rifle calibers to hunt moose in the NE

[rpm4463]

I've started applying for moose tags in ME, VT, and NH. I was curious of any suggestions of calibers for hunting these areas. IN BC and Alaska many people talk about large 300's or 338s, but most shots in the NE are at shorter ranges because of the thick cover. I've heard of people using 30-30 in some cases. I was thinking of my 308 with a 180 gr because I prefer a lighter recoil, it is a handy rifle, and I have confidence in it. Most people seem to prefer a heavier bullet rather than a larger caliber.

Just looking for some input from folks.

 

[Matt Cashell]

Any normal deer/elk caliber 6.5mm and up will work just fine. Take what you shoot the best.

"Hard" bullets like monolithic, partitioned, and bonded designs provide a little penetration insurance as well.

A hard 180 or 165 out of the .308 would be a fine choice.

 

[tstowater]

I'm into stopping power, but that being said, shoot as big of a gun as you can comfortably handle. If money is not an object, you can buy or build something bigger than the 308 without much more recoil and maybe less.

A well-placed 180gr. Nosler Partition or Barnes Tipped triple shock out of the 308 will kill the moose dead. The "bigger" guns are insurance, but you need to be able to shoot them. I personally shoot a 300WSM and would have no problem taking the gun on a moose hunt. The 300WSM would be bigger, but not materially bigger, than the 308 for your intended application. Based on the states you have chosen, you biggest problem willl be getting drawn. Good luck.

Now, if you are looking for an excuse to buy another gun, that would be a different story and I can assure you that BB and others here would be glad to help spend your money.

 

[cmeier117]

If you haven't already go watch the moose hunting trip video BB went on. It was filmed very well and shows the hits on his bull Moose. I agree with what he said though, you don't need a .338. That said if I ever get the money and draw a tag I will be taking my Weatherby .340 with 200+ grain bullets. You can never be too safe.

 

[Shrek]

I'd take the 308 you have confidence in and never look back. 165gr or 180gr nosler partition will knock'em dead.

 

[HellsCanyon]

I'd take the 308 you have confidence in and never look back. 165gr or 180gr nosler partition will knock'em dead.

X2, Just limit your shots to a few hundred yards, but in that country I imagine long shots are fairly rare?

Mike

 

[Mckinnon]

x2, just use what you are comfortable with, get to a range you are comfortable with, and put it in the right spot!

 

[fillthefreezer]

i think my favorite quote on subjects such as these are ".338s will kill it so dead it will go back and die tomorrow"

 

[HellsCanyon]

i think my favorite quote on subjects such as these are ".338s will kill it so dead it will go back and die tomorrow"

Ha! I still like to say overkill is underrated....

Mike

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

You will have no problem with your .308. I have killed three moose with a .270 and my dad killed 2 more with his .270 (130 grain bullets). From our experience, moose are not nearly as tough of an animal as an elk. Moose don't tend to take lead and run for 2 miles like an elk can. Just keep your shots around 250 yards or less.

 

[cmeier117]

You will have no problem with your .308. I have killed three moose with a .270 and my dad killed 2 more with his .270 (130 grain bullets). From our experience, moose are not nearly as tough of an animal as an elk. Moose don't tend to take lead and run for 2 miles like an elk can. Just keep your shots around 250 yards or less.

If you watch the video of BB moose hunt that is exactly what happened. So just pump a few more round in him! .308 will be plenty.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

If you watch the video of BB moose hunt that is exactly what happened. So just pump a few more round in him! .308 will be plenty.

To clarify for the OP, the moose in BB's video took a few steps and required follow-up shots. BTW......I'd love to do that kind of DIY Alaska moose hunt some day!

My Yukon bull went about 70 yards on a marginal running shot after bailing off my horse as the bull was running into the timber. I went in the timber a few yards and killed him at at close range. Moose may require a follow-up shot, but from what I have seen moose don't have the tendency that elk do of covering a lot of ground when hit marginally.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I think they are pretty tough, actually. Our three bulls absorbed solid double-lung hits on the first shot (7 RM and two 300 RUMs). All three took three shots before tipping over. I do think my bull would have died quickly from the first shot, but I wasn't going to let him run anywhere.

I have heard horror stories of them travelling a long ways wounded. Regardless of caliber choice, my recommendation would be to shoot until they're down.

 

[tstowater]

Ha! I still like to say overkill is underrated....

Mike

I like overkill.... especially on prairie dogs.

 

[HellsCanyon]

I like overkill.... especially on prairie dogs.

Last time I killed rockchucks was with 168 VLD's... not near as "reactive" as the 162 Amaxs. They tend to frag on contact which makes for some high flying 'chucks!

Sorry for the thread jack!

Matt, a common thing with moose sized animals is that people want a bullet that retains a lot of it's weight and has good penetration... I'd be real curious to see how a 210 Berger at 3100+fps would do on a moose. I think if you put it behind the shoulder they'd go down like a ton of bricks because of the massive internal damage of that bullet.... shoulder hit might be a different story but I still think you would get past that shoulder blade...? What do you think?

Mike

 

[Yellowknife]

Ok... it time for an Alaskan to say something on this thread, just because.

Having been involved in butchering... ahh.. well... Ok, I ran out of fingers and toes... lets just say a "whole bunch" of dead moose, I have typically observed that caliber is pretty unimportant. They will usually suck up the first hit without even flinching, and that includes the ones I used a .375 H&H on. I've even had them walk away with both shoulders broken. As observed by others on this thread, they rarely go far.

I've killed a moose with .308 win, and it died with one shot... after standing around for 20-30 sec per usual. Also used and or witnessed moose killed with .270, 7mm RM, .300 WM, .338, .375, and many many with 30-06's. I choose a '06 most of the time now, but haven't noticed enough (actually ANY) difference between them to worry about. Alaska moose anyway seem to be too big to be impressed with "shock" or "knock-down" as far as I can tell, so it's just a matter of driving a good bullet through the lungs and waiting for them to bleed out. Doesn't take long. I'll do a follow-up shot if I get the chance, just because the insurance never hurts.

Yk

 

[Matt Cashell]

Mike,

I have killed a bull elk with a 185 VLD and have seen several other critters killed with them. I think they work differently than other bullets, and my personal observations are in line with John Barsness' article on their performance.

That is, they penetrate a few inches, fragment, and a portion of the bullet continues penetrating after fragmentation. My bull had a small entrance hole, small exit hole, and significant lung damage. I did not hit any significant bone, but I do think a 210 Berger would penetrate a moose scapula fairly easily.

My moose's lungs were ribbons after shot number one, but he didn't seem to care. Shot #2 broke BOTH shoulders, and he just stood back up on the less broken leg. Pretty tough critters.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Mike,

I have killed a bull elk with a 185 VLD and have seen several other critters killed with them. I think they work differently than other bullets, and my personal observations are in line with John Barsness' article on their performance.

That is, they penetrate a few inches, fragment, and a portion of the bullet continues penetrating after fragmentation. My bull had a small entrance hole, small exit hole, and significant lung damage. I did not hit any significant bone, but I do think a 210 Berger would penetrate a moose scapula fairly easily.

My moose's lungs were ribbons after shot number one, but he didn't seem to care. Shot #2 broke BOTH shoulders, and he just stood back up on the less broken leg. Pretty tough critters.

Dang that is tough...

We've killed elk and deer with the 168 Bergers and bear with the 210's (small bear + 3150 fps 210 VLD about tore his leg off)... Performance has been like you said. I recovered both copper jackets from my bear and deer this year from the 168's and as you say the lead core fragmented inside the animal causing massive internal damage while the copper jacket continued on.
Here's a deer from 2 years ago shot with my rifle at 260 yards with the 168 VLD. No bones were hit and this is what was left of the heart... small entrance, exit was about 1.25" wide.


Mike

 

[Ray]

For moose any heavy for caliber bullet in .30 or larger will kill.

In woods hunting in the NE I would probably take my .358 Winchester or 30-06.

 

[Manosteel]

I have been hunting Canadian moose my whole life and I have seen them taken with well placed .243 shoots to .338's that made my head ring.

When I was younger I used the .308 for a decade with no issues, my dad still uses his trusty 30-30 to this day, ( he hunts thick bush during the rut and the shots I've seen him take were all under 200 yards and most less than a 100 - the primary reason I started bow hunting 20 years ago is because we got them in so close) I had a 300 Win mag for a while but shaw no difference in kills, dead is dead.

Now, if I use a rifle it's my savage .270, shots like a dream with Minimal kick and I have taken lots of game with it from moose, elk to deer and bear out to 300 yards. (Not into long range shooting )

Shoot what's comfortable and accurate for you. Pick your shoot well and enjoy the hunt.