Prep for moose season important
MAINELY OUTDOORS
by Bill Graves
For more Septembers than I care to think about, I’ve faithfully penned a column regarding proper pre-hunt preparation and how it aids moose hunting success and enjoyment.
Contributed photo/Bill Graves
HAULING IT OUT — There are lots of ways to get a big moose out of the woods, most require a lot of work or modern machinery. If you happen to down your bull near a farm with a willing farmer and draft horse, the dragging chore gets simpler.
This year it’s not only important, it’s personal! I finally had my name appear on the lottery list for a bull permit the last week of September, so now I get to take advantage of my own advice and see if it actually works. Anyone want to bet which item or procedure I’ll forget or mess up?
Without the proper gear and equipment, cleaning, moving, loading and transporting a moose that can weigh a thousand pounds goes beyond challenging. Add obstacles such as unusually warm weather, an animal that ends up in a pond or stream or a long distance from any path or road and the task becomes truly difficult. Worst case scenario, some or even most of the delicious meat may be spoiled by heat, insects, dirt, and debris or improper handling.
First and foremost, the shooter must be fully competent and capable of assessing a quick, clean, humane kill with rifle, handgun or bow. Limitations on distance, shot placement, and prevailing conditions must be set and followed. Partners must know who will shoot first and who will shoot back up and when. Shooters must spend time at the range, firing their favorite weapon from every feasible stance at life-sized replicas when available, and moving when possible. Camouflage clothing and cold weather attire usually aren’t necessary, but a Gore-Tex rainsuit cuts the wind and shields the hunter from heavy rain that can hamper an outing. Orange outerwear for safety and calf high waterproof boots broken in for comfort are a must.
Most of the prepared hunters have pre-scouted the area they plan to hunt, they utilize information learned from sportsmen with prior experience in a certain zone, and any woodcutting operations nearby are noted. Nothing brings a big moose out of the thick timber quicker, easier, and safer than a skidder. For a reasonable price many owners of these brush-bursting lumbering machines will be glad to aid successful hunters if the downed animal isn’t too far from the woodlot they’re working. I’ve heard of many cases where local farmers have brought tractors and even horses in a couple of situations to quickly haul out moose from heavy cover.
Novice hunters who have never previously gutted a big game animal need to read an article or seek guidance from an experienced outdoorsman about the task. Better still, take a friend with game cleaning experience on the hunt; he gets some tasty steaks, the neophyte gets hands-on guidance and many hands make light work. It’s a proven fact that the further a large moose is from the truck and trailer, and the wetter or thicker the location is, it’s inversely proportional to how much fun the rest of the day will be.
The most important set of tools for field dressing any game animal is sharp cutlery. At least two keen-edged knives are a must and since they are likely to lose their edge during the job, a whetstone, file and sharpening steel will be needed for resharpening. If it turns out the moose has to be skinned, quartered, and deboned, in order to be carried out of the woods, the knives and sharpening utensils become even more important. In addition, a meat saw and hatchet will be very useful if a big job is required. Have lots of ropes or cable and a sturdy come-along or winch to drag the game from the woods to the edge of the road, and then to pull it onto a truck or trailer. A set of heavy tree shears and a chain saw for swamping a trail can be a big help. Many hunters have had to winch a moose from stump to stump for several hundred yards, and without a saw and ax to move dead falls the work would have doubled. An ATV with all-wheel drive can save a lot of time and trouble during the hauling chore, but even these mechanical work horses may need some sort of trail swamped for travel.
A fair-sized block and tackle or pulley system for hoisting the moose onto a tree will ease the cleaning, skinning, and quartering chores and can also be used to load the animal on truck or trailer. A roll of cheese cloth or commercially available cloth bags for transporting game and keeping flies off the meat in warm weather will be a good idea. Plastic bags for the heart and liver should be at hand and plastic gallon milk containers filled with water and frozen work best to keep the carcass cool during the trip to the meat cutter’s cooler. Just stuff the jugs of solid ice into the body cavity, along with the heart and liver bags and there’s much less chance of meat spoilage on sunny days.
I carry a five-gallon plastic bucket with a few other sundry items inside that make cleaning game and cleaning up afterwards a simpler chore. In the pail are a couple of sets of plastic gloves, a roll of paper towels, and of course plastic bags, cloth meat bags, the cutlery and sharpening utensils and a small first aid kit-just in case the knife slips. The bucket can be used to carry water from any nearby brook or pond to rinse out the body cavity once the cleaning is over. Washing away as much blood and debris from any exposed meat reduces the chance of meat spoilage and keeps flies somewhat at bay during the processing and travel.
If the moose will be transported on an open trailer or pickup over dirt roads, a thin plastic tarp might be in order. When a moose can be loaded whole, the dust isn’t a problem, but if the animal is skinned and quartered, the tarp is a great advantage in keeping the meat dirt and dust-free. Clean and cool are the two main objectives when caring for game animals, so take care of your meat in the field and you will be rewarded at the dinner table.
Don’t forget your camera, a good set of binoculars, and perhaps a range finder. A small cooler with ice packs keeps a few cold drinks, sandwiches, and some snacks at hand in the vehicle. For the early season it’s also a good idea to have manual or electric moose call, to draw amorous bulls within rifle range.
Whether the moose you’re after will end up as a taxidermy mount in the den, as an 8×10 inch glossy on the office wall, or as a well browned roast for Sunday dinner, the right equipment will increase your chances of success. Plan well and compile a checklist of every possible item you need to take along, because once you’re in the woods, you either have it or you do without. During September, it’s difficult to drive a logging road or pass a broccoli field without spotting a moose, so hunt carefully and safely, pick your shot well, take steady aim and shoot straight. Memories are sure to follow.
