When do moose rut in alaska

When do moose start hunting? Moose may be found throughout most of Alaska except on the Aleutian Islands, but they are most commonly found in Southcentral and Interior Alaska. Moose are most commonly found in forested or shrub habitats and generally avoid areas of open tundra.

Moose seldom inhabit mountainous areas above 0feet. Summer– Moose eat forbs (herbs), grasses, sedges and leaves of broad-leaf trees and shrubs during the summer months from leaf-out in May until September.

Moose are commonly seen in open meadows and in ponds during summer feeding on aquatic plants, but other moose summer in mountains lacking pond habitats. Moose drink large quantities of water during warm weather. Fall– At some point in late August or early September, moose begin changing their diet to include woody browse of willow, aspen, poplar and birch.

Migratory moose also begin moving to fall r. See full list on adfg. The key to good moose hunting is knowing where bull moose will be during the fall hunting season. Many new moose hunters confine their scouting trips to summer months.

However, many moose hunters are disappointed come fall when bull moose cannot be found on summer ranges where they were abundant in July or August. 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 t. Moose have good senses of smell, hearing and eyesight to help protect them against their natural predators—humans, wolves and bears.

To avoid detection by moose, paying close attention to wind direction is, perhaps, of greatest importance. Doing the latter carries your scent ahead of you toward your quarry. Jeans can be quite noisy. Sit below skylines and near stumps or trees to break your outline.

Moose can see and react to you from at least as far away as a quarter mile. Eat breakfast before sunup and dinner after sundown and maximize your hunting during prime times. Look for movement, dark shapes or white spots in your field of view.

Seldom will you have a clear view of a whole moose. Listen carefully early and late in the day for antler clashes, mating grunts or breaking branches which should alert you to the presence of a bull. Use a high quality pair of binoculars and a spotting scope on a tripod.

Pick a spot, hold your glasses steady and look for mo. Males (bulls) ingest enough nutrients to grow a new set of antlers and by late August have gained up to 2pounds of fat and muscle. The rut lasts until early October. Typically the peak of the rutting season for moose is the first two weeks of October. This is only an average though.

The further north in the hemisphere you travel the earlier in the season the rut happens and the opposite is true for going south. There are of course always exceptions to the rule, but for the most part early October will be the peak. In the far north, cows without calves form rutting groups that typically contain three to six females but at times can have as many as 25. Such groups can be quite stable or females can come and go over time. At this time of year, moose begin to break out of their summer routines.

By mid-September , bulls are showing rutting behavior. That will continue into the first week of October, when we host our final hunters of the year. Guided Moose Hunts in Alaska.

Purchase and Download for $19. PayPal and Credit cards accepted. As in other areas of North America, the peak mating for moose was centered on October 1. My experience is that the rut is brought on by daylight. Cooler weather and they do move more but as less light hits the retina the moose get closer to the rut. There stages to the rut that I hunt by.

First is the pre rut beginning around the 10th -12th. Trophy class bulls are found throughout Alaska, but the largest come from the western portion of the state. The largest sized antlers are usually produced when bulls are - years old , but bulls can reach trophy size as young as years of age. In the wil moose rarely live more than years. Fallow usually go around the 10th -12th of april and Red stags usually around the 25th of march in the areas i hunt.

So what do you guys find is the average dates for the moose rut in Alaska ? Chugach State Park is becoming world renown for moose viewing, especially during the fall rut. KTVA photojournalist John Thain tagged along with some experie. That causes testosterone to spike in the males. The bulls stop eating and their necks swell.

We schedule our moose hunts during the pre- rut and rut so our hunters have the opportunity to look at and over older bulls. Moose are abundant on timberline plateaus, along the major rivers of Southcentral and Interior Alaska , and in recently burned areas that have generated dense stands of willow, aspen and birch shrubs. Some of the largest moose populations in the state exist in Unit , , 14A , 17B , 17C , , 19A , 19B , 19D , 20A , 20B , 20D , 21D , and.

The Alaska -Yukon Moose are the largest subspecies of moose within North America. In this area, trophy bull moose measure inches to over inches, averaging mid-60s. Nothing can get your heart rate to jump faster than seeing a moose , standing over feet at the shoulders, being enticed by your guide’s call and raking during the rut. Hunting is complicated by September hunt dates, typically concluding before the rut begins.

Increase your odds of calling success by arriving late in the season. As with any gun-dog training, simple commands work best. Big Alaska bull moose digs a rut pit and then the action begins.

Lucky for us, friend Michael Mauro, Rick and I were able to scramble on top of a big boulder.