HodgemanAK
Beginner
- Oct 23, 2020
- 240
- 218
I drew an archery cow moose tag this year for the Fairbanks Management Area. I hadn't taken a big game animal with a bow although I've had one for the last few years I only had shot grouse with it. On the fourth day of hunting, I got within range of a couple of middling sized cows and let fly with an arrow at first light.
I've been a bit hesitant to use the bow on larger game like moose for fear of wounding and not recovering an animal, but that was apparently unfounded.
While I've taken quite a number of animals with rifles, the deadliness of archery tackle was something I seriously underrated. I managed to put my arrow weighing 418 grains with its 100 grain broad head right though both lungs. The cow stood there for a couple of seconds and the other cow it was with took off running. Both of them ran into a high grass meadow and I heard the cow pile up in the bottom. The other cow exited the meadow and kept on trucking.
I gave it the usual 20-30 minutes before following up, although I was sure my cow was down in the meadow. I didn't find my arrow or a single drop of blood where the cow was standing when I shot it, but the cow was down and doornail dead in the high grass. Total time on her feet after the shot couldn't be more than 30 seconds and she covered only about 75 yards.
The bull I shot with a .300 last year was on it's feet longer and covered more ground than that.
The arrow had penetrated both lungs, exited and is still sailing through air for all I know. A brief effort to find it didn't turn it up but the three bladed broad head punched a triangular hole clean through a cow moose, contacted ribs on the way in...and out.
I was thoroughly impressed with the effectiveness of the arrow where I was formerly skeptical about hunting moose with a bow.
I've been a bit hesitant to use the bow on larger game like moose for fear of wounding and not recovering an animal, but that was apparently unfounded.
While I've taken quite a number of animals with rifles, the deadliness of archery tackle was something I seriously underrated. I managed to put my arrow weighing 418 grains with its 100 grain broad head right though both lungs. The cow stood there for a couple of seconds and the other cow it was with took off running. Both of them ran into a high grass meadow and I heard the cow pile up in the bottom. The other cow exited the meadow and kept on trucking.
I gave it the usual 20-30 minutes before following up, although I was sure my cow was down in the meadow. I didn't find my arrow or a single drop of blood where the cow was standing when I shot it, but the cow was down and doornail dead in the high grass. Total time on her feet after the shot couldn't be more than 30 seconds and she covered only about 75 yards.
The bull I shot with a .300 last year was on it's feet longer and covered more ground than that.
The arrow had penetrated both lungs, exited and is still sailing through air for all I know. A brief effort to find it didn't turn it up but the three bladed broad head punched a triangular hole clean through a cow moose, contacted ribs on the way in...and out.
I was thoroughly impressed with the effectiveness of the arrow where I was formerly skeptical about hunting moose with a bow.
