Rifle and training for moose hunting?

S

STL_KRH

Inactive
Hello.

I've got a question about hunting big game, specifically moose. I'm a lifelong hunter, primarily deer and duck using my trusty old Remington M870 express 12 guage and occasionally my Winchester .30-30 rifle (I normally hunt some land in Illinois for deer-no rifles). So I'm very much a minimalist and I've been quite successful over the 35 years I've hunted. I've had a few good years in my business and my son is in the Navy, so I'd like to try big game and get a rifle to do as such.

First off, I'm after the right rifle. Any suggestions are appreciated. I'm not going to run to buy a Rigby or some exotic thing, but I'd like something good. Next, the scope. What is advised? I have a very cheap one that does the job on my 30-30, but rifles are a different world for this shotgun and pistol man. Finally, what sort of range practice should I be doing? What distance? I've been reading about it on my free time but I'd like to ask people who have done it. If I'm going to pay to do this, I want to make sure I'm ready. I'mean probably going to hire a guide, but want to know a little more before I call up.

Thanks for entertaining my newbie questions.
 
I've never hunted meese. Just read about it over many a year.

Any cartridge in the general power range of a .30-'06 will work just fine. Modern bullet development makes almost any 180-grain load plenty good.

It's hard to find a modern rifle that won't be plenty accurate--as in group sizes inside of two MOA. As with a shotgun, the fit of the rifle to your own body dimensions is an important factor.

Most of the yarns I've read indicated ranges inside of 200 yards. Odds are that any decent fixed-power scope of 4X will work just fine. I had zero difficulty in making a one-shot kill on a whitetail buck at 350 yards with my 3-9 set on 3X.
 
Howdy, I've never hunted anything larger than whitetail/black bear so not sure how much help I can be. I would say that a decent bolt action (not an entry level class rifle) chambered in .30-06 and using a premium bullet such as Nosler Partition of around 180 grain bullet weight would be more than adequate.

If the recoil of the '06 is too much for you maybe go to a .270 Win. and the same class bullet.

In any case shoot your new rifle alot. The more you shoot it the better you will shoot it and you'll be more confident using it.

Lastly, I would say to practice shooting it like you'll be hunting. Like from the kneeling position or leaning against a tree. I think you know what I mean.

good luck...
 
If you shoot the 12 gauge well I am sure a 30-06 will be easy enough for you to handle. I would get a good one, like a Winchester of Ruger.

Next I would mount a good 4X scope on it or a 2X-7X
Get some 220 grain round nose ammo. Yeah...it's old fashioned and not sleek or sexy. But that is still one of the best all around killers made for shooting anything at 300 yards and closer and in most cases moose are shot closer. Often much closer.

Zero the scope at 150 yards and you have an outstanding combination for moose hunting.
 
From what I understand about moose hunting, the best training you can do is training that will fatten your wallet. Those buggers are danged expensive to hunt. Buddy of mine wanted to go to AK to hunt one. He found out that it would start at about $12K and go upwards from there.
 
Moose are not particularly hard to kill. A friend of mine years ago that lived in Alberta used to shoot moose with a 25-35, they die pretty easy. There are plenty of them killed with 30-30s, 243, 7-08, 308, 30-06, etc. And there are plenty of them killed with 7mm Rem Mags, 300 Win Mags, 338 Win Mags, and such, not so much because of moose being hard to kill, but because they live in areas where there are grizzly bears and folks don't like becoming bear poop.
 
You didn't say where you would be hunting moose. It makes a difference in what cartridge to choose. Where I hunt in BC, 200 to 400 yards seems to be the norm. In other places a hundred yards is a long shot. In those places flat shooting is not necessary. I killed six moose with a 7mm rem mag and my largest with a 338. An 30-06 or a 270 would probably do as well.

A guided hunt in Canada should only cost you half as much as in Alaska. The moose in lower Canada are somewhat smaller than in Alaska or the Yukon, but still big. As stated before, they are not all that hard to kill, but it usually takes them a little while to fall over dead.
 
Essentially, if it'll do for elk, it'll do for Bullwinkle too. Any .25 and up(.25-06, for example.), calibre cartridge will do. You do not need premium bullets or a magnum of any flavour for Bullwinkle. A .30-06 or .308 with good 165 grain hunting bullets will kill any game you care to hunt.
"...expensive to hunt..." Depends on where, but everywhere charges a bundle for non-resident hunting licences. $483.48Cdn for Bullwinkle in Ontario. Plus the Outdoors Card tax and cost of bringing a firearm into the country. Think that's $25 Cdn. Really isn't as big a deal as it sounds. No handguns at all while hunting though.
Some places, like Ontario, require you to hire a guide, can have areas with limited numbers allowed to hunt and be a draw(date is long since passed) for a cow or calf hunt only by the Wildlife Management Unit(WMU).
Don't know what training you think you need. Moose are usually hunted from a blind and if you can hit a 9" pie plate at 100 every time and know where the rifle shoots out to about 300, you'll be fine.
 
I'm with Art, the '06 w/180 gr bullets would suit your need.

I spent 22 years in Alaska and have killed a few moose. They aren't difficult to kill.

If I was to do it again, I'd use my Model 70, in '06 with a 4X fixed scope using the above round, sighted in at 250 yards. That zero would keep the bullet in the vital area to a tad past 300 yards.

As mentioned they arnt hard to kill. But the work starts when they're on the ground.

DONT SHOOT THEM IN WATER.
 
I ultimately went with the Browning BAR longtrac in .3006. Was off today and I checked out several models. I figured when I hunt whitetail in my native MO I can also use it over my old .30-30. Still got the 12 ga for the Peoples Republic of Illinois. Been wanting an upgrade for awhile, I'm just cheap and set in my ways.

I'm figuring on going to BC or Alberta to hunt. I'm getting better quotes from guides there over Alaska. I've also been to Alaska for work about 10 times but never to the West of Canada. Now time to start shooting my new toy.
 
"...figuring on going to BC or Alberta to hunt..." Hi. Go here for our Federal laws pertaining to foreign hunters' firearms. Sounds a lot worse than it is. Do the Declaration(Non-Resident Firearm Declaration costs $25Cdn. form is linked on the RCMP site) thing though. A permanent Canadian licence requires a safety course that must be done in Canada. NOTHING else counts. And, again, no handguns.
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/visit-visite-eng.htm
If you're thinking of hunting this year I think you're SOL as far as booking any hunt is concerned. Usually full fairly fast. Math teacher will likely be along with BC specific info, but there are lots of outfitters with web sites.
Non-resident licences are pricey in AB and BC. Hunting regs for both are here.
http://albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs/
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/s.../fishing-hunting/hunting/regulations-synopsis
 
Thanks for the info. Definitely need to keep it legal. Let me ask about that Hunter safety class. I realize I'm late for this year, my plan was next anyway. I'm going to Toronto in September for a trade show. Can I take the class there, or does it have to be in the province where I intend to hunt? I'll stick around a day or 2 if I can do it then.
 
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