Maine Moose Hunt 2013

Troy Fields

Troy Fields

Well-known member
32 years of waiting for a tag all came to an end Tuesday morning. We drove 7 hours to get our zone and arrived at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, by 4:30 a.m. we had found a vacant site and began to set up camp. By 5:30 we were done and off scouting for the start on Monday. We only found one young bull on Sat. and not a lot of rut sign. Sunday brought rain and wind but around 9:00 we found a little honey hole between to cut off slopes, there we saw a young bull with velvet still clinging to the rack but also saw a cow and better bull. This was by far the best area we had come across and would be our starting area on Monday. Monday arrived with continued rain and wind but we were out and ready. With those conditions it was extremely hard to hear or be heard but we soon had a grunting bull on the way. I called a few more times and heard him coming for an opening...he step out and it was a yearling bull with barely visible nubs, but a great start to our day. we saw another cow and yearling and my cousin saw a young bull and two cows, all from a 300-500yd stretch in the valley. Not wanting to burn it out we left for the day to search other areas but didn't raise another grunt or see another moose. Tuesday arrives, yup still rain and wind, but we were back at the valley crossing. I called from legal shooting time, about 6:00 a.m. until 7:30. It was impossible to hear without the breaks in the wind. I was calling and raking a sapling with a paddle on my last series before I was heading for another spot. As I was about to leave my spotter saw this bull step into a logging road about a 100 yds from where I had been calling, but was now 300 yds from my position. These long shot are not something we practice here in the east as there is simply very little need for them...until now! I held on the top of the shoulder blade and fired, the bull hunched up indicating a good hit, headed for the woods but then turned and started back the way he had come out, I fired a second shot which resulted in him dropping directly in the logging road. He measures 49" inches across and weighed in at 906 field dressed. Very happy to say the least. Tenderloin tonight! Hope everybody enjoys a successful season.

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Troy-I have always heard that the best place to shoot a moose is
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about 100 yards from your truck!
 
Congratulations! That is a fine looking bull.
Thanks for sharing your adventure.

Tim
 
I had zone 2 Jeff. We tented out inside the North Woods gates at Carr Pond. My understanding is that there has already been two moose tagged in Ashland over 1000 lbs and both having 60"+ racks
 
Congrats on a nice bull and enjoy the meat, it's fantastic. I have been applying in Maine for 10 years now as well as 5 years in NH and VT. My hope is that as a non-resident I draw a tag in one of those states in my lifetime.
 
Congratulations and thanks for sharing! This will mark one of the few years in the last 25 that I am not moose hunting so I will have to get my fix through others.

Yup... can't beat having one drop on the road or trail.
 
Congratulations Troy! I've seen a few moose back home, but always while deer hunting. Never found enough hunter-friends together who were interested enough to try to go for a tag!

Seeing the fall colours brought tears to my eyes, I haven't been home and out and about in the woods in a very long time. The Maine woods look like the Quebec woods :) Switzerland's got mountains, but there's nothing like the fall colours in the North American northeast! Thank you for that!

Sincerely

Anthony
 
Troy,

Congrats on a fine hunt. Very nice animal. 32 years of putting in for a tag, humm, I might have given up. Good thing you you didn't! I enjoyed reading your story and pictures. Thanks for taking us along on your hunt.
 
What a wonderful write up on this hunt, Troy. Then to have all of these fantastic shots to go with your story. Absolutely superb, sir!

After seeing that magnificent bull, I guess it was well worth the 32 year wait. Congratulations, Troy.
Al
 
Troy,

Like the others, congrats on a long awaited hunt. Thanks for taking the time to write and the photos are great. I love seeing other places people hunt. I've seen a few moose while fishing in Colorado but to hunt and score has to be an awesome feeling.
 
Thanks everybody, it was a great time and great memories made.
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HeyTroy, I forgot to ask you if you realized how very lucky you were that he dropped where he did? I think the stars were all lined up for you! I remember vividly having to climb 2000 feet then walk 1 1/2 miles down a valley to where I dropped my moose.
Al
 
Hi Al,

I do know exactly how lucky I was. We were quite prepared though to make the most out of this hunt. I've been on several others but this is my first permit. Typically 4-wheelers are used to haul out moose but in my zone 4-wheelers were not allowed due to the logging truck/fire/safety issues. I did have a 600' spool of 3/4" rope and multiple snatch blocks, kayak (for water crossings) and a chain saw winch if needed and then of course game bags if it came to that. But fortunately that was all extra gear this trip. And no tracking needed either! There are secondary logging roads all over the zone, so with some calling, or luck, a lot of moose are shot with-in a 100 yds or so of the these roads, but better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. The tenting out added some great memories as well. Just a great trip overall.
 
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