Campfire Chat: Preparing For The Hunt And Exploring Competitive Archery

The countdown to moose season has us all on the edge of our seats as we gather around the virtual campfire for an in-depth conversation about hunting strategies, expectations, and the passionate world of archery competition. 

This episode brings together hunters with vastly different experience levels – from Dalton, who's preparing for his very first moose hunt after surprisingly drawing a tag in his first application year, to seasoned veterans who've been pursuing these magnificent creatures for decades. We dive into the realities of New Brunswick's lottery tag system, where approximately 5,500 tags are distributed among 60,000 hopeful applicants annually, creating both incredible opportunities and sometimes lengthy waits between hunts.

The conversation takes fascinating turns as we explore moose behavior during the rut, which conveniently aligns with our late September season. Our guests share stories of bulls that come crashing through the brush with reckless abandon and others that silently materialize like ghosts, despite their massive size. We discuss crucial hunting strategies from wind direction and calling techniques to the agonizing decision of whether to take a shot at a smaller bull early in the season or hold out for something more impressive.

Darren takes us deep into the world of competitive archery, explaining everything from tournament formats and scoring systems to equipment setups and the remarkable skill of distance estimation. His insights reveal how these competitions sharpen hunting abilities while building community among passionate bow enthusiasts across North America.

Whether you're a veteran hunter counting down the days until your next opportunity or someone dreaming of your first moose encounter, this episode offers valuable wisdom, practical advice, and the unmistakable camaraderie that makes hunting one of the most rewarding outdoor pursuits. Join us as we prepare for another exciting season in the Canadian wilderness!

Check us out on Facebook Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

Transcript

Introduction and Moose Season Overview

Speaker 1 0:11

this is hunts on outfitting podcast. I'm your host and rookie guide, ken meyer. I love everything hunting the outdoors and all things associated with it, from stories to howos. You'll find it here. Welcome to the podcast. Hey, thanks for listening in to this week's podcast. You are valued by myself and this podcast for listening. We appreciate it. Shout out to all you guys.

Speaker 1 0:38

So on this podcast here we've got, as you can tell from the cover title, podcast profile picture. We are talking about moose again. We don't normally go back to back on this podcast of the same species, but you know we've got moose season creeping up around here for us and we are excited about it. But we are also going to have a talk and get some insight into the world of competitive archery shooting. We've got Darren on to talk to us about that. It's kind of pretty interesting. I learned quite a bit. You guys probably will too. Also, this podcast here I mean more, look at it. We've got Dalton who's on that's going on its first ever Moose Hunt. We're excited for him and we're kind of looking at it more like this. This is a bit more of like a campfire chat for you guys to listen in on on. You know new season and what's going on and just getting prepared for it and everything. So it's a fun one.

Speaker 1 1:29

Also, I didn't know this and I found out that, uh, I've got a browning x bolt. Love the gun and browning made an x bolt too. How did I find out about that? Well, from the canadian access to firearm firearms, their uh magazine that was sent out to me. This is if you're Canadian, you want to know what's going on in the shooting world all the shows, new gear, where to buy optics, everything. You're going to get it in this magazine right here, and that's how I found out about it. So I thought that was cool. I know their first ones awesome smooth shooting rifle and, yeah, I might have to check out their x bolt too.

Speaker 1 2:06

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Discussing This Year's Hunting Plans

Speaker 1 3:05

If you guys want to contact me to become on the podcast, tell me something about it, reach out anything. You can email me huntsonoutfitting at gmailcom or find us on Facebook, hunts on Outfitting, or find myself on there. Ken Meyer, all right, let's talk to the boys. Guys, I'm fired up to have you here. I'm not just fired up, I'm fed up with having to wait for how much longer it's going to be till moose season. But moose season is right around the corner and I've got a few guys here that I'm looking at and as I look around the room today, I see a lot of fucking ugly people. No, I see people that have experience, uh, on past moose hunts and, uh, someone that's going to experience their first moose hunt and I'm excited to talk about that. But before we get going for those of you who have heard the podcast before and heard us talk about this already know my apologies, but how the the moose licensing works here in new brunswick, canada.

Speaker 1 3:59

So you have to put in for your tag.

Speaker 1 4:02

It's a lottery system. Uh, there's usually what about 55,000, 60,000 people that apply. They give out about 5,000, 5,500 tags give or take. Your odds are supposed to go up the more you put in and don't get it. But there's people that have gotten it twice in four or five years and there's people that have gotten it once in 18. So I think the system's flawed, to say the least, in four or five years, and there's people that have gotten it once in 18. So I think the system's flawed, to say the least, but it is what it is. So there's different wildlife management zones to put in for and you put in for that zone and hope to get drawn. Some zones have higher numbers of moose than others, more tags allocated, and that's the way it works. So, lane, you did not get drawn this year, but you were tagging along on a moose hunt, but you've been on more than one moose hunt, uh, before. Yeah, your family group. Usually somebody gets it within your family group aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, somebody it's not your brother, but someone's brother.

Speaker 1 5:04

So tell us about the hunt that you're going on this year. Curious about that. I always like to do a little before and then we're going to have a talk after. But where are you guys going? Gps coordinates.

Speaker 2 5:16

This year we're going up north for the first time. We're going in zone four. It's a whole new ball game for us. I have no idea what we're getting ourselves into. I've only ever hunted moose locally around home and two zones around home. But now my buddy's dad got his tag and I told them to apply up there with us. Then I got the call that night that his dad got it. He said I hope you're not going with anyone else because we don't know where we're going. Joke's on them, do I?

Speaker 1 5:46

yeah, it's like I I'm not and I also am clueless in the area, but uh, and how we hunt moose around here too, it's different other places mainly swamps and choppings for the most part. You see some other places they're hunting in farmer's fields and all that. I don't really know if anybody's shot one in a farmer's field around here, unless the farmer's farming trees that he's recently cut, which would be a chopping, so that's where you'd see them.

Speaker 1 6:11

So you guys are going up there. You're excited how many tags in that group there was more than one tag wasn't there.

Speaker 2 6:16

We got three in our group total. I don't know the Tags. A buddy of mine lives up there and we're going with him, and then two other, but his buddy's got the tags Okay, so we're all camping together, yep.

Speaker 1 6:29

And the moose season here is three days, either sex, it's five.

Speaker 3 6:34

Sorry, it was three days?

Speaker 1 6:36

Yeah, all right, I'm getting to. It was three days, now it's five, they've changed it. What probably 10 years ago now, give or take? Yeah, probably.

Speaker 4 6:43

I'd say less, less. Yeah, I don't know what year. To tell you the truth, it used to be three, now it's five.

Speaker 1 6:51

It's either sex. I mean you can shoot a calf if you're comfortable with that, really, and people do. So that's what it is here. I know other places, states and provinces. It's longer, but it can be a little split up. It can be, you know, just cows, just bulls, stuff like that. So that's how it works here. Dalton, you've not been on a moose hunt, have you? No, do you know what a moose looks like?

Speaker 1 7:11

Yes, I see them online Okay yeah, yeah, can you imagine you're out like someone in your hunting party sees one like that's a moose, like that's a mo, at them all morning I thought that was an elk.

Speaker 4 7:23

Yeah, so I've definitely been around the woods a lot. I mean I hunt plenty of other stuff and I worked in the woods for several years, so I mean I had a pretty good idea of what a moose looks like You're feeling familiar with their anatomy. He had one in his cow pasture. A couple years ago I had one in my cow pasture tore my electric fence down. Yeah did that electric fence down.

Speaker 1 7:47

Uh yeah, did that, almost killed me with a fence post. Uh yeah, stuff like that. I know what. I saw moose tracks from my cattle fence this spring and my stomach just sank.

Speaker 4 7:50

I'm like, oh shit, yeah, they just they go, oh they just run right through the fence and pull it with them yeah, it's awful yeah, so I I had applied years ago like, and I hadn't applied in a couple years it's a lot to commit to it is exactly. And one of my, one of my buddies there messaged me and he's like put in for zone six.

Speaker 1 8:12

I'm like, okay, sure, right, jokingly and I did it from you is what?

Speaker 4 8:17

four and a half hours yeah, it's, it's a solid four hours away, um, so I put in and monday morning and moose uh, after the draw. So the drive was sunday night. So, long story short, I'm sitting in the front seat of a fire truck and we're sitting there waiting and I pull the phone, you're on the fire. I'm like I'm like, yeah, like you know, maybe I'll just go look and see my red right and you know, just get that out of the way. I didn't stay up I've got time.

Speaker 4 8:44

We're just out of fire no, no, it was nothing important, so anyway I'm uh it was this girl's house that doesn't pay her taxes for the fire department that's right. So anyway, sitting there and I'm like no fucking way, it's green, I guess we're going move, son, and you hadn't applied in a while.

Speaker 4 9:00

No, like I was only I was technically my first year right for applying, because it would be like it would reset my ballots to one I believe. Not anymore. No, no, so I would still keep them. Yeah, okay, so I had some ballots in there, but still I never Would have been under five, though, right.

Moose Hunting Insights and Experiences

Speaker 1 9:16

I don't know this system's kind of wacky Right around. Yeah, so under five years, said. It's about four and a half hours from here. It's unfamiliar territory and land. You guys are hunting on a large track of paper mill company land, is it? Yeah, you could say it's private crown private sort of private crown yeah, it's gated you guys, to get the gated spots you have to pay extra to get in, yeah, gated.

Speaker 4 9:52

So we booked our. We booked a campsite on said piece of ground. From a map online and got some information from some locals that had been around the area and we went up last weekend and had a good look around and threw a few cameras out and just had a good look around and I mean it looks good from what we saw right out of the truck.

Speaker 1 10:17

I mean it's so hot. We've been going through a heat wave here.

Speaker 4 10:20

Yeah, you're not going to be seeing much up and around for sure, but I mean I've never seen so much moose on in my life, so I'm excited.

Speaker 1 10:27

We'll give you a shout out. Brad Traer, up from uh Campbellton area, he uh he's come down hunting and stuff here and um. He was able to give you some good information about the area.

Speaker 4 10:39

Yeah, he was by far the best help I've had, really, um, he talked on the phone for me with me for 20 25 minutes after a night shift one morning, yeah, and told me everything he could, so that was pretty helpful yeah, because he knows the area because they don't have.

Speaker 1 10:54

A shout out to brad yeah, um, and then, speaking about brad, so you've enlisted the help of another one. Yes, uh, lane Lane's father, brad, who couldn't be here with us tonight. He, you chose him as your second gun.

Speaker 4 11:09

Yeah, so I chose. I wanted somebody with some good experience. That would kind of, I guess, be Not be afraid to take a little leadership too, and I trust his judgment, you're bashful. So pretty excited. I think Brad's going to be a good asset.

Speaker 1 11:28

Brad's a great asset. How many hunts has your dad been on laying for moose?

Speaker 2 11:31

He's had his tag three times. But he's been on I don't know, probably five or six total.

Speaker 1 11:37

Yeah, because the way it works here in New Brunswick too, you have the initial person that was lucky enough to get their moose tag and then you have the second gun. You pay a fee to be the second gun and that person is allowed to carry the gun. They've got to be within shouting distance and stuff, yeah, um of the actual the tag holder and they're there with with a gun as well and to help on the uh, on the hunt. So brad, yeah, so brad's yeah, he's organized and he's been on some moose hunts and he's a he'd be a good asset definitely to bring along.

Speaker 4 12:07

Yeah, so you guys were happy with the train that you saw and everything yeah, yeah, I mean we, these are spots that we had picked it on that weeks prior and we we get out of the truck and took five steps and there's tracks yeah like okay, these are fresh so I mean yeah can't, can't really complain. So far good, but we know so little, right, I mean we're, we're just going off a whim, basically here.

Speaker 1 12:29

But so the plan is what you guys going to be calling. Who are you designating as the caller?

Speaker 4 12:34

I believe denver and brad, I don't know of what. Denver?

Speaker 1 12:38

being lane's brother I would recommend just dad oh okay, shots fired at Lane's brother's calling abilities.

Speaker 4 12:45

Well, we'll figure that one out, you guys should have competition beforehand. Yeah, we're going to me and Pat are actually going to judge him the night before at the campsite.

Speaker 1 12:53

The moose calling. Great, because Pat is the guy that suggested for you to.

Speaker 4 12:59

Yeah, thanks, Pat Now we're here.

Speaker 1 13:00

Shout out to Pat. Yeah, thanks, pat. Now we're here. Straight up Pat.

Speaker 4 13:02

Yeah.

Speaker 1 13:04

Because then his work got involved and he's going to be in and out, eh.

Speaker 4 13:10

Yeah, I don't know what exactly is going to go on there. He's hopeful to be there for the whole week, but he might not be.

Speaker 2 13:15

Yeah, I was talking to him last night. He said he was fully committed to the week.

Speaker 1 13:19

Of work.

Speaker 2 13:19

No, he said, you don't know when you're going to lose hunt sucker man. I said you don't know when you're going to get another tag to go. He said there's all kinds of time to work.

Speaker 1 13:28

Yeah, that's the idea.

Speaker 3 13:29

Hard to argue with that.

Speaker 1 13:30

Yep, yeah. Which brings us to our next person, darren. You uh, this first time coming on the podcast. Uh, you're going moose hunting this year and you've been moose hunting in the past.

Speaker 3 13:42

Yes, well, yep, yeah, I've been very fortunate. I uh. I got my license after seven years of applying. I'm north as well, in zone 11 seven years of applying.

Speaker 3 13:52

Yeah, yeah because, well, my zone at home is, uh, very low odds, very low numbers of moose. So then, kind of the same situation, I met a guy and he told me to apply up there, and then I did, and I got it my first year applying up there, and then that was 2018. And I didn't go up in 2019. And then I've been very fortunate, to go up every year since.

Speaker 1 14:15

Oh, really Just tagging along.

Speaker 3 14:17

Yeah, and second gun and whatnot, like you were saying earlier about fairness. Fairness, I suppose, and I won't mention his name, just for hate mail, but he got his license three years in a row yeah, I know our system is flawed. So alberta has a system similar to us, but with less flaws right, because I think if you got your tag, you had to wait three or five years before you could apply again.

Speaker 1 14:42

Yeah, and I couldn't roll the instant notes of al Alberta's one, but I've heard it before and like it's set up that yeah, you don't have to wait as long. It's more fair. You would definitely get your license sooner and stuff yeah.

Speaker 3 14:53

So, yeah, I got lucky and I went second gun with him for three years and then I had a couple other buddies last two years that got it as well, and then again this year.

Speaker 1 15:03

All successful hunts.

Speaker 2 15:05

The first year I went up in 2020 with my buddy he had decided and we had had a conversation about a smasher or you know, going home hungry and we went home hungry.

Speaker 3 15:18

Okay, and we seen probably a 12, 14 pointer on the second morning, Walked, you know, came to the call, walked down the road to 25 yards and then just I got the no from him and it was a call. Whatever we made this decision and let's do it.

Speaker 1 15:38

I'm going against it.

Speaker 3 15:39

Yeah, because my, I mean, you won't say that it's disappointing in any way, but mine. We were basically in between hunting areas when I got my moose, okay, and a cow came out, or a calf came out. Cow came out and the bull followed, oh yeah, and then it was just a matter of Correct the family, that was it, yeah.

Speaker 1 15:57

Yeah, I know that's the thing. The year my uncle got his license and I went a second gun. We were fortunate enough to get a really nice big bull, but we made a great anything. I mean, it's only five days the odds. Get your license. We're like anything that's not a calf.

Speaker 4 16:12

Especially in that zone too, that was a tough zone. It's a hard spot to get one down.

Speaker 1 16:17

This huge ass slobbering bull comes running out. We're like, well, we said, as long as it's not a calf, and that's certainly not a calf, yeah, there's no way either. You two talk that slow. No way, no, no, so we um, yeah, I remember on that one, yeah, I could hear coming out for him and I was like, sounds like a four-wheeler's going through the woods without an engine. He's like because we were calling. He's like, yeah, that's the bull, like all right. And then, yeah, this thing came out. He's like we hit him and then he was running.

Speaker 1 16:44

Remember, I shot and it's just shit luck shot. We hit him twice. And then he's running again and I shot again. It just just happened to hit him behind the ear right, and then it looked like he went down. And then we're like, oh shit, like shaking and all that, and then going down over to him and then we hear this thing take off like shit. We never got him. He took off like no. So then we're like looking around more and then lo and behold, there he is dead. We're like, so there's two that came out and I never got a look at what the other one was, so it's like I don't know. And then that's when we called you lane and your dad came out and, uh, we were like we were a few hours getting him out.

Speaker 2 17:20

That was a long old drag well, it's just so wet that's the thing too.

Speaker 1 17:24

People doing this is uh, you've got to be prepared. Yeah, like it's. Uh, you know you're hunting swamps and stuff and choppings and it's, it's rough going here. Everyone like burning the belts off their bikes and shit like that and just do what you can to get them out.

Speaker 2 17:39

We had a lot of rope and four bikes and we struggled to pull that thing out.

Speaker 1 17:43

Yeah.

Speaker 2 17:44

He would have been what? 200 yards off the road.

Speaker 1 17:47

Yeah, and I was saying, if he went 50 yards further, I bet you that would have added an hour.

Speaker 4 17:51

Yeah 200 would feel like a kilometer.

Speaker 1 17:53

Oh yeah, it was so wet too.

Speaker 2 17:55

It was an old, grown-up haircut and his antlers were getting stuck up stumps, and it was not a fun.

Speaker 1 18:01

Yeah, because your dad had the. We ended up getting the rope tied to the top of the side by the side and he's going along and we're finally making some headway. And then he just wheelies it and he's like it must be stuck on a stump. We're like no, no, there's no stump, just back up and give her. And he did and he's there's a stump. No wonder he didn't come today. Yeah.

Speaker 2 18:20

Ken wasn't much help dragging out. He tried to video it. We had to keep yelling at him, like Ken.

Speaker 1 18:24

I was trying to video. It's hot out.

Speaker 2 18:25

We need this moose out. Put the camera away and help. It was getting hot.

Speaker 1 18:28

It was a crisp cool morning but I mean moose season here always falls on uh hurricane, normally.

Speaker 4 18:39

So I got a question for all you guys, starting with Ken. Oh okay, your first moose hunt. What was different than you thought it was going to be, or what did you learn? I guess would be.

Speaker 1 18:50

I was always told that when you're calling and stuff, the moose will just come smashing out, slobbering and going, Because I mean, we're used to hunting white-tailed deer, right, and I was like they don't come in like that. They freaking do. That was what surprised me. I was like they really do come out like that. Yeah.

Speaker 2 19:07

Don't always.

Speaker 1 19:07

No but, I've heard that. I was like he did that thing came out like smashing down. He's slobbering and going. I was like holy shit, it works. I was like you get back on in there.

Speaker 2 19:16

Do you not believe, canada, the?

Speaker 4 19:18

rough or what?

Speaker 2 19:19

Yeah Well.

Speaker 1 19:20

I couldn't believe it. So that's what threw me off the most. I'm like, wow, a lot of attitude coming out of there. So you come out here and you think about how you came out the last time. What are you doing? Shoot him? No, but yeah, that's what threw me off.

Speaker 3 19:33

I guess Sounds good, seems like they can be. I don't know, people kind of consider them oh it's just a moose, oh, you can bring it out, just a moose. But then you know, you get fooled a few times and then it's swell. Maybe it's not just a moose, you know, if they're in the right mood, yeah.

Speaker 4 19:51

You're saying, as in, they're moody, or you're saying they're smart.

Speaker 3 19:55

I guess, smart. In a sense, I think they can be dumb or smart, depending on how rutted up they are and how you know if they in the mood or not? But that's not the attitude to go in with. Don't go in there. Oh, it's just a dumb moose, It'll be no problem, We'll just call one out and it'll step out here. I am, see you later Type of thing. Take it a little more serious than what some people might.

Speaker 4 20:20

Lane, give us all your knowledge.

Speaker 2 20:23

I was surprised. Actually kind of opposite of Ken is actually how quiet they can be.

Speaker 1 20:28

I was going to say they can be, they can be we had one the year my cousin had his tag.

Speaker 2 20:34

We were calling and we heard like the suction of him taking his foot out of the musk egg and we turned around behind us and there was a moose standing 50 yards behind us. We're like how did he get that close before we even heard him?

Speaker 1 20:48

Well, that's the thing they do call them the ghosts of the woods because, like I said, how they came out like that. Yeah, they can, but other times you hear just how quiet. But you always wonder too when you see a great big rack on them and then they'll go flying through the woods. You're like, how do they do that? And not clothesline themselves clothesline.

Speaker 1 21:05

Yeah, I don't know how they don't just hook it up on a tree and break their neck. That's what I'll just be like. Well, I'm gonna chase him, because there's no way, with that set of antlers, he can't. He can get that far ahead of me.

Speaker 4 21:12

But yeah, he's like he's gonna hang himself. They're all so strong like oh, unbelievably strong.

Speaker 1 21:18

So that's a good question, don't?

Speaker 4 21:20

quite. I have another question. I'm not done yet. So as far as moose hunting goes wind like scent, they will circle around. They will circle around.

Speaker 3 21:32

Probably the same thing, depending on their mood.

Speaker 2 21:34

And they will wind you.

Speaker 3 21:35

Yeah, we've been winded multiple times. So scent control is a must we haven't heard them until they winded us and then all of a sudden you get almost like a bark from them and then they're gone. So taco.

Speaker 1 21:47

Tuesday at the camp.

Speaker 4 21:48

This new season, skip it okay, I'll let brad know, yeah hey, guys want some zesty onions and that hell. No, we don't brad hell no, so they're, but they're not. The difference would be they're not really as much sneaking around as like a bear would be or something like that, like you might catch them going around you.

Speaker 3 22:07

Yeah.

Speaker 4 22:07

Kind of thing. If you were set up right with the wind, okay.

Speaker 1 22:12

What are we using for weapons? Boys? Dalton, I know you're weird and you shoot left.

Speaker 4 22:15

Yeah.

Speaker 1 22:16

You just got a new gun. What'd you get?

Speaker 4 22:18

A .270 short mag.

Speaker 1 22:19

Weather B.

Speaker 4 22:21

No. My .30-06 Weather B.

Speaker 1 22:23

Oh, okay, yeah, what brand did you go with?

Speaker 4 22:26

Tika. Oh, okay, yeah, yeah, my first left-handed rifle, so pretty excited with that. Yeah, it's actually made for me.

Speaker 1 22:34

That's right. So that's what you're using? Yeah, that's good. It's a good brand. Lane, what are you hammering stuff at?

Speaker 2 22:42

I'm not sure what a gun is. No, I'm not sure what a gun is no, I'm not a tag holder or second gun, so I'm going with no weapon.

Speaker 1 22:48

But just your weapon of your mouth.

Speaker 2 22:51

My buddy's dad got a slingshot he was taking a 30 out of 6 and my buddy's taking his bow and his dad is really pushing towards for my buddy Connor to shoot one with his bow that'd be cool, yeah, there for my buddy Connor to shoot one with his bow.

Speaker 1 23:06

That'd be cool. Yeah, there's not many moose taken every year in New Brunswick with a bow.

Speaker 4 23:09

Just the record.

Speaker 2 23:10

Yeah, yeah, except by a girl. That was just the record. Archery moose, okay, record moose in the province.

Competitive Archery Deep Dive

Speaker 1 23:18

Well, I'd say, either way, It'd be up there Still giant, yeah, yeah, yeah. Speaking of speaking of archery, darren, you, uh, you're an avid bow shooter. Right, I am an avid bow shooter, yes, uh, how avid would you consider yourself uh more than you'd like to be?

Speaker 3 23:34

okay for sure, yeah, no, I uh. I spent a lot of time at it. I chased a lot of tournaments anywhere from cape breton to ontario, uh yeah, you do a lot of shoot.

Speaker 1 23:44

What are you shooting for a bow?

Speaker 3 23:46

Elite Ethos.

Speaker 1 23:47

Okay, you like that.

Speaker 3 23:49

I do really like it. Yep, yep, yep. No, I've had no issues with it. I moved on from the Evision which Lane has had some luck with. Yep, yeah, and then I'll probably move on here shortly.

Speaker 1 23:59

Just to do it, just to do it Switch brands or stay with the same brand. No, I'll probably stay with Elite.

Speaker 3 24:04

Yeah, I got a good group of guys I'm with there, and the Elite dealer is one of them, and, yeah, we got a good relationship.

Speaker 1 24:09

So yeah, what got you into that? Why not a skeet shooting or something?

Speaker 3 24:14

What got you into the bow competition, bow shooting, really, just the extra three weeks of deer season is what started it.

Speaker 1 24:19

Oh yeah.

Speaker 3 24:28

I started with a Bear Cruiser from Cab, uh, from cabela's, when they opened classic and yeah, and then when that was basically just timed upgrade.

Speaker 3 24:32

I had that for six years probably and, uh, yeah, I kind of wanted to get a little more into it. And then I had met a guy through moose hunting and he shot 3d tournaments, yeah, and he brought me to a couple dealers and then I picked a bow and I bought it and then he's like, well, if you kind of made the decision that I spent a lot of money on a bow, so I might as well use it.

Speaker 3 24:52

Instead of just a month or a couple months before deer season, kind of practicing, just kind of get into the all year round thing and instead of you know kind of fine tuning your skills before the season, just stay tuned up.

Speaker 1 25:05

So how does it work with the competition bow shooting? I'm always curious because you have to hit the target, but everyone's pretty damn good, so everyone hits the target.

Speaker 3 25:12

One or two points can be the difference between first or fifth. Oh yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:16

Because I've seen pictures. Like you know, I see your stuff on Instagram and other people's and this and that and, like everyone, hits the target target right for the most part.

Speaker 3 25:27

Yes, yes, for the most part, yeah, yeah. So basically, uh, if you hit the target, it doesn't matter if it's in the ass, it's five points, or in the in the neck, it's five points. But then the vitals, let's say, would be eight points. And then you have a center circle in the middle of that kind of where your heart would be is a 10, and then there's a bonus ring in the center of that about the size of a toonie.

Speaker 1 25:43

That's an 11 you, you guys, robin Hood, each other's arrows.

Speaker 3 25:45

It happens A lot.

Speaker 1 25:46

Yeah, any, fist fights out there over it.

Speaker 3 25:48

I haven't seen any yet. Yeah, no.

Speaker 1 25:51

Could be a first. Yeah, there could be a first. Yeah, Dalvin, you should get into bow shooting.

Speaker 4 25:55

I have a question. So does everybody in these competitions not?

Speaker 2 26:01

wear socks, or is I had to ask, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 26:03

It depends. If I'm in tick territory, I put socks on, okay.

Speaker 4 26:06

But if not, I just rock it. I was going to ask you before the podcast. I was like that's too funny not to ask during the podcast.

Speaker 1 26:15

Is there a dress apparel at?

Speaker 3 26:16

these Nationals? There was, there was Nationals, you weren't supposed to, I'd wear a thong to throw everybody off. It would be.

Speaker 1 26:23

You think you'd be able to shoot straight? Seeing these butt cheeks staring you back in the eyes That'd be my strategy.

Speaker 3 26:28

No, Nationals didn't want camo apparel.

Speaker 1 26:31

Oh yeah.

Speaker 3 26:32

Really Did not Yep.

Speaker 1 26:33

They wanted to be able to see everybody real clearly.

Speaker 3 26:35

I think that's what it is Really. Do you have to wear neon stuff? Nope, just not camo.

Speaker 1 26:41

Really that's interesting. That's interesting just the denim or something.

Speaker 2 26:44

I don't know if that's changed or not, I'd wear like a tuxedo, that would throw everybody off yeah, that'd also be a hot day tramping through the woods wearing a tuxedo, that's true well, there's indoor season true, there you go.

Speaker 1 26:53

Yeah, indoor season, I was thinking outdoor 3D, yeah how crucial is a range finder to you, because I see guys have their packs they've got the.

Speaker 3 27:01

There is different classes. There is unknown classes and known classes. So it's up to you essentially, if you want to.

Speaker 1 27:08

Oh, so you can bring a range finder to any of it.

Speaker 3 27:11

Well, you can't bring a range finder to unknown classes. Oh, it's got to be unknown.

Speaker 1 27:15

Well, I thought they said what the knowns were, and then you had to bring a range finder, so that the. So the unknown is like you're really just guessing.

Speaker 3 27:23

Yeah, you're looking at a target and then you're just kind of guessing and uh but you'd have a good.

Speaker 1 27:28

If you shoot frequently, you'd have a. You'd have a damn good idea. You'd like to think so, but some guys are but there's it's.

Speaker 3 27:33

You know, you could be looking at a full size elk target at four yards, but then sometimes we'll have size animals for you know. So it is. There's a game in a gym. It's not that big of a deal yeah, because you can kind of go off of your previous shot or right you know whatever, but outside when it's individual lanes it can be difficult to narrow that down.

Speaker 1 28:02

What are your pins set at? I have a slider pin uh, you got to explain that one too that you set for typically 20, 30, 40, yes, and then which?

Speaker 3 28:12

I have a three pin site, but it is a it is a slider three pin site. So basically, I set my top pin for 20 yards and then you have a wheel that you slide up and down. For if I want 32 and.5 yards, I can set it to 32.5 yards.

Speaker 1 28:29

Okay, yeah, that's cool. You ever seen those Garmin ones where it's?

Speaker 3 28:32

like built-in range finder.

Speaker 1 28:33

Does anybody have one that you know? No, Okay do they work?

Speaker 3 28:37

you think, they say they do. I'm not sure. I haven't seen them get real popular. I've heard a couple people talk about them. That's about it. Yeah, but uh but yeah, but there's classes for, because there is like a fixed pin class yeah it depends on different events. Different events can have different classes, but typically, like now, unknown is pretty rare.

Speaker 3 28:59

It used to be more common now the big classes are the known classes, yeah, and which is a bonus, it's nice, but not nice because, like you say, if you're in hunting moose or something like, yeah, I do have a good idea, yeah, but it's not. You know, like there's some older, older guys, it's an m60 class and they're uh, they're unknown and some of them are just crazy like they can look at a target and be like oh yeah, that's 43 and a quarter yards, basically, and be within like half a yard.

Speaker 1 29:29

Do you have Elon Musk's neural link in you?

Speaker 3 29:32

Basically.

Speaker 1 29:33

Like I'd be testing for that. It's crazy yeah.

Speaker 3 29:35

So which would be harder to win, because the known right, everybody knows what the yardage is so it'd be a lot tighter, but the unknown, like you're just adding that extra what's harder, what's harder to win for me, it would be the unknown, because I'm not for me be all of them, yeah, yeah but unknown for me for sure would be more difficult. But if you've done that for like I don't know if you've listened to levi morgan and his like how he's trained on distances and stuff like I've seen a bit of his stuff.

Speaker 3 30:06

You have to put in the time to learn how far away, because if you're, it doesn't really like. You know, we do practice like you look at every now and then you look at a target and be like, oh, I think that's 27 yards, and then you range it and then it's like, man, that's 34, like wow. So that could be a difference between you know, a center 11 and up could be a miss. Really, yeah, you know, depending on the size of the target to being.

Speaker 1 30:32

That is just shoot a lot at different distances and just look at it, guess what you think it is range. Fine, okay, that's what it is over, yeah, yeah targets being like uphill or downhill, will play a factor in it too.

Speaker 2 30:42

Like you sent me some pictures oh yeah they got like a bobcat, like 20, 30 feet in a tree, yeah, and you gotta aim straight, pretty well, straight up to hit it yeah and the bobcat stays still that whole time.

Speaker 3 30:54

The whole time. Yeah, it's actually a black cougar never moved.

Speaker 2 30:57

Yeah, yeah, I already know the answer, but for people listening, what class are you in and can you kind of elaborate the different classes?

Speaker 3 31:09

Yeah, I'm in the hunter division. Um, I mean, I joined that because I'm a hunter and I want to be familiar with my hunting equipment. So, and then the next division up, I suppose would be K, would be K 50, which is known 50, which is more what you'd see like olympic style bows with like the really long stabilizers oh yeah, I have seen they can put the lenses and the magnifiers in their scope, where I can't have that so basically my limitations is open sight, no magnifier and length of stabilizer, and other than that it's.

Speaker 3 31:42

There's no restrictions on axle to axle-axle or arrow size or anything like that.

Speaker 1 31:49

Yeah, I know I've seen those pictures of the really long stabilizers Like these guys bow-shooting or fencing.

Speaker 3 31:54

Yeah, basically.

Speaker 1 31:55

Okay, we're going to go from the bow-shooting to the fencing event. They just take off their freaking arrow and away.

Speaker 3 32:01

They go because they're already set up, and you'll see some pointy ones yeah so those are not ideal for hunting.

Speaker 1 32:07

All right, let's just get around this.

Speaker 3 32:08

You don't want to walk through the woods 50 yards back yeah, essentially a 15 pound bow with yeah, because sometimes they'll have like a double, a dual rear stabilizer as well oh, yeah, yeah it could be 15, 20 inches long, I suppose really yeah, and then a 30 up front, are they? Are they black? Yes, for the most part.

Speaker 1 32:27

I don't know why I guessed that there's no white ones that long.

Speaker 3 32:33

Not that I've seen.

Speaker 1 32:35

Okay same, I don't even shoot bows. No, I do Not, competitively Not yet maybe with all my spare time.

Speaker 3 32:42

It's never too late to join. Right, Okay good yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 32:45

So I'll wait a while, and then you can still tell me that. Yeah, no, that's interesting. What's your draw weight? I'm curious. Are you a big like, oh, I've got to pull back as much as humanly possible?

Speaker 3 32:58

No, my draw weight is 65.

Speaker 1 33:00

Okay, yeah, that's what mine is, that that's just kind of.

Speaker 3 33:03

you know, I want it. I'm six, two, I can, you know, and I can pull back enough weight. Sorry, ken, definitely not, and I draw lanes 31 half.

Speaker 1 33:13

I fart every time I pull it back. Yeah, just from straining.

Speaker 3 33:17

So my arrow's moving, you know, pretty quick, and not that I'll probably get into it, but there is. If you go to bigger tournaments down in the states, there is a feet per second limit, yeah, so right now I'm at that limit.

Speaker 1 33:30

So if I went heavier poundage that would be able to I'd have to kind of rearrange yeah, I shoot 65 and that's fine, that's comfortable, the bear the thing never even hesitated straight past you and stuff, they said they said 60 will go clean through a moose most stuff. Anyone's shooting over that are they just doing that to say that they can Like? Is it necessary in your opinion?

Speaker 3 33:49

I don't think it's necessary. I have a woman in my club that shoots 45 pounds and she got a moose last year with her bow and I think it went 40 yards.

Speaker 1 34:01

Yeah.

Speaker 3 34:01

So you can do it for sure. I mean it's shot placements more but anything over 65 people are like just trying to brag yeah probably or if you I mean if you were elk hunting or something sure instead of you might be able to get comfortable at 70 yards instead of 50. I mean that to me that's probably the benefit of a faster bow. Yeah, would be higher poundage, would be further distance being comfortable, I suppose yeah, but you can still shoot quite a ways.

Speaker 1 34:28

65 yeah right and make it have it lethal.

Speaker 3 34:31

Oh for sure, especially about self, a bigger animal, yeah, yeah yeah, but if you're, if by chance you're gonna hit a shoulder or something, if you're pounded, you do have that little extra benefit. But for me, you know, if I shoot, especially at a tournament, I don't want to be heading into the second round in the afternoon and, uh, you know, be tired right, I'm pulling back all the time if I'm practicing or whatever.

Decision-Making During Moose Season

Speaker 3 34:52

I don't want to yeah, no exactly I'm sure you get used to it after a while, just like anything else, but still I haven't found.

Speaker 1 34:58

I know it's remember the first time when I got my bow quite a while ago, pulling it back the first time. It's like it's a weird muscle.

Speaker 3 35:04

Very weird because you're like, I don't think I use this muscle that much I've given people twice the size of me my bow and they can't even think about pulling it back. Yeah, it's just a technique, it's what you're used to well it's just a I don't know, it's just a weird one like I can do it now. Obviously no problem.

Speaker 1 35:18

I'm no bigger or heavy or anything. It's just repetition. But it's just. Yeah, it's a weird muscle. The only time I used that muscle I was going to get someone to falcon punch right, just like that. But other than that, that's it. So have you taken your bow? New something?

Speaker 3 35:35

I haven't, no, because, well, my only tag was 2018. So next, I guess this year was my seventh year, unsuccessful again, but I will be taking it if I get drawn and the guy that has the tag this year I'm going with. He last time I talked to him was planning on bringing his bow. He is.

Speaker 1 35:53

Yes sir.

Speaker 4 35:54

So do you mean, like bringing the bow and the rifle?

Speaker 3 35:57

The second gun will have the rifle, just. I mean, you know, if you have a smasher at 100 yards, it would suck to be standing there.

Speaker 1 36:05

Well, the guys you go ahead.

Speaker 4 36:08

I was just going to say so. Hypothetical question it's the fourth week of rifle season for you. It's cold, you're like I got a big winter jacket on. Am I going to be able to pull my bow back? Are you taking the rifle?

Speaker 3 36:23

I do take my rifle.

Speaker 4 36:24

Okay, yes, because.

Speaker 3 36:25

I don't have enough wall hangers on the wall, or any for that matter. I've got a couple of pieces of deer, but nothing that I've mounted. So yeah, no, I would kick myself for a long time before I if I had a trophy deer at 70 yards and I'm sitting there with a bow and it's like.

Speaker 4 36:47

I'd just throw my bow to the tree as much as I would love to, and that does depend.

Speaker 3 36:50

I do have some spots that I have set up for only archery Right, so if I'm in that spot I will bring the bow Right Sometimes, and I do. I'm fairly set up clothes-wise as far as having not baggy. I plan on that as shooting my bow and I practice with my jacket and stuff. So I haven't really had an issue with with that so far. But our seasons aren't anywhere as near out West as far as cold either, so it's doable.

Speaker 1 37:21

Right, so here we don't. I mean New Brunswick is a. It's a hard place to bow hunt. You have other problems in the States. I think it's more in the States where the opportunities seem more. There they have longer seasons, they have a lot more abundance of deer and stuff here. Bear you want to get bears with a bow and all that. That's pretty doable. But the other stuff it's tricky. Anyone here who's gotten a moose with a bow?

Speaker 2 37:45

I mean that's all, no matter what size. That's impressive. No matter what size. Yeah, that's impressive, it is.

Speaker 1 37:52

It's hard hunting.

Speaker 3 37:53

Because the third year my buddy had got his license. He was using archery and I had my rifle with him, but I basically acted as a range finder for him. And then, just in case but you had talked earlier about most seasons usually during hurricane season and uh, there was a few years ago. A hurricane was coming in and it was Thursday, so he decided to bring the rifle and that morning at 10 o'clock or nine, 30 or whatever, we got our bull at 27 yards.

Speaker 3 38:27

Oh yeah, it's just like of course but, as we were, we leave two people in the woods and they kind of got the moose, yeah, and then start kind of clearing a pathway on the way out to the road. I mean, it was only 40 yards off the road, so it wasn't that bad. But and then two of us go back and get another truck and a trailer and a bike and when we just basically, when we kind of had our hurrays and pitchers and then we took off to get that, it just started pouring.

Speaker 1 38:54

Yeah.

Speaker 3 38:55

So it's like oh it would have been nice to have the bow with that one, but it worked out.

Speaker 1 39:01

Yeah, I mean, well, it's only five days, well, that's just it. You don't get licensed again. That's why a lot of people are like it's hard to chance, right?

Speaker 3 39:08

Especially once you've gone home with nothing before.

Speaker 1 39:11

Yeah, well, you know, it's like if you got it every year, you're like well, you know, whatever this next year and stuff.

Speaker 4 39:21

Yeah, next year is like Thursday, yeah statistically.

Speaker 1 39:24

It's neat here I'm incredibly thankful for the moose that we got when we did and all that. But it's hard, you know, when you go out hunting like well, it's all about the experience and this and that it's like well, no, like I find the pressure's on a bit.

Speaker 2 39:36

Oh, there's no doubt about it.

Speaker 4 39:37

It's your own time and touch it is it's harder to enjoy. Yeah, it on crown, land like you can hunt on crown land. You can camp on crown land, you can do whatever you want. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's all for the only I mean technically, I guess you could hunt bears that way, but there's not a lot of spots in the province where, deer, you would have a chance at getting that done that way no, there you could right.

Speaker 1 40:08

Yeah, five, I know five days is short. Yeah, it is really short, I mean it. What hats off to the fellers when it was only three days.

Speaker 3 40:15

Yeah, Like you know, that's that's when I don't pass anything. Yeah, yeah, At least now you can kind of be like well, no cows, maybe no spike horns.

Speaker 1 40:22

Yeah, it goes down to the wire, then Well, yeah, so since we, well, I was going to ask where are so, where you're going, dalton, you know everyone says, like the guy Brad was saying, it's not if you're going to see a moose, it's how picky are you going to be. How? What are you going into? Yeah, how picky are you going to be I?

Speaker 4 40:43

don't know, I think. I think, starting out, I'd like I'd like to be close to what you got on the wall there and I know for the listeners that's terrible, terrible.

Hunt Expectations and Final Thoughts

Speaker 1 40:52

That's exactly what we said, but describe that Like something I'll use that picture, Something with a little bit of something with a little bit of paddle maybe. Yeah, but like I'm not, uh, so you see a bull come out, say half that size. You guys pulling the trigger. What day is it of five?

Speaker 4 41:10

Oh my god, what are you trying to do to me? Hey what have I seen so far?

Speaker 1 41:14

I've already seen two like that. You've seen a lot of cows. You've seen a few spike horns.

Speaker 4 41:18

Alright, let me sum it up. If I'm sitting there the first morning, a four-pointer, six-pointer, whatever, like some little dink bull, walks out. Probably not. If it's Saturday morning 110%. If it's the third day, I don't have an answer for you. That's going to be an in-the-moment decision. But I mean, if we're seeing a couple moose for the first few days, then I might try to hold out a little. But to sit here and say I'm going to try to just kill a trophy moose would be completely incorrect.

Speaker 4 41:51

I will shoot a calf Saturday. I have no problem with that. I won't eat. Dad wants to eat moose.

Speaker 2 41:56

Your scouting will determine a lot of that. If you go up, yeah, you know, you're two or three days before the season and you're like, ooh, we're struggling to find moose, yeah, you know, you see an 8 or 10 pointer the first morning, yeah, I probably should shoot it. If you're seeing moose after moose, you're seeing some good, good bowls in the scouting, yeah, then you can hold off for a couple days and kind of hold up, wait.

Speaker 4 42:20

Yeah, and another thing too, with where we're going, I I don't know how many people are going to be there. I truly have no idea.

Speaker 3 42:27

I think you're beside me because I'm in gated areas too. Yeah, but like Up and left.

Speaker 2 42:33

Yeah, I just pulled it up. No, that's what I was. Yeah, it's very similar to the ground.

Speaker 4 42:37

Yeah, kind of up and left. Yeah, that's exactly. That was a long way of saying, ken, I don't know.

Speaker 1 42:42

Okay.

Speaker 4 42:49

No, I figured that's the answer I was expecting out. We didn't get one.

Speaker 3 42:52

I think it was Friday. We had one that was. He was on, he was raking, he was grunting, he was putting up a fight. He sounded like a good bull. You could tell he was on his way in. We were working him for 15, 20 minutes and then here comes a half-ton Ford and then, okay, they stopped, great. And then they started to turn around and it was a newer F-150. Windows were down as soon as the back bumper got towards, like the brush and stuff Beep, beep, beep, beep, see a moose.

Speaker 1 43:25

Yeah, so you never know what is going to happen, well, I remember the year that we got ours Lane.

Speaker 1 43:32

You helped guide them later in the season. That's when the hurricane kicked in. But Cody and John they were out friends of ours and they, cody, sent me a picture the night before they had these two great big ass bulls in and I was like showing you Lane. I'm like holy shit. I said these fuckers are going to be tagged out first thing in the morning, right away. Great big ass bulls Right by their campsite the night before. They never got a thing.

Speaker 2 43:57

The mistake they made is they called to them.

Speaker 1 44:00

Oh yeah, you guys going to be around tomorrow.

Speaker 2 44:04

Don't call to them before the season, because they will catch on If they start coming into a call.

Speaker 1 44:09

I couldn't believe it. I was like they're going to get them for sure. They'll get call shy.

Speaker 3 44:12

There's 10 moose around the corner, right yeah.

Speaker 1 44:16

But, yeah, I think the things that's going to be your favorite is yeah, the area is known to be not a great spot for whitetails, but if you're going moose hunting, that's it.

Speaker 3 44:23

You'd think so, but there's some deer there too, is there?

Speaker 1 44:28

Yeah, couple are for deer.

Speaker 2 44:30

Oh I think that's further up.

Speaker 3 44:31

It's a bit further up, that's more up and right of us.

Speaker 2 44:34

We've seen quite a few.

Speaker 3 44:35

There's tons of bear, yeah, enough Quite a few deer and lots of moose. Honestly, yeah, we've seen some wild turkeys in the woods back there.

Speaker 4 44:42

Yeah, we saw turkeys on the way up the other day, but nothing.

Speaker 3 44:48

We've seen a tom like two minutes before we got our moose last year, Nice, Just sitting on a stump and we got out and kind of watched him for a bit, got back in the truck and then we're getting right back out.

Speaker 4 44:57

Yes, sir, now I'm really looking forward to it.

Speaker 1 44:59

I think it'll be fun and the experience too.

Speaker 4 45:02

Yeah, that's three-quarters of it, just to go away for a week and hang out in the woods.

Speaker 3 45:16

But, you want to get in this and somebody's familiar with your area that you're going with.

Speaker 4 45:18

No, no, not really. Okay, perfect, cheap, yes, but I'm also excited, like same thing as dalton. Yeah, but brad, I think brad has enough woods instinct in him for all of us and denver's luckier than shit so we'll be all right, yeah, yeah, you know what they say. Lane, better be lucky than good 100.

Speaker 2 45:29

I'm just excited to go hunt some new ground.

Speaker 1 45:33

Yes, never been there.

Speaker 2 45:34

Yep, it's all new territory for us, yeah.

Speaker 1 45:36

Yeah, that'll be the only thing I'm excited to hear about what you guys have done. I think I'm going to be in Maine that week. It's going to be really sad and we're going to show up here drunk and we've been, and I'm excited to hear about that too.

Speaker 1 45:56

Yeah, I don't want to talk about well, we missed three and we shot at five yeah, yeah exactly, uh, when you hit two, yeah, yeah, but we couldn't find them and some other hunters took them, and no, I think it'd be I think it'd be good story, right, yelled at me. Yeah, yeah denver fell in the fire um no, I think it'd be good stories for sure I think I think I have some luck early on in the hunt. Are you feeling pretty confident about your hunt? Yes, and no, I think this year.

Speaker 3 46:17

I kind of pay attention to where in the calendar the moose season falls. I think this year it's not early or late, it's kind of right in the middle, because sometimes you can drive around and not see any sign at all and then the next morning you wake up and it's like every road got torn to shit.

Speaker 1 46:38

I find here where it's usually the last week of september, last full week, last full week in september um, it seems to hit every year, though we're pretty near right dead in the rut. Yeah, so that's helpful. You're able to call and use scents and all this shit right. So that's really. Fortunate is that it does, because, like our deer season, I find we just miss the rut and kind of we get the yeah, we get a little bit of it with muzzleloader, we get a little more though.

Speaker 4 46:59

Yeah, that's a good addition.

Speaker 1 47:01

Yeah, for anybody now with that extra week, yeah, so uh, no, I think you guys will. Uh, I'm excited to do this podcast post moose season.

Speaker 4 47:10

Thanks again for having us on. Yes, appreciate it I'm.

Speaker 1 47:13

we'll have you guys out again. I'm going to talk more bow hunting. All right, Good luck on the hunt.

Speaker 4 47:19

Thank you.