One lucky guy

[marine_man]

This is from the bismarck tribune:

Moose that once roamed Bismarck shot

Sep 11, 2007 - 04:03:41 CDT

By RICHARD HINTON

Bismarck Tribune

A Bismarck bowhunter has killed the young bull moose that was captured in north Bismarck 14 months ago and transported out of town.

Rod Zeien arrowed the animal Saturday morning on private land near Lonetree Wildlife Management Area, where the moose was released.

"That ended up pure luck that it was the one that came out of here," Zeien said Monday. The young bull moose roamed around near Kohl's and the MDU Resources office in north Bismarck in early July before being tranquilized and hauled out of town.

The bull's outside spread measured a little better than 35 inches. "Not quite 36," Zeien said. "We figured about 1,000 pounds on the hoof."

The season in unit M9 opened Aug. 31, and Zeien had checked "bow only" when he put in his application for the once-in-a-lifetime license. The bow season runs until Sept. 30. The regular season opens Oct. 5 and closes Oct. 28.

The young bull moose was tagged before it was released at Lonetree.

"It had a yellow ear tag. That's how we knew it was the moose that came from Bismarck," said Scott Peterson, the supervisor at Lonetree. where Zeien brought the head so tissue samples could be taken to test for chronic wasting disease.

When Zeien opened the packet, his license was marked "any legal weapon" instead of "bow only."

"Ithought, 'No, we put in for bow.' Icalled them back, and that's what I had on the application. They redid the tag," said Zeien, who estimates he uses a bow for 90 percent of his hunting.

"Ienjoy (hunting) more, doing it that way," explained the 15-year bowhunter who belongs to the Nishu Bowmen and the North Dakota Bowhunters Association.

He had lined up everything with landowners in advance, and he even had help getting the moose out.

"A landowner came over with his loader tractor and pulled him out of the trees. They are pretty easy to work with," he said, adding that he will say thanks with steaks and roasts after the meat is processed.

Zeien was hunting Saturday morning when he made what he estimates was a 60-yard shot in a corn field.

"That's the pin Iused, and it was right on the money," he said.

Zeien used a technique he described as spot and stalk.

"It works pretty good if you're patient," he said.

He had previously seen the moose "in the corn or on the edge. I never saw it in the wide open," Zeien said.

This time, he saw "its head and horns sticking up on top of the corn. Iwalked along the edges until I was in line with the row he was in. I moved when he moved because there's no way to go through there without making noise."

A 10-to 15-mph wind and light rain helped muffle sounds, he added.

Moose is the second once-in-a-lifetime license for Zeien.

"In '98, I was drawn for elk and hunted with a bow," he said. Yes, he was successful.

All that's left now is a bighorn sheep tag, which he does put in for. He would bow hunt, if he were drawn.

"I take luck whenever I can get it," he said. "If Game and Fish wants to give (once-in-a-lifetime licenses) to me, Iwill take them."

[marine_man]

Man, two once in a lifetime licenses by the age of 15, and to fill them? It would be quite the experience, that's for sure!

marine_man

[onemagnum]

I think it reads he is a 15 year bowhunter not a 15 year old bowhunter.

[huntingislife]

I saw that moose a couple times last year deer hunting. I know Scott Peterson a little bit. Last year the big bull up there died of disease. Mostly cows left and a few small bulls. I had a very young bull come in and wander around my treestand for about 10 minutes too. He was pretty small, maybe 300 lbs. Apparantly there were 13 moose in the Lonetree area this year. Always a pleasant surprise to push some moose out on a deer drive.

[marine_man]

Quote:

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I think it reads he is a 15 year bowhunter not a 15 year old bowhunter.

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Ah.. good call there...

Regardless, it's still a heck of a feat to draw the tags let alone fill them.

marine_man