Men With Guns

by Em
(Near Edmonton )

Grade A - Grain Fed Alberta Moose

Let me paint the picture for you.....It was Nov 1st...opening day of hunting season. After driving around for 3 hours looking for moose in central Alberta, we decided on a piece of property where we would go "push some bush". It was about 11:00 am.

So the men " with the guns" sent me...alone...in the bush, without a gun or any form of protection other than my orange gear. My job was too: “push bush”. So on an entirely cloudy day, me...with no sense of direction without sunshine...set off alone in dense willow and frozen swamp land to push the moose out towards the field where the hunters with guns had positioned themselves. 3 hunters with 3 loaded guns surrounded the span of bush on 3 sides. Me on the inside is supposed to find the path of least resistance...find a stick…lots of choices...and hit the tree trunks to make sound like a moose crashing through the woods.

First I came upon a skull from a moose...wondering how it died, I did a 360 turnabout just in case its killer was still lurching. Anyhow I was going to take a tooth but couldn't dislodge it from the jaw so I continued on my trek....through the path of least resistance, which was not easy. I even had to cross over a barbed wire fence in the middle of a dried up slough. I keep trudging along...alone...watching where I step so I don’t twist an ankle.

About 10 minutes into my trek…BOOM!!! I screamed!! What the heck!!! I asked myself if I got shot...no I am OK but a shot means someone shot at a moose!! My heart racing..I stood there silently listening. ...then again BOOOOMM!!!! Ok that means a moose has to be down!! But Now what??? We never talked about what I was to do if I heard shots!!!! Do I go towards the shots?? Not a good idea cuz I could get shot. So with knees shaking, I decide to go opposite the shot and make my way to where I think/hope Bear should be posted....My legs are like rubber from the adrenaline but I must walk carefully through this crappy uneven terrain...Very treacherous!!

Then I get a glimpse of the field...opposite from the gun shot....Hopefully Bear didn't leave with the truck or I will have a very long walk to somewhwere. Just as I crawl out of the bush...yet again....BOOOOMM!!! Yikes!!! And then I see Bear by the truck....Thank God!!! YAY!!! I am safe and rescued!!

Bear said that was the kill shot. I phoned K’s cell and he confirmed “ Moose Down”!!!. I had flushed Mr. Moose out to Tee’s position. I did my job and it happened real fast.....THE END.

*** Name's edited out by request ***

Note from Bear:

Incredibly lucky to get this moose on opening morning yesterday...the weather has been absolute crap for the last 4 weeks between rain and snow.

Saw one other cow and she was tucked into the willows and hard to see...hardly any animal movement....lots of guys getting skunked even for deer of which there is an abundance.

Managed to push this guy out of a bush on Em's cousin's farm where he was bedded down,...what luck!!!, not a big guy, but we'll take him....all quartered, cleaned and hung.

One tag down and one more to go....will be even harder for this next one.


Team Em scores....

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