November 7-11, 2014 Moose Hunting Trip: (31 Photos)

31.   November arrived and with it our moose hunting trip to Trepassey here in Newfoundland. Troy had an either sex license and I had the Gun Club's Not For Profit Charity license which was also an either sex party license. The season actually opened over a month ago, but the crew prefer to start hunting once daily temperatures start to drop and fall really begins to set in.

30.   I was excited as I recently picked up my brand new Browning BAR 30-06 rifle paired with a Leupold VX-3 scope. This would be its maiden hunting trip, huge thanks to Jeremy and amazing staff of Outdoor Pros. This year we again made the Bassan hunting shack in Trepassey our base of hunting operations. However we would be executing our trip without our fearless leader Andrea Bassan who will miss this adventure due to health issues.

29.   Friday afternoon I loaded up the truck with hunting gear & three ATV's then hit the Southern Shore Highway. I made the drive in high winds and heavy rain and arrived to the Bassan camp in Trepassey just after dark. Peter Bassan was already there with a lunch ready and the wood stove roaring, Troy & Blaine Coldwell arrived a couple hours later.

28.   Saturday morning we were faced with continuing high wind and heavy rain. We made a plan to hunt in a densely wooded area and avoiding the open barrens as much as possible. This would keep us less exposed of the worst of the inclement weather.

27.  We left the bikes home and hopped aboard Eddy's truck to get to our drop off point a couple kilometers away and hunted the area on foot. Through the miserable weather Peter managed a shot at one moose crossing a cutover but it was unfortunately a miss. Given the weather it was probably a blessing in disguise!

26.  As the day wore on the weather just got worse so we headed back to camp mid afternoon. We enjoyed a lunch watched from the comfort of the living room as the gale force winds whipped Trepassey Harbor into a frenzy. The winds were so strong you could feel the house shake and the living room light swing from its mount!

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24.   On Sunday the wind finally died down to a strong gale and rain turned graciously to clear sunny skies. Eddy, Troy, Blaine and I took the bikes and headed to Doctor's Pond to set up in an area downwind from a small droke of woods, while Peter stayed back at the house this morning.

23.  Troy soon spotted a coyote which he nailed with his 30-06 Browning, almost immediately thereafter a cow and calf came out of the woods. Troy connected a successful shot on the Cow making a great harvest and filling his tags.

21.  With the harvest confirmed we all took to the woods in search of the Coyote and the $25 bounty it would bring.

22.  We found blood and guts all over the woods and it took us over a half hour following the blood drops to the place he finally expired. We were amazed at the distance this bugger travelled while severely injured!

20.   With the bounties in hand we field dressed and halved the moose, loaded them aboard two bikes, and headed back to Eddy's.

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17.  After an awesome homemade Spaghetti supper we headed back to Eddy's to  clean up our first Moose of the trip.

16.  Once again Eddy graciously provided a great space to hang, skin, quarter and wash down the quarters of meat.

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14.   On Monday the wind finally dropped out but was replaced by heavy fog. With Eddy on an errand run to St. John's and Peter's leg still acting up Troy, Blaine and I took the bikes and headed into Black Rock in search of our 2nd moose.

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12.   We spent the day setting up in different areas and driving the woods unsuccessfully. The only sign spotted all day was when Troy saw the fleeting ass end of an unknown bull or cow.

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10.   We headed back to camp late in the afternoon cold and wet and enjoyed a few beverages and another awesome meal. Tonight moose sausages were on the menu.

9.   Tuesday was our last day hunting before we had to go back to town and to work. The weather finally cooperated, skies were clear, the wind, rain, and fog were all gone, and Eddy was back from the city.

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7.   Troy, Blaine, Eddy and I took the bikes and made a loop of the country in behind the gravel pit. Unsuccessful we crossed over to Cape Mutton where we set-up in a number of places & drove the woods.

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5.   After a trail lunch of sandwiches we headed out of Cape Mutton, back across the highway and back in through the country. Here we finally spotted a young bull moose.

4.   Troy was in a prone position and didn't see him, Blaine gave Troy direction to follow the Moose around a droke of trees. I headed around the back side of the same trees to try and cut off the spooked bull. As I came around the end of the droke I spotted the Moose stopped staring back in Troy's direction. Out of breath I shouldered my new Browning 30.06 and connected a successful shot in the vitals zone.

3.   The young bull ran a couple hundred yards before finally expiring bringing our hunt to a successful close.

2.   We quickly field dressed the Moose and loaded it aboard the bikes for a quick run to Eddy's to skin and quarter and clean the animal before heading back to the city.

1.   All in all it was another awesome trip in spite of the weather the first couple days. It was so good in fact that Bassan hasn't stopped complaining about missing out on the adventure ever since!

Cheers, MIKE