Blue,
Find you a good set of chest waders or hip boots. I prefer the chest waders but take both. I use the stocking foot chest waders and boot foot hip waders. If you go with boot foot make sure they fit with no more slop that you would have with a pair of hunting boots. Make sure they are flexible or by the end of the day you will hate them. Those neopreme socks are a must. More about clothing later. This is not a good place to try and save money. Carry a small back pack or largish fanny pack. Pack a good knife and a saw or small ax and about 20 feet of rope. I use the half inch braided nylon. Being new to this I would recommend you take a good folding saw. When you get your moose down, hopefully not in the water, use the rope to tie one of the hind legs to a tree or bush so it dont beat you to death while you gut him. Bring a plastic bag, when your on stand you can set on the bag and its a good place to put the backstrap and tenderloins when your done gutting your moose. If you have a trophy cut the hide just below the shoulders all the way round the torso Roll the hide up as close to the antlers as you can and saw through the vertebra. Get some tanning salt from a taxidermist and if the weathers cold the hair shouldn't slip. If it's a damn big moose tell the guide to take the head back to civilization and put it in the freezer. You should be able to carry the head and this bit of hide without too much trouble. I know everyone wants to talk rifle calibers but I advise you take what you can shoot. I've shot five bull moose in Canada with the longest shot being fifty yards and closest being thirty-five feet. It has been my experience that they take a little killing, I've never had one drop without a second shot. Make sure you got a good sling on that rifle cause when crossing the streams and wet dead falls you need your hands free. I suggest a low power variable scope for hunting in the timber, I use the 2.5x8 Leopold and it seems a good compromise. Bring some tape so you can cover the muzzle so you don't plug it with mud or snow and become a statistic. It gets cold up here and wet. I use to use the wool almost exclusively and it's still a good choice for wet weather but lately I've tried the Dry Plus fleece and like it. It's rain proof and wind proof. Bring one pair of baggy pants and a pair of fleece pants to go with your long johns if it gets really cold. With those under your waders you should be ok even if your stand hunting. One word of caution, during winter in Canada don't start sweating under your coat, keep it unzipped enough to keep from sweating. Caint emphasize this enough, the sweat freezes and hyperthermia starts then your back to that statistic thing. Bring one of them lights that goes around your cap so your hands stay free, remember if it gets cold you may want to put your batteries inside your coat. I use a GPS that has the same batteries as my flashlites. Learn how to use the GPS. Make sure you pack the means to make a fire even if the wood is wet. Got to stop now my fingers are sore, I do more reading here than posting. Let me know if you have questions. Best of luck your going to love it.
Dakotamike
