Moose's 2021 Hunting Season

Moose

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Tipmoose started this tradition and it looks like it could be fun so I'm going to give it a whirl as well. I'm in the process of getting things set for my first boondoggle for this season....Im headed North for bear and maybe a turkey if I get some time.

Today I'm setting up my hunting pack and while the contents may change as the season goes on there is a few things I try to always have with me. Fire starters, at least a few methods to get a fire going. ( matches, Bic lighter sealed inside plastic bag, small candle, fuel cubes, etc.) I always carry spare fuel cannister and a few pads for thermacell especially early season. A spare knife and some paracord.
I also put together a small kit for marking a blood trail. I know some believe in using tp for this and while I always have some of that I find survey ribbon is easier to see and un effected by weather. Blood trail in the rain or in a swamp where you drop the tp in a puddle and see how that works for ya.

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I set up a couple of these in the past I use to use 35 mm film canisters but you never see them things anymore. These are canisters that hold test stripes for glucose meters so anyone that uses them probably just throws these out when they are done. I rolled about 25 ft of ribbon on a pen and just dropped it in with the end sticking out. That will keep it neat and I don't have to deal with a whole roll unraveling in my pack or dropping it out of the stand. ;) those canisters are also handy for putting a couple of cotton balls in and then putting a few 209 primers on top for muzzleloader they won't rattle when ya walk. :D
Anyways that's what I'm doing getting ready to roll North soon.
 

Moose

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Dollar Tree is my go to for bear baits. I get some looks when I clean off their shelves. Luckily we got a zillion stores around here. :D I took about 100 bottles of each up to Maine in July..... my buddy has been running the baits ...we are mixing this with grain and a few other things as our baits. I'm bringing this up to finish up our baits hopefully I'll get a bear.
 

Moose

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As I continue to get ready for a trip north I'm working on getting my hunting licenses, tags, duck stamp, as well as any permission slips into my hunting wallet. I wear mine on a lanyard that Blackheel Carolina Cords made for me a few years ago at the DDC. Wearing it on my neck I always know where it is even if I'm in wanders. While I was doing this I saw my magnifying card so I decided to see if I could get a fire started with it. I do this a few times a year often in some nasty weather just to test how fast I can get a fire going. I want to be able to do this in 15 min or less. Lighters and matches are pretty easy but can be a bit more challenging when I step out back in a cold downpour or a wet snow.
For some fire building may not be something you use cause maybe you only hunt a couple 100 yards from your truck or back door. I would say even if that is true knowing the skill is still helpful you never know when life may throw you a curve ball. Hypothermia is dangerous and can sneak up on us when we least expect it. I've been in the woods and taken an unexpected dunk into a pond when the ice wasn't thick or the snow covered it and I didn't realize I was on thin ice. Building a fire is a good thing.
Anyways in addition to a small lighter in my wallet I cary this card. Other methods are in my pack but I might not have it with me or I'm separated from it.


Be prepared never know where you might wander or what mother nature might throw at ya.
 
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lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Where did you get the magnifying card? I used to sit for long times burning stuff into boards when I was a kid with my grandfather's magnifying glass.
 

Moose

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Lasttombstone you probably burn to much stuff up. These things are pretty powerful I was surprised when I got them. It's been a few years so I don't recall where I found them. I've built a fire after a heavy wet snow using dry stuff I found in woods behind the house. Just good to practice when conditions are less then ideal so you have the confidence to do it for real if you ever need to. If I'm up north in winter I usually carry a candle a fuel cell as well as fat wood. I need to try this card up north when it's 20 below and the wind is whipping up. Not sure how well it would work with the winter sun that far north.
 

Moose

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Went by the club early this morning and painted one of our new box stands. I couldn't be there when the built it last weekend. One more thing off my checklist to complete before I burn tracks for the North.
Bear bait reports are not good. This is the 2nd week of the Maine season. My buddy has been hunting but not seen anything the baits are getting hit sporadically. Weather has been warm and there is a lot of mast crops this year. Our friend killed one opening day ... he said he watched the bear for 45 minutes before he shot it..... the bear never even went to the bait. So we are wondering if we may have bears hanging around but not eating much? Buddy is attempting to get written permission as required by law to use a game camera on someone else's land. Go figure verbal is fine for a bait site but you need written for a game camera..... what a screwy law.
 

Moose

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16 hrs of looking out the windshield today.... now I'm in hotel will complete the drive tomorrow with another 6 hrs behind the wheel. Ok I can't remember the last time I ate at burger king..... but it was about the only option except for a somewhat sketchy Mexican place..... usually I'm daring but 6hrs to go ain't worth risking it.....

Ok when did the whooper get made into a thin burger you can read the paper through?


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Mostly bread and lettuce. ..... I guess it will be another 20 years or so before I stop in one again.

I'll sleep in a bit so I can get my bear permit at Kittery Tradding Post once they open.

I saw a mess of deer in VA and in NY. Not much anywhere else. PA Trooper gave me a heartache. I had cruise set 7 miles over limit and people were regularly blowing by me. I saw him sitting just over the crest of the hill but I didn't even tap the breaks. Unknown to me one of those little rice burners must of been moving right along and he clocked him. Well the dude slid in behind me and I got a freezer in the back so I can't see out the window . I didn't see him but I saw that Trooper hauling up on me and I expected him to fly by me and he slid in right behind me. I was saying something like what the heck to myself and that is when I saw the headlight of the small car . So I just chuckled to myself as the two of them pulled into the breakdown lane.
 

Moose

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Made it to Northern Maine Saturday evening. I had to stop for a few minutes and soak in the beauty of Mt Katahdian, the end or the start of the Appalachian trail. I guess depending on your perspective.

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Went out Sunday and checked out the bait sites with my buddy John. This is the one I'll be hunting at. They are getting hit sporadically with a lot of natural foods available this year its been a tough year to get them to respond to a bait. This morning we'll recheck them and make a final decision on which one I'll hunt. Then we'll build a ground blind for me to hunt from. The promise of cooler weather this week has us hopeful the baits will turn on .

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Pretty good trail beaten down coming to bait. One day last week he carried the bucket off and John never found it. So hopefully we'll see something later today.
 

Moose

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Bait got hit last night bucket torn down but not all of it eaten. I'm in here sitting in a ground blind probably about 18 yards from bait. Got some of John's homemade cover scent. Day one for me of the fall hunting season.

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Well it was a beautiful afternoon just didn't see any bears.
 

Hunterreed

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What beautiful country, looks like it goes forever. What kind of mast is up there for bears to eat? Any hard mast like acorns?
 

Moose

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What beautiful country, looks like it goes forever. What kind of mast is up there for bears to eat? Any hard mast like acorns?
Not a lot of oaks up here some beach nuts bit it's a down year for them. Actually the beach trees are in decline. Some butternuts, and hazelnuts are around. Raspberries, choke cherries, and apples. Lots of grain fields around for them as well. Apple trees are absolutely loaded.
 
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Moose

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No bears yesterday. I sat on stand and watched a blue heron fishing in the beaver flowege most of the afternoon. Today is not the best weather wise rain all day with T Storms late afternoon. Think we'll sit today out fill the baits mid afternoon ....so hopefully they won't be to bad if when it stops tonight they might not be completely washed out. So today will be a day to hang out with family so that won't be bad ;) not sure they see it that way. :D
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Nice! Seeing any grouse? WIfe and I are going up end of October staying in Rockwood on Moose Lake.
 

Moose

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I've been busy but the short story is no bear yet. Missed one day(Thur) because of rain. Baits have gone ice cold. After the rain we added a bunch of bacon grease to the sites. But nothing has hit since the rain. We got tomorrow and then next week. Turkey season comes in Monday and we can't find them either. While it should be discouraging I'm having to much fun for that. Hopefully our luck will turn around here soon.
 

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
Maybe them bears are trying to eat more heart healthy and laying off the bacon ??? 🤣
Naaah...
Best of luck, and I hope you get a biggun !
 
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