Newfoundland Moose Hunt report

[Pygmy]

The trip up to Newfoundland is an adventure in itself...

From my home in the southern tier we drove 22 hours to Sydney, at the eastern tip of Nova Scotia. There we boarded a ferry at about 11:30 PM, which took us overnite to Port Au Basques, Newfoundland. We arrived at about 7:30 AM, Newfie time, which is 1 1/2 hours earlier than eastern standard.

We drove another 3 or 4 hours north to Deer Lake, where we overnighted in a cabin.

The next morning we drove on up past Portland Creek , including 50 KM on a rough bush road, to meet our helicopter, which landed ON the bush road at a predesigned place to ferry us on to camp.

It was my first ride in a chopper, so the boys let me sit in the co-pilot's seat up front...VERY cool.

The camp was a very comfortable elongated backwoods cabin...It included a guide's quarters, cook's quarters, kitchen, sleeping room for 7 hunters an indoor bathroom, including an on demand water heater and shower, plus two outhouses, which got a lot of use since there were 13 people in camp, 7 hunters and 6 camp staff.

The weather was not in our favor....LOTS of wind, which makes moose tend to lay up in thick cover and not move. It was pre-rut, so they were not responding much to calls.

Most of our glassing was done from tower stands overlooking large tracts of wilderness. When a moose was spotted, usually it was a mile or so away, although a couple of animals were shot from the tower stands.

The moose weren't moving much, so hunting was tough. Still we managed to kill 5 moose for 7 hunters. I was the only one who did not get a shot at a moose..The closest one I saw was about 600 yards away. I did get to make 2 stalks when I THOUGHT I was going to get a shot, but Lady Luck was not perched on my shoulder. Our party killed 3 cows and 2 small bulls. Two hunters missed larger, palmated bulls..

The country is beautiful, but after hunting in many places across the continent, I have to say that Newfoundland is the TOUGHEST terrain I have ever experienced to get around in. The ground is all muskeg, and very spongy, and walking in it is very difficult, even on the level. Every step has its hazards, such as sinkholes, rocks, bogs , roots, twisted brush...If you hunt here you need to be in shape.

My guide felt terrible because he could not get a moose in front of me..However, this was not my FIRST day off the turnip truck, and I assured him that hunting is hunting. There are no guarantees.. He worked his butt off trying to get me a moose, but it was just not to be.

The accomodations were excellent, the food was very good, and the camp life was lots of fun. I laughed so hard my stomach was sore.

I really enjoyed the Newfoundlanders and look forward to visiting the Island again, Good Lord Willing..

BTW..My buddy Fungus Face took a bull, and he shared some of the meat with me..I just had a fine supper of fresh moose steak...

[G-Man]

Sounds like you know how to enjoy a hunt! glad your friend shares with you!!

[burmjohn]

Glad you had a good time! By the way what other animals did you see during your trip?

[Lawdwaz]

Sounds like quite an adventure. I wouldn't have thought it would be that long of a drive, hell it ain't like going to Czechoslovakia or anything. (saw Stripes the other night and that was one of the many, many great lines!....................... Oh, never mind)

Glassing from the tower had to be very cool along with the helo ride. Sounds like a trip I'd love to make someday.

What did your friend use for a gun/caliber? What did you use for boots? Temperatures?

Any pics of FF's bull or the strippers??

[WNYBuckHunter]

Sounds like it was a great trip! Glad you made it back safe.

[Doc]

Moose..... my favorite critter to hunt. And also makes the most interesting hunting stories with or without actually getting one. Do you have any pictures to post?

[First-light]

Nice trip- next time you'll get'em.

[Pygmy]

Glad you had a good time! By the way what other animals did you see during your trip?

I got a good picture of a decent Woodland caribou stag at about 30 yards..

I also saw ptarmigan and spruce grouse, but no pictures.

[Pygmy]

Sounds like quite an adventure. I wouldn't have thought it would be that long of a drive, hell it ain't like going to Czechoslovakia or anything. (saw Stripes the other night and that was one of the many, many great lines!....................... Oh, never mind)

Glassing from the tower had to be very cool along with the helo ride. Sounds like a trip I'd love to make someday.

What did your friend use for a gun/caliber? What did you use for boots? Temperatures?

Any pics of FF's bull or the strippers??

No strippers..Turned out that Fungus Face's favorite restaurant simply had VERY attractive waitresses... The food was wonderful, though.. Cool thing..Our waitress in Bangor Maine, grew up in Elmira.

Temps varied from just above freezing to the mid 50s. 3 mornings the walkway to the outhouse had ice on the boards. Slippery chit, EH..?..

However, due to high winds and wet weather, the chill factor was quite low on several days.. Had to dress in layers, and still often I would get wet with sweat on the way to the stand, then bundle up and still be cold because I was wet from the inside. One evening I was glad a moose did not appear because I was shivering too hard to make the shot.

My boots were Muck Woodies and they served me well...My feet DID get wet due to perspiration, but never got cold.

FF shot his bull with Win M70 .300 Win mag. I worked up a load for him back in the early 90s using the Speer grand Slam ( 180) and Reloder 22. Since then he has killed 4 bull moose with 5 rounds and every one was a kill shot. he shot his NF moose twice, but the first shot was a kill shot and the moose had not yet figured out that it was dead. The first shot raked the ribcage and was recovered under the skin on the far shoulder. It was a perfect mushroom. The moose stayed on its feet so he shot it again in the neck, at which time it of course, dropped.

My hunting party consisted of myself and FF, and 5 Canadian friends from New Brunswick. The rifles were as such....I had my 9.3x 62... FF and one of the Canucks had .300 Win mags, a m70 Win and a Browning Abolt. The other rifles were a Rem 740 in .308, a TC Encore in 7MM Rem mag, a Browning BAR in .270,

and a sporterized #4 Longbranch mark I in .303 British or TREE-OUGHT- TREE as the Newfies would say.

The .303 cleanly killed the biggest moose of the trip, which is fitting, since that chambering has probably killed more moose in Canada than any other.

[Lawdwaz]

I love the details!

Looks like a real smorgasbord of shooting iron. FF gets it done with the tried and true!

Did you guys wear Scent Lock Suits? How about Human scent killers? LOL, GRIN,

Slippery boards on the way to the crapper, THAT could get sporty!

[burmjohn]

I got a good picture of a decent Woodland caribou stag at about 30 yards..

I also saw ptarmigan and spruce grouse, but no pictures.

No deer or bear? Aren't there grizzlies up there?

[Pygmy]

No deer or bear? Aren't there grizzlies up there?

There are no deer and no grizzlies in Newfoundland.

The Island DOES have some very large black bears, but nobody in my party saw one, nor did anyone have a tag. They are considered a nuisance by most Newfies. We were informed that tags were available in camp should someone see a bear and want to shoot it.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Pygmy

[Dinsdale]

Thanks for report.

Sorry you didn't get a chance with the 9.3 on anything.

[Cabin Fever]

Sounds like a great experience anyway!

[moosemike]

Moose..... my favorite critter to hunt. And also makes the most interesting hunting stories with or without actually getting one. Do you have any pictures to post?

They're my favorite animal to hunt as well. I think I'd rather be hunting Moose without getting any than be successfully hunting anything else. I'm just happier when I'm Moose hunting.

[BizCT]

2 questions.

1. Why didn't you just fly up there instead of 22+ hours of driving?

2. in regards to "Our party killed 3 cows and 2 small bulls. Two hunters missed larger, palmated bulls.." Are success rates typically this low with this outfitter? if so, what made you choose them? I see that many Moose outfitters have much much higher success rates for clients on nice bulls...

[moosemike]

2 questions.

1. Why didn't you just fly up there instead of 22+ hours of driving?

2. in regards to "Our party killed 3 cows and 2 small bulls. Two hunters missed larger, palmated bulls.." Are success rates typically this low with this outfitter? if so, what made you choose them? I see that many Moose outfitters have much much higher success rates for clients on nice bulls...

I can't speak for him but I drive out west when I hunt out there. You miss too much by flying. Half the fun for me is the drive.

[Dinsdale]

I can't speak for him but I drive out west when I hunt out there. You miss too much by flying. Half the fun for me is the drive.

I flew to Texas to meet up with a friend then drove to NM last year for a Muledeer hunt......

Had as much fun on the drive as on the hunt.

[Lawdwaz]

2 questions.

1. Why didn't you just fly up there instead of 22+ hours of driving?

2. in regards to "Our party killed 3 cows and 2 small bulls. Two hunters missed larger, palmated bulls.." Are success rates typically this low with this outfitter? if so, what made you choose them? I see that many Moose outfitters have much much higher success rates for clients on nice bulls...

1) On top of the other replies posted regarding driving vs flying and the enjoyment of the entire trip for a couple retired guys, the logistics of getting a moose or two home on a plane may elude you. Having to not worry about how much gear your bringing, controlling your own destiny and traveling when and where you want trump any plane ticket/time savings for a couple retired guys having a great trip.

2) You watch to much TV. (Jim Shockey's guys kill 2-3 moose in 30 minutes.)

3) Before you ask BizRODude, cows are female moose, NOT the black & white heifers you see in the farmers barnyard.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Lawdwaz

[Pygmy]

2 questions.

1. Why didn't you just fly up there instead of 22+ hours of driving?

2. in regards to "Our party killed 3 cows and 2 small bulls. Two hunters missed larger, palmated bulls.." Are success rates typically this low with this outfitter? if so, what made you choose them? I see that many Moose outfitters have much much higher success rates for clients on nice bulls...

[MuzzyLoader]

Welcome Back D...

Too bad no shot... but like you said, thats's huntin'. Glad you had a great time and I hope you do get a chance to get up there again.

My questions: Did ya' get a chance to eat at Yoken's in Portsmouth? And your waitress being from Elmira - was her name Lauren?

Edited September 27, 2011 by MuzzyLoader

[Pygmy]

Flying into little podunk places like Deer lake, NF, is VERY expensive. I'm sure we could fly to Alaska for less money. It would be even more expensive to air frieght our meat back. One of the advantages of a drive in hunt is that you can bring your meat home without refinancing your house.

Besides, Fungus Face and myself were rendezvousing with 5 Canadian friends in NB on the way up.

Actually, we outdid the normal success rate..Generally the camp we hunted out takes 4 hunters in a week. We knew we were taxing the resource by hunting 7 hunters ( with 5 guides) out of that camp. That was our choice since we wanted to hunt together. If the weather had been more co-operative and the moose moving, I suspect we would have had a good chance of tagging out, with more bulls killed.

I think we did pretty well considering the circumstances.

[Pygmy]

Welcome Back D...

Too bad no shot... but like you said, thats's huntin'. Glad you had a great time and I hope you do get a chance to get up there again.

My questions: Did ya' get a chance to eat at Yoken's in Portsmouth? And your waitress being from Elmira - was her name Lauren?

No Jerry, we didn't make it to Yoken's..Our only stop in NH was the State Liquor & wine store on I 95...Lowest prices on booze I have seen..

The waitress's name tag said LAURIE, so I suspect her name may have been Lauren. She said she worked a summer at The Woodhouse in Corning and her Daddy used to own Sam's in Elmira. She was a downright PURTY little thing...About the same age as my daughter...<<SIGH>>...The restaurant she works at is called The Muddy Rudder. EXCELLENT seafood..Reasonable rates..

[BizCT]

Lawdwaz - I have hunted all around the U.S. and Canada, I know what animals are. I didn't know they were retired. Thats great for them, I would drive too then in that situation. In my case, I fly anything over 8 hours drive, because it allows me to take less days off from work. In regards to the success rates, there are many places in Canada where success rates are close to 100% on big bull moose (not canned hunts either). I have never had an interest in a Moose Hunt, because for $7-10K, I'd rather go for a different species. Just my choice.

[moosemike]

Flying into little podunk places like Deer lake, NF, is VERY expensive. I'm sure we could fly to Alaska for less money. It would be even more expensive to air frieght our meat back. One of the advantages of a drive in hunt is that you can bring your meat home without refinancing your house.

Besides, Fungus Face and myself were rendezvousing with 5 Canadian friends in NB on the way up.

Actually, we outdid the normal success rate..Generally the camp we hunted out takes 4 hunters in a week. We knew we were taxing the resource by hunting 7 hunters ( with 5 guides) out of that camp. That was our choice since we wanted to hunt together. If the weather had been more co-operative and the moose moving, I suspect we would have had a good chance of tagging out, with more bulls killed.

I think we did pretty well considering the circumstances.

Windy conditions will certainly put the kabosh to a Moose hunt almost quicker than anything else. If you kill any moose in strong winds you either know what you're doing or are lucky.