Winter 2008

November 11-14, 2015 Moose Hunting: (22 Photos)

22. Fall arrived awhile ago, but it doesn't truly feel like it until our annual Moose Hunting trip arrives! Each year we wait until November when the weather is cooler before we start our annual moose hunt in Trepassey. Once again we had the Gun Club's NFP license to fill, which will provide at no cost to the club a years worth of Meat for our shooting groups to utilize throughout the year for lunches. Its an either sex license, and a partner license. Andrea also had an Either Sex license himself.

21. Wednesday was Remembrance Day and a holiday, so Andrea, Troy, Blaine and I planned on driving to Trepassey early that morning. Troy didn't fully compute the instructions, thinking 6am was 6pm and left 9pm Tuesday night to head to Trepassey LoL. Luckily Peter was already there with the fire going.

20. Andrea and I arrived at the Bassan hunting shack in Trepassey about 9am Wednesday, so we unloaded our gear and got ready to head in the woods. The day brought almost ideal hunting conditions, beautiful clear sky and no wind. Andrea, Peter, Troy Blaine, Eddy and I headed in the old road on bikes to our first destination.

19. Our first setup near Doctors pond had a Cow come out of the woods, but it was nowhere near either of us and she quickly turned around and vanished like a fart in the wind.

18. Our next setup was near Blackrock and with all of us in our positions it was Andrea who made the shot that filled our first set of tags for the trip. It was a beautiful Cow, but it was knocked down in a tangly spot.

17.

16. After having to carry a Moose a couple years ago I told the byes come hell or high water my bike was getting to the Moose. The ground was all tuck, which is low brush grown over boulders. I picked my way along, it was a steady descent, and made a path through the trees and all the way to the moose.

15. We hauled the animal out to the rest of the bikes in two trips. Coming back up the hill of tuck, brushes and crap with the half moose aboard I rolled the Foreman onto its side. Not missing a beat we shoved it over and carried on. We put the first half moose in Andrea's bike and I went back for the 2nd half. The second trip went off without a hitch with some careful manoeuvring and creative riding.

14. With the hard work done, we stopped for a lunch of sandwiches.

13. Foreman to the rescue.

12. We hunted our way out and stopped by Doctors Pond after spaying 2-3 Moose enter the woods. Eddy and I circled them while the boys waited. Unfortunately they never showed and must have took off in a different direction. Not 20 minutes later we spotted two of the Moose crossing the big bog. At the very end of the legal shooting day, I made a clean ear shot and filled our Club tags.

11. Even with a late start to the day we managed to fill all of our licenses on the first day!

10. With 4 hard working Honda bikes hauling Moose we headed to Eddy's to hang the meat.

9. Celebratory Turkey Stew.

8. Thursday morning we went about skinning and quartering the moose.

6. With the moose hunt over, we took advantage of the great day and took 4 Rabbit Dogs in the woods for the afternoon. Low rabbit numbers have been reported all over the island this year, and we certainly felt it on this trip. The dogs started 2 rabbits but never came close to any of us.

4. Friday morning Andrea, Troy and I headed down the road to pickup Peter's Big Red which had been kept at a fella's house and stored outside under a tarp for a number of years. Looks like we may have another project to get working on. While Troy & Blaine headed back to town, Peter, Andrea, Eddy and I headed back in the woods with the dogs for another afternoon of rabbit hunting. This time we were not skunked and came home with a couple rabbits. One of Eddy's' dogs successfully hunted and nearly came home with a piece of Andrea!

3. Saturday brought wet weather and Sunday's forecast wasn't much better. With our Moose hunt successful Peter, Andrea and I decided to load up and head for home.

2. For a number of years now we have elected not to use a butcher, but to process and debone our meat ourselves. Its a relaxing job, and a great way to ensure the highest quality of your game.

1. All in all it was another fantastic and successful trip.

Cheers, MIKE