Moose ?

[Vince]

I'll be hunting moose, for the first time, this year.
Thank you for the reminder on anatomy as I'd likely misplace the shot without that reference. I'm thinking a high shoulder shot to immobilize them and then follow up as needed. What say you?

Vince

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[SJB358]

I say shoot them in the lungs and heart. Don't tear up that beautiful meat. They will die plenty fast Vince.

I'll always take the best shot available, but I don't mind if they move a few feet or yards if I'm using a good bullet. Their dead on their feet.

 

[maverick2]

Ditto on the heart and lungs. Look at an anatomy chart for moose before you go, and you'll be golden.

 

[Vince]

I like to cook and eat the heart of animals. It taste better than the shoulder but there's less to eat.

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[maverick2]

I like to cook and eat the heart of animals. It taste better than the shoulder but there's less to eat.

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Aaaaah, got it. If the opportunity presented itself, I'd probably take a head or neck shot rather than the shoulder, but you may not get to choose your shot and shoulders are pretty effective. And there's more than a little meat in the shoulders -- I think the hanging weight (no skin, no leg) on each front shoulder of my Shiras moose was 165#...

 

[Thebear_78]

I can’t stress enough that head shots on moose are a BAD idea. The brain basically sets right under the base of the horns and is very well protected. I have used a head shot as a finishing shot a several times times and have yet to put a bullet all the way thru the skull of a bull moose. A 50 cal muzzle loader at point blank, 44 mag 300gr cast point blank, 270gr speer out of a 9.3x62, and a 230gr hydroshok out of a 45acp. None exited a moose skull. We are talking some serious bone. Remember these things regularly take impacts that rival those of a car accident. I have seen several moose shot in the head that ran or walked off. First of all the actual brain part of the moose is fairly small compared to all the reast that is jaw and nose. There is a very high potential to only wound the animal. I saw a guy shoot a young cow moose facing straight on at under 100 yards, shot it right between the eyes. Dropped at the shot but by the time we got over to it it was up and trotting away. Three more shots to the rear end and shoulder finally dropped it. the bullet bounced off the skull doing only minor damage to the head. That was wth 180gr Partition out of a 300 win mag.

The neck has a lot of meat and the chances of just shooting one thru the meat without it being imediately fatal are again just too big a chance for me to take.

Why would you shoot anywhere else when you have beach ball sized lungs that provide a stabil and stationary target with a very high probability to be imediately fatal. You won’t lose enough meat between a few ribs to make any difference at all. Its realy the only shot that we should ever take on moose.

1/3-1/2 way up the body tight behind the shoulder is the absolute highest percentage shot you can take.
Gene hit the nail on the head when he said a basketball laying on the bottom of a 55 gallon drum. That analagy will give you a very good idea especialy when shooting at quartering angles. Hit low and you hit the heart, hit high and your in lungs or hitting spine. Its really hard to go wrong that way.

 

[cloverleaf]

my cousin's husband stuck one with an arrow. Sure enough that bugger headed for water... they had a time getting him out. A four wheeler was required.Heck of a project. you might want to have the boys are available to help.CL

 

[Anonymous]

I gotta agree with Josh on this one... lungs are the only really good target. A good friend of mine shot a big bull head on at 80yds with a .300WM loaded with a Barnes X. Didn't even take him off his feet, the bull stood there shaking his horns back and forth ready to fight!

A couple more in the chest finished him off but that head shot didn't do much except stun him. The bullet wrecked the sinuses and nose but failed to get into the brain pan or spine. 'm a firm believer that you put one in the lungs and if he didn't wind you or spot you before the shot- he's pretty likely to stay right there until he tips over.

Shooting through the shoulder is another problematic shot...there's just a lot of meat there you don't want to mess up and it just gets in the way of whacking something vital. I personally think it is very hard to break a moose down with anything except the biggest rifles on shoulder shots. They're actually pretty soft for their bulk compared to other creatures but there is still a lot of sheer mass to deal with. Heck if moose were as tough as mountain goats we'd hunt them with RPGs, you'd never kill one with a sporting rifle.

Pulling one out of the water isn't pleasant, but there's worse ways to spend an evening. ATVs or an Argo really help in that regard but it can be done the old fashioned way too.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I shot my bull at 452yds with a 358STA and 250's at 3080fps. My cow was about 125yds with my .416 Rem. Mag using 300gr TSX's at 2980fps. I've seen a bunch of them get shot with muzzleloaders and rifles. They aren't hard to kill but they are hard to dump with one shot without hitting the spine. I would shoot 165's or 180's out of your '06 and 250gr TSX's, 250gr Sierra's or 260AB's out of your 375. Either would work to 400yds or more.

Where are you planning on hunting?

 

[gerry]

I would agree with the other experienced moose hunters in saying a head shot is a bad idea on moose, I know of too many failures to put the moose down with one of those. An acquaintance of mine tried shooting a facing moose in the snout with his 338 WM and the bullet failed to reach the brain, a second shot killed it thankfully. I like a shot in the lungs myself or at very close range (under 50 yards or so) a shot in the neck with a good bullet provided there is enough time to aim carefully before he takes off. The last moose I got which is in my avatar had to be shot very quickly or not at all so even though he was under 50 yards he got hit in the chest.

Just a thought after looking at that picture imagine how far a bullet has to penetrate to go up the snout to reach the brain or how easily a bullet would deflect if you tried to hit him between the eyes? Not a good idea even on a young bull like that one.......

 

[DrMike]

Moose can be phlegmatic. Consequently, after the shot (even a killing shot) they often stand there knowing they are dead. However, they are thinking, "Now, where is the nastiest place I can find to die." They do head straight for water; and if they can reach it, you will have some work. A hunt on foot by one's self in the midst of a snow squall with a moose down in a beaver pond, makes for an interesting afternoon. Still, the hunt is addictive.

 

[Vince]

I'll keep shooting as long as he's up.

Would the heart lung shot followed by a shoulder be a good option? I'm wanting the critter do go down where I shoot him if at all possible. Brain shots are likely out and I'm thinking that trying to hit the spine may be an exercise in futility given that I'm not familiar with moose yet. I'd hate to have one run off to suffer if I can avoid it.

Vince

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[Guy Miner]

Moose can be phlegmatic. Consequently, after the shot (even a killing shot) they often stand there knowing they are dead. However, they are thinking, "Now, where is the nastiest place I can find to die." They do head straight for water; and if they can reach it, you will have some work. A hunt on foot by one's self in the midst of a snow squall with a moose down in a beaver pond, makes for an interesting afternoon. Still, the hunt is addictive.

Isn't that a situation for a band of stout Newfies to help? :grin:

 

[DrMike]

Moose can be phlegmatic. Consequently, after the shot (even a killing shot) they often stand there knowing they are dead. However, they are thinking, "Now, where is the nastiest place I can find to die." They do head straight for water; and if they can reach it, you will have some work. A hunt on foot by one's self in the midst of a snow squall with a moose down in a beaver pond, makes for an interesting afternoon. Still, the hunt is addictive.

Isn't that a situation for a band of stout Newfies to help? :grin:

And that's why you hire those Newfies!

 

[Vince]

I want to be in shape to outpack those stout young Newfies.


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[Osprey78]

Compared to the Newfies under the influence of stout... :lol:

All in jest of course.

 

[Thebear_78]

Better get a good pack frame! I recomend the badlands ox freighter. You can't overload it. I've broken a couple cheap pack frames! It's no fun.


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[Vince]

I'm using a Kuiu Icon 5200 in load sling mode.

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[Thebear_78]

I'm not really familiar with that pack, but be prepared to carry 100+ pounds if need be. The last pack frame I broke was carrying 6 caribou legs out, 2 rear quarters and 4 front leg/shoulders. It was a pretty heavy pack probably 140-150 pounds. It broke a weld and slumped hard to the left side. It was a pain in the but to get it tied back together with a bunch of para cord.


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[Vince]

My training regimen will have me carrying 140 pounds for an hour on an incline by hunting season.

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