What Caliber for Moose?
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jim in Anchorage
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[QUOTEI was talking to a gun in our gunshop some yeago.][/ars QUOTE]Do you talk to all of them?
Seriously I have hunted the same river valley since 1996 and have only used a Win pre-64l this is a fly in float out trip, I do not want a certain other rifle company's hair pin extractor breaking on me]in 30-06,180 nosler partition. Never problem. They may go a few yds[always toward water,it seems] and I may do a 2nd shot,but never lost one. The key is a premium,LARGE game bullet like the Nosler,not the caliper. I have some friends that come up from the lower 48 every couple years for the hunt,and it never fails, despite my pleas not to one will bring a super-duper utra mag something loaded wth bullets intended for deer. And they lose moose. In one case a HEARTBREAKING large moose.
Seriously I have hunted the same river valley since 1996 and have only used a Win pre-64l this is a fly in float out trip, I do not want a certain other rifle company's hair pin extractor breaking on me]in 30-06,180 nosler partition. Never problem. They may go a few yds[always toward water,it seems] and I may do a 2nd shot,but never lost one. The key is a premium,LARGE game bullet like the Nosler,not the caliper. I have some friends that come up from the lower 48 every couple years for the hunt,and it never fails, despite my pleas not to one will bring a super-duper utra mag something loaded wth bullets intended for deer. And they lose moose. In one case a HEARTBREAKING large moose.usmc1371
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I guess if i lived in AK and could hunt moose pretty much every year I would be willing to use a varmint rifle and wait for the absultely perfect head shot. But since I live in Oregon and have to spend huge money to hunt AK moose I will show up with the same ruger 300 wm that I shoot everything else with. The same 300 that I shoot just as well as my .204. I like knowing that I have enough gun and tough enough bullet to take a less than broad side shot and make it to and through the vitals at a reasonable range. IMHO I just wouldn't wont to bet a very spendy hunt on a round I normaly use for coyotes when I intend to shoot a very large animal.
jim in Anchorage
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Its a little easier in a "any moose" area,bou. 50inch/4 brow tines are a little harder to find,and you have to take the shot you get.
BENELLIMONTE
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The only moose I shot was a 2yr. old Shiras cow near Palisades Reservoir on the Idaho/Wyoming border. It was the size of a spike elk. I brought it down with my 270 Win and 3 150 grain Barnes X bullets. Moose in Alaska are at least 50-75% bigger than the Shiras moose. The few friends that I know that have lived, hunted and shot Alaskan moose all used 338 Win Mags with 250 grain Noslers or 250 grain Hornady bullets. Moose are "slow" to realize they have been mortally wounded so keep on shooting till they "stop & drop".
Cpt. America
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.300 win mag would be my choice.
Woodsmaster
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My latest rifle was a "Moose Gun" according to the previous owner. It's a Remington 7400 in 30/06. He used it in Maine with 220 grain bullets.
Hey everybody, long time reader but this is my first post.
I am from NL Canada, and have killed 5 moose in my lifetime and participated in many, many, more hunts(at least one a year for the past 23-24 yrs.). All of mine have been killed with a remington 7400 in 30-06 with 180 gr bullets of different types. None of them have went more than 10-15 yrds when shot. I have seen them shot with everything from a 12ga slug to a 243,30-30, 270, 303, 308, 7.62 x 54R, 30-06, 7mm rem mag, up to 300 win mag. The end result have always been the same when the shot is put where it should be.
I am from NL Canada, and have killed 5 moose in my lifetime and participated in many, many, more hunts(at least one a year for the past 23-24 yrs.). All of mine have been killed with a remington 7400 in 30-06 with 180 gr bullets of different types. None of them have went more than 10-15 yrds when shot. I have seen them shot with everything from a 12ga slug to a 243,30-30, 270, 303, 308, 7.62 x 54R, 30-06, 7mm rem mag, up to 300 win mag. The end result have always been the same when the shot is put where it should be.
caribou
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I have NEVER herd of a Moose charging a hunter, ever.
Moose are in the way around here, among the houses in the villages and citys, and on the narrow trails...
What is dangerous are COW Moose with babies. You cant hunt them, either. they will stomp you ASAP.
Moose in the Road , being hit by cars kill plenty of people each yeer.
Now maby calling a Rut mad ball busting Bull may to come over with Romantic intentions, and have his "show on" pawing, swing their heads, thrashing the land and trees, "Whaaa, Whaaa, Whaaaaa",,ing about, but they leave as soo as they identify you as "unmateable"...~~LOL!!~~ We will call them as close as we can for fun, just because we can.
I shoot Moose, Bears and Caribou in the head, and the neck is a close second. My 243 was a rifle I fed my family with, because it was very accurate with rem 100gr coreloks
(aint 6.5 =.243 in size?)
I now do so with a .30cal Mosin,because of its accuracy, but I shoot them in the same place. I care not for antlers.
Shot in the head, cut out the tounge and we left with the meat.
I shoot Fat moose, and Im not restricted as folks in other parts of AK, like Jiminanchorage, where they have to determine the spreds size BEFORE shooting them. Thats a pain.
I also shoot Moose BEFORE Rut,so they taste good, and the Bulls arnt callable.
You only need a Guide for Brown Bear, Sheep and Goats in Alaska, unless you are lucky enough to live here.
If I see a Bear , Moose hunting is over, and Bear hunting begins!!
If a Wolf pack were to appear ,well it's "YEEE HAWW!!" Id forget the Moose and chase down the fur!!
Find your Moose, take a rifle you can hit with,( a 30-06 will do fine,) make your shot and have a good time.
Moose are in the way around here, among the houses in the villages and citys, and on the narrow trails...
What is dangerous are COW Moose with babies. You cant hunt them, either. they will stomp you ASAP.
Moose in the Road , being hit by cars kill plenty of people each yeer.
Now maby calling a Rut mad ball busting Bull may to come over with Romantic intentions, and have his "show on" pawing, swing their heads, thrashing the land and trees, "Whaaa, Whaaa, Whaaaaa",,ing about, but they leave as soo as they identify you as "unmateable"...~~LOL!!~~ We will call them as close as we can for fun, just because we can.
I shoot Moose, Bears and Caribou in the head, and the neck is a close second. My 243 was a rifle I fed my family with, because it was very accurate with rem 100gr coreloks
(aint 6.5 =.243 in size?)
I now do so with a .30cal Mosin,because of its accuracy, but I shoot them in the same place. I care not for antlers.
Shot in the head, cut out the tounge and we left with the meat.
I shoot Fat moose, and Im not restricted as folks in other parts of AK, like Jiminanchorage, where they have to determine the spreds size BEFORE shooting them. Thats a pain.
I also shoot Moose BEFORE Rut,so they taste good, and the Bulls arnt callable.
You only need a Guide for Brown Bear, Sheep and Goats in Alaska, unless you are lucky enough to live here.
If I see a Bear , Moose hunting is over, and Bear hunting begins!!
If a Wolf pack were to appear ,well it's "YEEE HAWW!!" Id forget the Moose and chase down the fur!!
Find your Moose, take a rifle you can hit with,( a 30-06 will do fine,) make your shot and have a good time.
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jim in Anchorage
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I think that one in your pic hit 50 inch. No tape measure required. Nice score. When do I get one like that?
jim in Anchorage
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PS how many brow tines?
Silverado6x6
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I live out in the Mat-Su valley about 13 miles north of Wasilla, we have the seasonal cow and calf all the time on my property, on the occasion when I thought it may be necessary to drop one I would have used my 870 with a rifled slug, reason is I do not want a high speed round hitting a neighbors house, I have literally many times walked out in the dark early morning and have found myself just yards away from a moose, they like to lick the road salt off the truck.
I dropped one years ago while I was literally inside my living room in my underwear using my Ruger M77 Mk 2 stainless .338, instant drop and kill, the bullet probably did a through and through.
With new bullet technology like the Barnes Triple shocks, I am thinking even a .223 would be sufficient, in Alaska our moose have very thick hides to be able to survive the long cold winters, I know because I have skinned them, next time I am using a cordless sawzall.
So I would say not all moose are equal, you have Alaskan moose,lower 48 moose, fast charging momma human stomping moose, big moose with perfect racks a lonnnng way away and skinny runts tonguing your SUV.
Now me living in Alaska I would say a controlled round fed bolt action like the Ruger or pre-64 Winchester or Mauser actions in .338 would be the best overall candidate. I prefer my Ruger with a newer Hogue stock and a Trijicon fiber optic scope with the illuminated triangle on a post, quick to aim and illuminates without batteries. Same for my Winchester Model 70 in .375H&H.
I dropped one years ago while I was literally inside my living room in my underwear using my Ruger M77 Mk 2 stainless .338, instant drop and kill, the bullet probably did a through and through.
With new bullet technology like the Barnes Triple shocks, I am thinking even a .223 would be sufficient, in Alaska our moose have very thick hides to be able to survive the long cold winters, I know because I have skinned them, next time I am using a cordless sawzall.
So I would say not all moose are equal, you have Alaskan moose,lower 48 moose, fast charging momma human stomping moose, big moose with perfect racks a lonnnng way away and skinny runts tonguing your SUV.
Now me living in Alaska I would say a controlled round fed bolt action like the Ruger or pre-64 Winchester or Mauser actions in .338 would be the best overall candidate. I prefer my Ruger with a newer Hogue stock and a Trijicon fiber optic scope with the illuminated triangle on a post, quick to aim and illuminates without batteries. Same for my Winchester Model 70 in .375H&H.
jim in Anchorage
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In 14a? Tier II? A buddy of mine got a cow off Clark- Wolverine road last year,but he was tier II.[lived in Sutton 25+ years] not available to us city Anchorage folk. I can shoot moose all day in my yard, as long as ADFG doesn't know.
jim in Anchorage
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I can't stop looking at that picture. Not just size, but beautiful symmetry on each side of the rack also. I never thought I would say this in April,but I can't wait for September! Thanks.
caribou
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LOL!
I rode past them the other day, someone made a trail marker out of them, on a tripod..... a new use for Moose antlers!!
someday, after the antlers have dryed and the skull is picked clean i might go get it and some just as big/bigger, and carve them into cool sellable "stuff".
Im on Kobuk River, Jim, in Noorvik. Few eskimos hunt Moose, and they are plentyfull.
We have 400,000 Caribou around, and we can get what we need without going after Moose. I gave away alot and kept some choice cuts for myself. not many people here will eat more than a meal or two.
If you find yourself up this way, drop in Jim, the coffees on.
I rode past them the other day, someone made a trail marker out of them, on a tripod..... a new use for Moose antlers!!
someday, after the antlers have dryed and the skull is picked clean i might go get it and some just as big/bigger, and carve them into cool sellable "stuff".
Im on Kobuk River, Jim, in Noorvik. Few eskimos hunt Moose, and they are plentyfull.
We have 400,000 Caribou around, and we can get what we need without going after Moose. I gave away alot and kept some choice cuts for myself. not many people here will eat more than a meal or two.
If you find yourself up this way, drop in Jim, the coffees on.
Silverado6x6
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When the snow piles up further on in the hills the moose come down into the valley, we have these signs all over of statistics of how many moose are hit by vehicles per year, the railroad does hit a lot I have heard. Yes Jim what fish and feathers doesn't know won't hurt them.
I bet a lot of people from the lower 48 would go into shock if they knew the amount of roadkill Alaskans eat up here, and I am not talking about pavement possum but the moose that are struck by vehicles usually in the dark winter months. Most of the time a call is sent out to many volunteer groups that come out with a trailer and they winch the carcass aboard so they can harvest the meat for charity, at temps below freezing and often well below what a commercial deep freezer puts out the meat has minimal chances of spoiling if harvested quickly. I could live on moose forever, its so lean we have to add fat to make sausages.
I always have respect about any cow/calf encounter, I saw first hand a cow trample a man to death in downtown Anchorage many years ago, people were complacent and thought of the moose as a local pet. I wish someday our state would realize what a cash crop moose could be meat wise for export, we have plenty of grazing areas north of Anchorage that used to be dairy farms, to me moose meat is much better than cattle meat unless you prefer good old fashioned marbled steaks then the beef wins hands down.
I bet a lot of people from the lower 48 would go into shock if they knew the amount of roadkill Alaskans eat up here, and I am not talking about pavement possum but the moose that are struck by vehicles usually in the dark winter months. Most of the time a call is sent out to many volunteer groups that come out with a trailer and they winch the carcass aboard so they can harvest the meat for charity, at temps below freezing and often well below what a commercial deep freezer puts out the meat has minimal chances of spoiling if harvested quickly. I could live on moose forever, its so lean we have to add fat to make sausages.
I always have respect about any cow/calf encounter, I saw first hand a cow trample a man to death in downtown Anchorage many years ago, people were complacent and thought of the moose as a local pet. I wish someday our state would realize what a cash crop moose could be meat wise for export, we have plenty of grazing areas north of Anchorage that used to be dairy farms, to me moose meat is much better than cattle meat unless you prefer good old fashioned marbled steaks then the beef wins hands down.
Amen to that brother. I would rather have what most people think is overgunned than the vice versa. I could get by just fine with one of my 308's or 30-06's but I think my 300 WBY or 300 RUM would be the least I would take, thank you very much. much.
LGB
caribou
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Roadkill Cafe, Anchorage AK.....
In Alaska , we can use any centerfire cartridge, and most people here are year 'round hunters.
I hunt for a living, 21 years now, and Ive dropped ALOT of BrownBears with a .243w
Ive posted alot of pix here, of just that.
Shot placement is the key, always is, always will be.
Now there is the factor of using a good bullet, and rem 100gr. corelocks will zing through a Bear and lodge under the skin on the other side.
I use an M-39 mosin and Czeck LPS FMJ's and they will go through the Bear and keep going.
Im only speaking through experiance and first hand.
Bigger is not always better, but if it makes you feel safer, and you can place the shot, USE IT.
There is NOTHING on the North American contenent that a 30-06 cant kill, so if your new to the game, I reccomend that as your starting cartridge.
If you cant kill it with a 30-06, you should hide.
In Alaska , we can use any centerfire cartridge, and most people here are year 'round hunters.
I hunt for a living, 21 years now, and Ive dropped ALOT of BrownBears with a .243w
Ive posted alot of pix here, of just that.
Shot placement is the key, always is, always will be.
Now there is the factor of using a good bullet, and rem 100gr. corelocks will zing through a Bear and lodge under the skin on the other side.
I use an M-39 mosin and Czeck LPS FMJ's and they will go through the Bear and keep going.
Im only speaking through experiance and first hand.
Bigger is not always better, but if it makes you feel safer, and you can place the shot, USE IT.
There is NOTHING on the North American contenent that a 30-06 cant kill, so if your new to the game, I reccomend that as your starting cartridge.
If you cant kill it with a 30-06, you should hide.
jim in Anchorage
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I may take you up on that. Is there a close strip I can get a 172 on? Paved or gravel?
jim in Anchorage
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You have to remember caribou is in a "any moose" area. He can shoot a cow wandering tru camp. You will most likely be confined to a bull with a 50 inch or greater rack spread,and the only one you see in a week of hunting may be 400 yards away. Do not bring a .223 on a once in a life time hunt!
caribou
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#1, if its your once ina life time hunt, bring a .270+, that way, its all up to you placing the shot. The ,223 is gonna require you getting close, and with the larger calibers, y0u can extend your range and still get what you want. I have the option of hunting another day if things are too far away, and you may not.
Just dont mistake size as an equalizer for bad shooting. Too many fall victem to using too large a caliber, and just cant shoot comfortable enough to be confidant in anything more than the fact thats its powerfull.
The rifle must be an extention of YOU, and you must place that shot, so do it with a caliber you are able to effectivly shoot.
#2, Jim, Im in Noorvik, surrounded by a jumble of propertys, though we Wilderness, Mouments and National parks as well, all around. They = public lands.
I do know the Kiwalik drainage, VERY WELL, (s well as I know Kobuk River),and the Kiwalik is 100% state lands, as I have hunted that valley for 20 years now, and our Salmon camp is there. If youir 172 has fat tires and you can land on sandbars, its near a done deal.
Im in Noorvik, and we have a strip, and soon they are talking aboout building a crosswind.
I know alot of strips in this region, that have no XXXX
I aint got lots $$$ but I do know how to work hard and get on the Moose. I even have boats, and getting up either the Kobuk or Kiwalik is very doable.
I hunt for meat, and will not hunt a Moose in rut, so late august, early sept to mid sept is a huntable time for me. any later and I will point you in the right direction and wish you luck.
Just dont mistake size as an equalizer for bad shooting. Too many fall victem to using too large a caliber, and just cant shoot comfortable enough to be confidant in anything more than the fact thats its powerfull.
The rifle must be an extention of YOU, and you must place that shot, so do it with a caliber you are able to effectivly shoot.
#2, Jim, Im in Noorvik, surrounded by a jumble of propertys, though we Wilderness, Mouments and National parks as well, all around. They = public lands.
I do know the Kiwalik drainage, VERY WELL, (s well as I know Kobuk River),and the Kiwalik is 100% state lands, as I have hunted that valley for 20 years now, and our Salmon camp is there. If youir 172 has fat tires and you can land on sandbars, its near a done deal.
Im in Noorvik, and we have a strip, and soon they are talking aboout building a crosswind.
I know alot of strips in this region, that have no XXXX
I aint got lots $$$ but I do know how to work hard and get on the Moose. I even have boats, and getting up either the Kobuk or Kiwalik is very doable.
I hunt for meat, and will not hunt a Moose in rut, so late august, early sept to mid sept is a huntable time for me. any later and I will point you in the right direction and wish you luck.
jim in Anchorage
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May try the strip at Noorvik this summer,if AV gas stays reasonable. Me and a friend are looking for some new places to go to.Is there any kind of restaurant in walking distance of the village strip?
caribou
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Nope, no resteraunts here, no AV gas sales, just 2 stores, one is a mom and Pop operation, one is run by our IRA.
A school and post office, a city building round out our town, and a whole lotta Eskimo's..
I have a couch, coffee and something is always cooking that I killed personal like, and all are available, should you stop in.
The only town that has services is Kotzebue, 65 miles west, Nome 350 miles south or to the North, Barrow up yonder 400 miles.
When you get an idea of what you wanna do, PM me, i can point you in a good direction and give you names of people I know and trust and who can and will help, should you find yourself hunting in this area....1/2 are my relatives..~~LOL!!~~
A school and post office, a city building round out our town, and a whole lotta Eskimo's..
I have a couch, coffee and something is always cooking that I killed personal like, and all are available, should you stop in.
The only town that has services is Kotzebue, 65 miles west, Nome 350 miles south or to the North, Barrow up yonder 400 miles.
When you get an idea of what you wanna do, PM me, i can point you in a good direction and give you names of people I know and trust and who can and will help, should you find yourself hunting in this area....1/2 are my relatives..~~LOL!!~~
For whatever reasons--size I reckon mostly--moose are way overated regarding toughness. I shot the first 3 with a .338 Win, and initially was worried about enough firepower. Observing their reactions, I began to wonder. Since, I've shot them with such as a .44 Mag pistol (a BIG one--maybeso to small) and a .58 round ball muzzle loader (plenty). Listen to what Caribou says. Moose ain't tough critters. I wouldn't feel a bit undergunned with my .300 Savage. Poke the hole in the right place and start working (plenty of that ahead!!!)
Have fun and good luck to you!
Have fun and good luck to you!
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