Moose Scenario, what would you do?

Moose scenario, what would you do?
On the last evening of our moose hunt this year I waspresented with the following scenario....
Picture a typical bush trail, just wide enough for a pickuptruck, some light growth a couple of feet on either side of the trail anddenser forest of alders and pine all around. At the end of the trail it forms aT with each arm of the T about 20 yards long.
I setup at the T so I could see in 3 directions and startcalling, approx 2.5 hours to darkness. After 1 hour I heard moving behind me,maybe 30 yards, I can’t see anything in the bush and know it’s a fair size,none of those squirrel or chipmunk movements. Heart starts going, safety comesoff and I’m waiting for something to walk out. This lasted infrequently forabout 15 minutes then silence.
A half hour later I heard what I believed to be a wind stormon a calm day coming from my side (no trail there). It was violent; animal Ihead earlier was moving but lasted only 10 seconds and moved (guessing) 20-30’.Heart is going again, the animal was starting to circle me but it stopped atthat.
15 minutes later I hear the antler scrape sharply off one ofthe trees in the forest, still within 30 yards of me....
By now light is fading, maybe only 20 minutes left ofhuntable time. What did I do? I slowly walked out hoping to have another crackon our last morning the day after. The morning after we heard 3 moose callingbut spread out in a triangle around the evening prior and at least 80-120 yardsaway. As best I can tell none of them came any closer as the day progressed andthat was it..... time to go home.

My question is, on the evening before, knowing there is amoose so close but also light fading, would you have snuck out and returned thefollowing morning like I did or would you have slowly tried to stalk it in thebush? Maybe a 2 step pause, 2 step pause, perhaps a grunt or 2? I’d have caughtup to that moose in about 4-6 minutes if he didn’t move but then again, how’she going to react to me as I sneak up on him in a dark forest.....

I think you did the right thing. Obviously your position wasn't comprised as the animal did not pick up your scent, otherwise it would have been gone. If you would have tried to track it, it could have heard, smelled or saw you before you got any closer and you would have blown it. The opportunity for you to return the next morning existed, unfortunately it didn't work out. The only thing I would have done differently was given it a couple grunts. It may have enticed the animal to come into the clear before dark and/or the next morning.

Better luck next time.

Agree with gmartin, you weren't busted, animal wasn't spooked, and you were just about out of time. Knowing he was in the area, and him not knowing you were, I would have pulled out and gave it the AM try like you did.

Certainly hung up on you, which is common I've called them in only to do that at 100 plus yd's . He know's full well exactly where that call came from but then he heard nothing so he's not committing. That's when I usually start grabbing for dry dead branches and make nice loud snap's. Done this numerous time's sort of trigger's a sense in them that my cow is now leaving and more time's than not have had them come to an opening to investigate why she's leaving Bull's roam except when cowed up doesn't sound like he was? Then we have bull grunted bull's to within 20 yd's really depend's on what stage of rut?

I tried a few grunts while sitting but didn't provoke anything. The 1st rut appeared to be over, we were in 16c. Other issue was we didn't get there until the 3rd week so those moose might have wised up a bit.

In either case, it's going to play on my mind a bit. I think I did the right thing but not having been successful, in retrospect I would have tried plan "b" :-)

I have had that a bunch of times and what I have done and words great was use whines, that's the sound a cow makes when pestered by bulls and it make the other bull come in because he thinks she is potentially being courted. The last two bulls I have called in, held up and I did the whine and they came in on a string. Two years ago I did the same thing and had two bulls come in at the same time , a young bull and a giant. This year it was another small bull but it defiantly works. You also don't need to use your hands to make that call so its great if you need him to move that last little bit for a shot.

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Originally Posted by klums

I have had that a bunch of times and what I have done and words great was use whines, that's the sound a cow makes when pestered by bulls and it make the other bull come in because he thinks she is potentially being courted. The last two bulls I have called in, held up and I did the whine and they came in on a string. Two years ago I did the same thing and had two bulls come in at the same time , a young bull and a giant. This year it was another small bull but it defiantly works. You also don't need to use your hands to make that call so its great if you need him to move that last little bit for a shot.

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That may make sense why I've in the past had bulls respond to deer bleats....