5 expert tips for spotting and stalking big bull moose

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It was a beautiful fall morning to be moose hunting. There was no wind, the air was crisp and the sun was just starting to peek over the treetops. I had stopped to check out the surrounding area with my binoculars when I heard the distinct sound of an antler brushing against a tree. Since the air was so still, it was possible the sound had travelled a fair distance, so I froze and tried to determine exactly where the sound had come from. Moments later, I heard a branch snap somewhere ahead of me off to the right.

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Confident it was a moose, I took a couple of steps forward, then stopped to glass the area ahead of me. I didn’t see anything, so I took a few more steps and glassed again. Still no moose. After repeating the same drill 10 more times, I finally spotted the outline of the top of a moose’s back through the underbrush.

It quickly became clear it was an unsuspecting bull, working its way into a clearing just ahead of me. Instead of rushing things, I quietly inched over to a nearby tree where I could rest my rifle on a branch and wait for the bull to step out into the open. The hunt was a success, and that’s when I first realized how effective spotting and stalking can be for moose—it’s now one of my go-to tactics. Here’s what I’ve learned.