The story of # 10 by A Ray

[Abitibi Ray]

" What a long strange trip it has been " a quote from the tittle of the thread made by Dythbringer ...
This will be the continued version of that great thread that well explained how the opertunity for # 10 came to be .

I will start with yet another thank you to the Pembroke group who made it all possible , as well as another thanks to Dythbringer and Yedi for all the help around camp and all the laughs , one could not ask for better guys to spend a week in moose camp with ..

Ok ok now for story .

After a couple of cold frosty mornings and calm evenings in one of my favourite tree stands with not even so much as an answer , I began to second guess my calling . Was it not sounding right ? Had I lost my touch ? I had never had such difficulty getting a response ..... Certainly the moose can hear me ? Maybe there not here ? All I could think of , is it's time for a change . But what ? I needed a plan , a good plan .. I spent the rest of the morning thinking of how I would place 10 guys in ten places that now only would be good but have equal potential to intercept anny moose that I might. Call or come my way , as I am just as happy to see someone else shoot as I am to shoot the moose myself .

Ok ok after an hour of sitting in my stand I had come up with a plan , I ran it past the team leaders of the guys who had invited us to hunt with them and they decided they were up for it so here we go .

After everyone was in place I set up in an old stand I knew of on the large bay on a river system , after the wind began to calm I began to call . A soft set of three to start , no response a while later I called some more . Suddenly I heard a small grunt like sound .... So I waited and waited . Nothing . So I called soft again crash ! Could it be ? Nope all along it was a beaver who had dove into a nearby creek a couple times followed by him falling a tree . Darn
Ok it's crunch time I've got 1.5 hours till dark I need to make this hapen ... I pick up my horn and give it everything I got as loud as I can and as sexy as I can make it sound ... It was the hail marry call ,,,, lol . It was then that I heard the familiar sound , the one that can't be mistaken like the rumble of your stomach, or a distant beaver or duck . It was the very distinked sound of the BOSS . The Bull Moose

OOORHhh I was excited emedeatly , but we had a problem he was nearly a half mile away and there was but 45 mins of daylight remaining . I wasn't sure if he cod make it to me on time . He grunted none stop as he hit the river , it sounded like a boat had been shoved into the water backwards with force . Then he hit the brush , thrashing his way through . Then like the beautiful magestic creature they are , he appeared . Beautiful standing proud out on the point of the bay . My first thought was plz swim the bay ! Plz plz plz . No dice ! He's all the time in the world , so he begines his long long journey around the bay , all he while my heart nearly beating out of my chest . Looking at my watch every 30 seconds hoping I would not run out of time . 1000 yards give or take befor he wod be in reasonable range .

He he kept comming , grunting loud . 600 yards he stops , riffle at my side and would stay there still way to far , he starts up again would make another 50 yards and stop , everytime I would not know if he would slip into the bush never to be seen again . Now at this whent on and on my heart racing now for half an hour . At 450 yards he stops , Sufice it to say my rifle is exstreey well set up and well practiced but under the setting suns low light I made the decition to let him keep coming as in my current state I did not think I cod make the shot .

He he continues to come , I begins to talk to myself . Saying this is gonna hapen , calm down lol as he continued up the shore his loud grunting seemed to resonate right through me , I could no longer hear the birds , or squirrels , or beavers . Just the sounds of heavy steps into the waters edge as he kept coming around the lake .

7:15 , light is fading fast and the time is now , I began to think , someone is gonna say something on the radio soon or come to pick up the boys and scare him off it now or never . I pulled the range finder up and got a Bering at 358 yards , he then took a couple steps and turned to give me a shot . Booooom ! He lunges forward into a run for 30 feet and stops and turns .. Boooooom ! Hit number two . He runs towards the lake .. Now quite rattled I try a third boom ! He drops . I gain my composure and call the boys " the tag has been filled " over joyed , I look back out he gets back up .... What ? I fire again missed ... Quick decition , got out of the stand and make a b line up the shore to get a closer finishing shot . I get up there completely out breath , I miss again . Ok relax I say , to myself , took a moment to find a good solid rest and fire ! Booom ! He came to rest , and I called on the radio he is down .. As I sat there looking out in water at him feeling as if I had just had a stroke and run a marathon . I could not have been more happy and thankful . It was truly the most exciting 40 mins of my hunting career .

After manny hand hand shakes and even a big hug from the big man Mike lol the work began as it always does .. Lol ... Wonce back on land we gave him a quick measure and he came in at 48" a very nice bull . We got him back to the camp and skinned out on the pole clean as can be looked like a beaf , just how I like to take care of them . Certainly a hunt I'll never forget .

Special thanks again gain to the Pembroke gang , and my fellow group members Chad and Ward , 2015 was certainly a great hunt !!!! Cheers !!!!

Thanks to to everyone for kind words I. Advance , hopefully none bad , unfortunately I'll not have pics as I'm posting from my phone . Cheers to all and I wish you all the best of luck on your upcoming hunts .

A Ray

[GW11]

Congratulations to you on a nice bull and to the entire group on your success! Sounds like it was a truly exciting hunt. What a great example of hunter camaraderie and just how things "work" in the North.

[fratri]

Thanks for posting such a great story Ray.....looking forward to some pics.
All the best

[MikePal]

Thanks Ray, good read with the morning coffee...you sure live a charmed life up there..congrats to you and the crew !!!

[gooseman]

Great read to get us in the hunting mood Ray! Sounds like a great time for all. For sure you made some lasting friendships and new hunting partners. Can't wait to see some pics

[Dythbringer]

unfortunately I'll not have pics as I'm posting from my phone .

I got ya covered buddy.

Ray and Moose.jpgMoose.jpg

Oh whiskey, if you were a moosey.......(inside joke)

[Abitibi Ray]

Thanks Chad lol

[Hunter John]

Great story and a great moose , Well done Ray and gang.

[JMatthews]

Thanks for posting the great story of your hunt.

[bushman]

Congrats A- Ray to you and all the rest of the folks that were involved in a successful hunt and an enjoyable week in the woods.