Ross Lake Camps
Moose Season 2006
“ Making Dreams Come True”

The Quick Rundown

• Bill Dunn, guided by Don Lavoie, 41 inch spread 7x7 rack, dressed 774 pounds
• Kenneth White, guided by Tony Conant, 43 ½ inch spread 6x6 rack, dressed 821 pounds
• Matt Ellis, guided by Dana Packard, 45 inch spread 8x7 rack, dressed 791 pounds
• Chris Swanson, guided by Wayne Snell, 45 inch spread 6x8 rack, dressed 815 pounds
• Heather Brown, guided by Bob Smith, 32 inch spread 3x3 rack, estimated 620 pounds
• Jane Speck, guided by Steve Coleman, 52 inch spread 6x9 rack, dressed 898 pounds
• Chris Coreau, guided by Bob Chasse, 26 inch spread 2x2 rack, estimated 525 pounds
• Jim Demming, Unguided, 56 inch spread 11x8 rack, dressed 921 pounds
• Fred Nolte, guided by Scott Snell, 33 inch spread 8x7 rack, estimated at 650 pounds
• Alan Probst, guided by Don Lavoie, 40 inch spread 7x8 rack, dressed 651 pounds
• Mike Risser, guided by Bob Smith, 34 inch spread 4x4 rack, estimated 650 pounds
• Rudi Oosting, guided by Bill Orne, 51 inch spread 6x8 rack, dressed 820 pounds
• Dave Dumont, Unguided, 30 inch spread 3x3 rack, dressed 619 pounds
  Rex Ross, guided by Don Lavoie, 46 inch spread 6x6 rack, dressed 862 pounds
• All trips booked ended with a tagged Bull, keeping Ross Lake Camps at an amazing 100% success rate on all Moose Hunts for 5 years running!!!

The 2006 Moose Hunt at Ross Lake Camps was all about making a whole lot of dreams come true for a whole lot of different people! August and September were both unusually warm months up in our piece of the North Maine Woods, and that seemed to have the full swing of the rut running just a little bit late. Opening Day of the Early Moose season in September proved to be absolutely gorgeous sunny weather and mild temperatures, but gusty winds made the conditions for calling the moose in tough. Wind means noise, and noise means the Bulls may not be hearing you, and vice versa. Swirling winds also can create problems with getting winded by the animals, but a good guide will be able to adapt and overcome those challenges, which is exactly what happened around camp during the week.

Right off the bat Monday morning, brothers Bob and Chris Swanson of Orrington, Maine were set up along a moose run on the edge of a swamp. Led by Maine Master Guide Wayne Snell, the brothers teamed up on a trophy bull that came in with a weight of 815 lbs dressed and a 14 point rack that measured out at 45 inches wide. Wayne picked the right set up from the start, and had the bull coming after his first cow call. A few calls and a few minutes later, the Bull stepped out of the swamp and came out in the open for a perfect shot.

At about the same time the Swanson brothers were doing their shooting, a young hunter was about to experience his own thrill of a lifetime. Maine Master Guide Tony Conant was driving his hunters, twelve year Kenneth White and his father John of Bradford, Maine, into their first set up of the hunting week. A couple miles before they reached their target zone, a nice Bull was spotted up ahead. Tony got Kenneth and John down the road a ways on foot when the Bull stepped out of sight into the brush. The guys got set up in some cover and then Tony started calling to bring the Moose back. For 30 minutes Kenneth stayed set up on one knee with rifle rested on a set of shooting sticks and watched and listened as the Bull raked apart bushes and slowly made his way back towards the calls. Finally a shot was presented and Kenneth knocked him right down earning himself the nickname “Stone Cold” around hunting camp for the week. The 43 ½ inch 6x6 rack on the dressed 821 pound body will provide some special father and son hunting memories for years to come.

The action continued Monday afternoon when Bill Dunn of Naples, Maine made a spectacular shot to drop his Moose in its tracks. Guided by Registered Maine Guide and Camp Owner, Don Lavoie, Bill had decided to pass on a couple small moose that were seen on the morning hunt. This turned out to be a good decision when the guys found a bigger moose on their way into another hunting area. The bull was spotted feeding on the side of a long straight away, and Bill made the decision that this was the one he wanted. Don was able to get Bill rested on a set of shooting sticks and then made a call to turn the moose for a beautiful broadside shot which Bill made from 261 yards away. This one weighed in at 774lbs and had a 7x7 rack measuring 41 inches wide.

Monday was still yet to be finished! Matt Ellis, an active duty Navy man stationed in Brunswick Maine, still had a story to tell. Matt had been buying chances for the Maine moose hunt since he was first stationed in Maine, and 2006 was to be his last opportunity as he was due to transfer to another duty station. Sure enough, he was drawn for a tag and we at Ross Lake Camps were lucky enough to be able to help Matt make some happy memories. Registered Maine Guide Dana Packard called in a trophy bull for Matt that measured out at 45 inches with an 8x7 rack and dressed out at 791 pounds. We wish Matt Fair Winds and Following Seas, not to mention some great stories to tell from his Maine Moose Hunt.

On Tuesday the weather turned to overcast and the wind really kicked hard to make the hunting conditions about as tough as they could get. Master Guide Bob Smith had to work the calls hard that day, but was able to bring in a nice Bull to Heather Brown and her husband Dan after 11 different cows and yearling bulls had shown up earlier in the hunt. The excited couple returned home happily with their 32 inch wide 6 point Bull that was estimated to be a dressed weight of 620 pounds.

On Wednesday afternoon another lady hunter guided by Maine Master Guide Steve Coleman, was able to seal the deal. Jane Speck of Augusta, Maine was enjoying every moment of her long waited Moose Hunt in September, 2006. Several shooter Moose were seen by Steve and Jane earlier in the week, but gusting winds, heavy cover, or bad luck in general prevented shot opportunities. All of that was just a memory though, when Steve called the big bull right into the set-up that he had Jane sitting in. Returning to Augusta with Jane is a Bull that dressed out at 898 pounds and wore head gear totaling 15 points with a 52 inch wide spread.

Jim Demming of Warwick, Massachusetts unfortunately had his hunt cut short on Thursday at mid day due to unavoidable work requirements at home. We gave him a map routing him out of the woods that would keep him in zone 4 as long as possible and sent him off with some supportive words of “It ain’t over til the fat lady sings”. Man did that ever prove to be true when just 17 miles out of camp a giant Bull was spotted by Jim walking up out of a bog. He was able to walk around the front of his vehicle and had time to load just one round into his rifle, but he made that one count for sure. Jim sent his sub-permittee back to camp to get some help to load the moose onto his trailer, and we were very happy to assist Jim with loading up his 921 pound Moose that sported a 56 inch wide rack, 11x8 points, and perfectly matching triple brow tines. This is a great example of never giving up hope!

Also on Thursday afternoon, Registered Maine Guide Bob Chasse was able to help Chris Coreau and his 13 year old son Damien, of Minot, Maine tag out for yet another successful hunt. The father and son hunting duo had some tough luck of their own early in the week with the weather conditions and a big bull that made a quick exit on them. Damien passed on a spike bull Wednesday afternoon that Bob called right into him, but they didn’t play the odds on Thursday when the 26 inch 4 pointer stepped into their set up. The boys went home with happy thoughts of tender steaks to come!

Friday left us with a lot of rain, more high winds, and two hunters left to go. Persistence pays off here at Ross Lake Camps and our hunters weren’t to be disappointed. Maine Master Guide Scott Snell was able to lead Fred Nolte of Bethel, Maine to a very pretty racked bull that had 15 points and measured out at a 33 inch spread.

The week was topped off late in the afternoon on Friday when Alan Probst of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, and his dad Charlie were guided to their Moose by Registered Maine Guide Don Lavoie. The Bull had a very unique 7x8 set of antlers that measured out at an even 40 inches and had an 8” drop tine off of its right beam.

The late season in October started off with some unfortunate events as one of our groups of guests traveling from Texas had all of their luggage lost by the airlines on the trip to Maine. Fortunately the rifle and ammunition eventually made its way, and after a 24 hour delay the hunting party rolled into camp weary, but ready to do some hunting. Several moose were seen by all the hunting parties in camp on Monday, but all decided to pass in hopes of scoring a better animal.

Tuesday around mid day, unguided hunter Dave Dumont and his hunting party spotted a shooter bull and made it all come together. The excited hunters had been applying for a Maine Moose permit for 20 years, and were very happy to take home their first moose that weighed in at 619 pounds and carried a 30 inch rack with 3 points on either side. Later that afternoon, Mike Risser of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine shot and killed a nice moose with a 34 inch spread and 4x4 rack that we estimated at around 650 pounds dressed weight. Mike was guided by Maine Master Guide Bob Smith who had called in several similar moose earlier in the hunt. Mike and his subpermittee decided they didn’t want to press their luck, so they made the decision to harvest this very respectable bull.

On Wednesday afternoon some young hunters from New Jersey had their hunt all come together. Rudi Oosting and his buddy Adam were drawn on their first attempt at the Maine Moose lottery, and although it was very unexpected, the guys were thrilled to have the opportunity that presented itself. After working overtime shifts all summer to outfit themselves and pay for their trip, Rudi and Adam showed up at camp very eager to see what the week would bring. Since New Jersey is a shot gun only State, the guys even had to get rifles for the hunt which were only bore sighted! Maine Master Guide Bill Orne stepped up immediately to show these guys just how awesome hunting in Northern Maine can be. Bill led Rudi and Adam to several moose early in the hunt, but the guys had high hopes of going home with a trophy class animal and chose to pass on the smaller bulls. How awesome must it have been when during a lunch break on Wednesday Rudi spotted a big bull moving through some skidder trails. Bill got the guys all set up, and they tag teamed the moose from about 60 yards away. This 51 inch rack bull with 6 points on one side and 8 on the other dressed out at 820 pounds and will give all involved with this hunt some great stories to tell for years to come!

The last man standing on the 2006 Moose hunt at Ross Lake Camps was our airline victim, Rex Ross from Temple, Texas. On Thursday afternoon, Registered Maine Guide and Ross Lake Camps owner Don Lavoie made those travel nightmares fade away. A total of 6 bulls had been passed up throughout the week in hopes of another trophy. Don returned to a chop with a lot of Moose activity where they had passed on a bull earlier in the week. Two mid sized bulls were spotted fighting, but they just weren’t quite what Rex had his sights set on. While watching the two young Bulls spar, Don continued making a series of Bull grunts and a couple moments later a larger Bull stepped out to challenge the other fighters. The dominant bull had his concentration locked in on the smaller two and Don was able to get Rex into about a 100 yard shot. The moose stumbled once then went right down, and now the 860 pound Moose with his 46 inch, wide palmed antlers resides in Texas!

As a happy footnote for these stories, we can add two more Trophy Bulls like the old proverbial cherry on top. Guides Bob Smith and Bill Orne had both been drawn for their own moose tags during the 2006 hunting seasons. Bob connected with a remarkably high racked bull that measured out at a 42 inch spread with 7 points on one side and 8 on the other. Bill will be hanging up a massive set of antlers that stretch to 48 inches and will be eating steaks from the 925 pound body that was attached to the horns. WHAT A SEASON!

If you are interested in more information check out the website at www.rosslakecamps.com or contact Don & Andrea by phone at 603-320-3208.