Bow Hunting Moose....
Is an exciting way to hunt!

A close encounter while bow hunting moose will get the adrenaline flowing. Anyone who has come within a few yards of such a large wild animal will attest to this. Getting close takes skill and for the novice this moment may be life altering.

This does not diminish in any way the amount of excitement that any experienced or novice hunter will feel when encountering moose. I would venture to say that if you do not get excited by this type of experience it is time to quit hunting. Hunting any big game can be difficult for the less qualified, adding a bow to the equation just takes the challenge up a notch.

I called this bull to 30 yards using a birch bark call. My shot was quartering away... penetrated both lungs and he ran less than 70 yards, thanks to a Slick Trick broadhead. Read my moosehunting story.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from taking up this contest, quite to the contrary I would suggest that we all take up our bows and use them. Archery is a fun sport, and can be taken up by all. This sport is one that can be practiced in your own backyard, all year round. Encourage your children, spouses and your friends to take up the activity. Take up bow hunting moose.

We regularly get queries from our readers as to who makes the best hunting bow. I know there are many very good manufacturers of quality bows and many archers choose their bows based on various information. Please share with us what is your favorite brand of hunting bow.

Archery is an old sport; the discovery of the first stone arrowheads in Africa tends to indicate that the bow and arrow were invented there, maybe as early as 50,000 BC. In Medieval European times, archery was used in times of war. Today, competitive archery is popular, significantly straying from the traditional archery of the past. The use of archery as a form of warfare has been discarded and mostly only hobbyists hunt with a bow and arrow.

Hunters worldwide are taking up bow hunting in general and others are specifically taking up the sport of bow hunting moose. Combine the sport of archery with a few moose hunting tips... stir well and you have the makings for fun and excitement.

Do you have a moose bow hunting story that you are itching to tell? You can do that right here!

In order to take a moose with a bow, the bow hunter must first consider a number of items.

• Location
• Moose Habitat
• Seasons – Autumn (during the rut)is best
• Hunting Style (Still or Stand Hunting?)
• Bow Hunting Equipment
• We use Gold Tip Arrows

In 2012 we went on a archery moose hunt, and although we were not successful in harvesting a moose, we learned some lessons.

What You Need To Know

Location: for bow hunting moose is of utmost consideration. Are you planning a fly-in trip or are you able to drive to your hunting area? Will you need a guide? (Recommended for Novices). Once you harvest a moose, how will you keep your meat from spoiling? Do you have a hunting partner, generally, moose hunting is not a solo sport... you’ll need help.

Habitat: Harvesting a moose is challenging and takes some familiarity with the habits of moose. Learn the type of habitat moose frequent, find locations away from high traffic areas, look for moose sign and design a plan to bag a moose. Become skilled in identifying the foods that moose eat and utilize the signs of browsed forage to determine if moose are present.

Seasons for Archery Moose Hunting:

Moose hunting season varies in North America, in the far north the season starts as early as August 15th and will end in late November or early December. By far, the best time to be out bow hunting moose is during the rut. During this period, moose of both sexes are very vocal and can be called to within Bow range. In Canada the rut runs from the end of September to the middle of October, with a shoulder time of about two weeks on either side.

Styles of Bow Hunting for Moose

Still hunting is the art of sneaking around undetected in the forest in the hopes of getting close enough for a shot. 20-30 yards is ideal. You have to use all your smarts for this type of Bow Hunting; although moose have very poor eyesight they more than make up for it with sense of smell and hearing. Just look at the size of their nose and ears! Make use of wet and or windy days to cover up your movement sounds and always approach facing into the wind while bow hunting moose.

• There are all kinds of wind checkers for hunters to use. Learn how to use them!
• Fleece or wool clothing should be worn for several reasons: It dries quickly, quiet in the forest and is warm even when wet. I have a saying that I tell all new hunters - "No Cotton, No Cotton, No Cotton".

Stand hunting out of a ground blind requires a lot of patience. You must rely on the moose coming to you. Once you have located your stand in a prime spot for bow hunting moose; for instance a natural funnel or trail that moose use on a regular basis then you may get that opportunity.

To increase your odds dramatically you should call moose using one of many types of calls. To read about several types of moose calls you could use, click here. Calling moose is most effective during the rut which is typically from mid September to late October.

Watch a video of moose hunting from a stand, see a great example of how hunting from a stand and calling is a very effective way of bow hunting moose.

Now that you have decided where and how you will bow hunt moose you need to equip yourself.

Bow Hunting Gear

• Bow, Arrows, Wasp Archery Broadheads and Accessories
• Rangefinders
• Binoculars

The use of a Montana Moose Decoy can make or break the day when it comes to bow hunting moose. The importance of getting your targeted bull moose in close cannot be understated. How else can you get a bull in so close and be undetected unless you offer an enticing distraction... how about a sexy cow moose? Read our Montana Moose Decoy review.

Bows: There are many reputable bow manufacturers out there, and many professional hunters use their products. I have been using a Mathews Compound bow for the past 3 years while bow hunting moose and I am very satisfied with it. I choose this bow because we have a dealer nearby where I can get service if I need it.

I have my eye on a PSE Bow-Madness for my next bow, I’ve seen it in action and I am quite impressed.

Update: In late 2011 I purchased a PSE X-Force Axe which is very similar to the Bow Madness one. I love it! It's accurate, smooth and fast... what more can you ask for?

The bow you choose for moose hunting should fall into the following category :

• 50-60 pounds draw weight (or more) within the archers draw length.
• I highly recommend the use of a peep sight for a compound bow.

The key thing about bow hunting or archery in general, you must practice. I practice 2-4 days a week, and each session I shoot an average of 18 arrows. That works out to 2800 arrows in a year, consistent practice is very important.

If you have ever carried any kind of bow around for any length of time I am sure you will agree with me, bows, although light are not comfortable to carry for any length of time.

Check out our article about the use of bow slings and which style we recommend.

Range Finder

I use a Leupold RX-1000 TBR Compact Rangefinder. – Unless you are well practiced in estimating distances a range finder is a necessary tool. Range Finders can be setup to adjust for the angle you shoot from, which from an Archers’ point of view is critical. A variation of just a few yards can make a difference of hit or miss.

Binoculars

Hunters spend a lot of time looking through Binoculars; you won’t go wrong buying quality. If you purchase cheaply built ones you will strain your eyes and run the risk of having the Binoculars fail at a crucial moment. My advice is to buy the best you can afford. I like the pair that I purchased made by Nikon; the Nikon Monarch ATB Binoculars you will find those as well as many others at Cabelas online store or .. shop in person.

Are you an archery hunter, do you bowhunt moose?

Bow for hunting moose is an exhilarating sport! Share your archery hunting story and encourage others to take up bow hunting for moose.

Top of Bow Hunting Moose

Return to All About Moose Home Page

If you are looking for archery equipment out in the Fraser Valley of BC? Then visit the Big Game Archery page and read our review of this home based business.