You may have heard the adage ‘Third time’s the charm.’ There are many foundational stories of how this saying came to be. In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s letters to R. H. Horne circa 1839, she mentions “The luck of the third adventure” is proverbial; meaning a well-used term for the age. In 1862, Alexander Hislop’s ‘The Proverbs of Scotland’ mentions another early variation of the term – “Third time’s lucky.”
Another possible inspiration is an old English law that permitted a prisoner sentenced to hanging to be set free after three unsuccessful hanging attempts. A convicted murderer sentenced at Exeter prison, John “Babbacombe” Lee, was set free under this very law.
Let us fast forward to northern Maine, circa 2023. While I was guiding the September bull moose hunt in Wildlife Management District 2 with clients Ron and Blaine, I added another source to this famous English idiom. Here is how it went down.
After little success on the Monday opener with bulls hanging up and not responsive to calling, I decided to move our hunt area about 50 miles south and west. This was an area I had much success in during past hunts and was confident of our chances at pulling in a nice bull.
My target was a pinch point of standing spruce and fir between two big cuts. I knew moose frequently bed in this spot and had caught them moving through the area between the cuts many times. As I turned off the main branch road to a feeder tote road, about 70 yards from where I expected to set up and call, a 40 inch-class bull popped out of the tree line.
“Bull, bull, bull! Bail, bail, bail! Take him, take him!” I urged my hunters. It was lightning fast and my shooters were just not prepared to get a shot off quickly before the bull moved off to the north across a small cut. I parked Blaine at the cut to cover the escape route if the bull turned back south and grabbed Ron. We headed up to the intersection where I could observe the route I was sure the big moose would use to exit the cut and head down ridge to heavy cover. We were too late; fresh wet tracks across the road 100 yards down told the story. The bull was gone like the wind.
After a quick review of actions on contact, we piled back into the truck and headed to another of my favorite moose holding locations – 30 miles south and west.
I had taken a cow and a bull moose in this spot over the years and understood the travel patterns, bedding, and food and water sources. Like a sports telecast replay, as I planned to set up further down the road, a monster bull broke from a skidder trail into the road to our right. It was a 50 inch-class moose with antlers like goal posts. My clients were more prepared this time and I gave them the ‘go, go, go!’ The big bull was standing straight on, 150 yards away. I held my breath as the hunters got into their shooting positions. And as before, we could not seal the deal.
I was crestfallen; we had two nice bulls in front of us so far and nothing to show for it. After a brief pity-party, I buckled down. I had to remind myself that this is my job and my clients are depending on me, no matter the difficulties we face. ‘Focus, hunt the sign’ I told myself.
Thursday afternoon I parked down a remote, gated road. We spent a good amount of time listening for bulls and cows. We were rewarded with a cow in estrous calling due north about 400 yards away – on the right side of the gate. We moved north in anticipation of a bull seeking the calling cow. Roughly 300 yards north and around the bend, Blaine called out ‘Moose!’
I grabbed the binoculars and thrust the truck into Park, ‘Bull! Bull! Can you make the shot?’ I asked my hunters. It was a long shot and I was concerned. I could tell they were not confident so I moved up another 50 yards or so and watched as the bull took a few steps forward, ready to run.
‘It’s now or never’ I told them and they bailed. Blaine’s .300 Winchester Magnum boomed putting the moose on its knees. Ron followed up and anchored the bull.
Ron and Blaine finally got their shot at redemption and perhaps I did as well. The third time was definitely the charm.