I have seen examples where moose are as tough as any animal... sure on a solid double lung hit, they are not tough... but neither is anything else on a solid double lung hit... but make a less than ideal shot and they can show you what tough looks like... I wore out a pair of boots tracking a wounded bull... seven miles (as the crow flies, more like 20 miles actual) and 48 hours later we had our reckoning. This idea that they are "cream-puffs" can be taken too far... I would not want anyone to assume they don't have to give their full attention to the shot at hand... JMO.
Have you ever shot a moose that was hard to kill
- Thread starter Papaclaude
- Start date
my buddies dad shot a moose 3 times and didn't drop it.turns out it was straddling a log.we laughed all weekend.the thing was trashed.he also shot a deer that committed suicide.it ran off a cliff rather than just lay down like a good boy.that one was even funnier.
Bears don't f@ck around. My last bear took two arrows (2 inch Rage broadheads) in the boiler room at 20 yds. Three bears came in the bait at the same time, the smallest one stayed for a few minutes and left. The other two, roughly the same size started fighting at the bait (pretty impressive). As soon as they gave me a chance, I arrowed the dominant one. I saw my arrow hit dead center where his lungs would be. He took off after the other bear that had spooked from the shot for 10 or so yards then came back to the bait as if nothing had happened. I didn't feel like waiting on a mortally wounded bear 20 yards from me so I arrowed him a second time and down he went. I think he assumed the other bear attacked him and that's why he chased him away, he was too gung ho to notice he was already dead.
Had to bone out one bull in the water in waders. Luckily it was in a hard-bottom clear mountain lake so it wasn't that bad. In a swamp it would be a nightmare.
Taken my fair share of moose over the past 35 years with a variety of calibers. No not hard to kill, but as with any animal, proper bullet placement is key.
Have heard lots of stories about moose that wouldn't go down, but haven't experienced it myself. Have also heard stories of I shot my moose and it went down. On the way there it got back up and I shot it again (usually from misplaced neck shots). Even heard of a couple of those where when the hunter got there, they had two dead moose on the ground!
Hate the neck shot...too easy to clip a vertebrae and have the animal go down momentarily, then pop back up and take off, as the spinal cord wasn't hit or severed. Learned that lesson very early on, and haven't repeated it. The extra work was my fault, not that of the beast!
Have heard lots of stories about moose that wouldn't go down, but haven't experienced it myself. Have also heard stories of I shot my moose and it went down. On the way there it got back up and I shot it again (usually from misplaced neck shots). Even heard of a couple of those where when the hunter got there, they had two dead moose on the ground!
Hate the neck shot...too easy to clip a vertebrae and have the animal go down momentarily, then pop back up and take off, as the spinal cord wasn't hit or severed. Learned that lesson very early on, and haven't repeated it. The extra work was my fault, not that of the beast!
My first one, many years ago as a novice hunter. Good sized bull standing in front of a bush (ranged at 323yds) in the marshy portion of a lakeshore.Seemed like a solid hit with 30-06 180gr. I was ready to send another one when my much more experienced buddy said not to, wait for it. Mr. Bull looked right to the bush and then left to the lake, seems he couldn’t decide which option would make our lives worse and ran out of time. Crumpled and expired, right there.
While field dressing we determined it was a lung-heart-lung hit. Then later while skinning quarters we found the projectile just under the farside hide.
Sometimes it’s patience that’s needed not more lead.
While field dressing we determined it was a lung-heart-lung hit. Then later while skinning quarters we found the projectile just under the farside hide.
Sometimes it’s patience that’s needed not more lead.
Seven Lakes
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kitchener/Waterloo, ON
In my own personal experience, my first and only moose (calf) was shot from a canoe at 25ish yards, on the run, in the spine with a 308 win (luck was shining down on me that day). Naturally as one would expect, it dropped right then and there.
Earlier that trip, our party bagged a beautiful bull. The shooter required 3 shots with a 300wm from about 40-50 yards to drop it. Didn’t run. One was a double lung without hitting ribs on either side, another was under the neck and out the chest, and another was near the heart. Didn’t run, but despite what we think was the first shot being a clean double lung, the SOB wouldn’t go down on him.
Typically most hunters in our party have maintained that a shot to the vitals from something 30 cal and up means a dead moose.
Earlier that trip, our party bagged a beautiful bull. The shooter required 3 shots with a 300wm from about 40-50 yards to drop it. Didn’t run. One was a double lung without hitting ribs on either side, another was under the neck and out the chest, and another was near the heart. Didn’t run, but despite what we think was the first shot being a clean double lung, the SOB wouldn’t go down on him.
Typically most hunters in our party have maintained that a shot to the vitals from something 30 cal and up means a dead moose.
Moose drops at or soon after first shot. I wait a few minutes before going to look. Moose has always been dead when I got there.
For deer and moose I always sit quiet for a couple minutes, so they don't spook and run.
For deer and moose I always sit quiet for a couple minutes, so they don't spook and run.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I've shot a number of moose over the years.
some just take a few steps and fall down, one I remember shooting and it just stood there for about 5 seconds then fell over. Others take off on the run and get about 50 meters and pile up.
Now hunting calf moos is always interesting as the cow can tend to be a little miffed about letting someone take all the guts out of her calf, seems that young cows tend to be more protective and dangerous. Safest calf to shoot is one with an old cow that has twins, the cow will run off with the surviving calf and not be skulking around in the brush looking for a chance to stomp your guts out.
some just take a few steps and fall down, one I remember shooting and it just stood there for about 5 seconds then fell over. Others take off on the run and get about 50 meters and pile up.
Now hunting calf moos is always interesting as the cow can tend to be a little miffed about letting someone take all the guts out of her calf, seems that young cows tend to be more protective and dangerous. Safest calf to shoot is one with an old cow that has twins, the cow will run off with the surviving calf and not be skulking around in the brush looking for a chance to stomp your guts out.
I've seen them make threatening sounds and gestures, but never more than that. I guess there's always a first time, but I never worried much about it. I gave up on moose just over 20 years ago, when Ontario got too stupid.
Funny thing, the premier that did the most damage to hunting in Ontario was a very, very deep blue Conservative. Mike Harris stopped the Spring bear hunt and a lot of the bad changes to moose hunting came under his watch. Probably the only good thing that happened under Wynne/McGuinty was the restoration of the Spring bear hunt.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I've had a cow sneak around and come up behind me and come within about 30' before I heard her, that was close. I jumped over the quad and ended up firing a few 12 gauge shells into the air to encourage her to move away.
I had that very thing happen in 2015 except the cow had her calf and yearling with her. I had either ### that year so the yearling was mine. The cow and her baby made exit stage left! I guess it wasn't time to banish the yearling yet!
Have seen that with high lung shots or hump shots too, guys think they know where the spine or neck bones are. There is a lot of moose that is not heart lungs or arteries. The reason there are so many 'missed' moose that walk away wounded but not found. poor placement or single lung and there can be tracking involved. One third up from the belly line will get it done.
buckshot0039
New member
- Location
- British Columbia
I personally use a 30-06 for everything from coyotes to elk.
Make a good clean first shot and you wont need the second shot.
Make a good clean first shot and you wont need the second shot.
