Newfoundland Moose Success

[EFsDad]

Wowzers! Them are some Moose! Just sitting here wandering and having never been on a guided hunt outside of the states, but how do you get the pelt/mount/meat back? I mean 1 bag at 50 lbs is $25 through AA. Do you ship it all and do you overnight it?

Congrats and looking forward to the story too!

 

[Woody's Janitor]

Nice ones! Congrats!

 

[AllOut]

Hell ya!!!
That's what I'm talk'n bout brother!

 

[dennishoddy]

Here is one thing I know for sure.....You won't have to buy any meat for a long, long time. Congrats!

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

Ugh...

Lucky!

 

[Sticky Stokes]

Wow, I can finally see the pictures now, holy moose meat Jim Shockey, those are some great looking animals congrats to you both! Now, Im with everyone else, want to hear the story and details. Lets start with the cost of hunt, guide service, logistics, lodging, .........the best part .....the actual hunt itself, and how you are getting all that moose back to the States.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Ok, sorry it took so long to get back on here, but its been a hectic few days. Broke down in Albany, NY on the return trip and made a mad dash home to get my meat and capes back under freezer, but thats another story!

Thanks for the compliments. Yes, for Newfoundland those are both very nice moose. Newfoundland isn't known for big moose, just LOTS of moose. We both felt very fortunate to take such nice animals, we went just wanting to kill A moose each, but came home with what we considered trophies for the area. We hunted just south of Stephenville. Non-residents cannot hunt in Newfoundland without a guide, so we were with an outfitter.

It was a 5 day hunt, in beautiful wet rugged country. Lots of wind and lots of rain. It rains EVERY day there. My wife got her moose on the first morning. We weren't an hour into the hunt and we snuck up over a hill and just below us at 115yds was 2 cows and her bull. She rested her rifle on a huge rock and 2 rounds from her 7mm-08 put the bull down for good. It happened so fast we didn't even realize how nice the bull was till we walked up on him. It was the very first bull we saw and she was tickled. She had already told me she was gonna shoot the first bull she saw, she just wanted the meat, so it was a huge bonus that he was so nice.

The remainder of day 1 it rained sideways and soaked us and the 2 guides that were with us. We decided at noon to call it quits for the day and go warm up and dry off and prepare for the next day which was to be a "big one". The guides had planned a 3 hr hike for me into the back country where they kept seeing a "monster", the day was supposed to be the nicest of the week and would be my only chance to make a trek that deep into the wilderness for the week. I was super excited they were taking me. They had only taken 2 other hunters all season to this spot as not many people are willing or physically able to get there.

Day 2 broke and we took the Argo to the lake and then jump in a boat to get to the far side. We weren't 1/2 mile into our hike when I heard whistling behind me and one of the guides trying to get our attention. I immidately ran back up hill and met up with the guide who had spotted a nice bull way up on the hill side in the timber. I dropped to my knees and started to prepare for the 250 yd shot. The bull was facing us and just as he turned sideways a cow stepped in front of him and he disappeared over a hill. The guides called, but no response and it was looking as if this bull was not to be the one I would get. We gave it 10 minutes and amazingly he appeared again further uphill with his cows. We ranged him at 360, but by the time I got prone and found a clearing in the trees to take my shot he had moved uphill. I estimated his distance to be 400-425 knowing he had moved. (The guide with the rangefinder was 30 yards away I had moved to get into position after first seeing him at 360yds) He was in and out of the timber and I had a perfect clear patch of timber over his vitals, so I squezzed one off. Nothing. Shot under him, had to.........held a little higher and squezzed another one off. Boom, he fell in his tracks. We watched him for 20 minutes before moving. We could tell he was alive, but he could no longer stand. Wasn't sure where I hit him but he was anchored. Before we walked up hill to go get him the guide with the rangefinder came up and ranged it at 496 yds!

We walked up hill in some of the nastiest timber you can imagine, and my guide walked right to where the bull was, he was an amazing guide! How he walked straight to that bull in all that nasty fallen timber I will never know, but he did! Anyway, I walked to within 5yds of my bull and put one in the broiler and finished him off. Upon inspection, we found I had busted both front legs just below the brisket. I mean completely jello'ed them. My bullet had flown true I had just underestimated the distance and shot low. I was very lucky I had taken out both legs, but I will take luck over skill anyday!

To answer a few questions. We drove to Newfoundland from Nebraska. Approx. 42 hrs worth of driving/ferry time. We had our meat processed and frozen. This way were able to haul everything back with us. Meat, capes, and antlers. Wife and I are both getting shoulder mounts of our animals. My aunt also took a moose while we were there as did the other 2 hunters in our party. My wife and I got the two biggest though. The other moose shot were more average for Newfoundland.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Some more pictures

The argo hauling my moose off the hillside. They cut a trail all the way up to my moose and loaded him up. Took about 2-2.5 hrs to cut the trail

The argo hauling my moose across the lake we had to cross in a boat.

My wife and aunt and a view/picture from my kill site.

My wife at her kill site.

 

[dennishoddy]

Great story, and it sounds like it was a great hunt! That's a long shot you took. Congrats! Those Argo's are amazing.

 

[Okie4570]

Nice write up and story, thanks for sharing and again, congrats to you both!