Wyoming Moose

Wyoming Moose
Sandy Fruchey

With a Wyoming moose permit in hand, I met with Ken Metzler, outfitter and owner of Wyoming Trophy Hunts in Riverton, Wyoming, and scheduled a week of hunting in early October of 2007. When the week of my scheduled hunt arrived, my husband and I blew into southwest Wyoming along with an early winter weather system. The storm brought rain to the valleys and a few inches of snow to the mountains. This system cleared out a day later and left the willow bottoms in beautiful fall color. Temperatures ranged from the high 20’s at night to the low 70’s during the day.

We met up with my guide, Don Martinez, and my look-out, Randy Duran, at their nicely-located camp. The camp included a very nice camper trailer for the clients and an outfitters tent for the staff. It was obvious from the start that Don and Randy were not only keen hunters, but they would be entertaining companions as well.

Over the next several days, we hunted in the National Forest, through aspen-covered hills and sagebrush flats, hay meadows and willow creek bottoms. We saw lots of deer and a good number of elk, but moose were somewhat elusive. The moose that we did see were cows, calves and small bulls.

The fourth hunting day dawned with a beautiful sunrise and I felt that the dozens of migrating bluebirds were a good omen. Sure enough, I bagged a nice 4×4 mule deer by mid-morning. We continued to hunt moose and, in the late afternoon, Don found some moose in a big willow creek bottom with beautiful colors in the leaves. We closed the distance from 500 hundred yards to about 350 yards and Don began calling like a love-sick cow moose, or so he said. I was skeptical, but in short order this large Shiras bull moose came out of the willows at a trot toward us, shaking his head along the way. Don made several cow calls and the bull kept getting closer. A quick assessment by Don left no doubt that he was a keeper and I shot him three times. The first shot was at 150 yards in the front shoulder as the bull was quartering to us. Don made a quick couple of cow calls and he continued to walk towards us, shaking his head from side to side in an aggressive movement. This time I was able to put a second shot into both front shoulders. The moose wasn’t showing signs of having been hit at all. Don kept telling me that I had hit him and to keep on shooting. I loaded the third bullet into my gun and waited for an opportunity for a third shot. Don quickly resumed calling. The moose reappeared out of the willows about a hundred yards away and stepped into an opening. I was able to make a third shot that put him down for good.

What an unbelievably large moose! I couldn’t believe it! The back slapping, hugging, picture-taking and re-living of the hunt lasted for quite some time, and then the work began. Don and Randy caped, skinned, quartered and packed the moose to the vehicle and we headed for the taxidermist. This Shiras moose had a nearly 50-inch spread; a total of nineteen long points; and scored a whopping 390 3/8 Safari Club International points. I expect that it will make the Boone & Crockett record book and score between 170 to180 after it dries for sixty days and can be officially scored.

What a great hunt in a beautiful area. I give my strongest recommendation to the staff of Wyoming Trophy Hunts!

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