2009 Newsletter
Dear Hunters and Friends,
It was day 5 of a 10 day early rut hunt for moose from Crystal Lake. We had already tagged out the other 3 hunters in camp. Jeff was the only hunter left. Ben (guide in training) and I decided to do an all day hunt with Jeff south of Crystal into the Cateye and Lost Lou Lake area. The morning had not revealed anything but a little moose sign in the form of a few rubs and scrapes. Towards the afternoon we set up on the meadow just north west of Lost Lou Lake and I began my best rendition of a cow moose call. For 3½ hours I called every 10 minutes, and called, and called, and called and called with no response. Tired, stiff, and a little cold we decided to go check Lost Lou Lake before we lost shooting light and then make the long trek back to Crystal Lake. No sooner had we arrived on the lakeshore than we heard the bull grunting in the meadow we had just left!
Jeff, Ben and I made a mad dash back to the meadow, leaping over downed trees and through brush at breakneck speed, but we could hear that the bull had already moved over the ridge away from us. I made a couple cow calls. The bull immediately responded with those deep grunts and burps signature of a mature moose. We could hear him coming back over the ridge and partway down towards us, grunting every step. He stopped briefly and I made a bull call to see if that would keep him coming, but instead he just stopped moving and calling altogether. An agonizing couple of minutes ensued when I thought maybe I had blown it with the bull call. I dragged Jeff partway across the meadow into a better shooting lane in the direction of the bull and began a very desperate cow moose in estrus call. The bull started grunting again! I kept up the cow estrus call and the bull kept coming. Then across the meadow through the trees I caught a glimpse of antler, a BIG antler, then a black body, and more antlers! The bull was weaving through the trees on the edge of the meadow and was about to walk into the shooting lane Jeff and I had set up in. It was close! Only 30 yards now, and every grunt made my heart pound as the bull swayed his way towards us! I kept calling, and then there he was out in the meadow! Jeff threw up his rifle and fired. The bull was in mid stride but dropped like a stone. “Get up on him!” I shouted and Jeff ran up to the bull who was struggling to get back on his feet. Another shot finished it off and it was all over.
We all stood there a moment; absolutely awed by the magnificence of the trophy bull Jeff had just taken. Then the shouts of joy and manly hugs started. It was huge! This bull was the largest I have ever guided for, 53” wide, 11 x 13 points with massive paddles 16” wide and 38” tall. It scored 196” B&C. We spent the next day cutting quad trail to get the moose out, and then the rest of the week fishing, playing card games and telling jokes. It was a perfect hunt; 4 hunters got 2 trophy bulls, a drop tine bull, and a one antlered bull for 100% success. Oh the stories I could tell, but there isn’t room here.
Our overall success rate for moose in 2009 was 78%. We had some great hunts, and everyone had a good time. But we also had tough hunts, especially when we had a record breaking cold snap that froze most our best moose lakes. And not everyone tagged out in 5 days either, two trophy bulls were taken on day 10. Ryan only had 20 minutes of light left when I called in his 43” bull. This proves once more that the last day is as good as the first.
Calling Jeff’s bull in was an awesome experience, and given the height of excitement with the bull grunting as he sauntered towards us I don’t think it had to be 53” for Jeff to shoot. But calling in a magnificent trophy is only part of the excitement of moose hunting with Crystal Lake Resort. It is about being surrounded by raw wilderness, the pleasure of a cozy cabin, the laughter of friends and the nostalgia of good stories. It is about good food and fun guides. It is about real hunting and real adventure. I want to share such experiences with everyone. If you haven’t already booked, call or email me and we can talk about setting up your next hunt.
Best Regards,
Daniel Brooks
Guide Outfitter
2008 Newsletter
Dear Hunters and Friends,
Another hunting year has passed and after much thought I am still unsure how to describe this year. Here are some of my ideas to sum up the year; you can pick the one you like best.
THE RECORD BREAKER YEAR
We took the largest bear we have ever harvested when Chris got a 392lb - B&C 21-9/16ths boar this spring with a bow! We also took the largest moose we have ever harvested when Randy harvested his 56”- B&C 206-6/16ths bull at 31 yards! All total, 48% of bears harvested made record book and 41% of moose harvested were a 40” or better trophy!
THE YEAR OF THE CABIN HUNTER
4 Bull Moose were shot this year within range of one of our cabins! The easiest was Mike’s 34” bull shot off the dock at Johnson Lake after breakfast on the first day of his hunt. Two other young bulls were shot from a boat within 300 yards of the cabins at Paddle and Holler Lake by Tom and Ron respectively, and Scott tagged a great 42” trophy while sitting by the cabin site at Ghost Lake. More moose were spotted from our new cabin at Paddle Lake than any other single hunting stand! It got to the point that Brent and Dennis both decided it was just as good to hunt from a lawn chair off the deck at Paddle Cabin as it was to hunt anywhere else in the woods. I should also mention that Randy’s record bull was shot only about 700 yards from Nulki Cabin.
THE YEAR IT JUST KEPT GETTING BETTER
We had some fantastic hunting early on, and I should make honorable mentioning of Brent’s 550 yard shot that first week across Honeymoon Lake. But it just kept getting better, the bulls kept getting bigger and we were taking more animals per day than ever before. We thought we had the biggest bull of the year when Jacob got a 53” record book bull from Kennedy, but the next day we got 4 bulls in one day when Garrett tagged his 41” west of Crystal, 5 minutes later Matt got a 38” on the Beaverpond, then later that afternoon Doug got a 48”on Rona, and to top it off Randy cut his tag on that 56” trophy of the year later that evening. It just kept getting better and better and just when we thought that 4 in one day from 2 camps was pretty good, the next hunt did even better when we harvested 5 moose on the first day just from our Crystal Lake operation!
THE YEAR OF THE GOOD-NATURED HUNTER
We had a great group of hunters and non-hunters come through our camp this year. For us as guides it was truly an exceptional year for the absolute pleasure we took hunting with such a great group of people who made the atmosphere of our camps so pleasant and enjoyable. I really believe the friendly atmosphere helped everyone maintain the positive attitude it takes to hunt moose, and that this is the reason we were so successful this fall.
We hope to hunt with you all again in the future. And for those of you who have never been here before, we hope you find the time for the hunt of your life in this raw Canadian wilderness.
Best Regards,
Daniel Brooks
Guide Outfitter
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