Many new moose hunters confine their scouting trips to summer months. However, I know many moose hunters who are disappointed come fall when bull moose cannot be found on summer ranges where they were abundant in July or August.
If you do locate legal bulls in summer, hunt there on opening day—usually September 1 or even in August in some spike-fork/50-inch areas. You may get an opportunity to take a bull before they move away toward their rutting area. Yearling bulls are more likely to still be frequenting summer areas than more mature bulls, which start their fall movements earlier.
Another great scouting period is after the fall hunting season. Bull moose tend to stay near rutting areas for a month or two following the rut. Once you locate a fall concentration area, hunt there the next year as late in the legal season as possible.
Major migration routes also provide good moose hunting if your timing is right. Rivers, creeks and low mountain passes are often used by moose shifting seasonal ranges.
No matter where you are scouting, keep alert for rubbed trees. Bull moose begin rubbing in early September to clean velvet off their antlers. Later in September they continue thrashing trees as a display of dominance. Such sign, even from the previous fall, indicates that bull moose use an area during the fall hunting season.
Another sign of fall range use are droppings. In summer they resemble cow patties—in winter, pellets. In fall, droppings are partially loose patties and partially pelletized reflecting a seasonal change in diet from leafy to woody forage.
No matter what technique you choose, hunt very early and very late in the day when bull moose are most active. Eat breakfast before sunup and dinner after sundown and maximize your hunting during prime times.
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