Every once in awhile I get lucky.
I woke up on the right side of the bed, had a premonition, whatever it was I knew right where I wanted to go. So I shoveled down some eggs and coffee and was off. (Did not take Itsy because the ticks are bad already here)
Now the Southwest corner of the State is not known for moose, but I have found an area that I like to call "Moosetown". The exact area shall remain nameless because it is especially easy to access, but it is in the Keene area.
I walked in off a tote road and was immediately overwhelmed with the amount of moose sign. This spot is near some power lines and my first mistake was to wander too far out into the brush. I started to lose sign and decided to back track. Usually I preach that you have to bushwhack way out to find anything, but this area is so simple that it has remained unmolested. I found most of the sign ran parallel to the power lines in a swath about 300 feet deep.
Once I got my search vector set, I began to search it in earnest. I moved along the edge of a swamp and found rub after rub. A large bull is running this trail a lot.
I followed along this trail and started into some moose maple that had all been chewed on. To my right was a small stand of hemlock and on top of a mossy hummock was the first antler. A small 5 point with a cool little kicker off the back. This antler was at least a year old but in great shape, no chews just a bit green. First decent moose shed all year for me, even if it was small. Lashed it to my pack and moved on.
Seeings how the antler was small there was no reason to look for the match nearby as the moose would likely have worn 1 side for awhile longer. So I started doing a loose grid search in the yarding area. It only took about 10 minutes and I found a second antler on the side of a small knoll along some more moose maple. An even smaller chewed up 3 point which I usually would have left lie, but we have been using the chewed up ones in the flower garden as ornaments.
I worked up and down a few more ridges until I ran into a cow moose. She was VERY pregnant and refused to move from this little hollow. She had scraped up this area and appeared to be in active labor. I watched her for near an hour just to see if she would give birth. She was a large mature cow around 600+lbs But alas I had to get moving. I decided to circle downwind out of her sight, I knew with the pending birth she would be very protective and I have experienced enough irate cow moose to last me a lifetime!
I dropped down into a hollow and up the other side. This whole area is just awesome. When I topped the ridge there was moose maple and sugar maple everywhere with some hemlock thrown into the mix. If I had previously been walking through "moose town" then this was the town common.
I found another main trail and a few more big rubs. Then I moved down this bench and I look to my left and "Behold the Holy Grail"! A big antler. I about tripped over myself to get to it. And it was a nice one! A big 6 point. It has a few chews and is a bit bleached but over all really nice. My first "big boy" for 2010.
I searched for about 15 minutes for the match, I know it must be there but it was getting pretty late and I was about 3 miles from my truck.
Before I wrap this blog entry up, one word about getting excited about antlers and setting your gear down. Don't. I looked for my stuff for about 10 minutes! Make sure you pay attention to your are setting your stuff down. I was actually more worried about the antlers on the pack then the pack. But I found it all eventually.
I carried the 50lbs of pack and antlers out to the truck with a second trip here already planned!
Moose town here I come
