Another moose hunt is complete!  Mother Nature made it difficult as always.  This was the 2nd coldest October on record, and we were out in it trying to get close to the big black beasts in the snow and cold.  It snowed or rained 5-6 days each week for more than 3 weeks.   Temperatures were just barely above freezing during the day and cold at night.  We burnt lots of firewood this year!

This year the moose rutted very late.  They do not breed like most animals.  We had cold weather and some calm times but the moose were not very active during the first 2 weeks of our hunt.  They started to come to life during the 3rd week of our hunt but we did not get a bull to come out until the last day.  

Hunting these animals takes great perseverance and a strong mind.  Keeping your spirits up and getting out there early each and everyday can be tough.  This year was no different.  I was guiding Greg and Tom, and as we approached the last days of the hunt we had to stay sharp.  The moose had started to make more noise each day and I knew we were still in front of the rut so it was going to happen soon.  As I remember all of the moose we have harvested over the past 25 years, most of them had been shot on sunny days.  Oct 6 was my birthday, and I got to see the sun that evening, and we heard a bull nearby….

The last morning we headed out and it was pretty windy.  On the way to our hunting spot we decided to change locations as the wind was a different direction down the lake.  I dropped Tom off on a nice point in a calm bay.  Greg and I continued down the lake about 1000 yards and I began grunting and raking brush.  After my first calls, Tom heard the Bull start coming.  No grunting, just antlers going through the bush like a piece of plywood.  Each time I raked brush, the bull came closer.  Before he came out of the willows Tom could see the white paddles of the antlers.  He had time to range him at 197 yards and he was plenty ready, laying across the rock with a perfect rest for his 300 Win Mag single shot.

The bull came out and stood, looking down the lake towards my call.  Then I heard it…. Boom, Boom, Boom, with a slight delay between shots for Tom to reload.  I was not right beside him but he said I trained him well.  Take him on the shoulder and keep shooting until he goes down.  Tom did exactly as I instructed.  3 shots.  The first one was right on the shoulder and then the bull turned around.  He gave him 2 more in the exact same spot on the other shoulder less than 2 inches apart!  This beautiful 48 inch bull only went 25-30 yards and was a 30 foot haul to the boat!

The one bad part about shooting from your stomach with a large caliber is that sometimes you get touched by the scope! 3 shots, 3 cuts but they were all perfect.  His smile and blood dripping off of his nose when I picked him up were priceless!!

There was someone else back at camp who was pretty happy with our success…

Dustee had her part to do as well to clean off the head for Tom.  She was happy to oblige.

Dustee and I headed back up north to close the last few camps and do some work but the forecast was for more bad weather.  

I hunted the first night we got back up north and saw a bull and couldn’t get a shot and also called a cow and calf in.  That night it started snowing and didn’t stop for 3 days.  Windy and snowing, it was a full time job to keep the fire going and snow off of the Otter.

We were able to get most of the work done but some of the jobs will have to be done in the spring.  Mother Nature was closing the door on our season and it was time to get out of the bush.

As we finally got a break in the weather to get home, the area towards Shearstone had quite a bit more snow and most of the lakes were beginning to freeze over as the water temp was very low after this much snow.

The motors are all serviced and the airplanes are put away for the winter.  It was a great summer and we would like to thank all of our guests who came to see us this summer.  We hope you enjoyed your time in the bush and we look forward to seeing you all soon.  

Please keep an eye out for our newsletter that will be coming out near Thanksgiving.  If you would like to sign up to for it, please click here.

We have had some changes in our moose hunting schedule and have an opening for a guided moose hunt.  The date would be September 17-24, 2018.  

We have a Bull Tag available and would be interested in a one on one guided hunt or a two person guided hunt with one bull and one cow tag.

Please call us at 807-735-9968 or email us at amikoutposts@gmail.com for more information and pricing.

It has come to that time of year where we are able to hunt the largest mammal in North America!  I am fortunate to be able to be in the thick of it the entire time each season.  Moose hunting can be a very mentally tough hunt and great patience is required to get close to these monsters most of the time.  Persistence, patience and silence of human noises are all key.  It is so rewarding each and every time you are successful.  Here is a few videos from some past hunts to get you in the mood for hunting season.  They are all videos but it doesn’t show the icon.

As always it is bittersweet to see the season come to an end.  We had a very good season, the weather was perfect for the most part, fishing was awesome as were our guests.  Each and every one had a great time and I would say almost every guest said to us as they left, “We will be back” or “See you next year”.  It makes us feel good to be able to show people a good time in the pristine wilderness.  The fishing is usually the first reason you make the trip to see us but after a trip or two, the fishing becomes a bonus.  Where you are and who you are with becomes the reason you come here.

Scott and I are closing camps as quick as the fishermen are done.  Servicing motors, washing boats and tipping them over, draining water and cleaning up and making notes on what is needed to provide a quality, trouble free trip.  The weather so far has been pretty nice for working, still warm but pleasant.  Nice enough for fishing in the evening.  Here is a Monster Walleye Scott caught while we were working at the Cobham. 30.75 inches!

We have also been working hard during the day.  The dock at Cobham Daniel is almost done, the roof at Blackbirch has been replaced, outhouse holes have been dug and some new boardwalks and fish cleaning tables have been built.   Here are a few pictures from our trips to the north recently.

The Daniels dock has been on my list for a long time but the water has not gotten low enough to do it properly until this year.  We had to start fresh for most of it but at least we didn’t have to find too many new rocks to put into the cribs.

Ripping apart the old cribs wasn’t too hard and then we got to have a nice all day fire…

It is much easier to work with a new crib.  We are heading up north again soon to finish the rest of it but it is coming along great.

We also spent some time at Blackbirch putting on a new roof.  We had some perfect weather for roofing.  It was windy but warm and sunny.  We had 3 guys and lots of time.  We were able to get it done in a day and a half and also get some fishing done in the process.

Reminder!!!  ALL deposit checks are to be made payable to “Lac Seul Airways Ltd.”  

Another season is over.  It is always bitter sweet to see another season come to a close.  But as the weather changes into winter, Mother Nature is pushing us out the door.  The Otter will be put away for a much deserved break this week and Rena and I will be back on the Prairies soon.  2016 was a great year, Thank you to all of our awesome guests who made the trip up to Red Lake this summer.  If you do not receive our newsletter, please sign up by clicking here.  We will be sending out our end of season newsletter soon.

Moose Hunting 2016

Hunting moose is no easy undertaking.  2016 was no different.  We tried to delay our hunt to coincide with the moon cycles to be closer to the rut and stay away from some of the warmer windy weather we sometimes have during an early moose hunt.  There was lots of moose action right from the first night of the hunt.  I have moose hunted for 23 years and have seen many different things, the rut seems to be hard and fast or long and drawn out.  This year it was long and drawn out.  The moose would rut 2-3 days a week, depending on weather,  You had to be in the right place at the right time, and had to make the right calls at the right time.  I believe the rut is still going on and the cows were not receptive to the bulls until we were done our hunt.  I always say, “These damn moose don’t go by the calendar!!!!

During the first week we had only 2 guided hunts taking place and on the first night one of our hunters got his opportunity(which during moose hunting, sometimes that’s all you get) A big bull came right to the call but it was a difficult shot and he missed.  Then the rain came….. for 3 days.  It was brutal rain and wind that never seemed to end.  After that it went quiet for the rest of the week.

The guy I was guiding had been with us before and had opportunities on his last trip but came up empty.  This time Mike was determined and patient, which was difficult during the 3 days of rain and getting wet each day.  We were diligent.  I know that you just need to keep going.  There has been many times that the last day is the day.  You just need to stay focused and be ready all the time.  Mike was definitely mentally prepared as we headed towards the last day of the hunt.

On the last morning of the hunt, it was perfect!  We were heading to our spot, sneaking in slowly to a spot where we had seen a cow moose alone a couple of days prior in the hopes that a bull was nearby.  This was the sunrise on our way in.

As we were quietly getting up on the rock to get set up I heard a grunt.  We turned around and Mike said, “There is a moose!”

Then I said, “There is another one!”

A bull was following the cow out into the lake about 300 yards away.  Then the adrenaline kicks in.  Mike trying to find a good rest in a hurry as the moose moved closer to us, trying to determine which was the bull and which was the cow as they came from the shadows into the sun.   At about 250 yards the bull presented a good shot.  Boom!  Miss, but they just stood there.   I could hear Mike breathing hard and I am sure he was shaking like a leaf!  I told him to take his time, take some deep breaths.  Boom! That one hit!  My next words are always the same! “Keep Going!”  Then the shooting gallery began.  2 more shots all hitting the moose at 230-225 yards!  The bull moved up to the shoreline and disappeared!!!!  Neither one of us saw him go down as we were trying to find bullets to reload.

The next 45 minutes were excruciating!  Waiting to see if he was still on his feet, listening intently, we never heard a sound.  We figured he went down but could not say for sure.  Once we waited long enough we went over to have a look, ready for him to stand up…

Last day moose!!!  Patience, persistence paid off.  13 days of hunting and Mike finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for.  And he finally got to wear the fabled moose hat!

And of course Inside Loins for supper!!  Along with a little Jagermeister!

The second week of our hunt proved to be just as difficult but provided multiple opportunities.  We had 4 groups of hunters out and the action happened early in the week on some lakes and all week on others.

Our hunters on Findlay  lake were first time moose hunters and were excited as school boys on the way in.  Nick, who knows Findlay well checked out his first spot for sign.  As he got into the bush, he gave out his first moose call ever…  Then he heard a grunt and sticks break about 80 yards away!  He could make a out a huge bull moving through the bush towards him.  Let the leg shaking begin!!!  He called again and the bull kept grunting and moving closer, Nick said he was shaking so much he could hardly stand it.  The bull moved within 30 yards of him and stopped behind some thick cover so he waited…..  He never heard the moose again.  He was gone like ghost.  It is hard to believe how they can do that but believe me it happens.

They had more action the next morning in the same spot seeing a bull moving in the bush but never fully showing himself to get a shot.  As well during the week they were close to more moose, coming back to the boat after hunting all day and seeing fresh moose tracks right by the boat that were not there when they went in.  They learned a lot and I think they have the bug, they will be back to hunt those black monsters again!

Our unguided hunters at Shearstone Lake had been with us 2 years ago and were successful in harvesting a big bull.  They were back for more.  This year it was Nate’s turn.  Early in the week he was hunting near the cabin, walking in the burn he called all day.  As evening approached and he had not had any answers yet, he grunted very aggressively a few times.  He was right beside a moose.  A grunt and a few thrashes and he stuck his head out down wind from him…..  Just enough to get a shot.  He went down and Nate thought he had a looong haul out but realized he had walked in a half moon and was near the main lake so it turned out to be not so bad.  Here is a beautiful bull.

I guided Janet whom I guided 3 years ago and had an opportunity that didn’t pan out so she was back for more.  This year was tough.  We heard moose pretty much every day, from 20 minutes of grunting and not moving any closer to one to three grunts as well as a few cows calling.  One day we had something right beside us moving within a couple hundred yards but would never call back or move any closer.  Like I said earlier it was a long drawn out rut and the moose were in no rush to come out in to the open.  The weather was very warm which also drags out the rut.  Janet is alrady making plans to come back next year to chase the wiley moose once again!

It was a great hunt, all our hunters were happy to spend time in the bush.  Moose hunting is tough but so rewarding when you get one.

Here are a few pictures I took from the past couple of weeks in the bush.

Dustee waits on that rock for 2 hours every night while we are hunting. Waiting for us to bring back the meat! She is as happy as we are when we get a moose!

And Dustee does her part to help clean the head before it heads to the taxidermist.

My favorite time of year is almost upon us.  Moose season.  Our last fishermen of 2016 are in the bush right now and soon the fishing season for us will be done.  Here are a few moose videos to keep you entertained while I am in the bush trying to get our hunters close to this enormous animal!

2015 has come to a close.  We had a great season thanks to our awesome guests!  The weather cooperated, letting us move our people to and from the Outposts, most of the time, on time.  There was only one overnight delay this season which is pretty good compared to other years.  It makes life much less stressful to have understanding guests who understand that Mother Nature is the one in charge.

The Otter is put away for the winter, Rena and I are finishing up here in Red Lake and will be headed for the prairies soon.  It is always a bitter sweet feeling to see the season end but the seasons change and time marches on…..

Photo Contest

We have been sorting through photos submitted by our guests for the 2015 photo contest and there are some really beautiful pictures.  We will take entries for this years photo contest until October 31.  After that the best ones will be selected and the contest will begin during the week of U.S. Thanksgiving.  We will be using the Amik Outposts Facebook page to host the contest and the winner will be determined by the photo that gets the most “likes”, so please tell your friends to vote for your picture if it selected.  Here is the link to our Facebook page.   Like our page and it will show up on your Facebook feed.  Share it with all your friends so when the voting starts, you will be ready!

Amik Outposts Facebook Page

Next Season….

Just a friendly reminder to anyone who has dates reserved with us.  If you have not sent us a deposit yet, please do so very soon.  We cannot hold dates through our booking season without a deposit.  Mail your $300 per person deposit to:

Box 597

Ranier, Mn

56668

Payable to: Canadian Flyin Fishing Inc.

Please take a stroll through our website as all of the pages have been updated with new pictures shared with us by our awesome guests.  Being in the north is very special and these pictures only give you a small sample of what it is really like.  Once you have experienced a flyin fishing trip to a remote lake, you will always long to hear the silence.  Thank you to all of our guests who shared their experiences with us.

Another moose hunting season has come and gone.  As always it was a tough hunt.  The rut began before our season started, then went into a lull during the windy weather most of week one, then the bulls turned on late in the first week and most of the second week which made for an pretty good season.  Throughout my 3 weeks in the bush, I saw quite a few cows but heard no cows calling and the bulls were very quiet.  Many one grunt answers and sometimes they could be heard walking around near us but not really showing much emotion.  And then after the hunters left I had a few days to hunt.  There was perfect calling weather and I hunted hard. All I heard was one grunt out of one bull, saw a cow for an hour that had no bulls near her and that was it.  Kind of a weird year of moose hunting but that is the way it played out.  I loved every minute of it and so did my hunters.

We took 3 Bull moose during this seasons hunt out of 10 hunters.  Not the best numbers but there was plenty of action to be had.  One group of hunters who did not get a shot at a moose were bow hunting and had one very close encounter with a bull that winded them eventually. And another hunter called in a 36 inch bull early in the week, it swam across the lake right to him, got up on the shore, shook off and walked away.  He passed it up as he thought he would have more opportunities.  He didn’t.  His hunt was a success in his mind but he would have liked to have that opportunity back. 🙂

The Thurston boys from Colorado are elk hunters but had never hunted for moose before.  During the first week of our hunt they had to have lots of patience and plenty of persistence.  They heard a bull early in the week for 3 days in the same spot.  He would not budge from where ever he was sitting but would grunt back.  They pushed into the bush on the third day and he moved away from them.  After a few days of letting things settle down the weather began to change.  On the last day of the hunt they went back where the bull was.  This time it happened.  This monster 52 inch bull moose walked out as Glenn was calling, Scott and Andrew took care of business.  They were thrilled to say the least!

Here are some of the great sights I am fortunate enough to be able to work in everyday during the fall.

Where there is a cow, there is usually a bull.  During the second week of the hunt the moose were fairly active but not calling a lot.  We saw some moose from a distance and were getting closer and closer to them.

Bill M. has been a guest of ours for many years.  He will be 77 years old next month and is still going strong.  Bill knows how hard or easy moose hunting can be and if the moose gods want to put a young bull in front of you…. you take him.

One evening, Bill and I were calling by the rapids on Loree Lake and I heard one grunt and some branches breaking around us.  After calling until dark we snuck out of there only to return in the morning to an area adjacent to where we were.  We snuck in, made 3 calls and then a grunt!   He continued to grunt, getting closer and closer. Then he stopped just inside of the bush like they always do, sometimes not ever coming any closer.  We were close enough to the shore that I was able to take a leak right into the lake.  The bull heard that and out he came!  He walked through the shooting lane quickly and then walked up on the hill slightly and stopped.  Then I called softly again.  The bull made a sound like a bark. A sound I had never heard a moose make before.  The call brought the 2 and a half year old back like he was on a string and Bill took an easy 70 yard shot.  It is nice to have them fall right on the shoreline.

Dustee always meets us on the dock when we come back from hunting with this look of expectation.  It is nice to bring her back some meat!

David and I settled in for the remainder of the hunt in search of another bull.  We saw a few moose far away but they wouldn’t come any closer and we continued to call.  Some spots where we had been calling for 2 weeks!  After seeding areas like that eventually a bull will be there when we are there.

That was just the case for David and I.  We stopped just at dark to call a spot near camp when we heard a huge crack!!! Over and Over for about 4 or 5 times.  Very loud and then nothing but eerie silence.  We snuck out of there once again making a plan for the morning.

We woke up to perfect moose hunting conditions, calm and clear.  We headed back to the spot where we heard the sound the night before. We set up and I started calling.  We got an answer right away and it appeared that there was 2 moose.  Sometimes if there is a cow with the bull, they can be very hard to bring out.  I continued to call and the moose came closer.  You could hear the hollow sound of his antlers going through the brush and we could see the trees moving as he got closer.  He was big.  Then just as they approached the shore they stopped, just out of sight.  We waited as our hearts beat out of our chest.  Then they started to walk away.  My heart sank, I thought the cow was walking away and the bull would follow.  I then had to change tactics.  I started to slowly rake my moose call on the tree and grunted ever so softly.  The bulls then became more aggressive and then we could tell that there was 2 bulls, not a bull and cow!!

The first one to show up and present himself was a beautiful 49 inch bull!  David took him down with one shot at 110 yards!  Very happy, we celebrated but then saw the other bull moving away.  As he got up on the rock to head back to his perch on the ridge we saw him.  The one we just shot was big, the one that walked over the ridge was probably in the 55-60 inch class.  He took one look back at us and disappeared. That’s okay.  He is there to spread his seed and keep the gene pool strong.  This moose was totally in his prime.  A beautiful trophy.

Bill and David have been fortunate when hunting with me.  The last 3 times we have hunted together, they have harvested 6 moose!  3 of them have been Trophy Bulls in the 50 plus inch class. True moose hunters who would be just as happy with a small moose as a trophy.  The hunt is all that matters.

I did get video of both moose so keep an eye on my blog for the videos when I get them done.

If you are interested in Moose hunting with us next year, don’t delay we are booking up!

The last video from this season is ready to go.  This bull traveled a long ways to be on film and was determined to get downwind of us but we were fortunate enough to get a shot.  It is a long one as we could see him the whole time circling us.  Watch it in HD full screen to get the full effect

Moose season 2014 is done.  This year was a great one.  We had a large variety of weather throughout our 3 weeks of hunting as always. During the first week we had sunshine and temperatures that must have reached 80 on Wednesday.  The second week brought cooler temperatures and snow late in the week.  The third week continued to take us deeper into fall with snow on the ground every morning.  Overall it was good hunting weather with a few windows of opportunity to get close to those majestic beasts.

I always say that moose hunting is never easy….  except for this one time.  On the first morning of hunting with 2 guys named Mike, it was easy.  It was a perfect morning for calling and we got out there early, in our spot just as daylight arrived.  As the sun rose, so did a bull moose, coming right in as I wish they would every time I call.  He grunted all the way in giving the hunters a great experience, getting louder with each step he took closer to us.  Stepping out of the bush onto the shoreline 125 yards from us, presenting himself with the sun shining bright on him.  He glistened in the sun continuing down the shore towards us.

When he finally stopped, nothing needed to be said, the Mikes knew what to do.  Not too many times have I had it that easy.  After our celebration, getting the moose up on shore, we were just getting out the knives and we heard another one!

We had to move down the shoreline a ways to get into position and we knew it would be a longer shot but the guys had good rests.  I called a few more times and there he was 300 yards down the shore moving closer to us with the ever increasing wind in our favour.  Once he reached 220 yards he stopped and gave the boys a perfect shot.

Never before in my career have I ever been done guiding a hunt that quick.  Luckily we had this opportunity early in the week because as the week moved on the temperatures and wind went up and hunting would have been very tough.

It was awesome.  The videos of these 2 bulls are at the bottom of the page.  Watch it in a quiet place and adjust your settings on the video to 720 HD.  Enjoy.

Also hunting the first week were some unguided guys who were hunting moose for the first time.  Dustin, Nate and Bruce are good hunters.  They scouted, found some spots to hunt and had patience.  Each hunter saw moose and gained valuable experience for the next hunt.  The successful one of the group was Dustin who called in this Monster Bull Moose.

He said it came out 10 yards away and he shot it at 35 yards.  Needless to say he was pretty thrilled to experience such a close encounter.  They also now know how much work it is to get one of these animals back to camp!

The second week brought us snow and wind.  I knew that this week was going to bring some action whenever the wind went down.

We had both guided and unguided hunts out during that week and Ralph K. was patient enough to take a bull moose during his hunt.  He saw a cow during his hunt the day before and knew if he stayed close to her a bull would show up.  He sat in the same area again and out came a bull on the second last day of the hunt.

“I can’t say enough great things about your business. The outpost was fantastic beyond my expectations, the fishing was amazing and the moose hunting was both challenging and rewarding.

 You guys are the best!

 I am trying to put together a fishing trip for next summer. Hope to see you then.

 Regards,

 Ralph”

During the 2nd week I was guiding an experienced moose hunter Jerry.  He has shot lots of moose with us and knows how hard it can be to get close to one.  We battled the wind for most of the week and got closer and closer to moose everyday but just couldn’t get them to talk.  As Friday approached it got colder but the wind was subsiding a bit.  We hunted in an area that we had never shot any moose but had some fresh sign in the area.  We arrived before daylight and called until 9 am not hearing any answers until Jerry said he heard a cow call back from behind us, so we sat and waited. And then I could hear a swishing sound coming towards us, as I turned my head, a bull looked right at me from 40 yards away and jumped.  Jerry heard him move and made a perfect shot when he stopped 50 yards away.  Every moose hunt is different and challenging.  Always rewarding.

Dustee cleans the head to perfection.  She does an amazing job of cleaning all the meat and sinew from the skull plate.

Of course Jerry got to wear the coveted moose hat!

It feels great to wake up after you are tagged out to a layer of snow and wind that you don’t have to hunt in.  Your only concern is to have another coffee and keep the fire going.

Heading into the 3rd week of hunting Bruce and Janet were our last customers of the season as they were last year and we came up short on harvesting a moose.  This year we were determined to have a different outcome.  Snow on the ground but still very unsettled weather continued everyday.  Lots of wind and snow showers.  On Tuesday we had a break as the eye of the low pressure must have been over us.  We had calm weather, fog, and snow periodically as I called quietly waiting for an answer.

Around 11am, we decided to move to the top of a ridge  to call for the afternoon and glass the hills around us in the old burn.  Around 1 in the afternoon Janet spotted a bull over a mile away from us.  It was unmistakeable, 2 big white palms and a coal black figure in the distance.  He slowly started to make his way towards us down the ridge.  We had all day.

He disappeared into the valley and I kept calling quietly.  We didn’t know if he would show up or where we would see him next.  The wind was blowing hard enough that our hearing up on the ridge was hampered. We were also getting hammered with heavy snow showers every 10 minutes.  Sounds fun eh?

And then there he was, off to our left. He grunted once and kept moving.  He was in sight for 16 minutes as he slowly made  his way downwind of us.  Through the bog he slowly made his way around us, staying out 300-400 yards almost disappearing in the snow, but I kept a close eye on him.   He was determined to get downwind and we had to adjust at the last minute as Bruce couldn’t see him from where he was sitting.  We moved and Bruce used my shoulder as a rest to see over the trees and hold steady on the moose who had showed himself 125 yards from us.  Obviously the rest worked and Bruce took the 40 inch bull down with one shot!

And after an all day haul from the other side of the ridge though the burn we got the moose back to camp at dark.  Having a late supper, a few cocktails, it is nice to wake up to a snow storm that you do not have to go out in!  The meat was hung in the shed cooling down and the cabin was warm.

Dustee didn’t eat much dog food this fall.  Moose meat tastes much better.

The video of this last hunt will be done shortly.  It turned out great!  Keep watching for it.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3309VBx8eU

Here is a great video that sums up how we like to live our life in the North!   I love it up here and feel like this is where I belong.  If you love what you do you will never work a day in your life.