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EKMS483 Story

 

MY BRITISH COLUMBIA MOOSE/ELK COMBO
In January I decided to go on a moose hunt and started looking into numerous outfitters referred to me by different booking agents. It can be a confusing task, so when I talked with HCU and explained my price range and expectations Cliff put me in touch with a particular outfitter who had a very high success rate. After I spoke with the outfitter and several of his references I was convinced this would be my destination for a combination moose and elk hunt.
I was to hunt an area known as Jim River Valley and the references I had spoken with referred to this area as “someplace special”. In late September I flew to Fort Nelson, then to base camp where I met my guide, Gerald. The next day we enjoyed a horseback ride to Jim River Valley. Just as we entered the valley I could see elk on both sides and the further we went the more elk we saw. I really started to get excited when moose started appearing as well. The valley was rich with game and the adrenalin rush was on!
First day out we decided to go after moose. I was constantly distracted by all the screaming bull elk on both sides of the valley. The rut was on and bugling was intense. After a couple hours in the saddle we spotted a decent bull moose with several cows and some smaller bulls. After closing the gap Gerald did some cow calls and one of the small bulls came to within 15 yards. We knew the bigger bull was close so we did some more glassing and located a different bull about a mile away. About that time the bull we were after stood up and headed our direction. You could hear him coming and he stopped at only 10 yards, Gerald whispered to hold off so we could check out the other bull he had glassed up. After letting him walk away we went back to our horses and rode about a mile to check out the other bull. We got into position and could see him with 8 cows. He was a wide bull, close to 60 inches, but he had no fronts. I said to Gerald, Let’s go back after the first bull, he looked good to me!” When we got back he was chasing a cow in the pines. We tied up the horses and crept into the thick brush. First we spotted a small bull and cow. Then another cow came out of the pines at only 30 yards. Here came our bull trailing her, Gerald said, “Take him” and my hunting partner the .300 Remington Ultra Mag roared and he was down. I had just taken my first moose, a 10 x 9 bull. We did a little preparation work on the bull and headed for camp. Upon arrival I found out Bill, the other hunter in camp, had taken a nice 5x6 elk. That evening our cook, Sam, prepared a fantastic moose dinner. It is amazing as to what she can make on a woodburning stove.
The next day Gerald and I went back into the same area looking for an elk when we heard a pack of wolves near the moose kill carcass. We tried to get in close for a shot, but the brush was just too thick and noisy. We continued on trying to locate a good bull and saw 2 gorgeous stone sheep on the hillside. Both full curl rams and then some. There were moose and elk visible just below them, but no shooters.
The third day Gerald wanted to try a new area down river. After a few hours on horseback we rode up a mountain and spotted a large 6x6 with several cows. We planned a careful stalk to close the distance, hoping to get a 300 yard shot. All was working as planned when 2 big 5-point bulls came over the hill catching us in the open. When they took off it triggered our bull and cows to do the same. So much for day three.
Friday found us riding up the river valley seeing numerous moose and plenty of elk on the way. Gerald spotted a herd of elk high on the mountain. We glassed up a good bull in the bunch and planned another stalk. After an hour we ran out of cover and could see the bull a little over 300 yards away. Gerald made some cow calls and young bull bugles, but all the bull would do is scream back. Then a huge 5x5 came in below us along with another satellite bull. Neither was legal since this is a 6-point area. I could see our bull and now he was about 300 yards and I felt comfortable with my .300 Ultra Mag. I squeezed off the shot and down he went, completing my combo hunt.
Saturday was a day of rest before the long horseback ride back to the main camp. On Sunday the other hunter, Bill, filled his second tag with a nice 50-inch bull moose. The ride back was beautiful, seeing caribou and mountain goats along the way. It was the most spectacular scenery I could ever imagine. After spending the remaining days at base camp enjoying good meals and a great bed I packed with some reluctance. Once I boarded the charter flight back to Fort Nelson all I could think was, “Jim River is some special place.”

Mike Scavnicky