Black bear hunt ends with moose DLP

[jnalaska]

Well here's how it went. My wife and I left out of Talkeetna with tri river charters on Saturday morning headed up the susitna. Plan was 4 nights on drop off black bear hunt. First night we decide to hunt through the evening until about 11pm glassing our hunt ground.

As we are making our way to our hunt ground about 3/4 mile from camp we hear crashing through the forest what sounds like a freight train. Turns out to be a cow moose that comes out right on our tracks about 100 yards back. The cow begins a charge right off. I put my rifle on her and just started to send a round off but she veres off about 15 feet out (no exaggeration on distance) and runs past us. My wife started saying "Jason shoot Jason shoot" from behind me as the cow closed the distance. After the cow got by us she stops and turns at about 20 yards and charges at us again. My brain says ok shoot and right then the cow verse off at about 15 feet again and runs off straight towards camp.

We sat down and talked it over for a while. Mariah was pretty unnerved by the whole
thing as was I to be honest. I was trying to answer to myself why I ever let a threatening animal get that close. The distance was closer than I felt the animal could be safely put down. I decided right there that never again would I let an animal get that close on a charge. You really learn what speed and size means in that situation.

We finished our hunt and headed back to camp. We were about 300 yards from camp when the **** thing reappears with her head down and running straight at us. I tracked her until about 25 feet then put one right between her eyes. I've never had to use a weapon in defense and hope I never do again. At this point it's close to midnight. We calm down then get to camp and call troopers. Trooper Valentine says he has to get loaded up but he will be there in awhile.
3 year old woke up I'll finish report in a bit

[Roger]

I bet Dan was happy to be out on the river that late LOL!!!

[jnalaska]

Valentine says over phone we can't hunt bear in the area of carcass on a DLP. He offers to get us out tonight or have tri river move us in morning. We decide to move out of there that night so we start breaking camp before we have to take care of moose. While breaking camp I'm in tent gathering up when I hear a very loud low growl. My heart races and I don't have my rifle on me. I grab my 44 mag from tent floor and bolt out and see my wife in a panic coming towards me. (I explained to my wife later about running in a bear encounter). I look to where growl came from and it was up a small hill in brush straight down wind between us and carcass. It was really dark at this point. I backed us up to higher ground about 20 yards back to get better look. Could not see the bear. I gave a warning shot. The bear growled again just like before, low and loud. I shot another over the thickets it was in heard movement then silence. Never saw the bear and was glad for that. At this point I was on edge to put it lightly but was trying to act as confident as possible to calm Mariah down. It freaked her out pretty bad as it did me but she is new to the woods and it really shook her up. After about 30 minutes I convinced her to let me finishing packing, how I did that I don't know. Trooper Valentine showed up as I finished packing.

[jnalaska]

Valentine, Mariah and I head over to carcass and start in on the cow. I can honestly say you will not find a better representative of our troopers. If he is any indication of the rest we alaskans should be very proud of our wildlife troopers. He was great with Mariah and helped much much more than would be required for sure.

[jnalaska]

Never felt threatened by moose or bear while afield, both firsts happened on same night.That's one adventure that won't fade away anytime soon.
What I did wrong in my mind- I should have started in on cleaning the moose right then and there, instead of waiting. Next time I will. Pretty big mistake in my mind but thankfully we had a fantastic trooper that showed up and jumped right in with us hours after his shift ended. Another mistake- letting a moose charge to 15 feet, that won't happen again if I'm ever faced like that.

[jnalaska]

I bet Dan was happy to be out on the river that late LOL!!!

Yeah he mentioned that was the latest he had ever been on river. Lol. I was surprised he came out right then. I thought for sure they would come the next day

[SuperCub]

Well, I'm glad no one was hurt. But, the Cow was charging you because she was trying to protect her "new born" calves. Guaranteed. Probably not even the same Cow as the first encounter. Sounds like you were hunting in the nursery. Good spot to hunt bears.

[jnalaska]

The cow was swollen with milk, never did see calf though.

[Trapak]

Boy, quite the story and I can relate to what happened to you and your wife. I'm just glad it turned out as best as it could.
I had a very similar incident a number of years ago, when I was spring hunting for a black bear in the Cooper Landing area. I spotted a cow and a newborn calf with her about 100 yds. away. I gave her a wide berth, leaving the trail and taking another way through the woods, and I headed downhill from Lower Fuller Lakes. For whatever reason, she sought me out and had her head down, ears laid back and hackles up. I tried to convince her I wasn't a bear and hollered at her and waved my jacket at her. This didn't do much good, as she proceeded to come closer and closer. So I turned around and started back the way I came. I looked over my shoulder and she was about 30 yds. away. I pulled out my .357 (largest pistol I had at the time) and kept it at the guard position. I made the mistake of starting to walk backwards down the trail that was littered with exposed roots. I was talking loudly to her and couldn't figure out why she was pushing the issue. I suppose they get run pretty heavily by the wolves and bears, wanting some young moose veal. Anyhow, she came at me, full on without any sign of stopping. As I went to plug her in the head at approx. 20 ft. I tripped backwards over a root and the round, likely went right over her head. I was flat out on the ground and figured she'd be trampling me, but she must have veered off at the last half second. I scrambled to my feet and here she comes again! This time, I held my ground and had the slack squeezed out of the trigger. She broke off the charge at about 20 ft. again, and boy was I relieved. I was shaking like a leaf by now, and I made it to a spruce thicket, where I had a little more cover and protection. She eventually wandered off with her calf and I was happy that I hadn't hit her the first time. Would have been bad for all concerned.
I do hope your wife will be able to process this event and not be discouraged into enjoying the outdoors with you. Sounds like you did the best that anyone could in this situation.

[jnalaska]

Well, I'm glad no one was hurt. But, the Cow was charging you because she was trying to protect her "new born" calves. Guaranteed. Probably not even the same Cow as the first encounter. Sounds like you were hunting in the nursery. Good spot to hunt bears.

I'm 99.999999 percent sure it was same moose. There is absolutely no question in my mind on that.

[SuperCub]

The cow was swollen with milk, never did see calf though.

Calves are born with the instinct to lay very still,quiet, and low to the ground. The Cows' instinct is to harass and distract. And fight, if need be. No doubt, you never saw the calves. That was her intention. Like I said, I'm glad you and your wife are Ok. Just seems strange to be charged twice, almost a mile apart by the same moose in one day....

[SuperCub]

I'm 99.999999 percent sure it was same moose. There is absolutely no question in my mind on that.

Why? Because she was "white" on one side?

[BRWNBR]

yikes that'll get yer hair on end everytime you see a moose from now on.
had one on top of me in a bush once i could feel the air on my face from her feet stompin' the ground, but i was 9 miles out and refused to shoot her. glad i didn't, she just wanted me gone and never touched me even though she could have a pile of times.

its a tough call when to shoot and not shoot, either way, glad your both safe, bummer to loose two more moose out there. glad to hear the trooper was helpfull, make a bad situation a little more bearable..no pun. nice shooting by the way too!

[SuperCub]

bummer to loose two more moose out there.

More likely...Three

[Mountaintrekker]

I've never had a close encounter with a bear charging, but I've had loads of close calls with moose! I was just cutting some wood the other day (chainsaw blaring away) and I hear/feel a rumble and shut the saw off just as a cow barrels 5' away from me at a dead run! I would have been toast if she was gunning for me or she ran into me by accident. Yikes! I'm glad you and the missus made it out ok.
So... what caliber and bullet?


Mountaintrekker