Moose comes from the Algonkian word meaning “eater of twigs.” Roughly the size of a horse, the moose is the largest member of the deer family with seven different subspecies, four of which can be found in North America. Moose can run up to 35 miles per hour, climb steep hills and swim easily. They are fairly agile creatures, and when hunting them, you must have patience.

Moose are very large animals. Mature bulls can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, mature cows up to half a ton and calves up to 300 pounds. f you kill a moose, you must be able to get it from the kill site to your mode of transportation and then to your home, so it might be a good idea to hunt near your mode of transportation and bring someone along to help you.

Moose are most active in the early morning and late day. Once a bull hears a noise, it is not unusual for it to stand still for a while in an attempt to determine where the noise is coming from. t is their acute senses of hearing and smell that alert them to predators, so pay attention to the direction of the wind because they will run at the slightest noise.

When you are ready to go out hunting, you will need to bring the necessary equipment. This includes:

• Gun and ammunition

• Sling

• Knives

• Binoculars

• Moose call

• GPS or compass

• Topographical maps

• Flashlight

• Rope

• Meat saw

• Cheesecloth

• First aid kit

The type of clothing you wear is equally important. You must dress in layers that you can remove as needed. Woolen outer clothing will be quieter than synthetic clothing and keep you warm even if it gets wet. You will also need hunter orange gear and some good raingear.

As for the gun you bring, you will want a suitable caliber rifle, one that can maximize your chances and keep the suffering of the moose to a minimum. There are many different rifles out there that can be used. Those requiring heavier bullets will make a clean kill. Moose hunting involves long shots so the rifle should be equipped with a telescopic sight that is accurate at about 200 yards. Some of the more popular rifles used are the .308 Winchester 180, .30/60 Springfield 180, .375 H&H or .300 Weatherby Magnum 180.

When hunting moose, the last thing you want to do is walk around all day until you stumble across one. There are certain things you should look for that indicate the presence of moose. A bull moose will make a rutting pit by scraping out a tiny depression and then urinating in it. They will then splash the urine soaked mud onto their antlers and bells to attract cows. The cows will be lured to the area by the smell, and many times, they will fight over them. Look for an active pit first, and if you don’t find one, search the area thoroughly for other signs of moose. Moose and beavers eat much of the same food sources, so look around for beaver dams or feeding grounds, like burned-over areas and clear-outs.

There are two main methods of hunting moose: still and stand hunting. Still hunting is when the hunter walks around quietly and slowly, staying downwind, in an area with plenty of moose signs. The best time to hunt like this is after a rain when everything is soaking wet and you can move around more quietly. Stand hunting is when the hunter positions themselves in an active area where they can watch without being detected. Using a moose call can increase the effectiveness of stand hunting. There are many different calls to use. Most hunters use the one mimicking the mating call of a cow during the rut between mid-September and mid-October.

Keep in mind that if you do bag a moose, most states require you to pack out all the meat you harvest; otherwise, you could face stiff fines and penalties for waste. Make sure you know how to properly process the moose after the kill. Moose hunting can be fun. t just takes a little knowledge, practice, and most importantly, patience.