MOOSE/ WYOMING

AARON E · Jul 6, 2000

I DREW A WYOMING MOOSE TAG THE FIRST TRY IN AREA 27 EVANSTON THE AREA INCLUDES SOUTH OF I-80EAST TO FORT BRIDGER TO THE UTAH BORDER UINTA MOUNTAINS. I HAVE SCOUTED TWO TIMES IN JUNE AND CANT SEEMTO FIND MANY MOOSE . PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP ME ? IM VERY WORRIED IT IS A RARE AND EXSPENSIVE OPERTUNITY PLEASE RESPOND

therin s hill · Jul 9, 2000

Be sure to take some moose urine with you even when you are scouting. This can be purchased at www.kishelonline.com Look for scrapes and very important to remember that the moose is the only animal that the female (cow) makes the scrape! Trying to catch her man! You may also want to check and see if they still have some moose in heat urine. It may be to early, but this is very effective.

GARY C. · Jul 12, 2000

Moose can be tough animals to find, but do'nt dispair. Contact the local game biologist for your area, they can point you to some places to start looking. Just remember that you want to look in areas where the moose are going to be during your hunting season, hopefully you can hit the rutting period. Calling is a very exciting, and productive way to hunt. Wayne Carlton has a video on calling moose.Moose rut in Wyo. in the month of October

AARON · Jul 17, 2000

THANKS FOR THE INFO . DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS HUNTED THIS AREA ? I TALKED TO THE BIOLOGIST AND AFISH AND GAME . THEY WERE HELPFUL BUT I CANT SEEM TO FIND ANY MOOSE THERE IS ALOT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY . DO YOU THINK I SHOULD FIND A GUIDE ? I HAVE THE ENTIRE HUNT TO HUNT FIRST THE ARCHERY FROM THE FIRST SEPT TO THE FIRST OF OCT THEN RIFLE TO NOV 15.IM NOT A TROPHY HUNTER ANYTHING AROUND 40".

GARY C. · Jul 19, 2000

IF THIS WAS MY ONE AND ONLY CHANCE, YES I WOULD LOOK AT HIRING A GUIDE. ALSO ASK ABOUT A POSSIBLE TRESSPASS FEE ON PRIVATE LAND. THE GAME AND FISH SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPLY A LIST OF LAND OWNERS WHO LET PEOPLE HUNT. CONTACT THE LOCAL GAME WARDEN,DISTRICT OFFICE.

GOOD LUCK,

GARY C.

Craig · Aug 24, 2000

Having grown up in Mountain View, WY, which is part of your unit, and also working as a wildlife biologist for the Forest Service on the Wasatch-Cache NF for seven years, I can inform you that there are plenty of bull moose in this area. I wouldn't resort to a guide or limit myself to the fees or hassles of a private land hunt. The forest system lands south of Mountain View has many drainages where moose are somewhat abundant. Call the Mountain View Ranger District((307)782-6555) and see if they can send you a copy of a Wasatch-Cache NF Mountain View Ranger District map. Some of the best drainages to hunt in are West Fork Smith's Fork, Gilbert Creek, Louse Creek, and Sage Creek. A 45" bull was harvested from louse creek last year, on public land. If hunting in forest cover isn't for you, I have also seen a lot of moose in an area known as Aspen Tunnels. This area is open sagebrush and aspen filled canyons south of I-80 between Evanston and Mountain View. These areas are beautiful and should be a great hunt. As I mentioned earlier, there are ample opportunities to harvest a good bull on public land. Your satisfaction will be greater if you put enough effort into this once in a lifetime opportunity and harvest a great bull, on your own, on public land. Good luck, and keep me informed.

AARON · Aug 28, 2000

CRAIG THANKS FOR THE INFO CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT ASPEN TUNNELS ? I HAVE COVERED GILBERT, SMITHS FORK, AND LITTLE GIBERT NOT MUCH SUCCESS ONLY 4 SMALL BULLS IN 5 SCOUTING TRIPS, ALSO I HAVENT HEARD OF LOUSE CREEK. AND DO YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT HORSE CREEK OR WILLOW CREEK I CANT SEEM TO FIND ACCESS TO THESE CREEKS. I HAVE SPENT ALOT OF TIME THERE BUT I CAN ONLY FIND SMALL BULLS AND COWS I HAVE TEN DAYS TO ARCHERY STARTING THIS FRIDAY THEN I CAN RIFLE HUNT OCT 1 I THOUGHT MY BEST CHANCES FOR A BIG MOOSE ARE TO HUNT ARCHERY BEFORE IT GETS CROWDED PLEASE RESPOND

Craig · Sep 8, 2000

AARON - Aspen Tunnels is the collective term for an area south of I-80 in between Evanston and Mt. View near the old railroad town of Aspen. The easiest access to this area is by taking the LEROY exit off of I-80, in between Evanston and Mt. View. Follow this county road through Piedmont, which should be shown on any map. The BLM 1:100,000 maps are an excellent reference for this area (map name EVANSTON, available at any BLM office). On this BLM map you will see the town of Aspen. This area is HUGE, with canyons full of Quaking Aspen and springs. There is certainly a lot of area there to hunt. Louse Creek is located just east of Table mountain on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Access to this drainage is through the road to Henry's Fork, and there are signs. You should use caution here, however, as the Utah state line bisects the Louse Creek drainage. Horse creek and willow creek are two excellent drainages for moose. Access to these areas are from a county road that accesses the forest from the highway immediately west of Robertson. Once again, a good map is a must. You will need to turn right at Cold Springs, and this should get you in the area. I don't believe that the rifle hunt will be as crowded as you think. Of course there will be a lot of people hunting deer, but very few are after moose. Deer hunters see and remember moose. It is good practice to ask any hunters you encounter if they have seen any, and can point you in the right direction. I hope this information is of use to you. Good luck.

AARON · Sep 11, 2000

CRAIGE THANKS FOR THE INFO I JUST RETURNED SEPT10 AFTER 10 DAYS OF ARCHERY , BUT NO LUCK I SEEN A GUY THAT SHOT A 45" MOOSE ON OPENING DAY . I HAD CHANCE AT A 35" BUT HE SPOOKED , I HUNTED GIBERT, LITTLE GIBERT, EAST SMITHS FORK, WEST SMITHS FORK I EVENWALKED OVER THE MOUNTAIN FROM WESTFORK OF THE SMITHS FORK TO WILLOW CREEK, AND WALKED DOWN ABOUT 4 MILES NEVER SEEN A MOOSE . I SEEN SEVERAL SMALL BULLS BUT NONE OVER 24" . WE TRIED TO GET INTO EAST MUDDY FROM MEEKS CABIN . THE TOP LOOKS GOOD BUT WE TRIED TO GO DOWN THE MUDDY BUT RAN INTO A GATE. ALSO TRIED TO COME UP WILLOW CREEK BUT RAN INTO A GATE , PRIVATE PROPERTY!! DO YOU THINK IM READY FOR A GUIDE?? THERE ARE NOT VERY MANY BULLS THAT ARE OVER 36" I CHECKED OUT LOUSE CREEK, BUT IT IS PAST STATE LINE RESEVOIR ROAD AND I THINK THATS OUT OF MY AREA. THE RUT MUST BE STARTING EVERY BULL I SEEN WAS CHASING COWS .THEN THE LAST 3 DAYS I NEVER SEEN A MOOSE IT WAS LIKE THEY DISSAPEARED IT HAS BEEN A HARD HUNT , NOT WHAT I EXPECTED .DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS? I HAVE UNTIL NOV14 BUT AM RUNNING OUT OF VACATION TIME. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS ON WILLOW CREEK AND WEST FORK OF THE SMITHS FORK, OR ANY INFO ON PRIVATE PROPEERTY?? THANKS FOR THE HELP !!!

Craig · Sep 11, 2000

AARON - As I mentioned earlier, I think your best shot at a good bull will come during the rifle hunt in October. The Uintas and southwest Wyoming cool down drastically in late Sept, and this seems to stir moose up. As hot and dry as it has been this summer, I am not surprised that moose are still laying low. Muddy creek is owned by Muddy Creek Outfitters, and as you encountered, it is all private. Most of the upper portion of Willow creek is private, and subsequently has been over-logged. West Fork Smiths Fork has every other section as private, but the main FS road allows good access to the river in many spots. If I had a moose tag in this area I would hunt the aforementioned Aspen tunnels area. This area is somewhat of a sleeper for moose, and not a lot of people hunt here for moose. However moose are there, and in surprisingly good numbers. Two of the biggest bulls I have ever seen were here in the sagebrush and aspens. The country from the tunnels north to the interstate holds moose. I too drew a moose tag this year, in area 26. If my time wasn't devoted to this, I would gladly assist you in your hunt. Once again, good luck, and try with a rifle in sagebrush country!

AARON · Sep 12, 2000

CRAIGE THANKS FOR THE HELP. I AM GOING BACK UP ON THE 22 SEPT TO TRY ONE MORE TIME WITH ARCHERY. THEN PLAN TO HUNT EVERY WEEKEND UNTIL NOV. I WILL TRY ASPEN TUNNELS ON MY NEXT TRIP.GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HUNT ,YOU MAY WANT TO TRY THE VERY NORTH END OF YOUR AREA THE ROAD THAT TAKES YOU TO THE GREYS RIVER BEFORE YOU GET TO SMOOT I THINK IT CALLED SMITHS RD I HUNTED DEER IN THIS AREA LAST YEAR AND AM GOING THERE THIS WEEKEND WITH A NEPHEW HE HAS A DEER TAG BUT WE ALWAYS SEE ALOT OF MOOSE , LAST YEAR WE SEEN ONE OVER 40 "