Moose hunting during the rutting period is also called wabu hunting. It has become quite popular over the past decades and has already become widespread. Hunting for a chasing elk requires a lot of patience, resourcefulness and skill from a hunter. This hunt is incredibly exciting, reckless, but also quite dangerous. Hunting for a wabu in terms of the severity of sensations is comparable only to hunting, for example, on a capercaillie current.

What is moose rut?

About a week before the start of the rut, the bulls begin to moan and call the cow. At the same time, they often go to open areas - river banks, the outskirts of raised bogs. By the beginning of the rut, elk already have fully formed antlers, and the anterior ocular processes (these are "tusks") appear. Males become more mobile and active. By the time the females begin their first estrus, the bulls have completely completed the cleaning of the horns from the velvety skin covering them. The male pursues the cow by sound, by "snoring" or snorting, as well as by the tracks.

During the rutting period, the bulls become simply insane: they break trees, uproot bushes and arrange rather fierce battles with other males. The winner, as a rule, stays with the female, while the weaker ones follow the pair nearby. The victorious bull from time to time drives away the rejected males that have come close enough. The male follows the female, periodically emitting groans. One male can cover up to four cows during the rut, but moose are usually more prone to monogamy.

Elk rutting dates

As a rule, the timing of the start of the rut is dependent on the climate. In the European part of Russia, in its middle zone, in Siberia, as well as in the south, the rut is in full swing in mid-September, and in the northern latitudes there is a more intense rut from late September to late October.

Usually rut begins with the first frost or when there is a significant difference between nighttime daytime and temperatures.

Signs of the start of the rut

Signs of the start of the rut may be the following circumstances.

Tracks of bulls on the roads, as well as glades, are much more common.
The appearance of "kopanoks" or "ureters" - chasing pits that bulls create by digging in those places where the female left a "mark" from urine. Usually the location of these pits does not change from year to year.
The appearance on trees of "knots" and creases - animals scratch their horns about them, ripping off antlers. Bulls grind and comb the bark of trees often around the entire circumference and at a height of up to 1-1.5 meters.

How to choose a hunting object?

It is extremely important in the hunting sector to maintain the correct age composition of the elk population. Old males scare off sire bulls from cows, thereby interfering with normal reproduction. These males on the hunt should be shot first, while a mature breeding bull with good and beautiful horns is best left.

Old bulls differ from young ones in that they have gigantic growth, as well as ugly or degrading horns with fewer branches; their moan is deeper and harsher.

The best time to hunt moose on a wabu is a relatively short period of time (about 10 days) before the start of the rut, as well as its beginning. During this period, the old moose are the first to respond: their rut begins earlier, and they are bolder and more aggressive. An experienced hunter always chooses first
object, beckoning different bulls for 5-7 days. And only after that, having chosen the most suitable specimen for culling, you can start hunting.

How to choose a seat?

The best places for such a hunt are places where there are chase pits. Elk always keep close to these holes. Broken branches, bent trees, trampled earth, torn shrubs, etc., are also considered signs of a place where elks are concentrated. A place with a convenient view should be chosen, but one in which the shooter would be covered and nothing would interfere with shooting. Most often, hunters outline several promising places, and if in some area the animal does not respond to the waba, then they change their location. The best option is when two hunters take part in such a hunt - one is a feller and the other is a shooter.

When and how to drive?

The best time for a hunter to come to the first place: in the evening, about an hour before sunset; in the morning, about 30 minutes before dawn.

This hunt can be productive only with sufficient lighting, and with the onset of darkness, the beckoning is stopped. And if at dawn a moose suitable for shooting answered the wabu even after dark, then it is worth leaving this area and trying your luck in another area. If hunting did not bring results in the new section of the waba, then you should return to the previous place. It should be noted that the presence of a telescopic sight prolongs the time suitable for a good hunt.

Various devices are used to lure moose, as well as electronic decoys; many hunters quite skillfully imitate moose with their voice.

To lure animals, hunters use the following sounds. It is the voice of a bull that sounds like a grunt; the sound of protest of a young or middle-aged female; the voice of a bull, which is similar to the croaking "ooh" or "ooh"; crackle and crunch of breaking branches.

There should be some pauses between the signals during the waba. First, you need to make one sound, then wait about 5 minutes and beat with an interval of about a minute a few more times, increasing the volume, and also changing the direction. And if the moose does not answer, then you can try to lure him with a different sound.

If the elk answered from afar, then you need to continue the waba until the waber detects that the bull is approaching and heading in his direction, and only then can the arrow be set. If the elk is close, then you need to immediately set the arrow at a distance of about 100 meters from the wagoner and then continue to rarely and quietly beckon. It is necessary to make beckoning sounds less often than the bull does, and when the male comes close enough - in sync with him.

It should be remembered that the hunter should always be ready during the wabu hunt. The chasing moose is aggressive, it can come out at any time. Also, the hunter should always have a gun at hand. And if the moose does not come out, you can try to take it from the approach. However, it is worth approaching only from the leeward side, and moving around is to the "song". You need to aim at the head or in the area of the shoulder blades; a wounded moose can only be approached from the side.

You should never shoot at noise and rustle, only at a clearly visible target. There are cases when another hunter came out on the voice of the wanderer and was shot. In such a hunt, it is very important to be disciplined, accurate and have great endurance.

September is the most wonderful and beautiful autumn month, filled with gentle, not scorching sun, transparent air and a luxurious autumn palette. It is at this time that the mating season for moose begins (rut), and their roar is heard far around. In September, you can watch real tournaments between forest giants, and for hunters it is a kind of team to start hunting for a roar.

Moose behavior during the rut.

As with any other hunt, for it to be successful, the hunter should study in great detail the habits and behavior of animals during the rut. The fact that the elk's rut has begun can be determined by the same signs as in all representatives of the deer family.

The elk begins to dig holes, then urinates in them, then rubs its back in this mud. It is known that moose have a kind of skin growth on their necks, it is also called "earring", and the older the male is, the more "earring" he has. There is an explanation for the presence of this outgrowth in the elk: thanks to the "earring", it sprays its scent as high as possible and as far as possible. Hunters have probably come across these characteristic depressions in the ground made by elk at the start of the rut. This period is also characterized by the fact that males have a very pungent odor, so strong that not all dogs can work on elk at this time. Why are there dogs, even a person can feel it, being nearby moose urinary pits.

Already in the first days of September, you can hear roaring moose in the forest. Adults are the first to open the season, and the most active elk rut begins around September 20th. When the rut is in full swing, three or four males can harass one female at the same time. It also happens that the rut is delayed for the whole of October, but by the end of it, young males enter the mating rut. But few people know that preparation for this important event in elk's life is quite lengthy. Elks feed actively, trying to gain maximum body weight, and by the end of summer, males become very well-fed.

By the time the hunt starts, moose have ten centimeters of subcutaneous fat on their backs, and all the fat on the moose's body can be up to seventy kilograms. By about the fifteenth of September, the horns of the males have completely lost their velvet. In autumn, trees damaged by elk antlers can be observed in the forest. During the rut, the males rub their heads against the trees, leaving on them a secret secreted from the glands on the head.

Elk is a solitary animal, in this state it spends most of its life. Therefore, the male attracts several females at once, but does not have constant companions. Only for the period of rutting moose are united in pairs, which coexist for up to six days. The male uses the female several times a day. After that, the female no longer needs him, and the male begins to look for a new partner. There are situations when stronger and older males try to beat off a moose cow from an opponent, but the female herself chooses with whom to stay. However, during the rut, moose calves born last year are close to their mothers and their adult males do not touch them.

If we compare with deer, then moose, of course, are inferior to them in the beauty of mating behavior. The red deer trumpets so that you can hear far away, but the elk are not so loud. However, in moose, not only males, but also females emit calling sounds, thus they communicate with each other. These sounds are similar to abrupt, short mooing. They can be heard well only in calm weather or at night, sometimes at dawn. During these periods, sounds are carried along the river valleys for several kilometers. The roar of females and males can be distinguished by their timbre. Moose cows shout in a drawn-out call, calling on males. And the male is short, like a grunt. By the end of the season, the sounds made by males become plaintive with a whoosh. At sunset and sunrise, as well as at night, males give a voice and females snort in response.

Male tournaments.

In terms of spectacular performance, moose fights are not inferior to reindeer fights, only the first ones get it more powerful and fierce, since they surpass the reindeer in body weight. The battle begins with a kind of prelude. Opponents scare each other: they dig the ground with their hooves, wave their horns, and make lowing sounds. If the enemy does not retreat, then the males rush to meet each other with fury. The blows of their horns are so powerful that you can hear it within a radius of a kilometer. If the strength of the fighters is not equal, then everything ends very soon with the escape of the one who is weaker. If the forces are equal, then the fight can last for several hours. In the place of the battle, the grass is completely trampled down to the ground. It is a rare case when the outcome of the battle is lethal, even though the males' fights are very fierce.

In a duel, moose can inflict tangible damage on each other: lacerated wounds, broken ribs, damaged horns. Elk antlers have a spatula-like structure, therefore rivals do not get entangled by the antlers, but sharp processes on them can cause a serious and even fatal wound to each other. Even if the rut is long enough, most moose cows are covered in a short time. And the fewer uncovered females remain, the less often fights between males become.

When hunting elk, one should not forget that these animals represent almost the greatest danger of all living in our territory. The aggression of males during the rut increases not only in relation to the rival, but also to predatory animals and people. When defending and attacking, the elk hits with all its limbs and horns, it may well maim to death. Of course, the elk tries to avoid encounters with humans, but a wounded animal is always dangerous. Therefore, the hunter must, before going to the elk, outline the escape routes. An elk is not a shy animal, if he went on the attack rearing his fur on the withers, it is unlikely that the shot will scare him.

As mentioned above, it is best to start hunting for a roar at the very beginning of autumn. The duration of this type of hunting depends on the rutting period, which in turn depends on the area where all this takes place. If September is hot in summer, then the moose postpone their mating games for some time, which means that the hunt for roaring is also postponed. However, hunting can be hindered not only by this, but, for example, gusty wind, rain, slush, since in such weather you can hardly hear the elk. Elks rarely make their sounds during the day, most often, it happens early in the morning or late in the evening, sometimes all night. When a male is in search of a female, he is quite dangerous, and his roar is similar to the roar of a bear. These sounds, if heard up close, in silence, are very eerie, especially if the elk itself is not visible.

Moose hunting for roar during the rut takes place in places where moose weddings take place. You can find these places according to certain signs, imperceptible to an ordinary person, but understandable to every hunter. One of the main signs is damaged trees and shrubs, on which traces of horns are visible. The second sign (we also wrote about it above) is the pits in the place of the rut, which the male knocks out with his hooves. These holes can reach up to one and a half meters in diameter at the top, and up to twenty centimeters in depth. And from them come the characteristic smell of urine.

So, you have found a rutting place, you can start preparing for the hunt. You should come to the hunting site even before the sun has risen or at dusk, since the elk is most active at this time of day. If you are going to hunt at night, then you must have a special hunting lamp with you. While, hunting other animals, one must observe silence, then in moose hunting one must be as noisy as possible. Go straight ahead to the hunting ground, breaking bushes and branches. Thus, the elk must understand and hear the approach of the enemy, then, perhaps, he will come out to meet you. Since this animal is aggressive during the rutting season, it can appear abruptly and unexpectedly, which means, keep your gun ready. With this type of hunting, you are guaranteed a thrill.

Most often, moose are hunted in twos. The rutting site should be approached from the leeward side. One of the hunters "wabit" - imitates the roar of a moose or elk, thus luring the male. However, it should be remembered that in this case you must be ready to shoot at any moment, so the place where the hunter is located must be with a good view. First you need to "drive" slowly, as the elk may be nearby. It is necessary to add volume only if the animal does not manifest itself in any way. If the male answered, then it is necessary to continue "driving" only at the moment of his movement. For more plausibility, you can break the branch. And get ready to wait for his appearance, keep your gun ready. Aim for the skull or between the shoulder blades. A wounded moose is shot near just below the ear, approaching it from the side.

If you hunt moose, then safety precautions must be observed especially carefully and do not forget about the rules of hunting. It happens that a hunter makes a mistake and instead of an animal shoots at the second hunter, mistaking him for a moose. Therefore, until you see the elk, do not shoot at all. At night or at dusk, the roar of an elk causes fear, but despite this, it is necessary to maintain composure and maintain self-control.

This hunt is one of the most interesting, however, be careful, as the animal is aggressive and dangerous during the rutting period. Despite the fact that the elk walks quite calmly, without being afraid of anything, it is almost impossible to approach it. They have an excellent sense of smell and keen hearing, so he will quickly spot a hunter who is trying to get close to him. If you frighten off the animal, then there will definitely not be a hunt that day.

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Probably, with a great deal of truth, we can say that the summer-autumn hunts, at least in the first half of the season, are under the sign of the bird, while the shooting of animals at this time is limited. Until October, the list of animal hunts is really not great: a bear and a wild boar in the fields out of an ambush, but a deer with an elk - that's probably all. In this review, we will look at one of the most exciting types of elk hunting - roaring during the rut. You will find out when the moose starts rutting, what is its timing, how to choose a weapon and position for shooting, what are the features of the behavior of old and young bulls during this period. You can also watch a video with a master class on how to lure a bull to a moose.

When moose rut begins

All deer living on the territory of our country have a mating season in the second half of the year. Roe deer rut is the earliest of all - from the end of July to the end of August; musk deer "chase" the last - from late November to mid-December. By time elk run and red deer, including red deer and red deer, approximately the same, the first signs appear at the end of August, and everything ends by mid-October.

The almost two-month extension of the rut refers to the populations of these animals as a whole, because the animals living in the southern parts of the range start earlier, and in regions with a harsh climate - about two weeks later. For the middle lane (in latitudinal dimension), the most active part of the rut is in mid to late September.

Bulls during the rut

It must be said that literature (I do not mean scientific) and visual arts have always paid much more attention to the red deer than to the elk. And that is true: a slender handsome man in a challenge pose, with an elongated powerful neck, an elegant head adorned with horns of extraordinary beauty thrown back, is much more suitable for the role of a model than a mighty one with a heavy hunchbacked head, horns not always of a certain shape, at first glance clumsy figure of a moose. Nevertheless, hunting for a moose during the rut - “for a roar,” or, as they say, “for a groan,” is unlikely to yield to that of a deer in terms of emotionality. Moreover, the elk at this time can be a very real danger to the hunter.

Adult sexually mature bulls strive to find a mate for themselves even before the start of the physiological rut, and until the end of estrus of a moose cow they are together. Then there comes a moment when she rejects the "courtship" of her boyfriend, and he can go in search of a new girlfriend. Unlike red deer, moose bulls do not create "harems", and it is unusual to find several females with one bull, although such facts have been noted.

Outwardly, the readiness of the bull to race can be determined by the horns. If they have already cleared of the skin and fur and acquired a normal "bone" appearance, then his body has already started or is about to start producing sex hormones. However, the bull becomes completely ready for mating only when the moose cows come “to hunt”. The secret secreted by their genitals with urine enters the soil, this place is found by the smell by the bull and comes into an agitated state. He breaks branches, sometimes the tops of young trees, rakes and knocks the grass to the ground with his hooves, especially where the moose cow urinated. Such places are called "points", and they are up to two meters in diameter. At the same time, physiological processes are activated in the body, making it ready for mating. Not only behavior changes against the usual, but also the appearance of the male. The eyes become bloodshot, the neck thickens, and the entire front of the torso appears to be increasing in size. It emits a pungent specific smell, which is difficult to describe, but the smell of a mighty beast is unmistakably guessed in it, and a sense of danger involuntarily appears.

Throughout the entire rut, the bull gives voice. The sound it makes is not at all like the roar of a red deer. It's a cross between a hum and a sigh of relief with a voice. This sound is most accurately characterized by the name given to it by our ancestors - "groan". It is much weaker in strength than the roar of a deer and is rarely heard from a distance of more than a kilometer, although the ability to hear it is strongly influenced by the terrain, the density of plantations, extraneous sounds (wind, water noise, etc.). The greatest activity in giving voice is observed at dawn and in the evening closer to sunset; it is very rare to hear a moose during the day.

For mating games, moose choose a variety of places. This is largely determined by the terrain and the nature of the forest plantations. In the northern regions of the European part of Russia, they prefer to “groan” over dry manes and edges of moss bogs, in thickened young stands of old cuttings, over overgrown forest hayfields, as well as in the floodplains of forest streams and rivers. In the mountainous regions of Siberia and the Urals, where the habitats of elk are limited to river floodplains and intermontane valleys, the rutting areas tend to the river banks. The same can be said about the plateaus of Central Siberia and Transbaikalia. In places almost never visited by people, where there is no need to constantly hide in the thickets, the elk are especially fond of the wide pebble beds of small rivers with forest islands, which literally exude a "chasing moose spirit" in September, making a person who suddenly finds himself there not for hunting matters feel very uncomfortable.

The subtleties of hunting "to roar"

On the tracks, "points", broken branches and trees, according to the voice and smell given, it is necessary to find the place where the animals "chase", i.e. where the bull feels like the owner of both this place and the female that is with him. Casting a voice from time to time, he warns possible rivals that everything is busy here and he will not allow the presence of a stranger. The hunter's task is to imitate the "groan" of an alien, to tease the bull-owner, make him believe in the appearance of a competitor and lure him into a clean place for a shot.

Not all bulls have girlfriends by the beginning of the mating season, and these bachelors are constantly in search, go widely - you can meet them in different places. They also give a voice, trying to find out where the "lucky man" is, in order to try to beat off the female from him, or if there is a free cow nearby. Such animals more boldly go to the voice of the "fisherman" - a hunter imitating the "groan" of a bull. Luring a bull is not limited to just giving a voice, but is accompanied from time to time by the crackling of broken branches and tapping with a stick on a stick or tree, which should be perceived as the sound of horns of an excited bull on trees. In general, the "groan" is formed by the whole complex of sounds that the moose produces.

Now more and more often hunt for a roar has a trophy character. Well-developed horns are found in animals in their prime, i.e. at the age of 6-12 years. An experienced "lumberjack" by his voice can distinguish an old animal from a young one and, proceeding from this, build a hunt. Of course, it is best to start luring a specific elk that is known for its prehunting intelligence. If the hunt begins with a search, then, having heard the "groaning" bull, try to form an idea of the age of the animal. When a mighty beast gives voice, there is a greater chance that he will accept the challenge and go to chase away the bull, which in his voice seems weaker than himself. A medium-sized elk is unlikely to rush at a prospective rival if you imagine him in the voice of an old animal; rather, he will try to quietly leave and take the female away. When trying to lure a bull away from a female, you need to be patient, because he is reluctant to leave her, preferring a roll call from a distance. It can be easier to lure a wandering alone.

It so happens that with one cow there are two, and sometimes three bulls. Rather, there is one of the strongest near her, who does not let anyone in, and the rest are nearby, but at a safe distance. In this case, not the main contender often comes out to the hunter, but from those who are nearby, clearly inferior to the owner in size and strength. Therefore, beckoning a moose, you need to try to determine by the response voice whether the hunter is dealing with one or several males, and depending on this, decide whether to shoot at the first animal that appears or try to take the best trophy. It often happens that a large bull cannot be lured away from the female, especially if there are other males nearby, and then you have to change the hunting place and look for another suitable one.

Many people think that during the rut, aggressiveness of bulls prevails over caution, but it seems to me that this is not so. Sometimes you have to hear stories about how someone walks through the forest without hiding, with a bang, and suddenly an elk flies out and, seeing a person, does not run away, but demonstrates his aggressiveness. Rather, this can be explained by the fact that a man noisily walking through the forest tunes a moose to an approaching rival, who behaves noisily in nature, showing his strength and confidence. Try not to lure, but to conceal the “moaning” animal, and you will immediately feel how wary he and the female are about the light noise made by the hunter when approaching. Moose, as a rule, react to quiet sounds, incomprehensible to them, by leaving this place. Do not forget that during the rut, moose are hunted not only by people, but also by bears, meeting with whom does not bode well for them. Probably, it is not out of place to remind that no other noise, except for the imitating action of a bull, should not be produced by the "fisherman" or the shooter.

Weapon and shooting position

When choosing a position to lure the bull and shoot, it must be remembered that the beast must pass through at least a relatively clean place in order to be able to target the slaughter place. As in any other case, you cannot shoot through thickets (branches, bushes, grass, etc.).

From rifled - better caliber 9 mm. These can be carbines chambered for 9.3x62, 9.3x64, 9.3x57 of foreign production, 9.3x64 and 9x54R of domestic production. Combined weapons, preferably with a rifled barrel chambered for the 9.3x74R cartridge or under the aforementioned domestic cartridges. Smoothbore weapons are best used with 12 gauge rounds loaded with heavy Brennecke rounds. All the cartridges that have been mentioned have sufficient stopping power and stopping power for such an animal as a bull elk during the rut, and I took the liberty of recommending them for the following reasons. First, by the time of the rut, the moose reach the highest body condition, and among the bulls actively participating in the rut, specimens over 400 kg of live weight are not uncommon; secondly, the cartridge must ensure a reliable defeat, because the hunt takes place in a snowless period, and getting a wounded animal without dogs in an autumn forest, and even often at dusk, is not an easy task; thirdly, before the rut, the animals become especially strong against the wound, since all the reserves of the body are mobilized for the continuation of the genus. It is advisable to equip the weapon with an optical sight, because it is often necessary to shoot in low light, although the firing distance rarely exceeds 60-70 meters.

Alexey Sibirskiy

Video: Master class "How to attract a moose correctly"

Video: Moose bull during the rut - hunting "for a roar":

It is possible to hunt moose, weighing up to 600 kg, only if you have experience and certain knowledge. Only with the right approach is there a chance to lure and shoot the animal. A good hunter knows different tactics, for example, using a waba, semolina.

It must be remembered that moose have a rutting period when their behavior changes. If a moose is hunted for a roar, the animal comes up to the sound made by the boo, after which the hunter can fire a shot.

When moose rut begins

In most wild ungulates, rutting occurs in the second half of the year. The first to enter this state are roe deer (end of July-end of August), the last - musk deer (November-December). Elks, marals are subject to rut in September, it ends by mid-October, but the very first signs may appear at the end of August.

In Russia, the exact rutting time may vary depending on the location. In regions with a harsh, northern climate, this period starts 2 weeks later, in the southern regions it can start 2 weeks earlier. In the middle lane, the rut usually occurs in September, but may be delayed due to warm weather.

Moose behavior during the rut

Hunting during the rut - for a roar or a groan - is quite dangerous for a hunter. Adult animals start looking for a mate even before physiological signs appear. Having found a moose, they exist together until the end of heat. After the female "pushes" the male, he can start looking for another moose, but not always. Occasionally, elk "harems" are found, where several females are with one male.

Signs of rutting in an animal:

the elk gives a voice, roars, uttering an average between exhalation and mooing, therefore this sound is called a groan;
the roar of an elk can be heard from a distance of less than a kilometer, it is drowned out by the sounds of wind, water;
animals are very active in the early morning (with dawn), at sunset, during the day they are silent;
horns during the rutting period are clean from wool, smooth, bony.

The elk becomes 100% ready to race after the arrival of females, when it smells the secretion of the gonads. The animal senses it from the urine that remains on the grass, and finds the female on the trail. It is during the search that the beast is dangerous to humans - it hits the ground with its hooves, breaks branches, young trees.

If the male is ready for mating, his appearance is different - the neck is thick, the eyes are red, all as if bloated in size. The elk's body emits a specific "aroma", for which the gonads are also responsible.

Important! Why do hunters prefer to search for an animal during this period? It is during the rut that hearing and sense of smell for other smells are dulled, therefore the elk can be tracked down and get closer.

Moose hunting features

On the Internet, you can watch for free a video of exactly how the hunt for an ungulate takes place. There are rules, features of its search, because the habitats of moose in the rut differ in the rest of the life of the animal.

The timing of the hunt

According to the law, elk hunting for adult males is allowed on 01.09-30.09, at this time it is strictly forbidden to kill females, elk calves. All groups of animals can be hunted on 01.10-15.01, and in January only young animals up to a year old are killed. In some regions, the duration of the hunt is limited to 90 days. When it comes to trophy hunting, which is carried out because of the beautiful horns, it is usually carried out on 01.09-30.09.

Hunting time

How to properly prepare for a hunt? First you need to purchase a license, otherwise hunting will be poaching. The ideal time to search for an animal is early morning, evening - then moose are active in relation to females. In the wind, rain, attempts will be unsuccessful - the animal will hear, smell the hunter.

Hunting places

Every year the places of "acquaintance" of animals remain the same, they constantly return to the same areas. Open areas should not be chosen, the elk will not come here. Signs of moose current:

trodden glades with "bald" areas;
sour smell hovering around;
broken branches, trees;
antler marks on trees;
dug holes.

In harsh areas, animals prefer to roar on the outskirts of moss bogs, in dense forest young growth, overgrown hayfields, floodplains of rivers and streams. In mountainous terrain, moose gather in intermountain valleys, river floodplains, along the banks. In sparsely populated areas, animals prefer riverbanks, pebble islands.

Hunting tactics

There are many options for hunting - paddock, salt licks, with dogs, with an approach. All of them give a result, but hunting with decoys for a roar is considered the most effective. For example, many hunters have been unsuccessfully going on a driven hunt for years without finding the animal.

Important! Hunting for a roar allows only one hunter to be present, although it is better to ride with a huntsman or in a group.

Weapon, position, equipment

Elk is a powerful animal that can kill a person. Life sometimes depends on the correct choice of the hunter. The gun should not be new, only the shot will be convenient at the right time. Since the distance of the shot is small, you should take a smoothbore weapon of 12-16 calibers. A 12-gauge rifled rifle is also available, although this option works for longer shots as well. Rifles with good optics are the best choice for trophy hunting. For shooting at dusk, a night sight is useful.

The cartridges must also be reliable - from 308Win and more, 7.62 * 51, 9.3 * 62 are good, bullet weight - from 18 g. You can even take "elephant cartridges", if the hunt is for the sake of a trophy, the result will be 100% - m, but the meat will remain spoiled. In any case, the cartridges must have high destructive power. This is due to the safety for the hunter and the difficulty of finding a wounded animal during the snowless period. The animals become tough to wounds to the race, which confirms the need for good ammunition.

When choosing a position, pay attention to the fact that the elk does not like to go out into open places. The animal prefers to move in thickets, therefore it is better to intercept it on the paths. When the hunt is carried out in a group, they line up a chain perpendicular to the course of the animal, which is likely to stumble upon the hunter.

Slaughter places

The best places to kill are the area of the scapula, chest in the heart area. Usually, if there is a bullet of a serious caliber, the animal falls immediately. You can also shoot at the neck, lungs, spine, but you need to be ready to finish off the animal, which, with an excess of adrenaline, can go some more distance.

Hunting with decoys and waboy

You can lure a moose to a waba - this. The meaning of the application is as follows: moose claim territory by the possession of a female, and the sounds of a rival force them to rush to challenge the place. Usually fights take place at night, calming down by dawn, and in the morning the moose is not too careful. When the hunter begins to lure (drive), the animal rushes to the opponent. Only a foreign smell can scare him away.

In addition to waba, wind decoys are used. They resemble horns that are blown into. More expensive models even come with a training disc. Some decoys make the sound of a moose cow, others - a male. The price varies from 500 to 3000 rubles, depending on the sound quality.

The hunting process will be as follows:

A hunter with a gamekeeper, a group of hunters come to the chosen place.
The hawker begins to summon the animal, periodically changing position.
Hearing the moan of a moose, the beckoning goes behind the shooter's back (if this is one person, he prepares his gun, takes a position).
They stop beckoning, waiting for the animal.
After the elk is spotted, they immediately target it without making unnecessary sounds.
Take a shot.

Interesting: if wabs, semolina are not available, some hunters scratch the tree trunk, attracting the animal. Often this also works, and the elk comes to the call.

For a successful hunt, it is very important to take into account all the factors: the time of the rut and the behavior of the moose, the choice of the right place and hunting tactics. It is necessary to study all the nuances and prepare in advance for a responsible case.

Video

Hunting for moose for roaring occurs during the period when these animals begin the rutting period and they are keen on mating games and the continuation of offspring. At this time, moose, especially adult males, in the fight for the female, lose their caution and allow the hunter to find himself and come up to a close distance.

In addition, this animal can be attracted by imitating the sounds of a rival or a female. It is for this reason that such a fishery, depending on the region, received the name of roaring, roaring, moaning, and wabu hunting.

When the moose starts rutting

Elk rut occurs in autumn, usually when the first frosts come. It starts at the end of August - September and lasts about two months. Depending on the severity of the climate, the timing of the start of the rut is shifted from the second half of August in the south to mid-September in the northern regions.

In Siberia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In Siberia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the elk rut begins mainly in September, although in their southern part it is possible even after the second decade of August. Peak rut, depending on latitude, usually occurs in the second decade of September - early October. In the northern parts of this region, the rut can be delayed until the first ten days of November.

In the Leningrad region and Karelia. In the Leningrad region and Karelia, the beginning of the rut usually falls at the very end of August. Its peak occurs in the second decade of September, when the maximum number of individuals is involved in the process, but it ends in early November. This is due to the peculiarities of this northern region in order to attract the maximum number of females.

In the suburbs and in the middle lane. In central Russia, and in particular in the Moscow region, the beginning of the rut usually falls on the end of August. Here, this period lasts on average about one - one and a half months and ends by mid-October.

In the Urals. On the territory of the Urals, the beginning of this period and its duration primarily depend on latitude. In the South Urals - this is the end of August, and in the North - mid-September. The elk rut lasts here for about two months, and in the northern parts it can capture the beginning of November.

In Belarus. In Belarus, elk rut begins at the end of August, but more often it occurs in September - October. It lasts about a month and ends by mid-October.

In the Penza region. In the Penza region and other southern regions, the beginning of the rut occurs in the second decade of August and lasts about one and a half months, dying out by the middle - end of October.

Duration

On average, elk's rutting period lasts about two months. However, how long this period lasts, its beginning and end also depends on weather and climatic factors. So a sharp warming can postpone its beginning, and a sharp cold snap, on the contrary, push it to the beginning. Among other things, in young males, the beginning of the rut is 15 - 20 days late.

However, practice shows that the rut, which has already begun, is not interrupted by any weather factors. Its duration primarily depends on the severity of the climate in the area. So in the northern regions, it stretches for two and a half months, and some young males go out to the waba at the end of November.

Important! According to the hunting rules, elk catch is divided into three periods: into adult males from September 1 to 30; for all sexually mature groups - from October 1 to December 31; for young growth up to a year - from 1 to 15 January.

Habits during this period

During the rutting period, the behavior of the moose changes greatly, especially from the moment the females begin to be active. All this time, he publishes his "groan" with enviable frequency. But when the bull catches the smell of readiness for mating left by the females, it begins to behave quite aggressively, showing its strength and "daring".

He breaks tree branches, tramples and shovels grass, digging whole holes, especially in places marked by a moose cow. Its smell changes and intensifies, and its appearance becomes more massive.

Does the moose roar in rainy weather

As mentioned earlier, the behavior of these animals does not depend on the weather. For example, in rainy weather, the activity of their calls does not decrease. Just because of the noise of the elements, their moan is heard much worse, but its intensity remains the same.

But in frosty calm weather, the roar of an elk becomes more active, since the sound at this time is heard much further. Therefore, males begin to more intensely call out to females and respond to the same calls from other males.

What time of day does it take place

Studies have shown that the roar of a moose has a fairly consistent daily frequency. During the day, moose usually rest. After the evening feeding, at sunset they begin to moan, somewhere around half an hour. Then feeding continues, after which, towards the end of twilight, a period of short roar follows again. After midnight, the moan may resume briefly again. The main roar time comes at dawn. It starts half an hour before dawn and can last, intermittently, until daybreak. During the day, as a rule, moose do not moan.

How to find a moose

According to the testimony of both zoologists and game experts, the elk rut mainly takes place in the habitats of females. These are meadow floodplains of rivers with oxbows, willow thickets, the outskirts of moss bogs. Forest clearings and clearings in the primary stages of overgrowth, young deciduous plantings and young stands that have begun to overgrow with burnt places.

In populated areas, these can be edges remote from humans, overgrown, abandoned fields and meadows, willows and shrubs in the valleys of rivers and streams. Rutting areas usually do not change from year to year. These places of rutting can be identified by broken branches, antler marks on the bark of trees, trampled and hoofed ground with dug holes.

Is it dangerous

The main danger during the rutting period is represented by adult, seasoned males. Although the behavior of young animals becomes much more aggressive, they are not so recklessly rushing to any suspicious movement. Adult males, driving away competitors from their territory, rush to any suspicious rustling of branches, especially in places of their rut. Having met a friend, the elk protects her from others, and again without hesitation rushes to any danger.

Even the crackle of a knot under the foot, the noise of footsteps or the rustle of branches is perceived aggressively. If the hunter accidentally shows himself and does not react in time to such a throw of the beast, and this happens very quickly and unexpectedly, then he may well suffer under the hooves of an angry male. In fact, hardened moose during this period rush at anyone who comes into their field of vision and, at least in the slightest degree, is perceived as a competitor.

The roar of a moose during the rut listen

The roar of a moose is very different from the roar of a red deer or red deer. They call it a moan for a reason, because it is weaker and looks like something between a moo and a sad sigh. This sound is difficult to hear at a distance of more than a kilometer.

Sound: Decoy for moose during the rut

How the moose roars

Moose cow sound

How to lure a moose correctly

After a moose race area is found, the easiest way is to bring it under a shot, it is to lure it there by making sounds of an opponent or a female. In addition to the voice, it is advisable to rustle branches and bushes, stomp, tap and scratch the bark of a tree imitating the sounds of an elk breaking through the forest.

With voice and hands

If you want to call a moose, it is best to imitate the call of a young male. Other bulls go much more boldly to such a groan. By the beginning of the rut, some of the males do not have a pair, so they more actively go to this sound, wanting to find a free female or beat her off from another.

The sound itself resembles a muffled groan, turning into a restrained roar, as it were. It is quite possible to learn to imitate it with your mouth, the secrets here are not so much in the technique of performance, but in the presence of hearing and some abilities. At the same time, they help themselves by holding their nose with their index fingers, folding their palms with a mouthpiece and changing their position, they change the volume and tonality of the sound.

Video: How to lure moose during the rut

How to learn to roar like an elk

If you attentively listen to the roar of a chasing elk, you can notice that during this period the groan of adult bulls is similar to the sound "ooh" or "ooh", it roars deafly. But the lowing of young males sounds like "oh-eh", its timbre is vibrating and rattling. During the rutting period, you can hear the cry of a moose cow. This harsh whine-like sound is often a response to the bull's bold actions.

To wabu

It is much easier to call a moose with wabs - special semolina. They can be purchased or made by hand.

How to make a moose wabu with your own hands

The simplest waba is made from a tin can. To do this, it is advisable to use not an ordinary tin can, but a can with a removable tin lid, from under coffee, baby food, etc. The main thing is that the diameter of the upper hole, due to the rims, is slightly less than the diameter of the can itself. In addition to it, we need a lace or nylon rope, 50-60 cm long, electrical tape or a piece of leather.

Waba is made simply:

How to lure a waboy:

The rope is moistened;
The jar is taken with one hand by the base;
With the other hand, hold the rope from top to bottom, holding it tightly with two fingers.

In this case, the rope serves as a resonator, and the bank serves as a speaker. You can find the desired tone by filling the jar with moss. The smaller the can diameter, the higher the sound emitted.

Video: How to lure a moose to a wabu

Electromunk

Another convenient way to lure a moose is an electronic decoy. This is an industrial device powered by rechargeable batteries, in which a library of various sounds emitted by elks is recorded: adult and young males, females in search of a male and during mating, the sounds of a fight, the roar of a rival male, etc.

However, when purchasing such a decoy, it is imperative to listen to how the moose roar in this library to make sure that the sounds are natural. Often, devices made for hunters from other countries are not very suitable for ours, since the sounds made, for example, by Canadian elk, are different from domestic ones.

Roar moose hunting with dogs

During moose rutting, you can hunt him with dogs as well. For this, specially trained huskies are used. Such a dog must have a number of specific qualities, be strong and resilient in order to search for a moose over a large territory, and especially to chase it for a long time over long distances at a decent speed.

Having found the beast, she must bark at him, and at first, as if reluctantly, but at the same time in no case rush at him, otherwise he will run away very quickly and over a huge distance. The dog must be able to dodge the attacks of the beast, since he can kill her with one blow of the hoof.

The hunt itself takes place in the following order. The hunter goes to the chasing or fat places of the elk, after which he lowers the dog. She is looking for the beast, and finding, without rushing, she begins to bark at it gradually, but with increasing pressure. The task of the dog is to keep the elk in one place until the hunter approaches, and to distract him until the shot is made. In case of flight, the dog chases the animal until it stops at a new place, where everything starts anew.

Visiting salt licks

One of the places where there is a high likelihood of tracking moose is the salt lick. Salt is a great bait. With the help of it, these animals replenish the lack of minerals in the body, especially in spring, and accumulate in autumn preparing for winter nutrition. The easiest way is to create such a place yourself. For this, a large feeder is made, into which rock or iodized salt is poured.

Gradually, moose get used to visiting this place. This is evidenced by both their footprints on the ground and the surrounding bushes and trees. Moose come and salt lick most often at sunset. At first he listens for about 15 minutes, standing in the thickets, and then goes to lick the salt.

Hunting for salt licks is carried out from an ambush or a storage shed. Place it higher on thick trees. This is due not only to the danger of the elk itself, but also to the possibility of other animals, such as bears, visiting the salt lick.

Elk meat in this period

The meat of the elk harvested during the rutting period, in terms of its taste, is not much different from that harvested in any other month. Theories about its unsuitability are related to the fact that a chased elk, when cut, smells quite specific, but this does not affect the taste of the meat in any way. Another thing is that the meat of old bulls is rather tough and fibrous. Therefore, preference is given to young bulls up to three years old and females.