Good friend of mine John Delozier recently went on a Moose hunt in Newfoundland and scored on a nice Bull Moose. John has invited me down bowfishing Cownose Rays many times and has hunted on many exotic hunts. He e-mailed me the following account with some pictures, and gave me the OK to post it here. Congratulations John, sounds like it was a fun and exhausting hunt packing out all that meat.
We got flown into camp a day early and was the LAST flight of the day. So Saturday we got in and set up. No hunting on Sunday so we just relaxed and caught up on sleep after the long drive.
Sunday, NO FLIGHTS, so last hunter did not get in or any other hunters at any camps.
Monday morning, WOW fog, wind sideways rain and warm before the sun came up. We drew the straw to walk up the mountain behind camp. Up we started, before we reached the top we were covered in sweat. Soon as we hit the opening out of the woods into the first bog a moose spins in the bush and takes off 50 yards away. We make our way about 1600 yards to the high spot overlooking a vast area. Wind blowing and rain storms coming up the whole time. We are now wet on the inside, temps drop every time the storms would roll in. Wind is blowing so bad you can’t hide behind a boulder big enough to get out of the wind and rain. We are COLD and hating life. But it did not take lion g before we started calling out moose in the bottom. From 400 yards to a mile or two away. At one time we had 6 moose with in stalking distance. But at this time only BIG bull we saw was out of hunting range.
We spent the morning glassing moose till about 11. We had one cow come up to about 40 yards from us.
From 11 till 2 things were slow. About 3 we started seeing them move and the weather had cleared up and stopped raining but the wind was still bad. About 330 I saw what appeared like a NICE moose come over the mountain top into our draw about 2000 yards away. We took off to cut the distance. 900 yards later we got set up hoping for him to come out about 600 yards in front of us. After awhile I saw him cutting the top of the timber and not following our plan for him. Off we went running again. We set up on him and saw him again at 700 yards. I chose not to shoot. We took off again. Got to about 400 yards of where he came out, I could not get steady for the shot. Moose kept moving and off we went again running in the bog for the hopes to catch him at the next opening. We got set up and out he stepped like clockwork. About 340 yards away, lined up the cross hairs and squeezed. Bang, thump, flop down he went.
We got up to him, he was not as big as I would have liked for this hunt but we had a great time, a great stalk and a clean kill. Also I thought would be an easy pack out, First trip I was wrong, second trip was a lot better when we found the trail.
We started on mine and heard another shot. The last of our hunters in camp flew in about 1130. We watched them fly over us, no way would I have wished to be in that plane . We watched it drop and hit air pockets. So he landed at 1130 and had his moose at 430.
So we got mine quartered up and in bags. Tossed the hams on our backs and started down the mountain hoping to hit the trail. WRONG, we were too far south, no trail. Long fight later we hit another trail 3 minutes from camp. THANK GOD.
Tuesday morning we went up and got the shoulders and back straps of my moose, then went in with other guide to pack his moose out, the one shot at 430. Rest of Tuesday was relax time. Tuesday night we went to pick Brian up, we spotted a bull on the way from the boat, we could not get on him that night but they made a game plan for the morning. Tuesday dark came and no Al. Right after dark we reached them on the radio, they had come down off the top of the mountain an hour or so before dark. Right as they reached an easy walk to the boat Big boy stood up where they had just left. Off they went to see if they could get to him before dark. Back up the mountain. They made it to within few 100 yards and Al shot him off hand. Now the rush was on, get him quarter and out of the bush before dark.
They failed, got him quartered and laid out to cool but darkness beat them to the boat. I think Al said he stepped in 7 holes and fell 5 times on the way out, He was beat and tired when they made it into camp.
Wednesday morning it took the 4 of us over an hour to hike into Al’s moose. It was a hike and a half. We skinned it out and packed our pack frames for the hike out, think we got back to the boat about 1030.
If I recall the times right, about 11:00 Brian called in that he had a moose down. We told them we would grab lunch then come in and help them pack it out. About 12 we called Brian, they said the just got to his moose. “Say What” been over an hour, we were worried. Well about 2 we headed in to find them, they were in a new area no one knew for sure where they were. We hike in and can’t find them. After a bit we hear something and look up the mountain and there is a white postal stamp waving in the air. First thing my guide says is “we are hunting Moose not mountain goats”.
We fight our way to them, his moose had flipped down and falling into a hole of brush. They had to fight for everything they got or did to get him cut up. We helped, well two of us sat on the mountain and watched, there was not room for any more people in their hole. We got loaded up and packed out hour or so later.
I had a great time and enjoyed being part of everyone’s hunt even if it was just packing them out, I saw moose EVERYDAY.
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