Hunt Day 2: I was a little surprised how late we started. guide said he would get us all up around 5:30 to start the day. So when I woke up after sunup, I was a little shocked. But I was still exhausted from the 30 hour drive to get up here. Anyway, I rolled with it, they cooked breakfast, and off we went. Dino wanted to go to a different area that morning to check it out. On the way we did a little trolling and caught quite a few walleye and a lake trout. We scouted some new areas and found a ton of fresh moose signs. Huge tracks and rubs. And lots of them. the area looked amazing and we made a plan to be back that evening to call. His style was more look for signs in the day, and then call later in the evening. He said they actually call all night, but that natives don't really have limitations on when they can shoot a moose like we do. He talked about taking bed rolls out and calling all through the night. Taking turns napping. I much prefer daylight and sleeping at night. So we had a plan, and went back to fishing. Dino planned on cooking up fresh fish on the shore as soon as we got back to the camp. I gps messaged the other hunter and guide that we were going to camp to cook lunch. didn't know where they had gone that morning or what they were doing. So we get back to camp and Dino starts filleting walleye. Our outpost cabin is on an island, as this a pretty big outpost lake. So we get the pan and oil and start prepping fish. As Dino dropped them in the flour and started frying fish, I went back up to the cabin to plug my phone in. My plan was to eat some fish and take a nap. As I plug my phone in I hear Dino screaming...... SHALACKIN, HURRY, RUN, GRAB YOUR GUN!!!!! I had no idea what was going on. But I went running. Grabbed my gun and by the time I got down there, Dino was already in the boat backing it out. I jumped in and he took off. All he was said is Moose!! He had me slide back in the boat to pick up more speed. I was still pretty amped up from my old man sprint down the slight hill of slippery moss to the boat. While he was frying fish, he happened to look up and saw a bull swimming from one island towards our island, about 400 yards away. He at first thought it was a rock, but didn't remember one being there. Then he realized it was moving. We get there just in time to for the moose to get out of the water and for me to get a shot. First shot hit him slightly quartering and he didn't even act phased. 2nd shot hit him slightly further back as I was hurrying and boat was bouncing a little. He still kept going, and made it about 10 yards before the 3rd shot dumped him. So all the scouting and planning, and we shot a bull that fell 200 yards from our camp fish fry, on our island! Unbelievable. We had both left our phones back at camp since we were rushing, so we had to go back to get them. We finally were able to make contact with the other hunter/guide as we needed help. They get there and the other hunter was stunned. He has been hunting moose 3 times and not been successful. And here I go and shoot a bull 200 yards from camp while cooking fish, on my first ever moose hunting trip. He was very happy for me, but just kept shaking his head. I was stunned at moment and just how special these things are. Such a large and majestic animal. super fast swimmers. And incredibly stealthy for something so large. But amazing animals. It took all 4 of us to just position it for pictures. Then we started working. And working and working. I have cleaned a lot of whitetail and other exotics of that size. This was super intimidating. Thankfully these natives grow up living off moose, and have cleaned a ton. The other hunter and myself were both overwhelmed with the size and effort needed. We got him skinned and gutted, and left him to cool some. The other hunter needed to get ready for the afternoon and we wanted to give it some time to cool before quartering. After a break and getting back, it took Dino and I til dark to finish this up. It is a little unseasonably warm here so both of us were drenched in sweat. moving moose quarters is no easy task. Got them bagged and in the boat.
