[JD848]

In the early 70's 2 guys were allowed one moose tag,no draw .

Went out with a good freind and we arrived at a lake where I had scouted before the season a week before .We split up and I walked towards the lake and all of a sudden a bunch of geese started making a pile of noise and I seen them fly off a mile away .

I thought what spooked those geese so I let out a few calls or what I thought were calls. Within a minute a loud call replied almost like a deep barking noise ,the hair on my head stood straight up.

Gave a very low grunt almost a bawling sound I heard him coming loud and clear maybe 500 yrds away , it was a cold clear morning and the closer he got the harder my heart pounded . The sound of busting branches and fallen wood with his legs were like gun shots.

I hid behind a large up rooted stump and waited, at one point I thought he was right in front of me so I popped my head up ,no moose.

Then 30 yrds to my right he busted a balsam with his horns and I stood up rifle on shoulder and fired . He took of running with at top of that tree in his horns and split. how he got to my right was crazy ,so big yet he was trying to circle me to get down wind ,didn't figure this out for a few more years.

At the age of 16 this was my first large animal I had shot at ,so I was so excited I walked to where I thought he was standing when I shot, no blood.

I went back to where I shot and realized I was off by 20 feet,so I walked up found a blood trail and found my 54 inch bull 75 yards away .All I could do was stand there saying holly molly about 30 times .

Camp where I was working was 15 minutes away ,drove back grabbed a skidder and went and got him. One of many to come for decades ,the bug had entered my brain big time .Best days of my life by far .Nothing beats that rush of hearing them coming in on a call .Still fires me up .

I can remember bringing the meat home to my mother , she cooked everything in town for me so I ate like a King that winter along with my hunting bubby .Roasts,meat pies ,home made beans. With only a radio and the sound of the wood stove crackling at night ,life was great .

Getting hungry writing this.

Cheers
JD