting on Monday night for the season opener in Montana. It opened Tuesday morning in this particular area. Had a few good bulls spotted earlier but saw nothing Monday evening of any quality.

We arose to a beautiful crisp morning yesterday and headed out to the hunting area. It's was just getting light and we were still a few miles from where I planned to hunt. I saw something dark a couple hundrud yards from the county road and stopped to glass. To our suprise it was a good bull moose. It was right on the boundry of the legal hunting area and I couldn't tell if it was in or out as a meandering creek is the boundry. I was grabbing my rifle,searhing for shells,out the door and over the fence and stalking in pure excitment. I mean I was pumped!
When I got within a hundrud yards I had a good look at him and knew he was a keeper. Problem was he was on the other side of the creek!

I had a few options. Back out and do a direct approach on him from the north and hope he crossed the creek and stood still. To iffy I decided so I needed to get him to come to me.
I could either cow call him or do a bull grunt and challenge him. I opted for the latter but it was a bit risky as I was only 10 yards from the creek so if he came and crossed in front of me he would be a bit close. I directed the grunts in the direction I wanted him to come and before I got out the 4th call he was walking fast, grunting and looking to kick some ass. Luckily,
he went right where I wanted him to go and as he approached the creek my excitment level was reaching extremes!!! He crossed the creek about 25 yards away and when he came up on the legal side I let him walk about 10 yards and grunted lightly. He stopped and I let him have it in the chest. Hit him hard but he hardly reacted other than running straight toward the road. I was grabbing brass and shooting when I could get a shot thru the brush but he didn't go more than 75 yards and tipped over. First shot took him thru the heart.

The adrenaline was flowing hard to the point that I felt like it was my first animal. It's so good to still feel this after so many hunts. Yippee!

I looked up and the road was only 100 yards away!
Niki came flying down the road to greet me as she got to watch and hear it all. Took some pics and as I was videoing 6 trumpeter swans flew right over our heads with the beatifuls mtns in the background.

Started butchering and had every piece in the pickup bed by eleven a.m. Niki packed half of it for me! How fortunute I am to have a moose packing wife!! I'll post a picure soon.
Now it's time to take the kids antelope hunting! Fall is the best time of year. Get out there and go guys and gals!!!!!

[ 10-16-2002, 21:55: Message edited by: Keith Atcheson ]

That is GREAT!
Congratulations and I can't wait for the pictures. Try to capture a still off the video of the swans as well!

Congradulations Keith!! I also started applying for a Moose in 1972 at the age of 12. I drew my permit in 1980. My hunt was a little longer though, I hunted 3 days a week from when the season opened until I found the right bull the second week of November. It sure is a great feeling when you finally get your moose after waiting soooo long to get the permit. I am still waiting for a sheep and goat permit. One of these days I will draw one!!!!

Good hunting
Russ

Keith,

Sounds about like my moose hunt this year but I had to camp out 1 night before I could hunt.

Congrats on the moose and to your kid for the sheep. Your having quite a season so far.

Ditto on your comments about mounting everything you shoot. Hunt more/Mount less. Don't let Big Tom know I said that.

Regards,

Mark