Alberta moose hunt

Now that my hunt is a mere two months away the planning activities are in full swing.
I have a question for anyone who has driven up to Alberta to hunt moose. Is it better to buy a chest freezer here at home and take it on the round trip or is it possible (or better) to wait and if successful buy one up there for the trip back.
Thanks for any thoughts.

Camo
 
Where are you hunting, CH? Edmonton or Calgary (to say nothing of Grande Prairie, or Lethbridge or any number of other communities) will have a Wal-Mart or a Canadian Tire that will have such items available. It will save you the space on your trip up. If you're thinking of a full-grown bull, that can be quite a bit of meat even when boned, however. Good luck on your hunt!
 
Hi Camo, if you are driving up you likely will be going through Edmonton Alta. I would stop in at Walmart and pick yourself up a chest type deepfreeze as the Canadian dollar is definitely to your advantage :wink:.
Remember lots of photographs and stories about your up-coming adventure (y).
Have you decided which bullet you are going to use in your 300 H&H?

Blessings,
Dan
 
With regard to bullet weight on big moose:

While a 180gr premium bullet can certainly get the job done, the mass of a 200gr or 220gr bullet could only help when shot placement isn't exactly how you planned. I shot a bull moose in Canada with my 338 RUM and a 250gr AccuBond. The bull took a hit broadside on the shoulder and literally flipped over backwards. I fully expected the bullet to exit but that just wasn't the case. The recovered AccuBond only maintained 40% of its original weight. It did, however, smash through some heavy bone.

The bull was DOA and the bullet base remained intact, but I was happy that I chose such a heavy combination even though lesser cartridges and bullets get the job done under most circumstances.

In your 300 mag I'd opt for a heavier bullet. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks again for the replies, they are all much appreciated.
Dr Mike, we will be about 100 miles NW of Edmonton so we will have access to stores with freezers.

Sask boy and Charlie. The 180 grain will be my fall back plan. I have had some unfortunate things happen over the last 6-8 months and it has me scrambling a little bit to get ready for the hunt.
I also had my 300 H&H reblued and the stock refinished. Now I am in the process of getting a new scope for her. I am headed to Bend this weekend and will stop by SPS to see if I can pick up some new partitions & Accubonds in 200 and maybe 220 if any are available. Then need to get to reassembling the rifle, reload and head to the range.
Good thing that I am retired so I have some time.

Thanks again to all and I welcome any advice anyone would like to share.

Camo
 
You're getting very close to my AO, CamoHunter. You should have a good hunt. Looking forward to hearing about the hunt.
 
On a Newfoundland moose hunt we took a freezer and generator with us. Worked out well. If you don't already have a freezer I would arrange it be ready for pickup when you get there. No need to leave to chance. Good Hunting.
 
I already have an upright freezer in the garage. Trying to finish off last years elk meat.
If I am successful though I think that I would need to add another freezer to hold a whole moose.
If I bought one here at home I would have to store it in the back of my truck for the trip up and back whether or not I am successful. That is why I thought that it may be better to wait until I find out that I will need one.
Also my wife will be driving up with me and we will be doing some sightseeing alone the way, better to do without a freezer in the back of the truck I would think. She also will have the truck while I am hunting. It might be possible to store a freezer at the outfitter's house while we are hunting too.
Anyone have any experience on how large the capacity would need to be for a cut and wrapped moose?
Thanks,
Camo
 
I don't know the exact size of the chest freezer we took. I would guess somewhere around 20 cu ft. It pretty much took up half of an 8' truck bed. It just held (no room for ice) 2 moose deboned, cut and packaged for freezing. That should give you some idea. You can pack gear in it on the way up.
 
Use the bullet and load that performs best in your rifle, as those you've listed will perform well on moose.

Good luck and enjoy your hunt.

Expect to travel home with 400-450 lbs of meat cut and wrapped.
 
Camo it is getting near that time :wink:!! I sure hope everything has straightened out for you (y) & you were able to get your 300 H&H reassembled? Did you pick up those bullets you mentioned?
I am looking forward to upcoming hunting seasons with lots of photos and stories as well.
Remember have Fun, Shoot straight & most of all be Safe (y).

Blessings,
Dan
 
Getting close, an apartment sized freezer should hold a deboned moose. , I would leave it back at the outfitters base camp and plugg it in and throw in some block ice. If you pack all that meat the middle stuff may spoil. You will need to freeze it in a couple freezers to have the meat all actually froze before packing it into the one for travelling.
I'm sure your outfitter has told you what to bring it should be fairly mild that time of year but you never know pack some long underwear and a heavier coat. I have hunted in tee shirts in October and in Parkas you never know.
Good luck and enjoy our province, sounds like you will be in the Hinton area.
Bring bearspray , know how to use it, keep it where you can acsess it easily. Belt or shoulder strap of your pack.
I know the sheep guys have been talking about the water levels of the creeks as we have had above average rainfall. So be careful crossing creeks and rivers I would assume your outfitter would be aware of these things but its also alright to think for yourself . If your not comfortable tell him.
 
Sask boy,
Thanks for the well wishes. I will be stopping by the shooters pro shop tomorrow on my way out of bend. Hope to get the rifle reassembled and the new Leupold VX2 3x9x40 mounted next week.
Then will do a bit of reloading to get ready for sight in. The 180 gn Accubonds shot very well so we will see how it shakes out. Also may push a few 200 gn Partitions down the tube too.

Super-7,
I am still deciding if I will buy freezer here and haul it up or just wait and buy one up there if I am successful. The outfitter works with a meat cutter an animal is harvested and I should have time to pick one up and get it cooled down before adding the meat.
Should be a great trip and my wife and I are looking forward to spending some time in this beautiful country.

Camo
 
Must be hunting close to the Whitecourt / Edson / Fox Creek area. Good luck and have fun !!

I leave on October 1st with my hunting buddies for our annual moose hunt. Cant wait !! I have one of the draw tags this year in our group.

As far as bullets, we use 180gr Accubonds (I reload 180 AB's in my 300WM) with the guys that shoot 300WM/WSM and 140gr AB's from the guy that shoots a 270WSM.

I have taken moose as close as 14 metres and furthest just over 450m....one shot kills - double lungs. 180's are great medicine !!
 
Mighty peace,
Good luck on you hunt also. We are scheduled to arrive at the outfitters place on October 1st.
From there we head to the base camp that we will be hunting out of.
I have got my 300 H&H back together after refinishing the stock, bedding the action , freeing up the barrel and topping it with a new Leupold V2 3x9x40 scope. I reloaded some ballistic tips to do the majority of the sight in work and then switched to the 180 gr Accubonds for final sight in.
Initial shots this morning with the Accubonds were around 3/4" for a 3 shot group off the sandbags. Hard not to use that load but still thinking about the 200 gr Partitions too. We will see...
Only about a month away now and very excited.

Camo
 
Camo, don't be afraid to use those 180gr. ABs. they will do the job more than adequately :wink:. One in the boiler room & get your knives out :mrgreen:.
I am looking for to a great story & lots of photos!!
Remember have Fun, shoot Straight and most of all be Safe (y).

Blessings,
Dan
 
Dan,
Thank you very much for all of the well wishes. I know those 180gr AB's did the job nicely on my bull elk last fall. The fact that they shoot pretty well doesn't hurt either. I am really looking forward to the trip and hope to have lots of pictures to share when I return.

Allen (Camo)
 
Hoping for an update?
She is prime time the bulls are chasing cows and are quite vocal right now.
 
Super-7,
I am back in my motel room now. Just got back to Barrhead this afternoon.
Sorry to say no moose for me :(
The camp that I was in went 4 for 4 last week and left a day early. We arrived at camp last Saturday and had a lot of rain for the next day. For some reason the bulls stopped talking. One of our party did take a 30" bull Sunday evening. We had VERY few occasions with any vocals with bulls and they were not interested in responding to cow calls. This morning one of the hunters did have a bull respond and rake the brush but would not come in. Sadly, I left camp without seeing a single moose and only hearing a couple random long range grunts.
But it still was a wonderful trip.

Camo
 
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