[Gungnir]

So, I'm shortly (in the next year or so) giving up civilization and moving to AK off grid on my 80 acre spread, building a homestead etc

I have previous hunting experience, but not really with anything as big as a Moose, but as a resident I can subsistence hunt for them.

So while I'm still here earning money, I was wondering whether any of you had any recommendations for moose calibers, from doing an online search 338 Win Mag seem to be popular, I know placement is important too, but given that I'm literally looking for "bang for the buck" I'm after a caliber that has fast takedown effectiveness (even if I'm off a little), so the damn thing doesn't run off for 3 miles into the bush, to be half eaten by the local critters by the time I get there.

Advice on any rifles would be useful to, since I know diddley-squat about medium caliber rifles.

Thanks for any info.

[jmr40]

What rifles, if any, do you already have? Chances are you may already have a rifle suitable. A 270, 30-06 or many others may do just fine for you.

I thimk the big magnums are probably more important for someone from out of state who has a limited time to make their kill before leaving. They may have to take a marginal shot, or none at all. A resident who can hunt anytime can take their time and wait on a better shot.

[Gungnir]

Hmm, good point hadn't thought of that, my Wife (who owns all the guns since I'm a WA LPR) has an older 30-06 bolt action covered in dust in the closet, which considering what else I'm looking to spend in the move and construction is looking really attractive right now :) not to mention ammunition costs.

Most likely be able to take the shot when the thing's eating my wife's cabbages she's planning to grow :)

[tango2echo]

The .30-06 will work with heavy bullets and the right shot placement. However, I would much rather have one of the .30 magnums or a .338 magnum. .30-06, .300 win mag, and .338 win mag are all widely available in AK.

[JWJacobVT]

Nice NEF 4570 will work also.

[caribou]

30-06 with 180 gr is 'THE" all Alaska Round.

Magnums cant do any more than extend your range, but 30-06 will do any job at 500 yards, easily, so why bother?

.243W with 100gr bullets is a most excellent and widely used round up here too.

If you cant kill it with a 30-06, you should hide.:D

[qajaq59]

Your 30-06 with a heavy bullet should do the job just fine.

[Gungnir]

Thanks for all the help guys.

30-06 it is, and surprisingly in our family inventory :) Double win.

[Art Eatman]

caribou's comments are pretty much the consensus of some ten years of comments from guys who live/hunt in Alaska.

[jimsmith80]

You can use a 30-06, Alot of people do. However a 06' will kill a moose, a 338 will put a moost down. Moose are very slow to react to being shot, and if that moose wants to he can take you on a very wild ride before he goes. Moose have a reputation a a stupid, eay going, easy to kill animal. Not true. The first time you see a bull in rut you will ask what you are doind there. In addition to that the terrain is not like other places, the backcountry of Alaska can be pure hell, but its also the most wonderful place on earth. I would say that if you have a 30-06 use it (load it with 180 -200 gr Barnes TSX) But if you can get a .338 Win Mag You will be very glad you did. Good luck on your new life its a wonderful place.

[Big Bill]

I personally like a .300 WSM for elk and I'm sure it would also work for moose. It's a great all around cartridge.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Got room for me on the back 40? I can pay rent and you can borrow my guns - I have quite a few! :)

[H&Hhunter]

I'm after a caliber that has fast takedown effectiveness (even if I'm off a little), so the damn thing doesn't run off for 3 miles into the bush,

Gungnir,

Careful big guy, that comment is a common misconception about magnums and their ability to kill with poor shot placement. It simply ain't so!

I don't care what you are shooting if you miss the good even by a little bit on a moose sized critter it is going to run off and die later.

If you want more shot opportunities form varying shot angles go with a heavier larger diameter like a .338 with 250 gr bullets or a .375 H&H with 270 or 300 gr bullets. But for practicality purposes a .30-06 with 180 or 200gr bullets will be your best bet. Shoot a moose in the goods with that combo and the rest is simply a matter of manpower and sweat to get the thing home.

A .30 cal mag won't do anything for you in killing department on moose it will increase your point blank range by about 50 yards.

[Gungnir]

H&Hhunter...

Cool you might have just justified my "requirement" for a Barrett M82A1 with Leupold and BORS :)

Seriously though we already have a 30-06 that needs some TLC that will fit the bill great, and the TLC is a lot cheaper than a new 30-06, which fits the budget better.

[1911shooter]

Well lets see considering that moose hunting takes place where bear country over laps i would go with a 338win in a bolt gun and if you are looking at a lever gun a 450 marlin would get my vote.

[Gungnir]

Oh yeah that I know...

When walking the property we saw/heard or smelled 5-6 blackies. There's Grizzlies in there too according to the locals, but we just never saw 'em.

[fineredmist]

You probably will not have a shot more than 75 - 100 yds so a great way to go is with a new lever gun such as a Marlin with a 24" barrel in .45-70 caliber. Mount a low powered (less than 4 power) scope or a good receiver mounted peep sight and you are good to go. A .45-70 with 350 or 405 grain factory loads will work on anything that you can run into. The lever gun will give you a faster follow up shot if you need one and a great deal of firepower should the need arise. A friend has taken moose, elk and bear with this setup and on rare occasion he has need a second shot. The .45-70 is a very old and very reliable cartridge that has been used effectively on large game the world over.

[H&Hhunter]

The .45-70 is a very old and very reliable cartridge that has been used effectively on large game the world over.

Careful with that statement. The .45-70 with VERY specialized ammo has been used effectively on large game the world over. I wouldn't dream of using factory 405 gr soft points on moose or bear. There are some very effective loads for the .45-70 but they are not your average Wal-Mart stuff they are expensive and tough to find most are special order or hand rolled only.

[CHAINGUNMASSACRE]

I have a cousin in Alberta, and he has taken countless moose with the 7mmRem.Mag. I am going with him in less than a year, and was going to take a scoped Mosin Nagant, but he talked me into getting a nice 7mmMag built on on a K98 action with a Douglas barrell and a Nightforce scope that cost me almost as much as the rifle. At the range, I zeroed her 2 in high at 100 yards. I was shooting 3 round cloverleafs at 100 yards and 1.5 in groups at 200 yards. This seems acceptable to me, and he says that with ANY modern controlled expansion bullet, the 7mmRem Mag will dump a moose right now. We'll see. But that cartrige does have excellent ballistics, and a pretty good reputation for most N. American game.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Well lets see considering that moose hunting takes place where bear country over laps i would go with a 338win in a bolt gun and if you are looking at a lever gun a 450 marlin would get my vote.

Nothing wrong with that or the standard .30-06 advice either, but I'll just throw this out there - there may be something to be said for the DPMS LR338 in .338 Federal. A double tap or triple tap of .338 federal in less than 2 seconds should significantly up your odds of survival on a charging grizzly.

The LR-338 "L" version is the short handy lightweight version (18" bbl):

http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/products/?prod=5293

Comes in at just 7.9 lbs empty. But you'd better keep it clean. I wouldn't trust this one in wet/rainy/muddy conditions.

Personally, I'd use a .45-70 levergun in thick country, or a .30-06 or 9.3x62 turnbolt if there are some open areas, because that's what I have. But many other calibers would work too. I hear that .338-06 and .338 win mag are also popular up there. Some would say make sure it's a turnbolt with CRF (CZ 550, Rem 798, Win 70, etc.) if worried about bears.

Chaingun, I could see getting a very long range cartridge gun like 7mm remmag for very open area where plains caribou roam - but dunno if the part of Alaska where he's moving too has those open areas. Typically moose areas are swampy with lots of trees & brush, not just tundra.

H&H, I find it interesting that you wouldn't recommend level 1 .45-70 loadings for moose - I would think that they would work most excellently, particularly the 405 gr Rem load - you don't think they'd penetrate through and through on a moose? I wouldn't use then on a grizzly bear, but meese are thin-skinned, correct (more or less)?

[warriorsociologist]

While I’ll always be a fan of the several “mil-surp calibers” I sometimes hunt with (esp. 7.5x55, .303, and 8x57), I have settled on only 2 main hunting calibers for me and my kids (once they're old enough). Basically, I figure that 7mm-08 does 99%+ of what I need in N.A. However, I also have a CRF .30-06 rifle for when I want a little more insurance (w/ heavier loads). So, while I know YMMV, for moose I'd suggest you grab a .30-06, some good ammo, and clear some space in your freezer. That said, I know of several people who have cleanly taken moose with 7mm-08 (handloaded to .280 specs).

[Water-Man]

A .45-70 405 gr. will kill moose all day long!

[Ridgerunner665]

243...Kidding...

I'd use the same thing I use for everything else...which is a 308.

But just to keep the masses happy I'll say 30-06 would be the "ideal" round.

[H&Hhunter]

A .45-70 405 gr. will kill moose all day long!


Waterman,

How much big game as in elk or larger have you killed with factory Remington 405 gr soft points out of a .45-70. I've killed a bison with them and they are WAY to soft to be depended on for big critters.

No you stiffen up the bullet construction a bit and then I agree you've got your self a dependable moose and bear killer.

[mewachee]

I put three 1 inch plus holes in a large moose two seasons ago. There was over an hour between the first and second. All lung shots, but the moose didn't want to die. didnt' take it down right away.

I think a .270 win with a Barnes bullet would be just as affective as anything else. As in most things, shot placement means more than cartridge. Of course a rifle for killing is different than a weapon for defense.

I have a brother in law who has taken several elk with a .220 swift. He hits were he is aiming, and he kills.

One consideration with the moose, if you can't count on shot placement, shoot solids. I have moose femur bones in my yard for over a year, and the dogs still haven't got through them yet. If you think you might hit the shoulder, then go big and deep.

[Sunray]

"...he talked me into getting a nice 7mm Mag..." Your cousin a firearms sales guy? Your Mosin with the right bullet will drop a moose like a ton of bricks. If you place the bullet right. The .303 British with 175 or 180 grain hunting bullets at about 2400fps, has been one of the standard moose cartridges, up here, for eons. You don't need a magnum, of any kind, for Bullwinkle. He's bigger than an elk, but a .30-06 with a 165 grain hunting bullet will kill him.
Yogi isn't interested in you either. Yogi is not out there looking for people to maul or eat. He avoids people like we avoid smelly trouble makers. You're a smelly trouble maker to Yogi.
"...if you can't count on shot placement, shoot solids..." Rubbish. If you can't place the shot, you shouldn't be hunting. Solids are not the answer to poor shooting. A .270 with any 140 or 150 grain SP hunting bullet will kill a moose with one shot. A Barnes bullets just costs more.
"...I've killed a bison with them and they are WAY to soft to be depended on for big critters..." The buffler go down with one shot? Just curious. Mind you, factory .45-70 is loaded down to BP velocities. Of course, a lot of buffalo were killed with lead bullets and BP.

[Water-Man]

H&Hhunter...My post said nothing about Remington SP.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

H&H, now I'm a bit perplexed by your statement....

How much big game as in elk or larger have you killed with factory Remington 405 gr soft points out of a .45-70. I've killed a bison with them and they are WAY to soft to be depended on for big critters.

Well, since a bison bull can weigh twice what a bull moose does, then I'd say we need to hear the rest of the story - obviously, if it's unreliable for moose, it's WAY too unreliable for bison. So what happened with the bison was hit with the 405 (we're still talking about the Remington Core-Lokt bullet, I believe)? I don't know - I'm not challenging, just asking. I've never killed anything bigger than a whitetail deer.

[NCsmitty]

I would bet that the locals have killed more moose with a 30-30 than with anything else.
My thoughts would be a 35 Whelen as a good choice for all around use.

NCsmitty

[Gungnir]

Forest Service in Alaska and his trophy bear (killed in self defense).

He was out deer hunting last week when a large grizzly bear charged him from about 50 yards away. The guy emptied his 7mm Magnum semi-automatic rifle into the bear and it dropped a few feet from him. The big bear was still alive so he reloaded and shot it several times in the head.

The bear was just over one thousand six hundred pounds. It stood 12' 6" high at the shoulder, 14' to the top of his head. It's the largest grizzly bear ever recorded in the world.

Of course, the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Commission did not let him keep it as a trophy, but the bear will be stuffed and mounted, and placed on display at the Anchorage airport to remind tourists of the risks involved when in the wild.

Based on the contents of the bears stomach, the Fish and Wildlife Commission established the bear had killed at least two humans in the past 72 hours including a missing hiker

The US Forest Service, backtracking from where the bear had originated, found the hiker's 38-caliber pistol emptied. Not far from the pistol were the remains of the hiker. The other body has not been found.

Although the hiker fired six shots and managed to hit the grizzly with four shots (the Service ultimately found four 38 caliber slugs along with twelve 7mm slugs inside the bear's dead body), it only wounded the bear and probably angered it immensely.

The bear killed the hiker an estimated two days prior to the bear's own death by the gun of the Forest Service worker.

Think about this:
If you are an average size man; You would be level with the bear's navel when he stood upright. The bear would look you in the eye when it walked on all fours! To give additional perspective, consider that this particular bear, standing on its hind legs, could walk up to an average single story house and look over the roof, or walk up to a two story house and look in the bedroom windows.

[redrock]

You can kill a Moose with a 30-30 or an old 38-55 Etc. They are Moose not Sherman Tanks. You can get close to them in most cases. They stand around in my yard every winter here on the Bear River. All this being said, you will be hunting other game as well. The need for something to protect yourself from the bears is a concern. My old .338 Win Mag, as served me well for all these needs,:)

[Gungnir]

Since I'm the OP and I've seen what's there, no I'm not afraid of bears. They didn't bother us before, and as long as we follow sensible precautions they won't bother us later. Sunray had it right as far as my experience of bears go, they don't like us and normally leave, and worst case close in with a 12ga Magnum Slug will do the deed. I don't plan on hunting bears for sport, especially not blackies, they don't taste very good.

IMHO based on consensus and mailing some of the Old Timers near my property the 30-06 is the most popular for pretty much everything, and they have them in town (I don't want to drive 100+ miles to Fairbanks to get an ammo-load in case of emergency). Just need to up my marksmanship a little, which isn't a bad thing anyway.

[oldcj5guy]

I've dropped moose with a 30-06. Always opted for a clean shot and the moose were nice enough to fall over and play dead for me.

If you are moving to the boonies of AK, I think I would invest a little money into a reloading setup. Gives you the opportunity to always find the round you want instead of relying on whats in the store. Just buy a good starter kit, brass and bullets before you head up. Buy a good book on reloading to go with it and your set. I be one of your neighbors up there can answer any question you'll have.

Wish you luck with that move. Wish I could head north to settle down.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

redrock, what part of the state are you in?

[Gungnir]

It's definitely the boonies in Alaska I'm moving to. I was thinking of looking into reloading. Just not sure whether I have the time given everything else I need to do.

But what's the worst that can happen (other than blowing myself up :D)

[H&Hhunter]

A .45-70 with 350 or 405 grain factory loads will work on anything that you can run into.


Waterman you are right.

This was from fineredmist,

My apologies sir.

Tad writes,

Well, since a bison bull can weigh twice what a bull moose does, then I'd say we need to hear the rest of the story - obviously, if it's unreliable for moose, it's WAY too unreliable for bison. So what happened with the bison was hit with the 405 (we're still talking about the Remington Core-Lokt bullet, I believe)? I don't know - I'm not challenging, just asking. I've never killed anything bigger than a whitetail deer.

They were Remington 405 gr soft points I don't think they were Corelokt just the plain old vanilla soft point. I've got several hundred of them for cheap reloading. In any case the bison was a cow and weighed about 1100 lbs. The bullet performance was CRAP they over expanded and came apart almost instantly with two body shots. Fortunately the cow stopped on the second shot and my buddy was able to but in a head shot which killed it.

The first two rounds both hit ribs on the entry and barely made it into the on side lung. They were launched at about 1600 FPS MV.

I've killed all kinds of stuff with my .45-70 with proper rounds it is a hammer but the cheap factory stuff is to be avoided on large game. It is anemic and it's to darn soft. It is fine for deer.

[H&Hhunter]

Forest Service in Alaska and his trophy bear (killed in self defense).

He was out deer hunting last week when a large grizzly bear charged him from about 50 yards away. The guy emptied his 7mm Magnum semi-automatic rifle into the bear and it dropped a few feet from him. The big bear was still alive so he reloaded and shot it several times in the head.

The bear was just over one thousand six hundred pounds. It stood 12' 6" high at the shoulder, 14' to the top of his head. It's the largest grizzly bear ever recorded in the world.

Of course, the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Commission did not let him keep it as a trophy, but the bear will be stuffed and mounted, and placed on display at the Anchorage airport to remind tourists of the risks involved when in the wild.

Based on the contents of the bears stomach, the Fish and Wildlife Commission established the bear had killed at least two humans in the past 72 hours including a missing hiker

The US Forest Service, backtracking from where the bear had originated, found the hiker's 38-caliber pistol emptied. Not far from the pistol were the remains of the hiker. The other body has not been found.

Although the hiker fired six shots and managed to hit the grizzly with four shots (the Service ultimately found four 38 caliber slugs along with twelve 7mm slugs inside the bear's dead body), it only wounded the bear and probably angered it immensely.

The bear killed the hiker an estimated two days prior to the bear's own death by the gun of the Forest Service worker.

Think about this:
If you are an average size man; You would be level with the bear's navel when he stood upright. The bear would look you in the eye when it walked on all fours! To give additional perspective, consider that this particular bear, standing on its hind legs, could walk up to an average single story house and look over the roof, or walk up to a two story house and look in the bedroom windows.

Gungir,

That is an internet legend. Checkout snopes that bear was killed with one shot from a .338 win and was on a legal license.

[Gungnir]

Hey just passing it along,:rolleyes:
Isn't that what your supposed to do with Internet/Urban Myths :D

[H&Hhunter]

I know, I know I'm a jerk for raining on this parade BUT in case you are interested here is real story.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/bearhunt.asp

[Ankeny]

If you cant kill it with a 30-06, you should hide. That would make a great bumper sticker.

[elkman06]

I have chalked up two meese w/ 2, 30/06 rounds.

elkman06

[Tycer]

OK, so a year later, how many rounds have you shot out of that 06?

[Gungnir]

Oh...

Lets see about 20 to properly sight it in, and then none, didn't have time this past hunting season, and since I didn't have anywhere to store it, I figured it would keep better on the hoof. Guess it was a little optimistic, in my ability to get here, and get set up for winter, AND go a-moose huntin'

[blackops]

It would depend on the range for me at least. Inside 300, 30-06 180gr. Over 300, 300WM 180-200gr.

[Hunterdad]

My vote is for the .45-70 in a Marlin guide gun. You throw 405 grains at anything in North America, it's going to die as long as you do your part.

[mbt2001]

35 Whelen

FYI, I believe that the moose is the most dangerous (as far as body count) animal in North America. They are fearless, massive and fast.

[Arkansas Paul]

If all I had was my .30-06 and couldn't buy another rifle, I'd take it along in a heartbeat. However, if I was able to purchase a rifle with the specific purpose of hunting moose in Alaska, I would definately go to a larger round, probably a .300 Win Mag. That's just me. Make no mistake though. Even if you're shooting a magnum, it won't make up for poor shot placement. A poorly placed shot is going to result in a long tracking session, reguardless of the caliber.
As far as bang for the buck, you can't go wrong with a Weatherby Vangaurd. Brand new for $400.

[schlockinz]

So, at the ranges that moose seem to be shot at, why are there so many recommendations here for 300winmag on up? At under 300yds, I see no difference really between the two, both are 30 cals, and both can launch the same size bullets.

Use the 30.06, it'll take a moose, it'll take a griz, it will take just about anything that you're gonna run into.

If you end up with more cash, and get a hankering for a new gun, find out what calibers are easily available nearby, maybe a 338 or something fatter. Or a 760 in 30.06

[sleepyone]

That would make a great bumper sticker.
+1 on the bumper sticker idea. the OP already has a .30-06, so let's quit putting foolish notions in his head of buying an "elk" gun thereby causing him to purchase a rifle that he does not need, causing the wife to leave him and take everything he owns including his new elk rifle AND the .30-06 that he could have used in the first place. ;)

[Sunray]

"...If you cant kill it with a 30-06, you should hide..." Exactly. No need for heavy or premium bullets either. Any 165 will do nicely.
"...if you can't count on shot placement..." Don't shoot. Wounded is wounded. Bull moose can be extremely dangerous.

[Kernel]

The .358 Winchester or .338 Federal in a BLR or some kind of stainless bolt.

[mbt2001]

Yep the 30-06 will work fine.

I stand by the 35 whelen, if only for building awareness of this fine caliber. The 30-06 will work, I would recommend the 180 grain bullets.

[tango2echo]

Since this thread is a year old, I guess I will expand on my previous post.

I've talken over a dozen moose (14 to be exact) in parts of Canada, and although they tend not to be quite as large as their Alaskan cousins, any .30 cal should do the job with the right bullet and placement. All but two of mine were killed with a .300WM, the other two with a .270 and a .308. All but one was DRT. That one was a poor shot on my part and hit high. It required trailing and a coup de grace after 200 yards.

My favorite gun/load is a Pre-64 Winchester aforementioned in .300WM with the old Winchester 180gr "FailSafe" bullet. That's a Moose Knocker if there ever was...

Moose are not particularly hard to kill, although the vital zone is not much bigger than a large deer due to the size of the front shoulder. The ribs are as big around as a man's wrist, and the shoulder blade is stout. You want a big heavy bullet moving at good velocity. (.30 cal and up, 180grs and up, 2400fps and up) The .35 Whelen, .308, .30-06, .300, .338 all fill the bill. The higher powered .45-70 loads will do fine, and the 405gr Buffalo Bore load suggested above will wallop the biggest Bullwinkle on the planet.



Going back to your original post, as someone who has worked/hunted/lived/trapped/guided in the Northern bush, Canada not Alaska, you'll find a 12ga and a .22lr much more useful than the big bore. I spent 8 weeks on a winter trapline once with a 12ga, .22lr, and a .300WM. The .22lr saw daily use, but I can never remember taking the .300WM out of the case except to oil.

If you're serious about killing a moose, invest in a good pack board, chainsaw, 3 1/2lb axe, and a block-n-tackle. A gamesled is also helpful. Moose never die where it's "easy" and it is usually in the water/bog/swamp or in a gully/wash-out. Plan on packing 700+ pounds of meat for 3 or more miles. (That would be 14 trips on average, there and back, or 42 miles while packing a 60-70lb pack, 10lb rifle, in hip boots.........in the rain.....and the cold........with the windchill......)

Plenty of guys on here will spout nonsense about why one gun/caliber/mfg/ammo/bullet/etc is better than the next, and some are no-doubt knowledgable on the subject, but few can tell you from first hand experience how much hard darn work killing, cleaning, butchering, and packing a moose is.

Good luck and good shoot'n

t2e

[tc54]

during the years i lived in alaska, i owned a 270 win, 30-06, and a 7mmremmag (all ruger m77's). i used the 270 for several moose, without any problems. got so comfortable with the 270 that i traded the 30-06 and sold the 7mm. 270, 308, 30-06, 7mmremmag all work just fine. larger calibers also work. moose aren't that hard to kill imo.

[Gungnir]

No, while I never hunted this year I saw plenty of dead moose. from 270, 308, 30-06 et.

Can we put this thread back in it's grave now...

[Cosmoline]

Homesteading is a great adventure/potential nightmare. You should keep in mind that there are two different kinds of "Alaska" hunting rifles. There's the rifle a hunter brings for a once-in-a-season (or lifetime) big game hunt and there's the rifle used for the meat bag subsistence hunts. The former rifles tend to be .338 magnums or bigger. Heavy, sure killers with a lot of power up close or at range. The latter rifles tend emphasize portability and practicality over power. They also need to kill a wider range of game. The .30'06 or even 7.62x39 or .223 fill this role for many.

FWIW, in my own time off grid north of Willow, I found that I spent way too much time and money questing for the perfect big game rifle. The overwhelming majority of my hunting time was spent after small game using the CZ 452.

EDIT: sorry didn't see this was another zombie.

[North61]

I use a 358 Norma Magnum and 250 grain bullets as a classic choice. I want the moose to die quickly in a place of my choosing and reasoned that 4000 ft pounds would help me get it done. Processing moose is a lot of work and having maximum influence over were the moose falls down can be important.

Unfortunately, I have noticed that moose hit through the lungs with the 358 die about as quickly as those hit with friends 270's, 308's and 303's. There is often a bit of lag time and then they pile up. In fact my first 358 moose nearly freaked me out as I fired a bullet through him and he never even flinched as he headed for the Alders. I was very rattled as I was sure he would react to the hit. He didn't. He died after about 10-20 seconds but
should no reaction until he keeled over at the Alder line.

The holes through the ribs with my 358 Norma are more impressive however so I'll keep using it. Not sure it makes much difference to the moose however.

[mewachee]

With moose, the size of the hole isn't always the greatest factor. I got a moose a couple of years ago with a bow. I was inside 30 yards, probably 20. I double lunged the creature half way up. I knew where it went, so I found my buddy and had some cocoa. I gave it an hour. I came back, to find it bedded down and alive. The 3 arrow was a little back, got the liver. That is what finally put it down.

I have had bear and dear go less than 50 yards and die. Moose must have an amazing capability to breath with a double lung shot.

[shaggy430]

A friend of mine shot a Montana moose with 30-06 using 165 grain Rem Core-Lokts at about 200 yds. The moose stood straight up on his back legs and then fell over. My dad filmed the shot. Says a lot about the 30-06 and green box Remingtons.

[tango2echo]

I want the moose to die quickly in a place of my choosing


Exactly. Anyone who has ever hunted Moose should understand this.

t2e

[Arkel23]

Go big or go home :D .340 Weatherby!

[Cosmoline]

He died after about 10-20 seconds but should no reaction until he keeled over at the Alder line.

They always seem to take a minute to contemplate their demise. Funny critters.

[T.R.]

I'm not an expert since I've only taken one bull moose. That was many years ago on a hunt in Saskatchewan with a Cree guide. Two shots from my .308 rifle and the animal stumbled, toppled over. Distance was about 150 yards or so. I hunted with 180 grain Remington core-lockt ammo.

In contrast, my guide's hunting rifle was an antique Remington auto-loader in 35 Remington. He has taken dozens of moose and hundreds of caribou with this oldy-but-goody. He stated that two quick shots into the chest organs with just about any good rifle will down a moose. Many hunters in his village are successful with 30-30 carbines. No kidding!

The Jesuit Priest that I met owned a semi-sporterized 303 Enfield rifle with military open sights. He had no trouble downing moose with it.

This is an early autumn photo from Ontario.

My advise: 30-06 for the simple reason that ammo purchase or trade should be easy to arrange. Those 180 grain bullets do not bounce off despite what Boddington, the magnum-only-writer, has to say.

TR

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/rushmoreman/moose.jpg