Skip to main content

Newfoundland Moose Hunting: The Rugged Adventure

Newfoundland Moose Hunting: The Rugged Adventure

Sometimes we just get lucky.

My visit from Lady Luck occurred this past October, when I was fortunate enough to journey northwards for a Newfoundland moose hunt. The purpose of my trip was to test the exciting new Mossberg MVP bolt-action rifle in .308 Win., which utilizes detachable M14 magazines. Scheduled for release midway through 2013, this sweet rifle extends the supremely popular MVP series into the big game arena.

To save you the suspense, the rifle worked splendidly. The hunt was booked with Mt. Peyton Outfitters, located near Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland. Assuming you're tough enough to handle Newfoundland's most difficult tasks — walking through abundant bogs, traversing roads rough enough to strand an M1 Abrams tank and grasping the wonderfully distinct Newfie accent — then you can probably handle the toughest challenge of all: departing this wonderful island and its exceptional residents. Newfoundland will likely go down as your greatest hunting adventure yet.

Beg your pardon?

On paper, we share the same language. Yet that doesn't necessarily mean we speak the same language. To put it mildly, understanding the Newfies can be challenging. Their accent — thick, rich and certainly fascinating — sounds a bit like a drunken Irishman speaking fluent Newfinese, for lack of a better description.

Prior to my departure, my cousin Blake warned me of the difficulties of understanding the island's speech pattern. OK, I thought. No big deal. I soon found out he was spot on. The Newfies speak in a way that sounds like a simultaneous jumble of Mandarin, Portuguese and English, all delivered without the slightest pause between words. It's entertaining and surprising, considering Newfoundland lies just 400 miles northeast of Maine.

However, I must be fair and say not all locals are difficult to understand. When they consciously work on speaking slowly, the words flow more like an ambling brook than Niagara Falls. But when they get excited or exchange words with a fellow Newfie, sit back and enjoy the most colorful accent in North America. I'm not kidding; entire sentences will transpire without you deciphering a single word. Not even one!

Beautifully Exhausting

As you're probably aware, "The Rock" — as Newfoundland is known locally — is dotted with ample bogs that cover the island like amphibious meadows. They look at first glance like any other meadow you've seen, the type in which Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie might gallop and twirl. Set foot upon one, however, and you quickly realize they are a bit less inviting.

Picture shallow lakes covered with a spongy, grassy surface. While moose buoy across this mushy terrain with deceptive ease on humongous, splayed hooves, rambling over bogs on two legs is a more arduous and disheartening affair — similar but much worse than walking on loose sand. Bring comfortable and waterproof hiking boots — I chose Kenetreks — because most steps sink six inches into the murky fluid before bottoming out.

In addition to the cool sound each wet stride produces, you never know when your next step might be a doozy. Instead of a flat surface that dips where you step — like a trampoline set in shallow water — Newfoundland bogs are more Swiss cheese-patterned, with deep fissures lurking like aquatic potholes to catch you by surprise with a sudden knee- or crotch-deep plunge.

Unsettling when it happens to you, the whole spectacle is fairly comical to watch. It helps take your mind off your burning thighs and soaking wet feet, especially when your guide is climbing out of a soggy burrow with a look of mild annoyance on his face.

Recommended


Rough Riders

As difficult as bog walking is — and trust me, it's a bitch — it doesn't hold a candle to touring Newfoundland's vast network of "trails" on four-wheelers. Once built to transport vast stands of timber to bustling mills located on the coast, these paths are now dilapidated and littered with boulders. They are, without a doubt, the most rugged roads I've ever traveled.

With gravel the size of bowling balls and natural guardrails of tenacious, face-slapping alder, these roads are simply brutal. Over the five days of my hunt, we bounced and shuddered, hurdled and lurched over 100 miles of trail. Patrolling these game-rich areas perched behind your guide on a gyrating quad is akin to riding a mechanical bull for the duration of Gone with the Wind.

In fact, I wouldn't doubt this was a critical component of the abdominal workout for the movie 300. And I must point out that I'm young and don't complain about rough roads — well, I don't complain much. Nevertheless, these masochistic rides are well worth the aching abs, just as Newfoundland's scenic grandeur is worth every arduous thump. As a bonus, even if you don't get a moose, it's almost guaranteed you'll leave the island with a Jean-Claude Van Damme-like midsection, which is sure to drive the ladies back home wild!

Departure

You'd think after all the challenges you've faced at this point on your trip, leaving the island would give you that peaceful, easy feeling. Wrong. Incredible hunting in spectacular country has a way of grasping you and coaxing you to stay just a bit longer. The fact that you're about to leave newfound friendship doesn't help either. All of it makes hopping on a jet a difficult task.

I can't say the hunting is easy — and you will earn every opportunity at a moose — but that's what makes hunting special and difficult endeavors so rewarding. I earned my beautiful bull — a 46 incher with good paddles and a humungous body — on the last day of the hunt. My Mossberg MVP fired twice — bang, bang! Two hits from Winchester's 168-grain Supreme E-Tip tipped him over for good. I was speechless. If it wasn't the most triumphant moment in my hunting career, it was darn close. Right before boarding my plane, I shook my guide and outfitter's hands, thanked them profusely, and said the truest words I've ever spoken: "I'll see ya soon, boys."

And I will — just as soon as I can.

Sink Right In

You're definitely going to get your leg workout if you plan on traipsing through the bogs of Newfoundland in search of that ever-elusive bull moose. On the other hand, that's part of the experience. When the last shot is fired and your trophy is on the ground, every step will have been worth it.

Rocky Roads

If you're not busting it through knee- or waist-deep swamp land, there's a good chance you'll be bouncing along the rocky roads of Newfoundland looking for your trophy bull. It's not all bad though. Petersen's Hunting associate editor David Faubion claims he came back with washboard abs and an invitation to star in the next 300 film, but the evidence is thus far lacking. We'll believe it when we see it.

A View to a Thrill

When you're not thinking about how exhausted you are or your bed at night, you've also got the breathtaking beauty of Newfoundland stretched out before your tired eyes. It really is enough to keep you going. It also makes a sweet portrait when that bull finally goes down.

A Little Help From My Friends

Sure, you're the guy who pulls the trigger, but that doesn't mean you can make a great hunting trip happen all by yourself. As Petersen's Hunting associate editor David Faubion found out, it pays to invest the help of a great group like Mt. Peyton Outfitters in Newfoundland.

No Small Matter

Hunting moose presents a unique challenge, if for no other reason than the sheer size of the animal you're dealing with. That's also what makes it so fascinating. It's a lot of work, but it yields a healthy return of meat for the freezer and a rack for your wall.

The Sweet Road Home

With a bull moose on the ground, cleaned and headed back to camp, there's nothing sweeter than the four wheeler ride home. The bumps in the road seem a lot smoother once your moment of success has come and gone without a hitch.

MVP of the Trip

The new Mossberg MVP in .308 Win performed exceptionally well in a rugged Newfoundland environment. Whether it was bounced around on a four wheeler or hauled through dense boggy meadows, the MVP was in top shape for the moment of truth. Petersen's Hunting associate editor David Faubion shot twice, putting the MVP to the test and bagging a solid bull moose in the process.

Unmatched Beauty

There's not much better than an exceptional rifle, a full-bodied bull moose and the stunning backdrop of Newfoundland's finest scenery to cap off the hunt of a lifetime. The Mossberg MVP in .308 Win. did it's job, the moose went down and the fodder for many daydreams on the plane ride home were made. All in a day's work in one of the world's most beautiful moose hunting venues.

Repaid in Bull

Tracking down a quality bull moose in Newfoundland can make for an exhausting trip. Petersen's Hunting associate editor David Faubion found that out first hand on a recent trip to the Canadian isle with the new Mossberg MVP in .308 Win. Despite the arduous effort, countless bogs and rocky trails, it was all worth it.

For your own adventure, contact Mt. Peyton Outfitters at (709) 258-6374.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Ireland's Whistling Stags

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Silencer Central's New Modular Titanium Suppressor

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Endless Bugles

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Weatherby's New Model 307 Alpine CT

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Aero Precision's New Solus Lightweight Hunter

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

How to Sight-In a Thermal Optic

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

What Is the Difference Between Night Vision and Thermal Optics?

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Selecting the Correct Magnification for Night Hunting

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

How to Choose a Thermal Optic

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Gear

Kalahari Quest

With two tags punched and only one hunter remaining, the pressure is on Rafe Nielsen of Browning to follow up on Joe Fer...
Hunting

Part 3: Bears of the North – Grand Finale

Petersen's Hunting Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save.

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Petersen's Hunting App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use