# Wasatch Bull Moose



## Johnson1040 (Jul 31, 2012)

Having won the DWR lottery by drawing a Wasatch Bull Moose tag with just 14 points, I have been actively scouting one day a week for a couple months now. I have found several, but most have been in areas east of Salt Lake City where you cannot or probably should not hunt. Every Wednesday I spend the day scouting and this week I will be checking out the eastern side of the unit. In your travels you see a bull moose, let me know the when and where. Everyone is saying the population is way down due to a bug that gets into the brain of only the bulls. With this being a once-in-a-lifetime hunt, I need as many eyes out there as possible. Thanks.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Welcome to the forum! You must be a CPA with that username?


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Or he just really likes doing his own taxes? Hope you find a bullwinkle!


----------



## Boulderhunter (Nov 19, 2007)

P.M. sent


----------



## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

Seen a couple decent bulls up on the Timp trail.


----------



## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

I've seen 9 moose 4 bulls up American Fork Canyon in the last week. All from the pavement. Most are smaller bulls but saw one big bull on the Timpanooke road. That was on Saturday. The good thing is I've seen two cows w/ a calf.


----------



## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

i am heading up tommorrow to a spot i have been seeing bull after bull i will try to get some pics


----------



## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

I can attest to the large bull on the Timpanooke road.


----------



## gunplay (Apr 28, 2008)

I hunted it last year and made the mistake of passing on a 42" bull while looking hard for a the magic 50". ended up killing a 38" inch bull on the second hunt and am still kicking myself a bit although I did have fun and my bull isn't bad. Moral of the story, don't pass up a decent bull looking for a giant unless you are willing to go home empty but I also had some issues at home that put a little extra pressure on me to get it done so I guess only you can be the judge of what you will shoot.


----------



## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Keep in touch. I am doing my deer scouting for the Wasatch west am I'm up in that area at least once a week. I would be hoot to tell you where I've seen moose. Maybe even get a picture or two.


----------



## stick&string89 (Jun 21, 2012)

If its something you would shoot on the last day of your hunt.... You probably should shoot it on the first day.


----------



## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

I saw a really nice bull that was definitely over 40". I was at Silver Lake flats. I crossed the river that comes in on the north end. As I was driving up the road heading north. The big bull was standing on a ridge to the west. By the way Silver Lake is really low!


----------



## Yahtahay (Jul 3, 2008)

> Everyone is saying the population is way down due to a bug that gets into the brain of only the bulls.


Care to elaborate? I haven't heard of this unfortunately.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Yahtahay said:


> > Everyone is saying the population is way down due to a bug that gets into the brain of only the bulls.
> 
> 
> Care to elaborate? I haven't heard of this unfortunately.


Shiras moose are getting hit hard by three or four different parasites; brain and carotid parasites to name two.

Use the UWN search engine and enter "moose parasite" and you will get links to some interesting threads about the subject


----------



## Boulderhunter (Nov 19, 2007)

I had the same tag in 2009 and scouted the Wasatch alot, ended up hunting the Strawberry area and taking my bull in the Doc. Flats area on the Strawberry river. Passed on several smaller bulls opening day and took my bull the following day. He's 42" wide with 7 points on each side (decent palms) ended up scoring right around 140" B&C. If you would like some more info. shoot me an e-mail.

Scott

[email protected]


----------



## Johnson1040 (Jul 31, 2012)

Fortunately the 1040 has nothing to do with taxes or the IRS and more of a street address thing. In my scouting I have noticed that at least in the Wasatch unit there seem to be a lot of deer this year everywhere, quite a few big bucks and tons of small bucks. The deer hunt looks really encouraging. It seems that when I spot moose it is in the early a.m., so it this just me or is that what everyone else is experiencing. Thanks for all the input. MRJ.


----------



## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

All the ones I've seem were between 7-8 pm. Probably headed for water.


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

there is a flat marshy willow patch on the timpanooke trail up to the summit of Timp. I have never been through there without seeing several nice bulls. I came around a bend in the trail to stand face to face with a nice bull pushing 40" right there on the trail, a few years back. He never moved. I had to start brush busting to get around him.


----------



## Johnson1040 (Jul 31, 2012)

I am a little hesitant hunting the Timp trails area. I could probably punch my tag, but not survive the angry tree huggers. I shot a big 3X4 up Rock Canyon above Provo in 1978 and just about got mugged by the animal lovers hiking the canyon, and that is 34 years ago. I can only imagine it would be much worse now. Mid week in October might work though.


----------



## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Johnson1040 said:


> I am a little hesitant hunting the Timp trails area. I could probably punch my tag, but not survive the angry tree huggers. I shot a big 3X4 up Rock Canyon above Provo in 1978 and just about got mugged by the animal lovers hiking the canyon, and that is 34 years ago. I can only imagine it would be much worse now. Mid week in October might work though.


You might be OK. I think they closed that trail to do some work on it. I thought I saw something on the news to that affect. I know what you mean though.


----------



## Johnson1040 (Jul 31, 2012)

The Timpanooke Trail parking lot is closed for a while for expansion. The trail is still open but you have to find somewhere else to park which is difficult. Most are parking along the main road where there are pull-outs.


----------



## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

It would take an exceptional bull for me to shoot it off the Timp trail. The bull from the Timpanookee trail head is not exceptional. I know a couple different guys who shot bulls from that drainage and both had a miserable experience bringing them out-- although one was an exceptional bull (a decade ago). If you do try to kill one in there, kill it on a mid-week day, Tues-Thurs, which will cut down on the foot traffic. 

Last year was very tough for moose hunters, so I think there are some better bulls this year. I helped on 3 moose hunts last year on the Wasatch and this year looks better. I think you will have a fun hunt. Don't get too nervous, as some of the best hunting is in Oct. Do you have horses?


----------



## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

Packout said:


> It would take an exceptional bull for me to shoot it off the Timp trail. The bull from the Timpanookee trail head is not exceptional. I know a couple different guys who shot bulls from that drainage and both had a miserable experience bringing them out-- although one was an exceptional bull (a decade ago). If you do try to kill one in there, kill it on a mid-week day, Tues-Thurs, which will cut down on the foot traffic.
> 
> Last year was very tough for moose hunters, so I think there are some better bulls this year. I helped on 3 moose hunts last year on the Wasatch and this year looks better. I think you will have a fun hunt. Don't get too nervous, as some of the best hunting is in Oct. Do you have horses?


Yeah that drainage is a beast. I would drive around the face where the road drops down around the front and shoot him as he crosses the road. I'll be deer hunting up there and spending a lot of time in that area between now and Oct along with 3000 of my closest friends. I'll keep tabs on him for you just in case. He's a nice back up bull.


----------



## Johnson1040 (Jul 31, 2012)

I don't have horses but might be able to wrangle some from one of my neighbors. I am not sure I am willing to shoot one in some of the horrific terrain I have seen them in. I hope to get lucky or have enough patience to tag one where access is a bit more reasonable. If needed I will spend the entire hunt on the mountain. At 58 I am in good shape and have successfully used plastic cargo toboggans to haul out elk, even a mile or so off the road. I am wondering if a snatch block and a few 1/4 mile sections of heavy rope my buddy uses to pull overhead power lines from pole to pole might be something to consider. Moose are in a whole different league than even elk when it comes to transport. MRJ.


----------



## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Just get four or five of your closest friends (and you'll know which ones they are if they volunteer to haul a moose out), bone and cape him out, and haul him out in backpacks (if you can't get the horses). I had a cow moose tag back in 2008, and a heavy pack is a heavy pack whether it's elk or moose. I shot a full grown cow about 1.5 miles from a road, but me and two buddies were able to get her out in one load. I figure with a mature bull, you'll need at least another two or three people. Get some trekking poles and they will help distribute the pack loads better. Have fun...wish I had a moose tag!


----------



## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

It is a tough drainage to pack out of, but I should have been more specific-- I was referring to the miserable pack out of that drainage because of all the non-hunters/hikers making it miserable. I shot my moose over 2 miles from the truck, on the backside of a mtn, with no horse access. I'd rather pack him 2 miles without being hassled than pack him 100' with people complaining. 

Going around Timpanookee, as Marty suggests, would be a worthwhile endeavor.

Best of luck.


----------

