10 surefire ways to totally screw up your moose hunt

It was the second day of October and the peak of the moose rut. The cows were in heat and the bulls were on the move. Picking our way through the northern boreal forest, my hunting partner and I chose a spot with good visibility and cover. My first moan through the birchbark call was immediately cut off by a low-pitched grunt to the east. With each successive grunt, the old bull inched closer, cautiously working his way directly downwind. When the bull finally emerged from cover at just 40 yards, we were able to glimpse his massive 50-inch antlers before he hit our scent, spun and retreated.

Looking back, my partner and I made several mistakes that cost us a shot at that truly spectacular bull. Moose hunters love the peak rut, but even at this magical time, when bulls are at their most vulnerable, success isn’t guaranteed. In fact, there are plenty of ways to screw up your peak-rut moose hunt—commit any of these blunders and the only moose meal you’ll be having is tag soup.

#1  SLEEP IN

Hit the snooze button one too many times and you could sleep right through your best opportunity for a shot. Bulls can, and do, respond at any time of day when they’re looking for a cow in heat. But seasoned moose hunters know the importance of the first and last hours of legal light. During these critical windows, conditions are often calm and cool, and the acoustics are amazing. Skip these magical times and you’re sure to miss some quality chances.

#2  HUNT THE WRONG TIME

I hear it every year: hunters declaring that the rut is early, late or not happening at all. Simply put, that’s a biological impossibility. Regardless of the weather, estrus occurs on a similar schedule every single year. (Cows that are not bred during the peak rut will have a second estrus cycle a few weeks later than the first.)

So, when does the peak moose rut—and especially the peak estrus—really take place? Hard-core moose hunters will always be in the woods capitalizing on the earliest, most eager bulls by September 23 and hunt straight through until at least October 8. The bulls will often respond most enthusiastically between September 27 and October 4. Biologists often refer to the three-day window between October 2 and 4 as the peak estrus, or the time during which the majority of cows are most receptive. These dates may vary by a few days from east to west, and north to south, but the timing of the rut is remarkably consistent across Canada.

Bulls will continue seeking out cows right up to until mid-October, but most hunters report the calling activity abruptly subsides after October 11 or so. The bottom line here? Hit the peak and your odds go up. Miss these critical days and they go down.