I talk to my friends about this quite a bit and they disagree with me, but does anyone else here think that moose drop faster than elk even though they are larger? because i see moose all the time soften up on the spot even to a 30-30, while I shoot Elk with a .308 and they will run a small ways, i even had one get away that i tracked for 6 days after what seemed like a hard hit, not a gut shot. I have never lost a moose and they seem to just be DRT when i shoot them. Has anyone else ever noticed the same thing that elk are more tenacious?
Moose and Elk
- Thread starter remington308
- Start date
im glad i am not the only one. i am almost 100% sure i blew out a lung, it ran in the timber before i could pump it anymore. I know the shot i did would have dropped a moose. This is why i am going to buy a .338 for elk and moose, elk especially, even though it could be for the psychological factor, i still feel bad and that was a year and a half ago.
yeah, moose are soft, i hear people say that you need 375's for them but that is bs. some of my relatives drop them DRT with 222.'s, not saying its a good idea but they dont seem to take a hit too well. Although i am going to start hunting with a 338. anyways.
This past season I shot on of each.
The moose was a very large calf. In the 350 lbs range live weight. It was shot at about 75 yards with a 170gr federal blue box ammo. It was in a spot that would have made it very hard to do anything with it had it ran. So I shot it in the hump. Well it dropped in spot because it's spine was in many pieces.
I have have been told lots of stories about elk being "hit well" and they ran off. I wanted to make sure that it never ran so I shot mine with a 338 and 225gr TTSX. The first shot was a double lung shot and you could tell it was sick, It turned and started walking towards the bush so I gave it a quartering shot that hit the liver then the heart then exited through the front of the chest. This dropped the elk.
I then walked up to a very alive elk. I cut it's neck all the way to the bone and it took another 5 minutes before it expired.
Even using a 338 it still took 2 round and had fight left in it.
My vote is elk are more tuff.
The moose was a very large calf. In the 350 lbs range live weight. It was shot at about 75 yards with a 170gr federal blue box ammo. It was in a spot that would have made it very hard to do anything with it had it ran. So I shot it in the hump. Well it dropped in spot because it's spine was in many pieces.
I have have been told lots of stories about elk being "hit well" and they ran off. I wanted to make sure that it never ran so I shot mine with a 338 and 225gr TTSX. The first shot was a double lung shot and you could tell it was sick, It turned and started walking towards the bush so I gave it a quartering shot that hit the liver then the heart then exited through the front of the chest. This dropped the elk.
I then walked up to a very alive elk. I cut it's neck all the way to the bone and it took another 5 minutes before it expired.
Even using a 338 it still took 2 round and had fight left in it.
My vote is elk are more tuff.
I have been privileged to hunt the two species extensively.
Have also been along on numerous other hunts for Moose & Elk.
Elk seem to have more will to keep moving than do Moose.
That being said, a double lunged "either" does not go far.
A moose will stand after the shot, and then collapse when it goes to take a step.
An elk often takes off like it was stung, but soon dies if the shot was good.
I shot a nice bull elk on the dead run at about 65 yards, he sped up for about 50 yards and died in mid-stride. he fell and slid on the snow, dead as could be.
Never lost one of either species, but lost a smallish muley because I was in too big a hurry to follow it up.
Regards, Eagleye.
Have also been along on numerous other hunts for Moose & Elk.
Elk seem to have more will to keep moving than do Moose.
That being said, a double lunged "either" does not go far.
A moose will stand after the shot, and then collapse when it goes to take a step.
An elk often takes off like it was stung, but soon dies if the shot was good.
I shot a nice bull elk on the dead run at about 65 yards, he sped up for about 50 yards and died in mid-stride. he fell and slid on the snow, dead as could be.
Never lost one of either species, but lost a smallish muley because I was in too big a hurry to follow it up.
Regards, Eagleye.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I believe they take about he same TIME to kill with equal shot placement.
Both will always drop with a spine shot. A moose however has way more "spine" because of the long dorsal projections on the thoracic vertebrae - or "hump". A shot there usually provides enough shock to the spinal cord to drop the moose. And a moose has a spine located much lower in the chest, and so a shot directly to the spine is more common with moose than elk.
Both take 10-20 seconds to die from a double lung or heart shot. It takes that much time for either critters brain to run out of oxygen. BUT - a moose will be much more likely to stand on one spot or take only a few steps after a good lung shot, and an elk nearly always makes a quick dash for cover. They aren't more or less "tough" they just have different temperaments and different responses to a threat.
Both will always drop with a spine shot. A moose however has way more "spine" because of the long dorsal projections on the thoracic vertebrae - or "hump". A shot there usually provides enough shock to the spinal cord to drop the moose. And a moose has a spine located much lower in the chest, and so a shot directly to the spine is more common with moose than elk.
Both take 10-20 seconds to die from a double lung or heart shot. It takes that much time for either critters brain to run out of oxygen. BUT - a moose will be much more likely to stand on one spot or take only a few steps after a good lung shot, and an elk nearly always makes a quick dash for cover. They aren't more or less "tough" they just have different temperaments and different responses to a threat.
live4therut
CGN frequent flyer
Good shot placement is all that matters with both species. Elk are much more elusive and easier to spook. From personal experience the moose tend to want to lay down to cool off the wound if not shot well. Elk want to get away from what ever just went bang and adrenaline helps them do it. This guy went 100yrds on a full run after a double lung
He's no world record but good enough in my book
He's no world record but good enough in my book
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Moose are geared different about 2.78 to 1, takes time to get going.
Elk are more like 4.11 to 1 with a high rpm stall, just go!!!
Elk are more like 4.11 to 1 with a high rpm stall, just go!!!
I am surprised by this post. I do not have heaps of experience with shooting both but from what I have heard and seen I would have thought moose were a bit harder to drop than elk.
I wonder if there are any HARd facts on this question.
I wonder if there are any HARd facts on this question.
As I already posted, it might seem this way, but in personal experience,
[50+ moose and close to 40 Elk] the moose have hit the ground sooner overall than have the elk.
Like Kelly Timoffee stated, the Elk seem a bit more high strung than moose, and tend to bolt at the shot, whereas moose often just stand around for a bit, then tip over.
As Longwalker said, the real time difference it takes them to die is negligible, but the elk is more often covering ground during that time.
Furthest I have had to follow a double lunged elk is about 100 yards.
Moose about 60 yards.
Eagleye.
a moose will stop and look right at you, i've had many mug for the camera over the years- this would be INCREDIBLY STUPID outside of the national parks, or in hunting season, but elk incredibly vanish in the time it takes you to pull up your binocs off your chest to take a good look-even in the off season- you'll be rinding along, spot a herd, think i'd like to get a pic or 2, and guess what/- no elk-
