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

31.   November arrived and with it moose hunting season here in Newfoundland, Troy had a license and I had the Gun Club's NFP group license to fill. The season actually opened over a month ago, but our 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 topped with a Leupold VX-3 scope and this would be its maiden hunting trip. This year we once again made the Bassan hunting shack in Trepassey our destination and executed our trip without our fearless leader Andrea Bassan who missed this expedition due to health issues.

29.   Friday afternoon I loaded up the truck with my gear & three ATV's and hit the Southern Shore Highway in high winds and heavy rain arriving 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 arrived early with continuing high wind and heavy rain. We made a plan to hunt in a wooded area avoiding the open barrens as much as possible which would keep us clear of the worst of the inclement weather. We left the bikes home and hopped aboard Eddy's truck to get to our destination a couple kilometers away and hunt the area on foot. Through the miserable weather Peter managed a shot at one moose but it was a total miss and a lost opportunity to fill the club license. Given the weather it was probably a blessing in disguise!

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25.   As the day wore on the weather got worse so we headed back to the house mid afternoon and 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!

24.   On Sunday the wind died down to a strong gale and brought 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 droke of woods, while Peter stayed at the house.

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22.   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 and Troy made a successful kill shot of the Cow.

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20.   With the Moose kill confirmed we all took to the woods in search of the Coyote and the $25 bounty it would bring. We found blood and guts all over the woods and it took us nearly an hour following the blood drops to the place he finally expired. We were amazed at the distance this bugger travelled while severely injured!

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18.   With the bounty in hand we made cleaned up the moose loaded her aboard two of the bikes, and headed back to Eddy's place and hung the animal in the garage.

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

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 to Black Rock in search of our next moose.

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12.   We spent the day setting up in different areas and walking 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 the shack late that afternoon and enjoyed a few beverages and another awesome meal, this time Moose Sausages were on the menu.

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

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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 headed over to Cape Mutton where we set up in a number of places & walked the woods.

6.   We seen a total of three moose (one which nearly ran headlong into me!), all cows which is always the way as  we had a bull only license to fill.

5.   After a trail lunch of sandwiches we headed out of Cape Mutton, 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 trees to try and head 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 made 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 end.

2.   We quickly cleaned up the Moose, loaded him aboard the bikes for a quick run to Eddy's to skin and clean the animal before heading back to town.

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

Cheers, MIKE