Hunting large game and caliber selection... (Anchorage, Willow: delivery, tree, charges)

[cry_havoc]

Big calibers cause massive trauma, but if they dont kill the animal on the spot it might be very mad at you.

When you fire a bullet if the bullet goes through the animal most of the energy does too. If the bullet stays in the animal the energy stays in the animal and sends it into shock. That is why smaller animals are sometimes more effective for hunting.

For moose I would recommend .223 or 5.45

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by cry_havoc

Big calibers cause massive trauma, but if they dont kill the animal on the spot it might be very mad at you.

When you fire a bullet if the bullet goes through the animal most of the energy does too. If the bullet stays in the animal the energy stays in the animal and sends it into shock. That is why smaller animals are sometimes more effective for hunting.

For moose I would recommend .223 or 5.45

Not big enough. A 60 grain .223 round will have 1,330 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. You want at least 2,000 foot pounds at the point of contact. A 150 grain .3006 round will have 2,100 foot pounds of energy at 150 yards.

As far as the bullet is concerned, that is why JFP/JSP and/or JHP are used, so they do not go through the animal. The round expands upon contact.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by cry_havoc

Big calibers cause massive trauma, but if they dont kill the animal on the spot it might be very mad at you.

When you fire a bullet if the bullet goes through the animal most of the energy does too. If the bullet stays in the animal the energy stays in the animal and sends it into shock. That is why smaller animals are sometimes more effective for hunting.

For moose I would recommend .223 or 5.45

For Alaska moose I would recommend the largest caliber rifle you are most comfortable with. For example, on the very light side: .270 and a somewhat similar cartridge, and then up starting with the .30-06 with a load that has 180-grain bullets, ending with the the largest caliber you can shoot well.

In relation to bullets going through, I have been able to retrieve maybe two or three from all the moose I have killed with my .338WM through the years, and most have dropped nearly on the spot after the shot. The closest one at perhaps 75 yards, and the farthest around 200+. The two that walked a very few yards after the shot before dropping to die were the first one I ever shot back in the early '80s, and then a few years later...the largest one I have killed. The 225-grain TSX zips right through, and so the former 230-grain Lubalox-coated FS, but both kill real fast.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

For Alaska moose I would recommend the largest caliber rifle you are most comfortable with. For example, on the very light side: .270 and a somewhat similar cartridge, and then up starting with the .30-06 with a load that has 180-grain bullets,and ending with the the largest you can shoot well.

A 130 grain .270 round will deliver 2,226 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards. If the moose is within around 120 yards, you are good to go. If it is 200 yards away, I would not take the shot.

If you use a .270 Weatherby Mag. you will get more bang for your buck. You can get 2,655 foot pounds of energy at 200 yards (which is better than the .3006). Which means you can take a moose at about 250 yards and still have more than 2,000 foot pounds of energy.

[cry_havoc]

Im not a hunter but I understand physics.

Perhaps .223/5.45 is too small but you dont want to go too big. At the very most I would recommend 30-06 or 7.62x54r.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by cry_havoc

Im not a hunter but I understand physics.

Perhaps .223/5.45 is too small but you dont want to go too big. At the very most I would recommend 30-06 or 7.62x54r.

It's very common to encounter bears while hunting moose, sheep, deer, and other animals. It means that if you can shoot a big rifle, by all means go for it. Something else, for Alaska hunting it's a lot more convenient to use cartridges that are most common, just in case you have to purchase ammo at the local stores. The most common cartridges in Alaska, by a very wide margin when compared to the rest, are the .30-06, .300WM, and .338WM. There are others that are popular out in the bush, some that are considered quite small. For example, the .30-30 used to be quite popular years ago, but not so much these days.

While physics are important in relation to bullet size and such (SD, BC, etc.), a big bullet that passes through still leaves a big hole behind. A lethal shot (a shot on the right spot), is a lot more important than physics when it comes to killing an animal. For example: a brain shot, a shot to brake the neck (vertebrae), a heart shot, a shot to break the spine, or the brake a bear's shoulder. For most of these shots you want a bullet that can plow through fat and muscle and hold together to break skull or bone. Something else: an arrow-shot animals most often dies from bleeding (because of a wound), not necessarily because of the amount of energy from the arrow.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by cry_havoc

Im not a hunter but I understand physics.

Perhaps .223/5.45 is too small but you dont want to go too big. At the very most I would recommend 30-06 or 7.62x54r.

It all depends upon the distance you are from the target. A .3006 is perfectly capable of dropping a moose if you are within 150 yards or so. As RayinAK mentioned, even a .270 is big enough, if you are no further than 120 yards. In the end RayinAK is right, you want to use a weapon which you are most comfortable shooting and the most accurate. You certainly do not have to buy a canon, like a .458 Win. Mag, but you should pick a weapon that can at least deliver 2,000 foot pounds at a specific range and not shoot the critter unless it is within that range.

A .270, .300 Win Mag, .3006, or 7mm are all capable of dropping a moose.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by Montana Griz

.....Hey Jimbo.........

Just had another thought cross my mind.....................

The 2nd Silver Salmon run occurs in Sept on the Kenai River.............

If you can work it in, I'd strongly suggest that you try and do some time on the river.

The size of those Silvers in the 2 nd run is about 25% or more larger than those in the 1st run which is in August. As I type this, I am looking at a picture on my wall of me holding a 16 pound Silver that I caught on a Fly Rod when I was up there several years ago........really a great experience!!

Those LaCrosse brand Ankle Fit Hip Boots are (IMHO) the BEST. I still use mine here in MT 15 years after I bought them for use in Alaska. When not in use I hang them in an "air-tight" plastic bag in a dark corner of my garage. From what I've been told, that stops the ozone from degrading the rubber compound and will extend their useable life by at least double.

If I weren't so damn old, I'd try and get up the courage for one last trip up there, but as the saying goes:..."the head & heart are willing, but this 'old body' just ain't what it used to be

Again...............best of luck to you...............................

Grizz:

I appreciate the well wishes. I have no idea how this hunt is going to go or what I will encounter when I get there, but I'm hoping that I get my moose within four days then I can spend the rest of the trip fishing and hunting ptarmigan.

[jimboburnsy]

I can't let myself be the a-hole Texan who brought a .223 on a moose hunt.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

Grizz:

I appreciate the well wishes. I have no idea how this hunt is going to go or what I will encounter when I get there, but I'm hoping that I get my moose within four days then I can spend the rest of the trip fishing and hunting ptarmigan.

Trapper Creek, near Talkeetna, is a good place to hunt ptarmigan. Also along Petersville Road. A good dog to flush them out is advisable because ptarmigan like to run. They will fly if they have too, but they seem to prefer running more than any other game bird I have encountered.