A Birthday Surprise! (Archery Moose)

This exciting hunt began like so many others do in Alaska, with submitting my application for the supplemental draw. I applied for all the usual stuff, like the good Sheep spots, Delta Bison, and a few Goat locations. I also applied for some Archery Moose permits that were nearby my home. Since I have the IBEP Alaska Bowhunter Education card, I had the ability to enter for this drawing. The archery permit would allow me to hunt a less pressured area and since it was so close to home, I could easily scout and conduct short hunting trips when time was available.

When the draw results were released I received an email informing me that I had drawn the DM428 tag. This hunting area is located on Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER). While this permit is open to the public, it works out especially good for me, since I am an active duty Soldier currently stationed at JBER. Luckily the draw results came out roughly eight months before the actual hunt date of 3 through 30 September, because I had a hurdle to get over before I could embark on this adventure. While serving a recent tour in Afghanistan I tore my rotator cuff in my right shoulder. I was doing physical therapy but still had a ways to go before I could draw my bow. This definitely gave me a goal to achieve in my therapy.

While I was working to overcome the physical issues with this hunt the next thing I focused on was my bow. My weapon of choice for this hunt was going to be my 08 Bowtech Guardian. The Guardian may not be as light or high speed as some of the newest bows, but it always delivers for me. I’ve successfully used it on Whitetail Deer, Hogs, Coyotes and Caribou, so I was confident that it would successfully harvest a Moose. While I was confident in the bow, it was due for a tune up and I wanted a stiffer arrow for use on the largest member of the deer family. I also decided that the bow needed a new look.

Tuning up my bow became a full on project in which Paul Reed at Alaska Hydrographics dipped the bow in my favorite camouflage pattern, Kryptek Highlander, and the good folks at Full Curl Archery took on the rest. In the end the bow was coated in the best concealment pattern available, and to top it off the custom string and the arrow fletching were red and white to signify the United States Cavalry, of which I am honored to be a member. I also began shooting the Easton Full Metal Jacket 340 shaft tipped with my favorite G5 100 grain Monetec broadhead. I really enjoy the Monetec for its ability to blow through the toughest of objects to include bone, and provide a clean pass through.

By the time the bow project was complete I was getting into the summer months. When I wasn’t fishing I was scouting for Moose or trying to sight in my bow. Shooting was still tough, but I could fire about five times per visit to the range. I would get one pin set and then I’d have to call it quits and rest till the next time. I also dropped my bow from its usual 70 lbs pull to a slightly more manageable 62 lbs.

Since there is a road system throughout the hunting areas on JBER my scouting trips mostly consisted of driving around and glassing from the truck with my binoculars. To be honest most of my scouting wasn’t that productive. I rarely saw a Moose and if I did it was a cow. Mostly I just saw Black Bear, but about a month before season opened in the fading light I spotted antlers moving through the brush. With the help of my Vortex Talon HD binoculars I quickly knew it was an over 55 inch Moose, which made it my main target.

The month prior to my hunt, the bow was dialed in out to 50 yards, the broadheads were sharp, and my gear was laid out. Due to the parameters of the hunt that I had drawn, I had to shoot a proficiency test at the range control office on JBER. The course was very well set up. It consisted of five full body moose targets set up in the woods and vegetation to add to the realism of the scenario. While progressing through the course each shooter has to fire from both the standing and kneeling position.

I have always had the most success Moose hunting in the last week of September and I planned this hunt accordingly. While I planned to hunt the weekends in hopes of finding one early, I scheduled some time off from work for the 21st through the 29th. During this time period I figured the rut would be going and I would stand a better chance of calling one in.

My first few times out I focused on the area where I had seen the one good sized moose. I found a lot of sign to include rubbed trees, and a few cows, but no bull. The weather still seemed very warm for September, but it did concern me that I wasn’t seeing any bulls. On September 14th things changed. As I got to the trailhead and left my truck there was a significant amount of fog and haze in the air coming off the nearby lake. As I crept down the trail into my hunting area I could barely see anything due to the dense fog. All of a sudden, less than 100 yards in front of me I started to make out a large object. As I squinted my eyes trying to peer through the fog I suddenly realized that what I was seeing was a large bull moose walking down the very trail I was standing on, and he was coming right towards me.

I immediately ducked into the nearby brush and began to knock an arrow. I had a clear shot to the trail at exactly 30 yards, it was perfect. I peeked my head out just to ensure the bull was still coming, at this point he was within 50 yards. The wind was perfect, and I was less than one hundred yards from my truck. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I started to see the seemingly enormous rack appear, and I knew the bull was only steps away from walking onto my shooting window, 30 yards away. My release was attached and I began to pull pressure against the string in preparation for the draw.

I could already see myself notching my first archery moose tags when I began to hear a noise. At first it was in the distance and I wasn’t sure what it was. Then it grew louder and louder still. The noise was coming from a loaded down Airforce C-17 cargo jet taking off from a nearby airstrip. The jet came directly overhead, emitting the loudest engine scream imaginable and seemed to vibrate the very ground I stood on.

As quickly as I had found this moose and the scenario had unfolded, it was just as quickly terminated. At the sound of the overhead plane the moose took off through the woods, breaking and snapping everything in its path, until it was too far away to be heard. I spent the rest of the day trying to find that bull again, but found nothing.

The next few outings didn’t produce much. I saw a few cows and even followed some of the cows, hoping they would link up with a bull, but it never happened. I also witnessed one of these cow moose freak out and take off when a plane flew over. I would’ve thought that living next to an airfield would have conditioned these moose to the noise, but they really do not like the sound. I did see a small bull one afternoon but it was in an area that I was restricted from hunting in. While there wasn’t a moose behind every bush, I was able to experience a few other awesome opportunities. One morning I ended up close to a very vocal Brown Bear. The sound that bear made would stand the hair up on anybody’s neck. In a mystical display one morning as the sun began to peak up, I caught my first glimpse of a Grey Wolf. Without a sound it appeared out of the mist, looked at me, and then vanished. It was truly amazing.

The month had gone by and it was finally the last week of September. I had taken this week off from work and now I could really focus on the hunt. On the morning of the 24th of September (my birthday) I woke up a little late. The sun was already peaking over the mountain as I stared out of the window from my house. A hard frost had covered the ground over night. I knew I only had the morning to hunt, because I had to meet my wife at the hospital at 1 o’clock for a pregnancy appointment. I contemplated not going and just getting some rest, but as fast as the thought went through my head, I knew I’d be mad at myself if I didn’t go try. I got my gear and headed to the field, going back to the place where I had seen the large bull a couple weeks prior. After moving throughout the area and glassing all the likely spots, I came up with nothing. Then I bumped into a couple who gave me some bad news. They could tell I was moose hunting, and were more than happy to tell me about the guy who had harvested a large bull from this very area. My heart immediately sank. I asked “how big was it”? “Oh 62 inches” they replied. I knew immediately that this was the bull I had seen and was looking for. I could’ve been wrong but I felt it in my gut.

It was nearly 11 in the morning and I had to meet my wife Julie at 1. I decided it was time for a new plan of attack. I pulled out my hunt area map and saw a small parcel of timber that I hadn’t looked at yet. I figured I’d go scout it out and see if it was worth hunting in the morning. When I got to the new area I parked my truck at the head of a maintained trail. From there I used the trail to move deeper into the area quietly. The deeper I got into this new area the better it looked. There were low swampy areas and a small lake. I even started finding tree rubs and thrashed up brush. It was easy to see that this area had a bull in it somewhere. I got to a spot that looked like a good place to call from.

It was noon and I knew I had to get going. There was a stump nearby cut off about two feet above the ground. I decided I would set on that stump and make one good call. If nothing happened I would go, as I would be cutting it close for the appointment as it was. I set on the stump and made a series of cow calls through my fiberglass megaphone, followed by raking the megaphone on the nearby brush. Only a few seconds after I finished my calling sequence, I heard the unmistakable sound of a Bull Moose grunt. The sound had come from behind me, but the bull continued to grunt and he was coming right for me. Due to the brush in the area, I knew that this encounter was about to get close. As I saw the Bull’s horns coming through the brush at well under 30 yards I drew my bow and aimed towards the only area that would allow a shot opening. All was going great except when the bull stepped into the shooting lane he was facing directly head on with me instead of broadside. I was setting at full draw, staring head on with a Bull Moose at less than 10 yards. I didn’t dare flinch but I did begin to worry about whether or not the moose would charge me. The bull stared straight through me for 2 to 3 minutes, my Kryptek Highlander clothing system worked flawlessly to conceal my position, even though I was just setting in the open. After what seemed like an eternity my arm began to tremble, but I kept my eye on the peep sight. Just as I began to think I was going to have to let my bow down, the bull took one giant step to the left and turned its head. When the bull moved he opened up his vitals, quartering towards me. I settled my pin behind the front shoulder of the massive animal and squeezed the release. The bull was so close that I never even saw the arrow fly, just the faint thud of the string hitting the dampeners and the smack of the 100 grain G5 Monetec crushing through hide, flesh, and bone.

With a shot that decimated both lungs the Bull took off but only ran a semi circle and fell roughly 30 yards from my position. Having seen the bull fall I nocked another arrow and moved closer. When I got to a spot where I could see the bull it was obvious that he wouldn’t need another, he was done. I stood over the animal astonished, humbled, and thankful. I had done it! I had harvested an Alaskan Bull Moose with my Bow.

As I stood there in awe, the reality of what time it was hit me. It was a quarter to 1 and I had a lot of work ahead of me. A quick call to my loving wife, telling her I wouldn’t be able to make the appointment brought me a “Congratulations” and an “I knew you would find a way out of this appointment”. What also became apparent to me was that I could drive my truck down the path that I had used to walk in. After positioning my truck I only had to carry the moose about 200 yards. Definitely my shortest moose pack out to date. With the help of a good friend we took some photos and had the bull quartered in the truck in a couple of hours. The late evening sun was setting and I pulled up to the house just in time for a birthday steak dinner. It was a great day.