Got a moose tag (now the search begins)Updade post 20 with pics

Jayph

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Finally got drawn for the trophy area by my place. I'll be able to hunt the early season on my days off and got 7 days booked in the late season to give it a go at finding a big bull. Last time out in another zone I settled for a cow on the second last day (my belly didn't mind)

Last year in deer season I seen three with 50" or better spreads I know one was shot forsure (just over 59") Hoping the other two made it through too this year. I seen another one from distance that I couldn't even guess a score but it looked like he was carrying tables on his head. Only seen him once though and from far away.

I wasn't really expecting to get drawn this year and got caught with a couple safes with varmint and deer rifles but nothing for larger game. So my search starts.

I have taken moose with .270 win .30-06 sprg and .300 win mag with success in the past. I know if you drive any good bullet through the boiler room they will be in the freezer.

I am having a problem finding a rifle I really want to buy.

I hate light rifles! every darn rifle it seems are trying to be as light as possible. All my rifles sport medium to heavy barrels and are 9lbs or heavier scoped and loaded. I put alot of miles on my feet in a day but Iam still young and when it comes time to shoot Iam more accurate and comfortable with a heavier rifle.

I need stainless! My skin oils can surface rust bluing and other finishes just by getting close.

I would like to play with a new cartridge just for fun. I will be hunting out my back door and handload so finding factory ammo in backwood stores is of little concern.

I was eyeing up a Browning X-bolt stainless stalker in 7mm WSM But it was just way to light. I use to be a Remington guy but was not that happy with what I seen on the shelves. I thought Sako would be a given but for the price the two I handled were handed right back as they felt very cheap for the money. It was the synthetic stainless 85 and the finnlight. Stocks reminded me of something you find on a savage, and the action was not as smooth as I remember the older sako's being. I liked the new winchester's but the stainless model's stock didn't fit me very well and the rest were blued.

anybody want to toss out any ideas for a cartridge or rifle to try out Iam all ears. I have been reading good things about 325WSM and 375 Ruger but don't know if I want to deal with that much recoil? But have never fired one.

Hopefully I will be able to update this post later with a nice photo of a moose and new rifle.
 
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What rifles do you have now?

here is a good one...

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=628283

Savage in a McMillan A-5 in .223 Rem
Savage in a HS Precision in .220 AI
Remington 700 in a McMillan in .25-06 Rem
Remington 700 Custom in .308 Win (15lbs or I would use it)
Remington model 7 based custom in .260 Rem (this was made for my better half and is way too short and thin for me)
And a bunch of rimfires and some other varmint rifles.

I sold off all my big game rifles with the idea of building custom / semi custom rifle like my varmint rifles but I wasn't expecting to get drawn this year and don't have any time to get the rifle done and ready to go.

That ruger is nice and the price is good but the ones I held in the store felt like the action was loose (although Iam sure function was fine) and the stock just felt small and thin to me. (Iam 6' 6" with big hands)

Open to trying any cartridge except the ones listed above aswell as .270 win .30-06 sprg 8x57mm mauser and .300 win mag as I have once upon a time owned them aswell
 
How about the new Winchester Model 70? I bought one this season and Ill think its better than the 700s I own. Nice action, lots of finish and stock choices. Seems to be a good buy for the money. Plus its CRF.
 
My .308 win is 14.5 lbs and I hunt with it, I prefer heavier rifles as well. I also dont hunt from the truck much, tend to enjoy walking and getting out there. Only thing is you need to be in good shape.
 
Congrats Jayph on your tags, I got mine this year also (Moose, Either ###) I can't wait, come on first Saturday in October.... Savage 116 FHSAK 300 win mag with 180gr Hornady Interbond hand rolls is going to be my poison this year, always used a 303 other years but got my 300 win mag for Christmas past and can't wait to get the first swamp donkey with it.

Good luck to all the folks who'll be hunting this year.

YEAAAA WOOOO
 
Pick a gun yet?

Don't live in a city. Got today off and it's raining so Iam thinking about a run into the city to see what they have in stock. Not in a big hurry but would like to have it with time to get familiar and shoot a few boxes off. I can likely find cheaper prices online but being so big I like to hold a rifle before I buy.
 
I have a Remington 700 in 338win mag up in the EE right now that would fit all of your requirements very nicely.....

Shameless plug:D

I too have a similar problem. I too have been drawn for moose, but unfortunatly it is not "my backyard"..... I feel really lucky as there were only 25 tags available for the zone and my partner and I have 2 of them!

Cheers!
 
I have a Remington 700 in 338win mag up in the EE right now that would fit all of your requirements very nicely.....

Shameless plug:D

I too have a similar problem. I too have been drawn for moose, but unfortunatly it is not "my backyard"..... I feel really lucky as there were only 25 tags available for the zone and my partner and I have 2 of them!

Cheers!

congrats 25 tags for my zone too. Why sell a .338 when you got drawn :D
 
congrats 25 tags for my zone too. Why sell a .338 when you got drawn :D

I have 3 others, a 338LM, 33WM and a 338-06. And that is in addiotion to the other 12 rifles I have that are more than capable of taking a moose......

Currently I am planning on using the 338-06. It is a custom rifle I had commisioned from my local G-smith. I tried it on some Mulies this winter (cull/depredation tags) and it was spectacular. My current go-to load is a 225gr cooking along @ 2601 fps. I figure it will do the job nicely!
 
Well it's all done and I have time to post about it. Rifle that was chosen was a Weatherby Vanguard stainless sporter in .270 WSM. Grandpa and Uncle tagged out in the october season on a small bull and cow. Me and dad decided to wait till the late season in november. Dads bull (First Pic) was almost missed as I was still hunting and looked over to see a mule deer buck looking at me from his bed in the willows. Wanting to see how close I could get before he decided to move I went towards him. About 10 yards away he stood up and so did a deer beside him, oh wait thats moose antlers and a black face looking at me :eek: I never seen his body or had a shot but he headed towards my dad. a few seconds later boom - smack - flop. He hit the ground so hard his nose actually left a divot in the ground (lost the pic somehow) If I never seen the mule deer and wanted to get closer we would both have walked by and never seen the bull. he was literally bedded within a few feet of the buck. It was a long walk but paid off.

My Bull (second photo) doesn't really have a great story. It was during the morning drive looking for possible areas to walk. Seen him walked over some hills and bang - smack - flop. I wish it was more magical but sometimes easy is nice too.

We hunted a total of 1 day and 1 morning and seen 34 moose mine was moose 30. That includes the down time to deal with dads moose and get it home and skinned (3 hours) Neither is anything special but they're our biggest as meat hunters. I always wanted a moose that had the palms and was a good example of moose antlers and I think I got that. There was a group of 10 moose walking in a row we caught the first night on the drive home. Theres only seven in the photo's as by the time we remembered we had a camera 3 had crossed in front of us into the trees.

Dad almost never seen his moose as we had seen 6 moose at the start of the walk and it's over two miles to the back corner and theres no way any more moose are in the area :roll eyes: We decided we had no better plans anyways and he was in the last set of trees at the very end.


Thats all now the photos.

Dads Moose

DSC02515.jpg


My Moose
DSC02532.jpg


couldn't fit them in one photo, They were all in a row and 80 yards away.

DSC02530.jpg


DSC02531.jpg


Thanks

Jason
 
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