Moose Hunting Info

HUNT STYLE

At Crystal Lake Resort we believe that "how" you hunt your moose is as important as actually harvesting a moose. We believe in traditional fair chase hunting. Our hunts are done on foot. We like to hunt the lakes and meadows and are especially expert in calling in moose! Calling in a moose is an experience of a lifetime, and one you will never forget and want to repeat often. The area we are hunting is roadless. This limited access provides you with the highest quality wilderness experience. We have very limited use of trucks, with some ATV access but these are vehicles to a destination, not the means of hunting. We have ATV trails to accommodate remote access for less mobile hunters so we can cater to any limitations you may have. We are NOT road hunters! We use boats on a few of the larger lakes. We have horses in one remote camp.

SUCCESS RATES

The quick answer we give for our success rates is 90% for 10 day hunts, 70% for 6 day hunts, and 100% for cow/calf hunts. We consider our up front honesty with regards to success rates as one of the many reasons so many of our clients come back repeatedly. We do not make false promises about our success. We are well aware that success rates vary from year to year, and try our best to make you aware of that possibility also. We make every effort to compensate unsuccessful hunters by discounting their next hunt with us. We find this method to be the fairest to both the hunter and the outfitter. Consider this table when looking at success rates:

NOTE : The table starts in 1999, when Daniel Brooks became the official outfitter and actually began tracking success rates. The numbers are based on opportunity for each hunter, which means they either harvested, wounded, missed, or passed up a harvestable animal and multiple opportunities for one hunter are only counted once. The number of 10 day hunts varies from year to year, depending on demand. If the "All Hunts" rate is closer to the "6 Day Hunts" rate, that is because we had more 6 day than 10 day hunts.

THE MOOSE

There are 4 species of moose in North America, from smallest to largest, the Eastern, Shiras, Canadian, and Alaska/Yukon. The exceptional Canadian Bull Moose can weigh up to 1500 pounds with trophy antlers as wide as 55 inches. Compare the average size of these four species in the following table:

Our hunts specialize in the Canadian Species of Moose, and all information herein refers to that species specifically.

Ron Bertsch - 1032 lb	Troy Ray - 1255 lbs

MOOSE DENSITY

The Central Interior Plateau where we are hunting has the highest moose density in North America where there are predators. This density is only 2 moose per square mile! This is quite different from deer and elk densities which are much higher, and therefore increase the likelihood of seeing game. Unlike other members of the deer family, moose are antisocial animals preferring to live out their lives in isolation avoiding contact with other members of the species except during the rut or during harsh winter months. Because they are not herd animals, and considering the population density, it is reasonable to expect to see 1 to 2 moose per day when hunting.

THE MOOSE ADVANTAGE

Moose are distinctly designed to have a greater advantage than any other ungulate. ATTITUDE - Moose are arrogant. This arrogance gives them the impression of being big dumb animals. This is a common misconception. More often than not, hunters are outsmarted numerous times by moose, completely unaware that the moose was nearby. SMELL - Their large noses give them a superior sense of smell. Keeping the wind in your favor is crucial. When calling in a bull, they will often circle to try to catch your scent. HEARING - Their large ears, especially if accompanied by a large palmed antler, can pick out the faintest sounds. Keep in mind that moose calls are very deep sounds, and often can barely be heard by humans, even at close range. In addition, their isolationist behavior makes them acutely aware of all noises in their surroundings, and they will stand and watch even the smallest sound for long periods of time (up to 30 minutes) before they redirect their attention. SIGHT - Moose see black and white, and are easily fooled by camouflage. However, they can detect movement very easily, and will especially concentrate their attention on light colored objects. COLOR - Moose themselves tend to be very dark, ranging in color from black to tan. These dark colors act as the perfect background camouflage, and a single tree is sufficient to hide a moose. SIZE - For their size, moose can move extremely quite when necessary. Their long legs allow them the advantage of stepping over obstacles other animals and hunters must crash through. Do not be complacent with common misconceptions of moose raised in National Parks without hunting or predation. Moose are better equipped to escape you, than you are to find them.

Can you find the 2 point bull moose in the photo? It is less than 50 yards away. Dan spotted it out of the corner of his eye while walking down a trail.. The bull never moved nor made a sound for 5 full minutes (time enough to take these photos). When it left, all we saw was a brief movement, then nothing. We did not hear it leave.

THE SEASON

The Bull Moose Season opens Sept 1st for Archery, and Sept 10th for Rifle. Either weapon may be used during the Rifle Season. The Season goes to Nov 5th, although there is a small portion of our hunting territory which has an extended season until Nov 15th. The Cow and Calf season opens Oct 10th until Oct 25th.

THE RUT

The rut goes from mid-Sept to mid-Oct. The average cow moose is bred on the 29th of September. Take 10 days before and 10 days after and that is the moose rut. We have found this to be extremely accurate, though on occasion the moose have rutted late into October as unbred cows can cycle 3 or 4 times. Though it is commonly thought that weather and predators alter rutting times, we have found that moose do not stop rutting, but rather simply change their rutting behavior. This could include less calling, coming silently to calls, rutting predominantly at night, or changing their territorial areas. In any case, they are still rutting during that mid-Sept to mid-Oct period.

HUNT TIMING

The most popular time to hunt moose is during the rut when they can be called into close range. This is particularly important for bow or muzzle loader hunters. When hunting during the rut bulls are more mobile, can be called into close range, and less wary of other animals (or hunters).

Pre-rut hunts are popular for hunters wishing a more comfortable weather hunt, and enjoy sitting on stand. These hunts often catch the beginning of the rut.

Post-rut hunts usually start when the rut ends. Often these are meat hunts with cow and calf season opening after the rut is finished. During that brief cow season, bulls can be more difficult to find as they are holed up to recover from the rut. After the cow season bulls tend to forgive other bulls their rutting offenses and hang around in pairs in preparation for the winter. Late post-rut hunts tend to focus on hunting the weather, changing hunt locations depending on snow, and hunting winter feeding areas.

Wyman Ray - 2007, Respectable Bull 10 Day, 2 on 1, Rut Hunt	Tom Honnold - 2007, Meat Bull 6 Day, 2 on 1, Late Post Rut Hunt

RECOMMENDATIONS

We want every hunter to have realistic expectations of our hunts. Look over the photos, read everything you can on the web page, phone or email us with your questions, and above all else, make sure you book the hunt that is right for you. So when booking your hunt, please consider our recommendation for the best possible hunt for the type of hunting you wish to do as shown in the following table:

Dennis Dugan - 2007 - Trophy Bull, 10 Day Hunt, 1 on 1. This bull is 43" wide and scored 167 Points to make the GOABC Mountain Hunter Record Book