Elk hunting for a roar is arranged during mating games - it is at this time that the elk make specific roaring sounds. Sometimes it may look like a groan or lowing, but more often than not it is a roar, powerful, drawn out and frightening in the silence of the night forest. So the adrenaline during the roar hunting is guaranteed. By the way, it is precisely because of these sounds that she received such a name, although there are others - for example, “on a groan” or “on a wabu”.

Don't miss the chance!

Moose hunting for a roar is possible only during the rut, and this period for the elk lasts no more than ten days. Therefore, it is very important not to miss this time, which depends mainly on weather conditions.

The beginning of the moose hunting season usually falls on the first or second month of autumn (in some regions even from mid-August). However, everything here depends on the weather: if it is still too warm during this period, the start of the hunt will have to be postponed. The main criterion for the beginning of the “marriage games” of moose is a noticeable cooling. However, if it is accompanied by rain, especially with gusty winds, this will not be the most favorable time for hunting, as it makes it difficult to hear. And this is the main criterion for success in hunting a moose for a roar.

Signs of a moose rut

Usually these animals have traditional rutting places, where they return every year, and, following this place, they can even go up to 10 kilometers from their habitats.

There are a number of signs known to experienced hunters, according to which you can easily identify the place of the elk rut:

• broken undergrowth, shrubs;
• on the bark of trees, characteristic marks are visible, left by the horns of animals in the process of “rehearsal” or warm-up before the upcoming competition for the female;
• the presence of a large number of depressions (sometimes reaching a diameter of up to 1.5 meters and a depth of up to 20 centimeters) with a pungent smell of male urine - a kind of territory markers left by the hooves of animals.

Activity time

Moose activity sharply increases with the onset of twilight, and sometimes throughout the night. Also, the animals roar in the early morning. But during the day, hunting for an elk on a roar is rarely effective.

You also need to remember that these animals are smart, have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. They are easily frightened off, and it is unlikely that on this day it will be possible to return with a trophy.

Moose hunting technology

To attract an elk, use a decoy. Abroad, there are special electronic devices for this purpose, but they are prohibited in our country, therefore, when hunting for a roar, an elk is attracted either by voice or by decoys constructed from various improvised means. Sometimes aromatic baits are also used, sold in the form of special solutions.

Paired hunting has proven itself in the best way, when one of the hunters acts as a bait, and the second keeps a gun at the ready. It is necessary to approach the hunting zone only from the leeward side, so as not to frighten away the animals before they hear you. It is best when the bait hunter can imitate the moose roar or the moose call.

On the roar - noisy hunting

“Vabit”, that is, you must first lure the moose in an undertone. If there was no male nearby, the call should be repeated in full force. There is no point in being silent. On the contrary, in order to attract a male, it is necessary to create as much noise as possible, thus challenging him to a duel with a supposed rival. To enhance the effect, you can even move noisily, breaking dry branches under your feet and creating a crack. Having heard the answering call, it is necessary to give a voice only at the moment of movement of the elk.

Safety regulations

Moose hunting on a roar is far from a safe activity, so you should be extremely careful.

During the rut, males are very dangerous animals, because they become completely fearless and aggressive. This is a very strong and fast animal. The beast coming at you must be attacked immediately, as it can attack first. It is necessary to shoot under the shoulder blade or in the skull, the wounded animal should be finished off with a shot below the ear.

It is advisable to choose an open place for hunting a moose for a roar, so that the beast cannot take you by surprise.

It is best if two or three hunters take part in the elk hunt for the roar. With more participants, the probability of an accidental shot increases.

Probably, with a great deal of truth, it can be said that summer-autumn hunting, at least in the first half of the season, takes place under the sign of a bird, while shooting animals at this time is limited. Until October, the list of animal hunts is really not great: a bear and a wild boar in the fields from ambush, and a deer with an elk - that's probably all. In this review, we will look at one of the most exciting types of moose hunting - the roar during the rut. You will learn when the rut starts for moose, what are its terms, how to choose a weapon and shooting position, what are the behavioral features of old and young bulls during this period. You can also watch a video with a master class on how to beckon a bull elk.

When does the moose race start?

All deer living in our country have a mating season in the second half of the year. The rut of roe deer begins earlier than all - from the end of July to the end of August; the musk deer "chases" later than all - from the end of November to the middle of December. By time moose chasing and red deer, including deer and wapiti, approximately coincides, the first signs appear at the end of August, and everything ends by mid-October.

The almost two-month stretching of the rut refers to the populations of these animals as a whole, because the animals living in the southern parts of the range start earlier, and in regions with a harsh climate - about two weeks later. For the middle band (in latitudinal terms), the most active part of the rut occurs in mid-late September.

Bulls during the rut

I must say that literature (I do not mean scientific) and fine arts have always paid much more attention to the red deer than to the elk. And that is true: a slender handsome man in a pose of challenge, with an elongated powerful neck, an elegant head adorned with horns of extraordinary beauty thrown back, is much more suitable for the role of a model than a powerful one with a heavy hook-nosed head, horns of not always a certain shape, at first glance clumsy moose figure. Nevertheless, hunting for an elk during the rut - “for a roar”, or, as they say, “for a groan”, - in terms of emotionality is unlikely to yield to that of a deer. Moreover, the elk at this time can also pose a very real danger to the hunter.

Adult sexually mature bulls tend to pick up a mate for themselves even before the start of the physiological rut, and until the end of the estrus of the moose cow, they are together. Then there comes a moment when she rejects the "courtship" of her boyfriend, and he can go in search of a new girlfriend. Unlike red deer, bull elks do not create "harems", and finding several females with one bull is an unusual matter, although such facts are noted.

Outwardly, the bull's readiness for rutting can be determined by the horns. If they have already cleared their skin and fur and acquired a normal "bone" appearance, then his body has already begun or is about to begin to produce sex hormones. However, the bull becomes completely ready for mating only when moose cows come "to the hunt". The secret secreted by their genitals, with urine, enters the soil, the bull finds this place by smell and comes into an excited state. He breaks branches, sometimes the tops of young trees, rakes and knocks out the grass to the ground with his hooves, especially where the moose cow urinated. Such places are called "points", and they are up to two meters in diameter. At the same time, physiological processes are activated in the body, making it ready for mating. Against the usual, not only the behavior changes, but also the appearance of the male. The eyes are filled with blood, the neck becomes thicker, and it seems that the entire front of the body is increasing in size. It emits a sharp specific smell, which is difficult to describe, but the smell of a mighty beast is unmistakably guessed in it, and a sense of danger involuntarily appears.

Throughout the rut, the bull gives a voice. The sound it makes is completely different from the roar of a red deer. This is something between a lowing and exhaling relief with a voice. This sound is most accurately characterized by the name that our ancestors gave it - “groan”. In strength, it is much weaker than the roar of a deer and is rarely heard from a distance of more than a kilometer, although the ability to hear it is strongly influenced by the terrain, planting density, extraneous sounds (wind, water noise, etc.). The greatest activity in giving voice is noted at dawn and in the evening closer to sunset; hearing a moose during the day is a rarity.

For mating games, moose choose a variety of places. This is largely determined by the terrain and the nature of forest plantations. In the northern regions of the European part of Russia, they prefer to “groan” along dry manes and the edges of moss swamps, in dense young growths of old clearings, overgrown forest hayfields, as well as in the floodplains of forest streams and rivers. In the mountainous regions of Siberia and the Urals, where moose permanent habitats are limited by river floodplains and intermountain valleys, the racing areas gravitate towards the river banks. The same can be said about the plateaus of Central Siberia and Transbaikalia. In places almost not visited by people, where there is no need to constantly hide in the thickets, elks are especially fond of the wide pebbly beds of small rivers with forest islands, which in September literally exude a “rutting elk spirit”, forcing a person who suddenly finds himself there not on hunting business to feel feel very uncomfortable.

The subtleties of hunting "roar"

According to the tracks, “points”, broken branches and trees, according to the voice and smell given, you need to find a place where the animals “chase”, i.e. where the bull feels himself the master of both this place and the female who is with him. Giving a voice from time to time, he warns potential rivals that everything is busy here and he will not allow the presence of a stranger. The task of the hunter is to imitate the "groan" of the alien, to tease the bull-owner, make him believe in the appearance of a competitor and lure him to a clean place under a shot.

Not all bulls have girlfriends by the beginning of the mating season, and these bachelors are constantly on the lookout, go widely - you can meet them in different places. They also give a voice, trying to find out where the "lucky man" is in order to try to recapture the female from him, or whether there is a free cow nearby. Such animals more boldly go to the voice of the “wabelchik” - a hunter imitating the “groan” of a bull. The baiting of the bull is not limited only to giving a voice, but is accompanied from time to time by the crackling of broken branches and the tapping of a stick on a stick or tree, which should be perceived as the sound of an excited bull's horns on the trees. In general, the “groan” is formed by the whole complex of sounds that the elk produces.

Now more and more roar hunting is trophy. Well-developed horns are found in animals in the prime of life, i.e. at the age of 6-12 years. An experienced wabber can distinguish an old animal from a young one by voice and, based on this, build a hunt. Of course, it is best to start beckoning a specific moose, which is known for pre-hunting reconnaissance. If the hunt begins with a search, then, having heard the “groaning” bull, try to get an idea of ​​​​the age of the beast. When a powerful beast speaks, it is more likely that he will accept the challenge and go to drive away the bull, which seems weaker in voice than himself. A medium-sized elk is unlikely to rush at the alleged rival, if you imagine him with the voice of an old beast, rather, he will try to quietly leave and take the female away. When trying to lure a bull away from a female, you need to be patient, because he is reluctant to leave her, preferring roll call at a distance. It is easier to lure a wanderer alone.

It happens that with one cow there are two, and sometimes three bulls. Rather, near her is one of the strongest, who does not let anyone in, and the rest are nearby, but at a safe distance. In this case, it is not the main contender who often comes to the hunter, but from those who are nearby, clearly inferior to the owner in size and strength. Therefore, when beckoning an elk, you need to try to determine by the response voice whether the hunter is dealing with one or more males, and depending on this, decide whether to shoot at the first animal that appears or try to take the best trophy. It often happens that a large bull cannot be lured away from a female, especially if there are other males nearby, and then you have to change the place of hunting and look for another suitable one.

Many people think that during the rut, the aggressiveness of the bulls prevails over caution, but it seems to me that this is not the case. Sometimes one hears stories about how someone walks through the forest without hiding, with a bang, and suddenly an elk flies out and, seeing a person, does not run away, but demonstrates its aggressiveness. Rather, this can be explained by the fact that a person walking noisily through the forest tunes the elk to an approaching rival, who behaves noisily in nature, showing his strength and confidence. Try not to beckon, but to hide the “groaning” beast, and you will immediately feel how wary he and the female are about the slight noise made by the hunter when approaching. To quiet sounds that are incomprehensible to them, moose, as a rule, react by leaving this place. We must not forget that during the rut, not only people hunt moose, but also bears, meetings with which do not bode well for them. It is probably not out of place to recall that no other noise, except for imitating the action of a bull, should be made by either the “walker” or the shooter.

Weapon and shooting position

When choosing a position for luring a bull and shooting, one must remember that the beast must pass through at least a relatively clean place in order to be able to aim at the slaughter place. As in any other case, it is impossible to shoot through thickets (branches, bushes, grass, etc.).

From rifled - better than 9 mm caliber. These can be carbines chambered for 9.3x62, 9.3x64, 9.3x57 cartridges of foreign production, 9.3x64 and 9x54R domestic. A combined weapon is desirable with a rifled barrel chambered for 9.3x74R or for the above-named domestic cartridges. Smoothbore weapons are best used with 12-caliber cartridges loaded with heavy Brenneke-type bullets. All the cartridges that have been mentioned have sufficient lethal and stopping power for such an animal as a bull elk during the rut, and I took the liberty of recommending them for the following reasons. Firstly, by the time of the rut, moose reach the highest fatness, and among the bulls actively participating in the rut, specimens over 400 kg live weight are not uncommon; secondly, the cartridge must ensure reliable defeat, because hunting takes place in a snowless period, and getting a wounded animal without dogs in the autumn forest, and often at dusk, is not an easy task at all; thirdly, before the rut, the animals become especially strong on the wound, since all the reserves of the body are mobilized for procreation. It is advisable to equip the weapon with an optical sight, because it is not uncommon to have to shoot in low light, although the firing distance rarely exceeds 60-70 meters.

Alexey Sibirsky

Video: Master class "How to beckon an elk"

Video: Bull moose during the rut - hunting "for a roar":

September is the most wonderful and beautiful autumn month, filled with a gentle, not scorching sun, clear air and a luxurious autumn palette. It is at this time that the mating season for moose (gon) begins, and their roar is heard far across the district. In September, you can watch real tournaments between forest giants, and for hunters, this is a kind of command to start hunting for a roar.

The behavior of moose during the rut.

As with any other hunt, in order for it to be successful, the hunter should study the habits and behavior of animals during the rut in great detail. The fact that the rut has begun in moose can be determined by the same signs as in all representatives of the deer family.

The moose starts digging holes, then urinates in them, then rubs his back in this mud. It is known that moose have a kind of skin growth on their neck, it is also called an “earring”, and the older the male, the larger the “earring” he has. There is an explanation for the presence of this outgrowth in the elk: thanks to the “earring”, it sprays its scent as high and as far as possible. Hunters, for sure, met these characteristic depressions in the ground, made by elks at the beginning of the rut. This period is also characterized by the fact that the males have a very pungent smell, so strong that not all dogs can work on the moose at this time. Why are there dogs, even a person can feel it, being near moose urinary pits.

Already in the first days of September, roaring moose can be heard in the forest. Adults are the first to open the season, and the most active elk rut begins around the twentieth of September. When the rut is in full swing, one female can be harassed at the same time by three or four males. It also happens that the rut drags on for the whole of October, but by the end of it, young males enter the mating rut. But few people know that the preparation for this important event of the moose life is quite long. Moose actively feed, trying to gain maximum body weight, and by the end of summer, males become very well-fed.

By the time the hunt begins, moose have ten centimeters of subcutaneous fat on their backs, and all the fat on the body of a moose can be up to seventy kilograms. Approximately, by the fifteenth of September, the horns of males lose their "velvet" completely. In autumn, trees damaged by elk antlers can be observed in the forest. During the rut, the males rub their heads against the trees, leaving a secret on them, secreted from the glands that are on the head.

An elk is a solitary animal, in this state it spends most of its life. Therefore, the male attracts several females at once, but does not start constant companions. Only for the period of the rut, moose unite in pairs that coexist for up to six days. The male uses the female several times a day. After that, the female no longer needs him, and the male begins to look for a new partner. There are situations when stronger and older males try to recapture a moose cow from an opponent, but the female herself chooses with whom to stay. However, during the rut, calves born last year are close to their mothers and their adult males do not touch them.

If compared with deer, then moose, of course, are inferior to them in the beauty of mating behavior. The noble deer trumpets so that it can be heard far away, but the moose are not so loud. However, in moose, not only males, but also females make calling sounds, so they communicate with each other. These sounds are similar to jerky, short lowing. They are well heard only in calm weather or at night, sometimes at dawn. During these periods, sounds are carried along the river valleys for several kilometers. The roar of females and males can be distinguished by timbre. Moose cows scream long, calling for males. And the male is short, like a grunt. By the end of the season, the sounds made by males become plaintive with a whistle. At sunset and sunrise, as well as at night, males give a voice, and females snort in response.

Male Tournaments.

In terms of showiness of the spectacle, the fights of elks are not inferior to the fights of deer, only the former get it more powerful and ferocious, since they surpass deer in body weight. The battle begins with a kind of prelude. Opponents scare each other: they dig the ground with their hooves, wave their horns, make lowing sounds. If the enemy did not retreat, then the males rush towards each other with rage. The blows of their horns are so powerful that it can be heard within a radius of a kilometer. If the strength of the fighters is not equal, then everything ends very soon with the escape of the one who is weaker. If the forces are equal, then the duel can last several hours. In the battlefield, the grass is completely trampled down to the ground. It is a rare case if the outcome of the battle is lethal, although the fights of males are very cruel.

In a duel, moose can cause significant damage to each other: lacerations, broken ribs, damaged horns. The antlers of the elk have a spade-like structure, therefore the rivals are not entangled by the horns, but by the sharp processes on them, they can inflict a serious and even mortal wound on each other. Even if the rut is long enough, most moose cows are covered in a short time. And the less uncovered females remain, the fights between males become less frequent.

When hunting moose, one should not forget that these animals represent almost the greatest danger of all living on our territory. The aggression of males during the rut increases not only in relation to the opponent, but also to predatory animals and people. When defending and attacking, the elk beats with all limbs and horns, it may well mutilate to death. Of course, an elk tries to avoid meeting a person, but a wounded animal is always dangerous. Therefore, the hunter needs, before going to the elk, to outline the path of retreat. An elk is not a shy animal, if he went on the attack, raising his hair at the withers, it is unlikely that a shot will scare him.

As mentioned above, it is best to start hunting for a roar at the very beginning of autumn. The duration of this type of hunting depends on the period of the rut, which in turn depends on the area where it all happens. If September is hot in summer, then moose postpone their mating games for some time, which means that hunting for a roar is also postponed in time. However, not only this can interfere with hunting, but, for example, gusty wind, rain, slush, since in such weather the elk is almost inaudible. Moose rarely make their sounds during the day, most often, this happens early in the morning or late in the evening, sometimes all night. When the male is in search of a female, he is quite dangerous, and his roar is similar to that of a bear. These sounds, if you hear them close, in silence, are very creepy, especially if the moose itself is not visible.

Moose hunting for a roar during the rut takes place in places where elk weddings take place. You can find these places by certain signs, imperceptible to an ordinary person, but understandable to every hunter. One of the main signs is damaged trees and shrubs, on which traces of horns are visible. The second sign (we also wrote about it above) is the pits in the place of the rut, which the male knocks out with his hooves. These pits can reach up to one and a half meters in diameter at the top, and up to twenty centimeters in depth. And from them come the characteristic smell of urine.

So, you have found the place of the rut, you can start preparing for the hunt. You should come to the hunting place even before the sun has risen or at dusk, since at this time of the day the elk is most active. If you are going to hunt at night, then you should have a special hunting lantern with you. While, when hunting other animals, one must be quiet, in moose hunting one must be as noisy as possible. Go to the place of hunting ahead, breaking bushes and branches. Thus, the moose must understand and hear the approach of the enemy, then, perhaps, he will come out to meet you. Since this animal is aggressive during the rut, it can appear abruptly and unexpectedly, which means that you have your gun ready. With this type of hunting you are guaranteed thrills.

Most often, they hunt moose in pairs. You should approach the rut from the leeward side. One of the hunters "wabit" - imitates the roar of an elk or moose cow, thus luring the male. However, it should be remembered that in this case one must be ready to shoot at any time, so the place where the hunter is located must be with good visibility. “Vabit” must first be done slowly, as the moose may be nearby. It is necessary to add volume only if the animal does not manifest itself in any way. If the male responded, then it is necessary to continue the “vabing” only at the moment of his movement. For greater credibility, you can break the branch. And get ready to wait for his appearance, keep your gun at the ready. Aim at the skull or between the shoulder blades. They shoot a wounded elk close to just below the ear, approaching him from the side.

If you hunt moose, then safety precautions must be observed especially carefully and do not forget about the rules of hunting. It happens that the hunter makes a mistake and instead of the animal shoots at the second hunter, mistaking him for an elk. Therefore, until you see the elk, in no case do not shoot. At night or at dusk, the roar of an elk causes fear, but despite this, it is necessary to maintain composure and maintain restraint.

This hunt is one of the most interesting, however, be careful, as the animal during the rut is aggressive and dangerous. Despite the fact that the moose walks quite calmly, not being afraid of anything, it is almost impossible to approach him. They have an excellent sense of smell and keen hearing, so he will quickly detect a hunter who tries to get close to him. If you scare away the animal, then there will definitely be no hunting that day.

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This type of hunting in the hunting lexicon has several names: “on a roar”, “on a wabu”, “on a groan”. Hunting is carried out during the rut, which, depending on the region, lasts from mid-August to October. To get beautiful whole elk antlers as a trophy, hunting should begin in the first days of the rut. The optimal time is 20 days before the peak of this period. For the European part of Russia, this is September 15–25. The best time of the day is early morning on a clear day.

The place where moose “chase” can be determined by broken branches and small trees, footprints, a characteristic smell, droppings and the voice of the animal. In this area, the bull feels like the owner of both the territory and the female that is with him. Making sounds from time to time, he warns possible competitors that he will not allow an alien to invade his possessions. The sounds made by the male and the crackling of branches in good weather can be heard at 500–600 m.

Hunting "for a roar" now more often has a trophy character. Branched, developed antlers in an elk appear at the age of 6–10 years. Experienced hunters by voice distinguish the age of the beast. An elk of middle age and size is unlikely to risk a fight with a rival if the roar of a competitor speaks of the solidity of his age. If the task of the waggler is to lure the bull away from the female, you should be patient. The male reluctantly leaves the moose cow, preferring to call the challenger at a distance. The latter is much easier to take out under the shot.

In normal times, the male moose rarely makes sounds. He can only snort loudly when frightened. The sound that a bull makes during the rut is completely different from the roar of a deer. It's something between a sigh of relief and a moo. Its most accurate definition was given by our ancestors - "groan".

Note. During the rut, the mooing of strong, accomplished bulls is similar to the sound “u-a” (“u-o”). It is a dull roar. The roar of young males sounds like “o-e”, its intonations are vibrating and rattling.

Females during the rut also sometimes make sounds. A sharp sound, similar to a neigh, means that the bull has covered the female. During the day, hearing the “groan” of a male is a rarity. In giving voice, he is most active at dawn or at a time closer to sunset.

Some males do not have girlfriends by the beginning of the rut and move around a lot in search. They also give voice, trying to find out if there is a free female or a “family” male nearby to try to win the moose cow from him. Such singles go more boldly to the sound made by the wabler. The task of the hunter is to imitate the "groan" of the opponent, to awaken aggressiveness in the bull and force him to go under the shot to a clear place.

How to attract a male with the sound of a decoy

When luring the bull, they not only give a voice, but also accompany the “groan” by tapping a stick on a tree, crackling dry branches. The sound is framed by the appropriate background, giving the impression of the presence of an excited bull.

It is better, of course, to lure out the bull noticed during pre-hunting reconnaissance. But if the search is conducted in an unexplored area, one should try to determine his approximate age by the voice of the responding male. When an adult bull with a loud, powerful voice “groans”, it is more likely that he will accept the challenge of an opponent who seems weaker in voice. The young owner of the female will try to quietly leave the territory and not noticeably take the female away if he detects the presence of a more experienced bull by his voice.

Hunters amplify the strength of the sound of the decoy with the help of a birch bark horn about 40 cm long. Experienced hunters can imitate the roar of an elk using improvised means: a weapon barrel, a bottle without a bottom, etc. Hunting virtuosos make imitating sounds with the help of their palms, but doing this not professionally can only harm the hunt.

Advice. While hunting, you should not often make sounds. Pay attention to traces of the presence of an elk. If you don't hear the male's reaction to the "groan", imitate the sound a bull makes when covering a female (neighing). An elk that has lost its vigilance can come close enough for a shot.

Sometimes the dominant male tolerates the presence of younger bulls in the vicinity, but keeps them at a safe distance. In this case, a smaller elk, inferior to the owner in strength, may come out to the sound of a decoy. By echoing voices, it is required to determine the number of individuals and then select an object for the trophy. In the presence of competitors, the main male often cannot be lured away from the female. And if the purpose of the hunt is a large specimen, you will have to change the location and look for another contender for the object of the hunt.

Despite the variety of developments when hunting for an elk with a decoy, there are two tactical options for the hunter's actions: waiting for the male who responded to the sound and approaching, or moving in his direction with simultaneous luring. The second option is used if the animal does not budge.

The lack of reaction to the sounds imitated by the hunter can be explained by the fact that the disturbed moose left the site. Also, you can not wait for an answer when a medium-sized male of middle age is with the female. Having a low dominance rank, he is afraid of rivals.

The call sound extends even in good weather for only a few hundred meters. Therefore, without getting a trophy, you should quietly move to another area. Thus, bypass the area that you or your huntsman considered promising, and rely on luck.

Decoy from improvised means

A homemade decoy can be made from an ordinary tin can and a half-meter cord or rope as thick as a pencil. A knot is knitted on the cord, and a hole is punched in the center of the bottom of the jar. The cord is threaded into the hole so that the knot is inside the jar. After wetting the cord, pull it through the hole. The “Tool” will make a sound more or less similar to the roar of an elk. So that the sound does not have a metallic tint, the jar is wrapped with electrical tape. With practice, you'll get a feel for how hard you need to squeeze the can and pull the string to get the most natural sound.

The diameter of the hole in the jar should be slightly less than the thickness of the uncompressed rope and look like a truncated cone. A smaller can will produce a lower sound. An important condition is to hold the jar by the edge at the base, the sound is imitated louder.

Calls of firm manufacture imitate the voice of both male and female. The sound is heard at a great distance. With some calls, you can also make the sound of horns rubbing against a tree trunk. To do this, scrape the bark with the wide side of the simulator. Thus, they lure moose marking and controlling the territory.

Moose hunting using an electronic decoy is prohibited in Russia everywhere and at any time of the year

Weapon for hunting with decoy

Both smooth-bore and rifled weapons are suitable for hunting moose. A reliable 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun, used in the years when there was not much choice when acquiring weapons, is still relevant today. Do not use a barrel gauge less than 16th.

In conditions of hunting in a forest with limited visibility at a distance of up to 50 meters, the lethal force of a 12-gauge bullet that hit a vulnerable spot will allow you not to look for a wounded animal after a shot. Without a good tracking dog and in the absence of snow cover, it will be difficult to find him. During the rut, the animals become stronger on the wound, the reserves of the body are mobilized for procreation. The slaughter places of an elk are the heart, neck, lungs and spine. A reliable shot in the area of ​​​​the shoulder blade, in the middle of the front of the body.

It makes sense to use rifled weapons when hunting at the edges, among rare trees without undergrowth, in wide clearings, that is, where a shot from a long distance is required. In such places, the moose moves at a low speed, stopping and listening. Under certain conditions, the use of optics is also justified. For rifled weapons for moose, the required bullet caliber is at least 7.62 (according to the domestic notation system). In any case, the weapon must be adjusted and familiar to the hunter.

In an area where males have a lot of competition, shooting bulls during the rut will not lead to a decrease in the next year's offspring. With seeming simplicity, this type of hunting is effective only in places with a fairly high density of moose, but in terms of emotionality and remaining impressions it surpasses the battue.

First, let's define what "roar hunting" means. In fact, it would be correct to call it not “on the roar”, but “on the rut”, since the elk does not roar, but makes moaning sounds during the rut, attracting the female. In the mating season, a deer roars, the sounds of which are heard at a great distance. Among the hunters, these definitions were mixed up and, in the vast majority, they began to call hunting for an elk “roar”.

The moose rut, as a rule, takes place in September, but depending on the weather conditions, it can move to the month of October. Perhaps the beginning of the rut has shifted to the second half of September due to the changing climate, which is affected by global warming. Remembering past times, the old hunters notice that they had to “fade” - to beckon the elk, being dressed in warm clothes, since in September it was already cold in the evenings, and sometimes frosts set in.

The uniqueness of this type of hunting lies in the fact that a hunter-walker, imitating the voice of an elk during the rut, is able to lure a bull at a great distance. There are several ways to beckon a elk. The most effective is when a person pronounces similar sounds using the vocal cords. Of course, not everyone is capable of this, and hunters use various kinds of products, such as a can with a rope or an old glass milk bottle without a bottom, covered with birch bark. The art of imitating and luring a wild animal out of the forest that is its home is highly valued among hunters and deserves special respect.

How to find and determine the place of the rut

During the autumn rainy season, the soil in the forest becomes soft, on which traces of the hoofs of the elk are clearly visible. Therefore, it will not be difficult to find places of concentration of moose, moving along a fresh printed trail. Adult males for several seasons mate with females in virtually the same places. These places are forest plots, glades and mowing meadows.

You can determine whether the bull came or not by broken branches of bushes and young trees. If there are a lot of creases and they are of different freshness, then the elk has already been more than once. In addition to the creases, the male leaves "combed" on the trees with his horns, by which his presence can also be determined. If the plot has begun to overgrow with young growth and is poorly visible, it should be bypassed around the perimeter in order to find the path along which the elk leaves the massif on it.

In the places of the rut, bulls knock out rutting pits with their hooves, into which they urinate, and then wallow. The smell of urine is specific and so sharp that the hunter can easily determine the place of the rut. The bull goes to the racing pit in the same place, breaking the branches and trunks of young trees. On the way, having arrived at the place, he listens and observes the situation, after which he begins to beckon the cow, making the sounds of a moan.

A case from my practice

I would like to share a case from my hunting experience. Moving along an old, overgrown forest road towards a promising plot, which was three kilometers away, from the middle of the path I began to observe the printed tracks of a female elk, which had passed in the same direction, a few hours before me. Based on this fact, one could make the assumption that the cow goes this course for a reason. Most likely, the male is already in the plot and from where he calls her for mating. Approaching the plot, which was fairly overgrown with young trees, without having a good view, he began to make a slow and quiet detour with stops along the edge of the array.

Very soon I discovered a well-filled path with very large elk hoof marks. Judging by the tracks, the male was not just big, but huge. Along the entire trail along the edges, a lot of trees were broken, having walked along the animal trail about a hundred meters deep into the plot, I went to a small clearing on which there was a driving pit. By all indications, the elk was somewhere nearby. After standing in silence for one hour, I decided to start “wabbing” with my voice, covering my mouth with my palms so that the sound would go into the ground. What was my surprise when the bull responded after about ten minutes, but the sound coming from the elk was more like a groan than a groan.

During the roll call, the elk each time willingly responded to my call, but the distance between us did not decrease, it was clear that he was standing in one place and was not going to leave the array. My assumptions were confirmed, the bull was not alone, but with a cow. Without losing hope, I continued to “fade” and the elk responded, this went on for about thirty minutes, then the angry bull let out a loud roar, hit the tree with its horns and fell silent.

How to beckon a moose

You can beckon a moose in the morning, but it is best if it is in the evening, when the male feels much more confident at dusk. This type of hunting must be carried out together, the shooter and the wader. The shooter must master the skills of firing in different conditions, both day and night. An adult male in the mating season is especially strong on the wound, so the ammunition should be selected with good lethal force. Often, an elk comes out under a shot already in complete darkness, for this you need special devices in the form of an underbarrel flashlight or a night vision sight.

You should also take into account the fact that evening fogs and a veil are inherent in the autumn period. You should come to the hunting place in advance, choosing a position on the highest place, you can just be, listening and watching, since it is not uncommon for an elk to go out on its own and the first one starts to give a voice. In this case, the wailer must adapt to the sound made by the moose and try to imitate it, using the capabilities of their vocal cords. The first trial voicing by the wailer should sound not loud three times.

After a ten-minute pause, you can do a repetition of five times. If the moose responded and moves towards you, you should stop beckoning, hide as much as possible and not move. Also, in the intervals between serving, you can break dry branches, thereby simulating the presence of an opponent. Do not forget that any hunt is unpredictable and you never know how it will go and what will happen.

On one hunt there was such a case. A young bull with horns on two processes ran out to the waler absolutely silently, bypassing the hunter-shooter. It's good that he was with the gun from which he got it. You can change positions depending on the situation, as the beast can come out unpredictably from any direction. The weather is one of the main factors for successful hunting. In clear and calm weather, on a young moon, activity is much higher than in bad weather.