Outdoor Obsession (OMG)
- Thread starter skhunter
- Start date
Moose aren't terribly difficult to kill. Their vital zone is huge, and just about any decent hit into that zone is going to be the kill shot. I expect a lot of 'new' moose hunters are drawing on their experience with deer or some other species, and expecting them to bolt like their arse is on fire when hit. Some times, moose hardly react at all. But they're just as dead.
I've killed two myself and watched another 3 or 4 go down. I am well aware of moose soaking up lead and looking around for a few seconds before falling over. Regardless, having one fall down high and dry beats the hell out of where they could go. Standing around to "admire" your shot has left more than one sportsman in for a long night of trail clearing and packing.
As someone else said...when making a follow-up shot try and make a point out of not driving a bullet through it's hind end.
jlovie
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
i know a guy that had a cow that couldn't get pregnant, so he decided to butcher it. 4 shots to the head with a .44 mag until she dropped.
I am of the opinion that you keep hitting them until they go down especilly if they are on the move. I shot a bull with my 300 WSM, lunged him and he made a bee line for the treeline over a bog. I hit him 3 more times before he went down. (I've never had to shoot a moose 4 times! And fortunately meat damage was not that bad.). I'd rather hit him until he's down than try to do a hard recovery through bog and deadfall, which would increase the risk of tainted meat. If I was on easy ground I might've just let it go until it dropped. Sometimes you need to keep hitting the animal until he's down. It's a judgement call. It can mean the difference between a drag wtih the ATV to the road or an overnight haul out of the woods and bog.
It IS a judgment call.
Most often, a moose properly hit goes down within a few seconds.
However, If he decides to bolt for cover, then additional shots may be in order.
Most of the substantial number of moose I have shot were dead within 15 yards of the spot they were shot.
Probably a half dozen tried to make tracks, but, being prepared for that option, an extra shot or two reined them in.
One cow moose, shot just a bit far back initially, soaked up 4 shots before she hit the ground some 150 yards away from where she was at first.
This helps one appreciate how important that first shot can be.
I deplore shots in the hind quarters of any game animal, and try to avoid them.
There may be times when the difference between a lost animal or a long tracking job and a quick dispatch involves a shot in the rear end.
This is justifiable, IMHO.
I once shot an Elk which was running straight away after it had been hit in the neck by another hunter.
The neck shot dropped him right there, but he bounced right back up and headed out, fast.
I was packing a 7mm STW, driving a 160 Partition at 3200 or so.
I aimed for the center of his rump and touched one off [shot was about 140 yards]
Missed the center by about 1", broke his pelvis, but besides a bit of a stumble he continued on.
He was out of sight over a small rise before I could shoot again.
But, he had collapsed within about 65 yards of the shot, and only needed a finisher to complete the operation.
I recovered that partition in the front right quarter.
What really was surprising, the bullet had not hit the gut and opened it up.
It went through the top of a lung, and did substantial damage to it.
To my way of thinking, I did the right thing. He never made it to the bush, and not a lot of meat was lost.
If he had not been hit already, I would probably have passed on that shot.
Regards, Eagleye.
Most often, a moose properly hit goes down within a few seconds.
However, If he decides to bolt for cover, then additional shots may be in order.
Most of the substantial number of moose I have shot were dead within 15 yards of the spot they were shot.
Probably a half dozen tried to make tracks, but, being prepared for that option, an extra shot or two reined them in.
One cow moose, shot just a bit far back initially, soaked up 4 shots before she hit the ground some 150 yards away from where she was at first.
This helps one appreciate how important that first shot can be.
I deplore shots in the hind quarters of any game animal, and try to avoid them.
There may be times when the difference between a lost animal or a long tracking job and a quick dispatch involves a shot in the rear end.
This is justifiable, IMHO.
I once shot an Elk which was running straight away after it had been hit in the neck by another hunter.
The neck shot dropped him right there, but he bounced right back up and headed out, fast.
I was packing a 7mm STW, driving a 160 Partition at 3200 or so.
I aimed for the center of his rump and touched one off [shot was about 140 yards]
Missed the center by about 1", broke his pelvis, but besides a bit of a stumble he continued on.
He was out of sight over a small rise before I could shoot again.
But, he had collapsed within about 65 yards of the shot, and only needed a finisher to complete the operation.
I recovered that partition in the front right quarter.
What really was surprising, the bullet had not hit the gut and opened it up.
It went through the top of a lung, and did substantial damage to it.
To my way of thinking, I did the right thing. He never made it to the bush, and not a lot of meat was lost.
If he had not been hit already, I would probably have passed on that shot.
Regards, Eagleye.
A judgement call for sure.... one thing I have learned is to observe the animal closely and without lowering your rifle.... when a moose takes off it isn't exactly "hell for leather" so if he decided to bolt you can still get another shot off... as someone said earlier, those vitals are quite large...
That's just unethical, poor shooting.
LOL... I was hoping you would respond kindly!!
Last season it took me 4 shots from the 300WM to "kill" my moose. It was in some tight willows at about 75 yards and although with every shot, I was certain I had a clear shooting lane and great bullet placement, the bull wasn't responding that way. Better safe than sorry. When the moose was down the hole on the opposite side of his rib cage was big enough to stick both fists into. The first, second or third shot had taken out his heart and were all perfect broadside. The final one, he was quartering away and walking slowly.
Lost maybe a couple pounds of rib meat at most, so my mission was successful. Wish it would have gone down with a single shot, but these things happen.
- Location
- AB foothills
Captain Chaos
Member
- Location
- Northwest Territories
I saw that outdoor obsession show. All I was thinking was what a waste of the meat. Most times a few shots into the bread basket are no issue, but that guy was just trying to drop the animal for the trophy, he didn't care if he wrecked half of the meat on the animal.
I didn't see that episode (or any other after my first one 
) but I definitely keep shooting until the animal goes down, and remain ready in case he gets back up. Not only is there a chance the critter will escape, or get into some nasty spot, but I simply want to end it as quickly as possible to minimize suffering. I'll gladly sacrifice a few bites or pounds of meat for that.
There's a sig line I see frequently on another website (AR) that sums this up perfectly:
Famous last words of a trophy fee gone bad: "Don't shoot again...you hit him hard the first time!"
) but I definitely keep shooting until the animal goes down, and remain ready in case he gets back up. Not only is there a chance the critter will escape, or get into some nasty spot, but I simply want to end it as quickly as possible to minimize suffering. I'll gladly sacrifice a few bites or pounds of meat for that.There's a sig line I see frequently on another website (AR) that sums this up perfectly:
Famous last words of a trophy fee gone bad: "Don't shoot again...you hit him hard the first time!"
Uh huh. If I was a guide/accompanying friend out in the middle of the bush, and that moose had its four hooves on solid ground, I'd be encouraging the shooter to dump that slough donkey right there too. Anyone whining otherwise has never cut up and hauled a moose out of a slough, bog or muskeg before. If I loose 20lbs of meat to break the hips of a moose I know has a couple good'uns in the boiler to keep the SOB from getting into a mud pond, I sure as heck will. You'll contaminate more meat cutting it up in the mud puddle.
I don't know if I watched the same video, but on You-tube it was called "World Record Moose". I agree with you skhunter, it made my stomach turn. All I have to say is "poor judgement, marksmenship and unethical." The shooter should of found a better rest and waited for the bull to turn completely broadside. Follow-up shots were in the hind quarters and made that animal suffer.................who knows how long the bull layed there suffering from non-fatal wounds.
This is one of many reasons why I cancelled the Wild TV show two years ago..... idiots, absolute idiots.
