What a rush…
Anyone who loves moose hunting, probably gets more kicks out of calling one in than anything. If you’ve ever witnessed the largest member of the deer family, in full rut coming to a challenge call or a cow call, you get it.
These animals are beasts, that can reach weights over 1,500 pounds while they stand 7 feet tall at the shoulder. It’s amazing being that big that they can even navigate through the woods easily, and then throw the massive paddle-shaped antlers that bulls grow annually. These antlers are used for mating rituals to show who is the most dominant, even if they have to fight to prove it.
Moose become very vocal during the rut and call to one another to link up. People often imitate these calls in hopes of getting a big bull in. It is an art as much as a science, like many things in the outdoors community. Whether you are hunting or fishing, there’s a whole mess of science that goes into being successful, but there is a skillset and an art form to master as well. Calling in a moose is the perfect example, but to put it simply, to get a moose to come to you, you have to act like a moose.
The good thing is, moose are very curious and they can’t see that well. Their poor vision can make them charge first and ask questions later, but it is also in part why you can call them in with a visual display in addition to an audible call.
These hunters right here put on a full moose calling display recently, I presume somewhere in Alberta, Canada. They are seen calling a bull, using a canoe paddle as fake antlers. The man calls and beats the antlers off the bushes, like a moose running through the woods.
He holds the paddle up by his head, tricking the bull into think he is another, challenging bull. The moose bites and puts on one wild display for them as he moves in, almost dangerously close, checking them out.
The moose gets within a few yards before the guys start trying to scare it off. Luckily, the moose turns off and doesn’t charge… could’ve been bad news if it did and I’m not quite sure what plan B was for our hunter here.
The hunter adds that he didn’t shoot this one, but still had an incredible time calling it in:
“Best moose calling experience I’ve had. Can’t shoot ’em all the time!”
What a thrill… I got mine just watching this, I would love to be there.
