Moose hunting for roars occurs at a time when these animals begin the rut period and they are passionate about mating games and the continuation of offspring. At this time, moose, especially adult males, lose their caution in the fight for the female and allow the hunter to detect themselves and come close.

In addition, this animal can be attracted by imitating the sounds of an opponent or a female. That is why such a fishery, depending on the region, was called hunting for a roar, a roar, a groan, a wabu.

When moose start rutting

Moose rut occurs in autumn, usually when the first frosts come. It starts at the end of August - September and lasts about two months. Depending on the severity of the climate, the start of the rut shifts from the second half of August in the south to mid-September in the northern regions.

In Siberia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In Siberia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the moose rut begins mainly in September, although in their southern part it is possible even after the second decade of August. The peak of the rut, depending on the latitude, usually occurs in the second decade of September - early October. In the northern parts of this region, the rut can be delayed until the first decade of November.

In the Leningrad region and Karelia. In the Leningrad region and Karelia, the beginning of the rut usually falls at the very end of August. Its peak occurs in the second decade of September, when the maximum number of individuals is involved in the process, but it ends already in early November. This is due to the peculiarities of this northern region in order to involve the maximum number of females.

In the suburbs and in the middle lane. In central Russia and in particular in the Moscow region, the beginning of the rut usually falls at the end of August. Here this period lasts on average about one to one and a half months and ends by mid-October.

In the Urals. On the territory of the Urals, the beginning of this period and its duration primarily depend on latitude. In the Southern Urals - this is the end of August, and in the North - mid-September. The elk rut here lasts about two months and in the northern parts it can capture the beginning of November.

In Belarus. In Belarus, the moose rut begins at the end of August, but more often it occurs in September-October. It lasts about a month and ends by mid-October.

in the Penza region. In the Penza region and other southern regions, the beginning of the rut falls on the second decade of August and lasts about a month and a half, fading by the middle - the end of October.

Duration

On average, the duration of the rut period in moose is about two months. However, how long this period lasts, its beginning and end also depends on weather and climatic factors. So a sharp warming can delay its beginning, and a sharp cooling, on the contrary, push it to the beginning. Among other things, in young males, the beginning of the rut is late by 15 - 20 days.

However, practice shows that, having already begun, the rut is not interrupted by any weather factors. Its duration primarily depends on the severity of the climate in the area. So in the northern regions, it stretches for two and a half months, and some young males go to the waba at the end of November.

Important! According to the rules of hunting, elk prey is divided into three periods: for adult males from September 1 to September 30; for all sexually mature groups - from October 1 to December 31; for young animals up to a year - from January 1 to January 15.

Habits in this period

During the rutting period, the behavior of the moose changes greatly, especially from the moment the females begin to be active. All this time, he publishes his “groan” with enviable frequency. But when the bull catches the smell of readiness for mating left by the females, it begins to behave quite aggressively, showing its strength and “daring”.

He breaks tree branches, tramples and rakes grass, digging whole holes, especially in places marked by moose. Its smell changes and intensifies, and its appearance becomes more massive.

Does an elk roar in rainy weather

As mentioned earlier, the behavior of these animals does not depend on the weather. For example, in rainy weather, the activity of their calls does not decrease. Just because of the noise of the elements, their moan is heard much worse, but its intensity remains the same.

But in frosty calm weather, the roar of an elk becomes more active, since the sound at this time is heard much farther. Therefore, males begin to call more intensively to females and respond to the same calls from other males.

What time of day does it happen

Studies have shown that the roar of an elk has a fairly consistent daily periodicity. Moose usually rest during the day. After evening feeding, at sunset, they begin to moan, somewhere around half an hour. Then the feeding continues, after which, towards the end of twilight, a period of short roar follows again. After midnight, the groan of the moose may resume briefly again. The main time of the roar comes at dawn. It starts half an hour before dawn and can last, intermittently, until daylight. During the day, as a rule, moose do not moan.

How to find a moose

According to both zoologists and hunters, the moose rut mainly takes place in the habitats of females. These are meadow floodplains with oxbow lakes, thickets of willow, the outskirts of moss swamps. Forest clearings and clearings in the primary stages of overgrowing, young deciduous plantings and young forests that have begun to overgrow burnt areas.

In populated areas, these can be edges remote from humans, overgrown, abandoned fields and meadows, willows and shrubs in the valleys of rivers and streams. Rutting areas usually do not change from year to year. These rutting places can be identified by broken branches, traces of horns on the bark of trees, trampled and hoofed ground with dug up pits.

Is it dangerous

The main danger during the rut is adult, seasoned males. Although the behavior of the young is becoming much more aggressive, they do not so recklessly rush to any suspicious movement. Adult males, driving away competitors from their territory, rush to any suspicious rustling of branches, especially in the places of their rut. Having met a girlfriend, the elk protects her from others, and again, without hesitation, rushes into any danger.

Even the crackling of a knot under the foot, the noise of steps or the rustling of branches is perceived aggressively. If the hunter inadvertently shows himself and does not respond in time to such a throw of the beast, and this happens very quickly and unexpectedly, then he may well suffer under the hooves of an angry male. In fact, seasoned moose during this period rush at anyone who fell into their field of vision and was perceived as a competitor even to the slightest extent.

Listen to the roar of an elk during the rut

The roar of an elk differs sharply from the roar of a red deer or deer. It is not for nothing that it is called a groan, because it is weaker and looks like something between a lowing and a sad sigh. This sound is difficult to hear at a distance of more than a kilometer.

Sound: Moose decoy during the rut

How an elk roars

moose sound

How to lure a moose

After the elk's racing area is found, the easiest way to take it out for a shot is to lure it there by making the sounds of an opponent or a female. In addition to the voice, it is desirable to rustle with branches and bushes, stomp, tap and scratch the bark of a tree, imitating the sounds of an elk breaking through the forest.

Voice and hands

If you want to call a moose, it is best to imitate the call of a young male. Other bulls go to such a groan much more boldly. By the beginning of the rut, some of the males do not have a mate, so they are more actively going to this sound, wanting to find a free female or beat her off from another.

The sound itself resembles a muffled groan, turning into a restrained roar. It is quite possible to learn to imitate it with your mouth, the secrets here are not so much in the technique of execution, but in the presence of hearing and some abilities. At the same time, they help themselves by holding their nose with their index fingers, folding their palms with a mouthpiece and changing their position, they change the volume and tone of the sound.

Video: How to lure moose during the rut

How to learn to roar like a moose

If you carefully listen to the roar of a racing elk, you can notice that during this period the groan of adult bulls is similar to the sound “u-a” or “u-o”, it is deafly roaring. But the lowing of young males sounds like “o-e”, its timbre is vibrating and rattling. During the rutting period, you can also hear the cry of a moose cow. This sharp, neigh-like sound is often a response to a bull's bold actions.

On the waba

It is much easier to call the moose with wabs - a special semolina. You can either buy them or make them yourself.

How to make a do-it-yourself wabu on an elk

The simplest waba is made from a tin can. To do this, it is advisable to use not an ordinary tin can, but a jar with a removable tin lid, from coffee, baby food, etc. The main thing is that the diameter of the upper hole, due to the rims, be slightly smaller than the diameter of the can itself. In addition to it, we need a cord or nylon rope, 50 - 60 cm long, electrical tape or a piece of leather.

Waba is made simply:

How to beckon with a waba:

1. The rope is wetted;
2. The jar is taken with one hand at the base;
3. With the second hand, they run along the rope from top to bottom, holding it tightly with two fingers.

In this case, the rope serves as a resonator, and the bank as a mouthpiece. You can choose the desired timbre by filling the jar with moss. The smaller the diameter of the can, the higher the sound produced.

Video: How to beckon a moose to a waba

Electromankom

Another convenient way to lure a moose is an electronic decoy. This is an industrial battery-powered device that contains a music library of various sounds made by moose: adult and young males, females in search of a male and during mating, the sounds of a fight, the roar of a rival male, etc.

However, when purchasing such a call, you must definitely listen to how moose roar in this music library to make sure that the similarity of sounds is natural. Often devices made for hunters in other countries are not very suitable for ours, since the sounds made by, for example, Canadian elks are different from domestic ones.

Moose hunting with dogs

During the moose rut, it can also be hunted with dogs. For this, specially trained huskies are used. Such a dog must have a number of certain qualities, be strong and enduring in order to search for an elk over a large area, and especially to pursue it for long distances at a decent speed.

Having found the beast, she must bark at him, and at first, as if reluctantly, but in no case should she rush at him, otherwise he will run away very quickly and over a great distance. The dog must be able to dodge the attacks of the beast, since he can kill him with one blow of the hoof.

The hunt itself goes like this. The hunter goes to the racing or fattening places of the elk, after which he lowers the dog. She is looking for the beast, and having found it, without rushing, she begins to gradually, but with increasing pressure, bark at him. The task of the dog is to keep the moose in one place until the hunter approaches, and distract him until a shot is fired. In the event of a flight, the dog pursues the beast until it stops in a new place, where everything starts anew.

Visiting salt licks

One of the places where there is a high probability of tracking down an elk is the salt lick. Salt is a great bait. With the help of it, these animals make up for the lack of minerals in the body, especially in spring, and in autumn they accumulate in preparation for winter nutrition. The easiest way is to create such a place yourself. For this, a large feeder is made, into which rock or iodized salt is poured.

Gradually, moose get used to visiting this place. This is evidenced by their footprints on the ground and surrounding bushes and trees. Moose come and salt licks most often at sunset. First, he listens for about 15 minutes, standing in the thickets, and then goes to lick the salt.

Salt licks are hunted from an ambush or storage shed. They place it higher on thick trees. This is due not only to the danger of the elk itself, but also to the possibility of visiting the solonetz by other animals, such as a bear.

Moose meat in this period

Moose meat obtained during the racing period, in terms of its taste, differs little from that obtained in any other month. Theories about its unsuitability are related to the fact that the rutting elk, when cut, smells rather specific, but this does not affect the taste of meat. Another thing is that the meat of old bulls is quite tough and fibrous. Therefore, preference is given to young bulls up to three years old and females.

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 traces 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.

Male moose reach sexual maturity at the age of 1.5 years. If in a state of "rest", in December - January, the length of the testes in males of this age is 68 - 70, the width is 35 - 40 mm, and the weight of the pair is 75 g, then in September, during the rut, these figures will respectively be 85 - 90, 40 - 45 mm and 150 - 163 g. If, further, the ratio of the weight of a pair of testes to the slaughter weight of males (index in ppm) in the state of "rest" is 4 - 5, then during the rut, i.e. on 2 - 3 months earlier, - 11 - 12.

The study of the size and weight of testicles in moose of different ages showed that they reach their minimum weight in March - April (54 g), maximum (300 g) - in September. Maintaining approximately the same ratio of testes weight to slaughter weight with adult males, 1-5-year-old bulls begin to increase testes weight somewhat later than older males. In young bulls, the subsequent (after the peak of the rut) decrease in the weight of the testicles is also late. This last feature is of extremely great biological significance.

Males in the second and third years of life, which are usually driven away from females by older and stronger males, turn out to be not useless in nature. They serve as a “safety” age group, which contributes to ensuring 100% fertilization of moose cows during the period of weakening or ending of sexual activity in adult strong males.

The timing of the onset of estrus in moose cows does not depend on either age or fatness. They are determined by a complex of environmental factors, individual characteristics and the physiological state of animals. However, in terms of fecundity - the number of cubs per one giving birth to a female - age and fatness have a specific meaning.

In the Pechora taiga, for example, yes, perhaps, in most other places in our country, moose bring their first offspring at the age of 3 years. At the same time, the number of embryos per primiparous moose cow is noticeably less than per mother giving birth again. This number increases in moose cows of subsequent ages and reaches a maximum at 6.5 - 7.5 years. In moose cows older than this age, fertility rates gradually decrease. However, even in the oldest moose cows, these indicators are not lower than those in young animals. This speaks in favor of the fact that in nature there are practically no animals that are not capable of reproduction due to the onset of old age and decrepitude. Usually moose cows do not live to such a state, dying from other causes (hunting, predators, hunger, accidents).

The age of moose cows affects not only the size of the offspring, but also its gender. If we take all moose cows on average, then for every 100 bulls they give birth to the same number or slightly more or fewer heifers (depending on the state of the conditions of existence).

Young moose cows at the age of 1.5 and 2.5 years bring into the offspring 1.5 - 3 times more heifers than bulls; at the age of 3.5 - 5.5 years - an approximately equal number of bulls and heifers, at the age of 6.5 - 9.5 years - slightly more heifers (by 10 - 20%), and at the age of 10 years and older - almost 2 times more bulls are born.

In moose cows with one embryo, at almost all ages, heifers significantly predominate over bulls, and only in 10-year-old and older moose cows, on the contrary, there are 2 times more bulls than heifers in the offspring.

In moose cows with two embryos, bulls predominate on average, in animals under the age of 5.5 years and 10 years and older, this predominance is especially pronounced. Only moose cows at the age of 6.5 - 9.5 years have an equal number of heifers and bulls.

In paired offspring, on average, individuals of different sexes predominate (71%), but only males (20%) and only females (9%) are found.

The sex of the offspring is also affected by the wintering conditions of the females preceding the rut. It has been noted that the less well-fed a moose cow is by the beginning of the mating season, the more often gobies predominate in her offspring, and vice versa.

Adult and strong males cover both young, middle-aged and old moose cows - the one they meet that is in a state of hunting (estrus). In the older age group, females predominate by one third, and among the males of the older age group, a significant number of animals are weakened and sick (external signs are weak and ugly horns) that are not able to withstand the competition for a female, so old moose cows are covered mainly by males younger than them. . In all cases, therefore, mating of sires of different ages is achieved, which gives the most vital offspring.

Each sex and age group, therefore, is necessary for the moose population to carry out self-regulation of numbers and structures in relation to the requirements of the habitat, including both disturbance factors and fishing pressures, and everything that in one way or another affects the life of moose.

Among Pechora moose cows, approximately 2/3 bring one cub each and 1/3 - two cubs each. In the Kirov region, the percentage of moose calves that give birth to twins is higher and approaches 35%. In the more southern regions (Volgograd, Rostov, etc.), the fertility rates of moose are even higher, which, apparently, is explained by a longer growing season, which provides moose with complete feed for a longer period, and which, most importantly, reduces the period of winter hunger strikes.

Moose cows are rarely pregnant at the age of 1.5 years - 15% of all cases, among moose cows older than one and a half years they are already 84%.

The main reasons for missing moose cows are their exhaustion and postpartum inflammation of the genital organs (chronic metritis). There are known cases of emptying caused by trauma to moose cows during the rut by aggressive bulls, the presence in adult moose cows of underdeveloped, infantile genital organs or a mummifying fetus after an unsuccessful birth.

Knowing the most productive ages of females and the significance of different sex and age ratios in the moose population, it is possible to artificially control their reproductive process.

Yu. P. Yazan. ELK. HUNTING FOR UNGATES.-Publishing house "Forest industry", 1976

Adult bulls are active and ready to mate during the entire rut period., and in young males, the development of the gonads is delayed by 15-20 days. The dynamics of the activity of bulls during the breeding season did not coincide in everything with the nature of the development of the gonads. Separate periods of rise, stabilization, and decline in the sexual activity of males were noted. Probably, in addition to factors of an individual nature (physiological state, age), their activity was influenced by external environmental factors, in addition, such population indicators as population density and population structure. We managed to find out some aspects of this issue in the process of studying the rut in the Kirov region.

One of the significant factors in the dynamics of bull activity is the weather. Precipitation, air temperature and wind influenced. Probably, it is not entirely accurate to state, as A. S. Rykovsky (1965) does, that under the influence of weather factors, the activity of the rut decreases. We have seen in practice that the moose rut that has begun, like a running clock mechanism, does not stop and does not stop until it is covered, and this should be emphasized, the last female in the hunt. This is confirmed by the facts of covering moose cows in November and even in de-cabra. Another thing is that the external manifestations of the rut, for example, vocalization, change when weather conditions change. Often the weather changes, the onset of the rainy season coincides with the movement of the elk rut from open areas to adjacent dark coniferous plantations. Animals can be harder to spot. The wind and the noise of the rain drown out the waba and the voices of the moose. However, if by chance it is possible to get close to the moose so that the answering voice of the bull is heard, you can get the beast to approach and get it. Observations have shown that in cloudy windy weather the responses of bulls to waba are 5-7 times less than in dry, calm weather. Our assumption about the reason for the passive behavior of bulls in rainy and windy weather was confirmed in the experiment, when the waler gradually approached the rutting area, voicing every 30-50 meters, and the second person visually observed the cow and the bull in the rut. spruce undercut. By the behavior of the bull, it was noticed when exactly he heard the waba. 40 seconds after that, he “grunted” and took several steps towards the wader, who at that time was about 150 m away.

The number of bulls' responses to waba increased significantly in frosty, calm weather. In such weather during the day, as a rule, it is sunny and warm, and at dawn the temperature drops to minus 2° - minus 5°C. At the same time, the number of bulls' responses increased by 7 times at morning dawns, and by 3 times at evening dawns. Experiments have shown that the bull's response voice is heard in such weather at a distance of up to 1500-1700 m. even greater distance. Only this can explain the “great activity” of bulls in frosty, calm weather. In fact, the activity remained constant. It just increased the range of sound signals.

In addition to the influence of weather conditions, some general periodicity in the activity of bulls during the breeding season was revealed. We have summed up all the results of moose waba for 7 seasons of observations. The influence of weather factors with this approach was smoothed out, since the weather was not the same on the same days in different seasons. The activity of the bulls gradually increased from August 25 to September 15-17, after which it slightly decreased until September 24, and from September 25 to October 5-10 it increased again, but did not reach the value of the first peak (September 17). Based on the materials of S.V. Buslaev, the average date of production of 20 bulls in 1993-2003. falls on September 18th. Characteristically, both in the Kirov and Ivanovo regions, from October 10, the activity of animals gradually decreased until October 25-30. These dates are the last cases of bulls approaching the waba. We believe that the identified periodicity in the activity of bulls is natural and is explained by the different terms of puberty of young and adult females and the existence of repeated cycles in females that did not fertilize in the first sexual cycle. It is possible that the peaks of bulls' motor activity did not coincide with the peak of female coverage. In the work of R. Clavo and R. Courtue (Claveou, Courtois, 1992), when determining the mating period of moose by the presence of sperm in smears taken from the genital tracts of females, it was found that the first sperm registrations occur on September 15, the peak occurrences - on October 5-15, and the last meetings - at the end of October. In young females (1.5-2.5 years), all dates of occurrence of sperm in smears are shifted a week later. The conclusions of these authors point to somewhat later than in our observations and in studies of the rut in North America (Altmann, 1959), the timing of the rut in Canadian elk, but do not contradict the inverse relationship between the date of the start of the rut and the severity of the climate. Perhaps, the differences to some extent were the result of different methods for assessing the activity of the rut. In addition, not all facts and observations can be "deciphered" and evaluated objectively. S.V. Buslaev says: “October 31, 1993. The temperature is about zero. Clear day, but strong wind. By evening it was quiet. Full moon. Sitting on the tower, waiting for the wild boars to enter the feeding area at 17:10, I heard the voice of a bull in the edge of the forest, 100 m from the tower. Then he saw a large bull with spade horns. He slowly began to cross the field. I beckoned with a "croak". The bull did not respond, but, stopping, began to look at the tower, then began to approach. Having reached my track on a snow-covered field and sniffed, he abruptly jumped over it and quickly disappeared into the far corner of the field. After 10 minutes, 5 more moose, all males, entered the field one after another. A very large bull with branched horns walked ahead. The rest of the horns were smaller and barely visible through binoculars because of the onset of twilight. Two moose actively gave voice and periodically closed their horns. I beckoned, and the first moose silently took a few steps towards me. The rest froze in place. The big bull reached my footprint, calmly stepped over it, and after walking 3 m, stood and stared at the tower. The rest of the moose sniffed the trail for a long time, not daring to cross it, then abruptly jumped over and began to catch up with the first. At 250 m, the whole group stopped, and the voices of bulls and the sound of horns were heard again. Soon the moose disappeared into the forest. The next morning, having trailed “at the heel” of these elks, 1 km from the evening meeting with them, I found three sites trampled down by elks with “torn apart” undergrowth and mixed earth with snow. With the exception of the snow, everything looked like a classic manifestation of the rut. In September, there were no signs of rutting in this area. In the winter period (November-December) I had to observe similar behavior in half-adult males, which I interpreted as a way of establishing subordinate relationships (hierarchies) in unfamiliar migrant animals.

Since the success of reproduction primarily depends on the likelihood of meeting sexual partners during the sexual cycle of the female, their physiological and sexual maturity (i.e., from the age of the partners), naturally, the question arises whether the population density and sex ratio in the population affect the dynamics of the rut activity. In general terms, such a connection is visible both according to my data and according to the materials of the SV. Buslaev. Long-term stationary studies have shown that not only the density itself affected the activity of the rut, but the sex and age composition of the population, which in turn is determined by the intensity of fishing. The population density of elk at the station from 1964 to 1971 ranged from 2 to 4.8 individuals per 1000 ha of forest land. Production for the winter season was 8-10% of the livestock recorded in March. The average age of harvested moose was 3.8-5.5 years. In the subsequent period, the density of the elk population increased, reaching 7-15 individuals per 1000 ha, and the harvest rate was increased from 1981 to 12-14%. The average age of elk caught during the season was 4.3-4.5 years in 1972-1981, and 4.3-2.6 years in 1982-1989.

For the first ten years, the catch was less than 10% of the recorded population, and there was a relatively low level of poaching. During this period, there was an accumulation of old animals in the population (from 0.3 to 2.7%) and an intensive increase in numbers. With the rate of removal of animals equal to 12%, the proportion of old animals stabilized at a high level (2.0-2.5%), but with an increase in the rate of production to 14% (1983-1990), the proportion of old animals began to sharply decline. The mean age of the animals in the sample also almost halved (Fig. "Density..."). Population density also began to decline. Taking into account the fact that the age composition of elks hunted at the station by the salary method did not have significant differences with the composition of the population, we can assume that the composition of the population changed in a similar way. How these changes affected the timing of mating can be judged from the analysis of the genital tracts of females aged 4.5-9.5 years, taken from November 10 to 25. Females of these age groups are the most fertile. The results of their reproduction are less affected by environmental factors, so the size and weight of embryos in females of these age groups almost completely depended on the timing of fertilization. In the period from 1966 to 1972, the average weight of the embryo was 5.4 g. In the period from 1974 to 1986, it increased to 14.5 g, and in 1987-1989. decreased to 8.6 g (Fig. "Dynamics..."). According to K. M. Kurnosov (1973), who studied the dynamics of the development of elk fetuses, the age of the embryos, corresponding to the obtained values ​​​​of their mass, was approximately 40–45.60 and 50 days, respectively. Comparing the graph of changes in the mass of embryos over the years with the proportion of old animals in prey, it can be seen that both periods with a reduced mass of embryos coincided with periods of low specific content of old males in prey and in the population. If we take into account that it is the old males who are the first to start the rut, create a kind of biological signal fields in the lands, and, in fact, determine the entire course of reproduction, it becomes clear why, with a decrease in their number, there is a delay in the start of mating of animals.

Moreover, a decrease in the proportion of old males in the population actually led to a change in the sex ratio among breeding moose. Even in moose populations with an undisturbed age structure, there were 2-3 sexually mature females per dominant male. With a sharp reduction in the proportion of old males, there was no rapid restructuring of marital relations, and in this connection, apparently, along with a delay in the start of the rut, some females were covered by less productive males. This is evidenced by a decrease in the fertility of moose cows (since 1985) with a decrease in the proportion of old bulls in the population. The conclusion about the influence of the sex ratio of adults and old animals on the activity of bulls and the course of reproduction is supported by literary data. In Alaska, at a ratio of 28 males to 100 females, conception in females was extended over 48 days, but after three years of permitted female hunting, as a result of which the sex ratio in the population evened out, the females studied were mated in 17 days (Lent, 1974). It can be concluded that the activity of bulls during the periods of rut depends on the structure of the population. In stable and growing populations with a high content of old animals, the rut passes earlier, and the activity of the bulls is higher. In rejuvenated populations of moose declining due to excessively high hunting intensity with a low content of old animals, the rut is late due to the low activity of bulls. It would be useful to conduct an annual assessment of the activity of the rut throughout Russia. We discussed this topic with S.V. Buslaev, and he proposed to assess the rut activity in points by making daily observations for 10 days during the period of peak activity (from September 10 to 25). On a distance-standardized section of routes (3 km) laid in different parts of the farm or region and passing through the elk rut, the observer must register 3 parameters characterizing the rut activity: sound activity, visual encounters, damage to trees and shrubs (destructive activity), and then make a final assessment of the activity of the rut by the sum of points. Such a methodological approach seems to be successful and should be kept in mind when drawing up a monitoring program - tracking the state of elk populations in Russia.

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. Elk horns have a shovel-like structure, therefore rivals are not entangled with horns, but with 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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