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 A mature bull Moose with
fully developed antlers is an impressive
trophy. It is the largest member of the deer
family in the entire world and the largest
of this species is found in Alaska. An adult
male can tip the scales at over sixteen
hundred pounds. In the Rainy Pass hunting
area a good bull will have antlers measuring
between 58 and 70 inches. In addition they
have good heavy antlers with wide palms and
long heavy tines. Often the palms will be
one long expanse that connect with the
frontal palms and can have 5 or 6 nice tines
projecting from them.
Generally the bulls are solitary animals
that spend most of their summer days feeding
on plants and willows in the higher side
valleys. The lush forage which abounds
during the summer months gives the necessary
nourishment to aid in the growth of their
antlers, which are covered with a soft
velvet. Their growth slows and they begin to
harden in mid to late August. With the
decreasing daylight and colder frosty nights
the bulls will begin to scrape the velvet
from their antlers during the last few days
of August. At the same time they begin to
move down from their side valleys to find
the cows who are also moving up to meet the
bulls. They will eventually come together
and herd up at timberline. They are partial
to the edges of the swampy tundra where it
meets the Spruce trees and the willow
thickets. It is not at all uncommon to find
3 or 4 bulls gathered with a group of 10 to
15 cows. With normal weather conditions the
rut will be in full swing in mid September. Hunting these bulls during the rut can be a
very thrilling and exhilarating experience.
When you encounter a willow thicket mixed
with alders and aspen which has been
thoroughly destroyed by the bulls as they
thrash them with their antlers, it can also
be a sobering experience. As in most of the
big game hunting in Alaska, glassing from a
vantage point is a common method of hunting.
When the flashing antlers of a big bull are
seen a stalk is planned which often takes
you right into the middle of the action.
It's quite interesting to hear the soft
calling of the females or catch a glimpse of
a big bull as he chases off a smaller
challenger. Calling and grunting is also a
method that is particularly interesting and
can be productive during the rut. On one
occasion a small bull of 45 inches responded
to the call. He came charging out of the
brush so quickly that the safety of the
horses was a concern. There was a real rodeo
until the bull realized his mistake and
quickly did an about face.
As the Moose migrate and gather on their
traditional breeding grounds, a comfortable
base camp is established near the area. The
horses are trailed in and it's time for them
to begin
 earning their keep. Two guides and
two hunters normally share the camp together
and cooperate to hunt the area at the same
time. When a big bull hits the ground, at
least one day is required to butcher the
meat and use the horses to pack the animal
back to camp. The meat and the trophy are
generally flown back to the main Lodge.
Fifteen years ago many hunters did not
consider the Moose to be too important on
the trophy scale. However, today they are
becoming increasingly popular and the
possibilities in Alaska for a truly
outstanding specimen are diminishing each
year. Don't wait too long to add this
fantastic animal to your trophy room. |
