SECRETS OF SUCCESS
6 winning ways to help fill six big-game tags in just one year (or to at least have fun trying)
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Luck and being in the right place helped the author get his moose#4 GET LUCKY
After five days, my October moose hunt in northern Alberta last year was turning into a bit of a bust. It was cold and rainy, and worse, my hunting partner and I hadn’t seen a single moose the whole time. I was ready to call it quits and head home, but instead I decided to try one more spot. Immediately after letting out a cow call, I heard that beautiful and unmistakable grunt of a bull. Then I saw flashes of his silver back through the pine trees as he charged towards us, stopping broadside at 75 yards. I took my shot, and he dropped just 10 yards from the lakeshore, making it easy to load him into the canoe.
You could say I simply got lucky on that hunt, because I absolutely did get lucky. But to get lucky, you first need to put yourself in a situation where that can happen. That means doing the hard things to give yourself the best chance for success: hike to your stand in the dark; stay out glassing until last light; explore new territory; and resist the ever-tempting urge to head home early. The more time you spend hunting, the luckier you’ll get.
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Using a smaller calibre rifle helped the author make a challenging shot on this whitetail#5 SHOOT STRAIGHT
In November last year, I was hunting whitetails on farmland that appeared to be incredible deer habitat, but it just didn’t hold many bucks. Then one morning at first light, I caught a glimpse of a doe slipping along a fenceline with, to my delight, a big-bodied buck hot on her tail. Due to the way the deer were positioned, however, I only had a head-on shot opportunity. It was not ideal, but I knew I could make it. I settled the crosshairs, exhaled slowly and squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit perfectly, and the buck dropped in his tracks.
That was the only buck I saw during the entire hunt. In such cases, it’s imperative to make every shot count. My best suggestion to improve your accuracy and confidence is to use a small-calibre rifle. Many hunters assume they need a large calibre, but too often the shoulder-crushing recoil and deafening blast causes them to flinch and miss. If you’re worried a small calibre isn’t enough to get the job done, consider that the only rifle I used during my hunts last year was a .243, and none of the animals ran more than 30 yards from where I shot them. And yes, that includes the moose and bear.
The author’s 2020 mule deer capped a morning of family fun at camp#6 HAVE FUN
One warm November morning last year, I was thrilled to be with my dad watching a herd of mule deer does through the spotting scope. We were drinking coffee, relaxing and reminiscing while hoping for a buck to show up. As we basked in that amazing moment, I noticed some movement behind us—a big buck was wandering by at 20 yards. I whispered to my dad to look, then whisper-yelled at him to put down his binoculars as the deer was right there. He saw the buck just as I dropped it within spitting distance of our position.
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That morning was so much fun, I won’t forget it anytime soon. Hunting is full of that type of camaraderie, as well as adventure and moments of pure excitement. On the flipside, it can also be demoralizing and challenging. Throughout it all, though, I continuously remind myself to be thankful for every minute I’m out there, to soak up the beauty of creation and to have fun—regardless of what I bring home.