This moose bow hunt takes place in mixed farm and riverbottom country southeast of Edmonton. I've hunted with this outfitter and love the terrain.

"This is a slam dunk hunt," he said. "I could take an older guy or one who's not in very good shape and still get them a big moose. The reason is that the province issues only 10 resident moose tags in the whole area, and so the moose get a chance to get big and old. We hunt only during the bow hunt anymore because it's during the rut, and it has been pretty easy to call the bulls into archery range."

The trophy size has been averaging 52 inches. The chances of taking a Pope and Young caliber moose are excellent.

He has been getting two non-resident moose tags a year but will be getting four in 2012. He's already full for 2012 but is accepting bookings for 2013.

"Last year we got a 56-incher and a 51-incher but we have two bigger than 56 inches on trail cam," he said. "One of them is probably 60 inches and should go in the top 20 in Pope and Young, so we hope to get him."

Non-residents do not have to draw tags. The outfitters gets a quota of two tags a year in the area south of his house, and next year he'll be hunting the area north of his house as well.

The bulls were live mostly in patches of timber surrounded by cropfields as well as along narrow riverbottoms. Your guide can put you into several good locations a day. The outfitter told me that he and his guides have learned a great deal about hunting moose in the area since I hunted deer with him.

"We know exactly where to go and how to hunt the bulls now," he said, "and that's one reason we're doing so well, but the other is that the province manages this herd very well, and the bow hunt is during the rut. It's really about as good a hunt as you could find anywhere." -- Rich LaRocco