I think I'll call him Herbert...

This little feller wasn't a roadkill. This was my first moose that I successfully hunted. He was not very keen on the idea of being supper. Dad and I were "on patrol" early one morning. We were headed south when heard someone open up with a mini-14. A dozen shots later all was quiet. We figured there was no point in going that way so we turned around and headed North.

After a dozen steps, or so, I heard a branch snap behind us. I stopped Dad and told him, but he thought I was hearing things. As we were standing there arguing about whether I had or had not heard anything...Herbert walked out in front of us. He was staggering and wheezing. At 15 yards broadside we opened up on him. I fired 4 rounds and started to reload when I noticed that Dad had a jamb (on his Winchester Mod 70 Featherweight). Herbert had turn 90 degrees away from us and bolted.


So, I took off running after him... and ran right past him. Dad called me back to where he was laying (head up looking at me). I walked around behind at delivered the coup de grace.

That tough young ungulate soaked at least 5 .223 and 4 180 grain .30s before he finally went down. 2 of the .30s went through and through the lungs broad side, and 2 more entered through the hams and lodged forward of the lungs in the low neck area. The .223 entered and broke ribs breaking apart , but did did not penetrate all the way through rib cage.

Look a New Theme Song

I stumbled across a song that I really thought was appropriate for this blog. I was trying to figure out how to get it onto my blog when Hot Mama found a very nicely done video of it on You Tube. Please enjoy the clip, and if you get a chance stop on by for some Bulwinkle sloppy joes.


This little guy is tempting fate.

Got One Today!

Unfortunately I did not get go help recover this one as I was working. What did I say about "Happiness is..."?

Some friends of mine got his one while I was at work. I don't normally leave the hide for 2 reasons: one, it helps insulate the meat cools slower keeping it in the temperature danger zone longer; second, you end up with more hair on the meat. They are not doing wrong, just different (and at these temps the meat cools pretty quick anyway).



These ribs look really nice and clean, I like that because I don't like to use water to clean the meat, but on ribs its the only way. I'll use my saw to cut those into 6" pieces and they should be ready to package.




A couple quarters hanging. I have a bar in my shop to hang meat on. The other pieces on the floor are on clean cardboard and getting next. The ribs on the cutting block are OK right where they are.






The closest piece is the pelvis and the picture looks ugly, but in person the cuts are clean and neat and no sign of bloodshot or damage.

A pickup bed makes a handy table

Same critter from the last post. She was a calf. Small enough three men lifted her into the bed of the truck.














After we got her in the truck we thought "why haul the guts home?" So we started to open her up.

We typically split them up the middle. I've tried splitting the hide up the spine and taking the quarters off with out ever opening up the abdominal wall (like ADF&G recomends) but you miss out on the liver, kidneys, heart, and the teeny tiny tenderloins. I also think about saving the stomach and lungs for Haggis, but I haven't done it yet.














I've never used a gut hook. Here Dad is opening her up using a hunting knife with a finger next to the point so he doesn't puncture the gut.


Notice that we skin the hide back quite a ways before splitting the gut open, this helps keep hair off the meat. Moose hair seems to shed very easy, I can pull it out by the hand-full. In my opinion moose hide is only good for leather or raw hide, not fur.