Got to get me moose b'y

My First Hunting Experience
by Aaron, Cape St. George

I will never forget the first time that I went moose hunting. I think that it was the most exciting time of my life. My friend and I were partners on a license. He wanted me to go with him to his cabin for the weekend and I was happy to go along to see what it was all about.

We had a licence for either sex. The next morning we were off looking for our moose. It felt like we were walking for hours before we came across our first moose, but it was too far away to even take a shot at. We tried to get closer, but before we got a chance to get close, the moose took off into the woods. Just the fact of being that close to a moose was a real treat for me because it was my first time seeing one in real life.

Anyway, we stopped for lunch around nine o'clock. About halfway through, my friend looked at me and told me to turn around. No more than forty feet behind us was an average size cow. My friend asked me if I wanted to take a shot at it and I was more than happy to. Since it was my first time, I thought that I was too nervous and was going to miss by a mile, but I took a chance anyway. I made a shot. The moose made a few steps forward and then fell. I thought at first I had missed, but my friend told me that I hit the animal. We started walking towards where we saw the moose. I was still thinking that I had missed. When I got about six feet away, there it was, a moose about seven or eight hundred pounds lying there on the ground.

My friend did most of the cleaning of the moose while I just sat back and watched. Actually, I found the whole process of cleaning the moose to be quite gross. I did, however, help my friend carry the moose back to the truck. We were back to our cabin before dark and stayed for the night.

The next morning we were up bright and early to head back home with our prize. I was still excited and couldn't believe that I killed my first moose. I went back moose hunting for about four years after that and each time it got even more exciting. I think that my first moose hunting experience was one of the most exciting things that ever happened to me.

Moose Hunting
by Rodney Day, Clarke's Beach

On Saturday I got up at 4:00 am, packed my pack sack and took my gun. Then I headed up on Bowater Road. I walked through the marsh looking for a moose. After two hours I stopped and had my lunch. While I was eating, a big bull moose came running through the woods.

I grabbed my gun, aimed for the moose, fired, and shot my moose. Then I cut its throat. I had to leave the moose in the woods and get someone to help me with the moose because I couldn't clean it by myself. I got my buddy to help me with the moose.

Disabled Hunter Rules

A person is eligible for the Disabled Hunter Program who is:

• Permanently Mobility Impaired. Has permanent loss of use of lower limbs. Is unable to walk 50 metres without a cane or other device.
  
  
• Permanently Legally Blind. Sees less than 20 feet of 200 feet normal vision or has less than 20 degree field of vision.

Rules Under Wildlife Act

• First time hunters must complete a Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course. It is changed for disabled persons.
• A legally blind person must have the Application for Disabled Hunter Program completed. It must be signed by a doctor.
• That person does not have to complete the part of the course that requires sight.

• The disabled person names someone to hunt for him or her. This person must be a resident who has a valid Outdoor Identification Card. He or she shoots and collects the animal for the licence holder. This named hunter is called a designated hunter.
• A blind hunter may apply for and get a big game licence but cannot carry or use a firearm while hunting.
• A blind person shall, and a Mobility impaired person may, name only one person to hunt for him. Both hunters remain in sight of each other. The named hunter carries the disabled hunter's licence and tags.
• The named hunter may leave a disabled hunter's sight to follow an injured animal.
• A person can be chosen to hunt for only one disabled person per season.