There's lots of good advice here already, but I'll chime in.
The #1 best place to call is on fresh bull moose sign, if you can find it and recognize it. No question, that's where to call. But even if you find that fresh sign...
#2. The second thing is, pick your calling site strategically.
We have never sought out water when calling. Instead my priority is fresh bull sign #1, then a calling site that gives us the advantage when that bull comes in.
You've got to pick a spot that a moose is going to be comfortable coming to, but at the same time give you the advantages of wind, and your own ability to hear and spot the moose coming in.
Like calling in really thick cover is great as far as the moose is concerned, but if you do that you must either be in a treestand, or have shooting lanes downwind of you.
We always try to utilize an elevation. I want a place where my call is going to carry and I want to be able to hear the response.
Calling in ideal weather. No wind. Cold, clear mornings. I always prefer the morning. You can call from daybreak right up to 11:00, then head to camp.
Return to the same spot in the afternoon, call again until just before dark, head to camp.
Rinse and repeat. It's amazing how calling in the same spot, 2 to 3 days and finally your bull shows up.
We've had many hunts in which a bull called immediately of course, and then they are coming in like a freight train.
With experience you will learn when you hear a bull's grunts is he coming hard? Is he circling to get downwind? Most do, but some bulls will come in so hard they ignore the wind.
The idea of calling in a spot then moving and calling in a different spot I disagree with. The first time you call, the bull hears you, he's already zeroed in on the first sport where he heard your call.
Because many bulls will be coming in silent, so you mess them up by moving.
I have sat in the bush and listened to cow moose calling, seeking a bull. It's interesting as heck to hear.
And then when she gets a bull response guess what? She's heading straight to the bull.
I had an experience like that in Swan Hills country. I had a helluva time keeping up with that cow, as she went cross-country toward the bull. He was grunting and moving toward her too, right.
But the advice given in a previous post, if a bull is coming in wary, and trying to get downwind, if you don't move toward that bull he's going to get suspicious and hang up.
Use a softer more seductive cow call, move toward him and you can pull that bull in.
I pretty much only use cow calls. Like 90%.
But I've seen many very experienced hunters that use nothing but bull grunts and raking.
I like to use an old dry shoulder blade to rake trees.
The idea that "this is the only way to do it..." is hogwash.
You've got to be adaptable.
Sept 18 2022. I called this bull in after finding smoking fresh bull track crossing a side road. A very short hunt...
