Runnig moose shoot?

[Varmint Hunter]

You beat me to it. I wouldn't carry a 308 on a moose hunt unless I knew I was getting with 100 yards of a moose at which point I'd probably carry a lever action with iron sights.

If I was going to hunt a big bull moose especially at some distance I'd be looking into some magnum cartridges.

I killed most of my moose with a 338RUM. I expected to get longrange shooting opportunities when hunting in Newfoundland and they were there.

However, when I finally got a NR Maine moose permit, I expected the terrain to be dense and I brought along my Marlin 45-70 instead. I did get a shot in a clearcut but the bull was only 125yds away at first light. A 402gr Hammer bullet got the job done.

FWIW - my Newfoundland guide told me that most hunters use ,308/30-06 class rifles but they take their moose at around 100yds or so. That's fine, but it does limit your shooting opportunities.

 

[Dean2]

I killed most of my moose with a 338RUM. I expected to get longrange shooting opportunities when hunting in Newfoundland and they were there.

However, when I finally got a NR Maine moose permit, I expected the terrain to be dense and I brought along my Marlin 45-70 instead. I did get a shot in a clearcut but the bull was only 125yds away at first light. A 402gr Hammer bullet got the job done.

FWIW - my Newfoundland guide told me that most hunters use ,308/30-06 class rifles but they take their moose at around 100yds or so. That's fine, but it does limit your shooting opportunities.

The fact that most are killed at 100 yards or less is strictly a function of good hunters and knowing how to call Moose in during the rut. The idea that a 308 or 30-06 isn't sufficient gun to kill a Moose at 400 yards is patently absurd. Where do people come up with the idea that Moose are issued Kevlar come hunting season. I have never recovered a 150 or 180 grain Barnes, and darn few Hornady cup and cores from any moose I ever shot, and I have thumped more than a few end of season, way past the rut Bulls at between 3 and 400 yards

 

[michaelfelix13]

I agree no way should he take a shot at a live animal that he has never taken on range. It's respect.

 

[chindits]

John Wayne could do it with a lever gun but a wheel gun would be more handy at 400 yards…. son.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

The fact that most are killed at 100 yards or less is strictly a function of good hunters and knowing how to call Moose in during the rut. The idea that a 308 or 30-06 isn't sufficient gun to kill a Moose at 400 yards is patently absurd. Where do people come up with the idea that Moose are issued Kevlar come hunting season. I have never recovered a 150 or 180 grain Barnes, and darn few Hornady cup and cores from any moose I ever shot, and I have thumped more than a few end of season, way past the rut Bulls at between 3 and 400 yards

Encountering moose at 100yds is also a function of terrain. Hunting in the vast bogs of Newfoundland there were plenty of sightings at distance and many did not respond to calls. Not everyone is hunting during the rut either. If you plan to hunt long than bring an appropriate firearm. Opinions of what is appropriate vary.

My opinion that a .308 is a poor choice for hunting moose at 400yds hasn't changed based on your experience. A .223 can kill whitetails at 400yds too but it's also a poor choice in my opinion and the deer aren't wearing kevlar during the hunting season.

If I owned only one rifle then I'd take it and hope for the best. But like most of us here on LRH, I own numerous longrange firearms. If I expect to encounter game at extended range I'll select an appropriate firearm for the task.

Just my thoughts, your mileage may vary.

 

[73driver]

I have made some shots on running game. Two were 50 yards more or less and success was based purely on a lifetime of wing shooting passing dove, ducks zooming across the decoy set or flushing quail. A couple running whitetail 200ish that was more luck than anything. When I was younger I can think or 3 running shots at 300+ and it was a waste of time and bad judgement. Since have never tried such again.

 

[284wins]

What other unsafe unethical decisions does he make? I would find a new hunting partner.

Like talking to be able to shoot moose at any distance up to 600yds at any wind cause target is 2feets on moose... taking match ammo to moose hunt. Got his barrel cut down from 26inch to 20inc and not testing drop.
Is a shooting buddy but not a hunting buddy, he just take to much gest at hunting for me

 

[284wins]

@mnoland30 shooting movers is based on knowing your TOF at the distance and using your reticle to measure it's speed it's really not that hard at moderate speeds, full sprint is a completely different game

He was speaking full running... just foulish

 

[284wins]

Just ask him the TOF of his projectile and the average speed of a moose on run, then what would be his target engagement strategy for a high probability of hit.

That a info he dont know.... hé rely on what us on the ammo box, not even taking note for wind call at range

 

[Dean2]

Encountering moose at 100yds is also a function of terrain. Hunting in the vast bogs of Newfoundland there were plenty of sightings at distance and many did not respond to calls. Not everyone is hunting during the rut either. If you plan to hunt long than bring an appropriate firearm. Opinions of what is appropriate vary.

My opinion that a .308 is a poor choice for hunting moose at 400yds hasn't changed based on your experience. A .223 can kill whitetails at 400yds too but it's also a poor choice in my opinion and the deer aren't wearing kevlar during the hunting season.

If I owned only one rifle then I'd take it and hope for the best. But like most of us here on LRH, I own numerous longrange firearms. If I expect to encounter game at extended range I'll select an appropriate firearm for the task.

Just my thoughts, your mileage may vary.

Most of the folks that frequent this site shoot enough to be good to very good shots. Thus the individual experiences of many of us are hard to extrapolate to the general public. You are correct that my experience of using the 308 the last 20 years and the fact it has resulted in dead Moose, no tracking required doesn't really prove a point. Nor does the fact that the 30 years before it had the exact same results using a wide variety of cartridges, including using many Magnums. I have been a far better than average shot my whole life and likely you have too.

What I will say is, when I was young I guided for quite a few seasons. We would see 30-40 Moose a year shot. The only Moose we ever tracked a long ways were shot by guys using Magnums. With the exception of a single Moose shot with a 270 where the bullet blew up on the shoulder (I know this because we eventually caught up to the Moose and finished it off), we never had to long track a Moose where the hunter was using a 30-06 class round. Magnums represented about 60% of the hunters. Tells me the single biggest determinant is shooting ability, not the Cartridge used. To each their own, but if you are going to use a Boomer you need to be able to shoot it well and the vast majority really can't.

 

[loghome]

Depends on how fast he was running if I would take the chance or not under a hundred. Beyond that I wouldn't take that risk. I don't want to see an animal run off and suffer and be wasted.

 

[cosmicmuffin]

Have you ever witnessed a running moose target. I had a bull,heard it coming.With those long legs it crossed a 50yd opening before I got my gun raised!

 

[TxHeartShot]

Hi everyone,

Had a deffrent opinion on one question with a shooting buddy of mine.

We shoot out to 600yds with 308 as much we can and feel confortable to hit up to that distance on game.

The trick is that now is say that he will take shoot at à running moose at 400yds if he see one will hunting... with is 308 20inch bull barrel cause groupe wont open on 6 round like à regular hunting barrel will do....

No practice on mouving target at any range with rifle... and no pratice with shotgun at clay target to...

Told him he was crasy to risk that kind of shot at game if he dosent have try it on target first.

I wont event think at a shot like that with my 338win or my 7mm mag...

Running moose at 400yds... Is it me that is to shy?

Yeah...your buddy's an irresponsible idiot. You can tell him I said so.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Most of the folks that frequent this site shoot enough to be good to very good shots. Thus the individual experiences of many of us are hard to extrapolate to the general public. You are correct that my experience of using the 308 the last 20 years and the fact it has resulted in dead Moose, no tracking required doesn't really prove a point. Nor does the fact that the 30 years before it had the exact same results using a wide variety of cartridges, including using many Magnums. I have been a far better than average shot my whole life and likely you have too.

What I will say is, when I was young I guided for quite a few seasons. We would see 30-40 Moose a year shot. The only Moose we ever tracked a long ways were shot by guys using Magnums. With the exception of a single Moose shot with a 270 where the bullet blew up on the shoulder (I know this because we eventually caught up to the Moose and finished it off), we never had to long track a Moose where the hunter was using a 30-06 class round. Magnums represented about 60% of the hunters. Tells me the single biggest determinant is shooting ability, not the Cartridge used. To each their own, but if you are going to use a Boomer you need to be able to shoot it well and the vast majority really can't.

The last time I hunter with a guide. I sit down with him on me shooting and talked about shooting. The very first time the guides were hurrying everybody to shoot and I felt to quickly. I end up with a wound animal. and lost him. We spent two days trying track him out. I did two things wrong. The animal was stop in one place so it wasn't running. My scope was on 4 power and not up to 8 power. I was using a shooting tripod shoot from. Not the problem either. It was a couple of hundred yards away. I believe there some brush partly in the way. So I didn't get the shot place where it should have been. The guide was pushing to make the shot. So I hurried. The 2nd hunt I make sure that the guide was not to hurry me when I was going to put an animal down. It work better, but still the guide did kind of trying to hurry me. It seem to go with guides to shoot.
I know that some people have a hard time sending a round down range, or shooting to quickly. One person I was hunting around in Africa the first time was so tied up in what range he was shooting. It didn't make any different if it was 25yds or 200yds. He had a N.F. scope with all the bells and whistles too. He would dial his scope in for that range. He wound one animal at about 25yds. it move out to 50yds, then on to about 100 yds before not being able to see the animal any longer. He would adjust his scope to that range. My son was with him at that time. I guess the hunter felt that he had to adjust the scope for each distance. He didn't understand point blank range.
I use a range finder on both trips. I would from the blind get the far range. Very few time the shots were going to be over 200yds. No adjustment needed, point and shoot. At time I feel that "Here Your Sign".
Bottom line is you need to known your rifle and what is does at difference ranges. If it kicks to hard, then get a lighter caliber. If you miss, it's not the rifle, but you.