Most of the year, my outdoor activities revolve around fishing, but since I was a kid, it’s a been a tradition to head north of Kenora for a few days of late-season moose hunting before the season closes after December 15. I enjoy getting into the woods this time of year, even though it’s more work than earlier in the fall. It’s scenic and relaxing for me, mixed in with some hard work.
One of the aspects of moose hunting that I enjoy is that it is a group activity – well, at least more than most hunting adventures. You’ll need a buddy or two to help if you are lucky enough to use your tag. We take snowmachines and cover ground on those, sometimes organizing drives, sometimes walking around in an area that has moose sign.
One thing that’s been different this year is that there is a lot more snow on the ground than we’ve had at this point each of the last few years. Up near Red Lake, there is nearly two feet of snow on the ground, so it has been a workout to get around over the last day or two, both on foot and on the machines. Everything just gets covered in snow dust.
The good thing about the snow is that it makes it easy to see fresh sign from the moose. Usually if we find an area that has a good amount of sign, we’ll slow down or start walking and that seems to be the best way to make contact with these big animals.
It’s impressive to see how easy the moose get around in that deep snow. Their long legs just stay on top of everything. We saw a bull on our first day but we are running with a cow tag this year so we just got to watch it for a few seconds before it snuck into the trees.
The deep snow can influence where the moose are likely to show up this time of year. Often, you’ll find moose where you find their food. Instead of around the shallow, weedy bays where they’re often seen throughout the summer months, when it gets cold and snowy, you’ll find more moose in higher elevations, around hills and ridges that are full of food. Old clear cuts in these areas provide great moose habitat with all of their fresh growth and heavy cover around the edges.
We appreciate when we have success with the moose but it’s never a guarantee. The meat is as good as any I’ve ever had and makes for a good winter at the dinner table. Most years we get to tag an animal or two, but it’s seldom easy. It’s hard work to fight the cold and snow this time of year. Equipment breaks, it’s a battle to stay warm and it’s not the cheapest activity to partake in but we get to see a variety of wildlife, some beautiful sunsets and just get away in the woods for a few days, I think it’s good for the soul. I’ll have a report on how our trip goes in next weeks column.
