Just the other day as I was travelling around the countryside calling on feed clients, I watched a motorist clip a spike buck crossing the road in the middle of the day.  In fact last August, I had a similar incident while driving home from archery league when a spike buck came out of a hayfield and hit the side of my car.  $2800 later it was back to new.

This morning a friend sent me a photo that I think shows how much different it is when it is a moose crossing the road.  because they are long legged, the car or truck bumper hitting their legs sends them directly into the windshield which can be downright deadly.

So here are some suggestions for driving defensively against wildlife:

1. Use your high beams when possible.  It is your best chance to see animals before they reach the road.
2. Be ultra aware at sunrise and sunset when animals are most active.  Also during migration times when weather hits and deer, pronghorn, and elk are on the move.
3. If you see one there may be others.  Watch out for fawns following does in the spring and summer, and rutting bucks chasing does in the late fall.
4. Watch out for animals feeding on mowed roadsides and medians after a Fall rain.  A quick shot of green feed will attract hungry critters.
5. Creeks that cross the road with brush and trees on one side or both are a common travel route.  You won’t see wildlife until they are right on the road.

A warm fall , a nice rain, and a mowed roadside is a magnet to wildlife. This is just FEET off of Highway 101 in California

Kelly Heard is a lady who has a list of hunting accomplishments that many men would have a hard time matching.  The office manager from Western Oregon grew up she spent much of her time as a child in the outdoors.  She even fashioned homemade live traps for birds as a young girl.  Her father was an avid  hunter, and she accompanied him on hunting trips from an early age.  She killed her first deer when she was 20 and it solidified her love of the outdoors. 

She is an equal opportunity hunter with a gun or bow. She chases blacktails and Roosevelt bulls on an annual basis near where she lives and works.  Her husband, Rex supports her love of hunting and all three of her children enjoy hunting or fishing.   Many of their anniversaries have been spent in the field after deer or elk.  Kelly wouldn’t have it any other way. 

So it was quite an unexpected gift when a friend gave her a ten-day hunting trip in British Columbia for moose.  A hunt like this was well above and beyond her spending limit, but an appreciative friend saw how much hunting means to Kelly, and helped make it happen.  They booked a trip with Cassiar Stone Outfitters.

Even though it meant cutting short her elk season at home, Kelly and her husband drove for two and a half days to get to the cabin camp in Northern British Columbia.  She started out hunting with her bow, but eventually got out a borrowed .300 Remington ultra mag with 200 grain bullets.   I don’t know how many women could withstand that sort of recoil, but Kelly showed she was tough enough on day five of a ten day hunt.  

 My guide kept having to call him back in as I was below my guide and hubby and I did NOT want to shoot him if I wasn’t sure.  My view was not such that I could see him because there was too much brush and trees where he kept coming over the top at.  The bull began to leave again and my guide let out the sleeziest cow call he could muster up. 

That bull did an about face and headed straight at me.  When I first got a good view of him I’d say he was maybe 80 to 100 yards.  He kept coming and I liked what I saw so I aimed right at the chest between the front shoulders.  I knew I hit him good but he started trotting RIGHT AT ME!  I put in another shell and hit him again about 2″ from the first bullet hole. 

I will never forget how he went down.  He rared up like a horse and all I recall looking at are those big ole paddles rising up over the willows.  He fell over backwards while sort of twisting sideways.  And that was it.  It was awesome.  Did I cry?  Like a darn blubbery baby! 

She remarks about the bull “His name is Frank.  I name everything and I told my guide on day one that if I get a moose his name would be Frank.  My guides name was Frank and we still keep in touch”

“Frank” green scored 194 with a 51 6/8th’s inch outside spread.  Since it is from British Columbia it is considered a Canada moose according to Boone and Crockett species boundaries.  If after 60 days of drying it surpasses 185 inches net it will qualify for the awards level in the Boone and Crockett records.

 Over two days they caped and skinned and butchered the meat, much to the surprise of the camp crew.  They remarked that they had never seen any one take the entire hide, and even the leg bones.  Kelly’s dogs appreciated the thought, and are still gnawing on them. 

 For the remaining time in camp Kelly and her husband enjoyed the fishing and scenery, and “trash talk” on the lake, as Kelly refers to it.  While they were in camp afterwards, they had some visitors come across the lake.  Seems they knew she was tagged out.