I was delighted to recently learn that I hit the NH moose lottery (either sex legal, but naturally I'll be after a big bull) as a non-res hunter, after three years of applying for ME, NH and VT. I can't imagine not scoring in the area I pulled (D1), as there are tons of moose up there, and the percentages for success usually run high 80s. I'll be likely toting my trusty 7 mag, and I'm planning to run 175 grain bullets at the beast, but the question I have is, what brands of premium factory loads would you all recommend for moose?

With 65 to 1 odds, I can't imagine getting an opportunity like this again anytime soon, and want to try not to leave anything to chance, if I can avoid it.

Thanks for any advice, and before any wise apple tells me, I already know to try to shoot the bastard as close to a road is as humanly possible.

Factory loads, go with Federal Premium and Nosler Partitions

Kamo Gari,

You got some good advise on the Federal loading with the 175 NP's. Any premium bullet should work but definitely stay with the heavy weights. I've killed several moose and I don't find them as easy to kill as everyone says. My advise is to keep pouring on the lead until he is on the ground. It is very unlikely that he will just fall over after the first shot and if he staggers around he may die in a nasty spot to work on him or worse yet 50 yards out in a pond.

BTW Congrats on beating the odds. I'm originally from Maine and I've always coveted one of those tags.

Mark

Congratulations on the draw! I have never drawn in NH, but I shot this bull (50", 850 lb) in Maine's zone 5 in 2003. I used a 30-06 with the much debated Winchester Failsafe (165 grain). My guide told me to aim about 8-10 inches below the "hump" and hit the spine, which I did. He went down so fast I thought I missed. The spine shot makes for easy tracking and recovery.


Have a great hunt

I would go with the federal premium also with a 175 grain bullet.

My moose hunting partner last year has shot around 50 moose with his 7mag and his favorite load is anything 175grain. He really likes rem core-locks.

You already have all the advice you need. I will second the fellow who advised the "hump" shot. 12 inches below the hairline from the top of the shoulder "hump" dumps a moose in there tracks. Good luck and I hope we get to see a photo this fall of your bull.

Thanks to all for the advice and kind congratulatory words. The last time I won something I was in 3rd grade, when my plate at lunch had a star under it, and I won the grand prize: a 3 foot high gingerbread house that had been sitting in the front doorway for several months before Christmas. I was told it was mine to keep, but to remember that it was inedible. Took us a few weeks, as I recall, but my brother and I proved them all wrong.

I think I'll grab a few boxes of the Federal 175s and hit the range, and assuming they fly right, call it good. The only problem I see is making it through the next few months. Dreaming about the moose and antelope hunts I now have scheduled, as well as all the other hunting I normally do in the Fall is a full-time proposition!

Thanks again, and cheers.

quote:

Originally posted by Atticus:
Congratulations on the draw! I have never drawn in NH, but I shot this bull (50", 850 lb) in Maine's zone 5 in 2003.

I'd be damned pleased to shoot one with that hat size, Atticus. Great pic!

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
I would go with the federal premium also with a 175 grain bullet.

My moose hunting partner last year has shot around 50 moose with his 7mag and his favorite load is anything 175grain. He really likes rem core-locks.

50 as in five zero? That's a bit of meat indeed. Culling, I assume?

I'd go with the Federal 175 NPs, too. I tried them a few years ago in my 7mm Rem. Mag., but they wouldn't group.

So I went with 160s. They grouped. Go figure. Either way, as long as they're NPs, you'll be happy.

Best of luck.

Atticus, that is a hoss of a Maine moose, my friend. Congrats.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
I'd go with the Federal 175 NPs, too. I tried them a few years ago in my 7mm Rem. Mag., but they wouldn't group.

So I went with 160s. They grouped. Go figure. Either way, as long as they're NPs, you'll be happy.

Best of luck.

Atticus, that is a hoss of a Maine moose, my friend. Congrats.

Thanks for the input, MR. Funny, but I think this is the first time on AR that three Massholes have posted to the same thread. I believe that's some kind of record, no?

GO SOX!

Congradultions ! My wife was drawn in ME. and will be useing Federals factory loaded Barnes TSX in 180. If you haven't allready done so I sugest you read JJHACK's post on these bullets (african I think ) I will be useing the same bullet in South Africa in Aug. so I will poat my results. Atticus that is a GEART bull .

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
I would go with the federal premium also with a 175 grain bullet.

My moose hunting partner last year has shot around 50 moose with his 7mag and his favorite load is anything 175grain. He really likes rem core-locks.

50 as in five zero? That's a bit of meat indeed. Culling, I assume?

Not culling.

His rifle is a rem 700 bdl that he bought new around 1980. It looks like it has a crome barrel because every bit of bluing is gone from it.

He lives to hunt moose every year. Up here you can proxy hunt for moose. He has been shooting moose for his Mom and Aunt and himself for the last few years.

He took me on a moose hunt last year and I missed a shot at one. He said that it was the first hunt that he went on last year that didn't get a moose. He was in on 18 moose kills last year.

Don't shoot him in the water...if you can avoid it. I'll send you a PM on my bullet experience.

Kamo, MrLexMA,
If not for all the deer hunters I see each fall, I would’ve thought we were the last ones left here in the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts. Congratulations again Kamo enjoy the planning and the hunt. It will be worth the wait!

By the way, that Moose was the best game meat I've ever eaten.

quote:

He took me on a moose hunt last year and I missed a shot at one. He said that it was the first hunt that he went on last year that didn't get a moose. He was in on 18 moose kills last year.

You missed, and he got shut out for the first time, eh? Ouch. Bet that did wonders for your ego...

18 kills last year? That be a *whole* lot of moose!

BTW, love your siglines; that bottom one just kills me.

quote:

Originally posted by Atticus:

If not for all the deer hunters I see each fall, I would’ve thought we were the last ones left here in the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts. Congratulations again Kamo enjoy the planning and the hunt. It will be worth the wait!

By the way, that Moose was the best game meat I've ever eaten.

As fas as hunters in MA, we're no powerhouse, but we still have some fair numbers of die-hards. We just lurk in the woods and waters, and in general on the fringes of society. More seriously, I belong to a casual group of local MA/NH hunters, some 20 strong, and we're all what I'd call hard core, and out locally (I'm calling New England local in this sense) chasing everything from squirrel to moose and everthing in between. I hunt as much as 120+ days a year, and fish maybe 100 as well on a good year. Many of us also travel to hunt and fish, mostly domestically but some internationally as well.

Interest and acceptance of hunting in this state has dwindled dramatically over the years, but as a group, acceptance by the lefties means nothing, and we shall never give in, or give up for what we live to do.

Anyway, thanks again for the congratulations Atticus, and PM me if you're interested in maybe hooking up with a like-minded bunch of outdoor/hunting/fishing fanatics, or just heading out to fish/hunt some day. In particular, if you have any interest at all in waterfowl hunting, this just may be your lucky day.

Cheers,

KG

Hmmm. Just off the Federal website, and as best I can tell from the current chart up, the heaviest load sporting NPs is 160gn. They have 175 gn loads, but are topped with TBBCs, not NPs. The only other 175 loads they have are soft points. Comments? Advice?

TIA,

KG

I shot at that moose with a tbbc. Aimed too high. Didn't bother me much as it was -30F and getting colder. I had just came back from a deer hunt where I did get three deer.

Personally I would not hesitate to use a 160 partition either.

First thing is, the animal is a moose, not a "swamp donkey". Start thinking respectfully of the beast you will be killing.

Second, practice every single day with the very rifle you're going to use even if it's just dry firing out the back window. There are more than 100 days until the hunt; you should put a good 500 practice rounds through that rifle at heart-lung size targets at 25 to 200 yards range. You owe this animal a quick, clean, and dignified death, nothing less.

Study videos and books on how to get the hide and every single pound of meat off the carcass and how to keep it cool, dry, and clean until it hits the freezer. Or hire a qualified NH guide.

Every day between now and October, think moose. Think moose the respect and even reverence.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:
I'd go with the Federal 175 NPs, too. I tried them a few years ago in my 7mm Rem. Mag., but they wouldn't group.

So I went with 160s. They grouped. Go figure. Either way, as long as they're NPs, you'll be happy.

Best of luck.

Atticus, that is a hoss of a Maine moose, my friend. Congrats.

Thanks for the input, MR. Funny, but I think this is the first time on AR that three Massholes have posted to the same thread. I believe that's some kind of record, no?

GO SOX!

Make that 4 !!!!

My suggestion on factory ammo will be Winchester Supreme Accubonds or Partition Golds. Both have shot good from my rifle (300WM) 180grs. My fatherinlaw shoots the 160gr. Accubonds from his 7mmRM. Elk/moose/deer go down no problem. I personally not a fan of the shooting at the "Hump" My opinion is if you hit them in the boiler maker where it counts-you usually take out the heart/liver/ and lungs. I have only seen 1 moose in 20 years go more than 20 yrds after being shot-and that was due to poor shot placement, and we followed him for approx. 500yrds to then get a good kill shot. BUCK FEVER for a buddy I guess..lol

Federal makes a good 160gr Accubond and TSX round for the 7mm also.

Good luck in your moose hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Clifton Clowers:
First thing is, the animal is a moose, not a "swamp donkey". Start thinking respectfully of the beast you will be killing.

For a complete stranger, you sure take a great deal of liberty in making assumptions about me, friend. I'll humor you, though. Is referring to them instead as alces alces OK? That ought to really lend them some respect, no? And then I'll try not to ever refer to a mallard as a 'greenhead', an antelope as a 'speed goat', a woodchuck as a 'ground hog', a black bear as a 'blackie', a merganser as a 'saw bill', and a fellow human posting nonsense on AR as a 'complete fool'. Happy now?

Lighten up there, pal; you take yourself *far* too seriously.

Kamo Gari,

Congratulations on the tag! Wishing you the best of luck this Fall. We will be expecting a full report!

The closest I have come to moose hunting?......weeeelll it was the Fall of 99'...

I was hunting whitetails out of a remote tent camp in the Jackman Maine area. It was the third week of Nov. well past moose season. I was working my way through some clear cuts tracking a buck when about 200 yrds away and to my left a cow moose pops out of the tree line. Right on her tail and I do mean right on her tail is an enormous bull!!! This guy looked like with a bit of a running start he might be able to get airborne with the width of that rack. Wouldn't you know it the cow heads straight for me.
200yrds....150yrds....100yrds.....50yrds.....25yrds... they are now both in my lap! She clearly sees me but, is not sure which of these 2 males is going to cause her more trouble. The stupid biped gawking at her or the love sick bull nudgeing her in the behind and singing moose love songs to her. The bulls sees me but, he couldn't care less. Seasons over and I never had a tag anyway. I reach for my camera..... Camera?? HELL NO! It's back at camp...where it should be...safe and sound! Naturally, no one is going to believe a blessed word of this.... I could have shot the bull a hundred times over and I have never seen his like outside of a bull I saw in Denali Park Alaska.

Well after a few minutes she gets as sick of me as she is of him and trots off with the big guy in tow. At the end of the day back at camp I relate my story to the guides both of whom also guide each year in Alaska for sheep, moose, caribou & brown bear etc. I have hunted with them several time since but, this was my first time sharing a camp with them. I could tell they were being polite and listening to 'the sport's'.... 'amazing!' story about a big moose.

As it turns out I was to be vindicated. Both guides sent me Christmas cards at the end of the year and it seems that while they were doing a little muzzleloader hunting of their own in early Dec. one of them was cruising the ridge directly behind the site of my yet to be verified 'encounter'....and he stumble across a huge moose shed. To quote him.... "Dave, if the other shed matches this one that bull is a Boone & Crocket moose." Yep. You are preaching to choir brother.

Well, I don't have a moose head to mount on my wall nor steaks for the freezer but, I do have a pretty cool memory of my moose encounter of 99'

Sorry, for shifting gears on you Kamo Gari! Hope you don't mind....... I just like telling that story!


Atticus, that is a fantastic moose! Well done!

Regards,
Dave

Great tale, and thanks for sharing it. I have a few tales of my own, one which I like to call 'drag racing with a giant bull moose is something everyone should do once in a lifetime'. I was in a civic hatchback at the time, and as sure as the sun rises in the East he went from 0-30mph as he snorted and beat feet a foot alongside me along rt.3 on the QC border in less than 5 seconds. May not seem terribly impressive, but when you consider that his face was anly five feet from mine as we ran side by side on the highway, with him snorting and blowing angrily as he looked at me from time to time...

There are some enornous bulls up there; this I know. I've seen plenty of them over the years, some that have had what honest-to-Pete looked like they wore a pair of rocking chairs on their heads. This year, I have a tag for one. Woohoo!

Thanks for the congrats, and I don't mind saying I'm tickled that we Massholes and New Hampster-ites are respresenting New England here on AR. Just learned that I hit a WY pronghorn buck tag today too. October's going to be a busy month!

Cheers,

KG

One of the greater joys in my life is shooting grey squirrels

But if anyone out there has a problem with my calling them "Bushy-Tailed Tree Rats" I suggest you get over yourself.

WHY do we need to have "respect" for an animal that we want to shoot mainly to "persuade" it to spend the winter in our freezer?

AllanD

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
Hmmm. Just off the Federal website, and as best I can tell from the current chart up, the heaviest load sporting NPs is 160gn. They have 175 gn loads, but are topped with TBBCs, not NPs. The only other 175 loads they have are soft points. Comments? Advice?

TIA,

KG

I checked my records and the 175s I tried several years ago were indeed Federal Premium TBBCs, and not NPs.

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
One of the greater joys in my life is shooting grey squirrels

But if anyone out there has a problem with my calling them "Bushy-Tailed Tree Rats" I suggest you get over yourself.

WHY do we need to have "respect" for an animal that we want to shoot mainly to "persuade" it to spend the winter in our freezer?

AllanD

I greatly enjoy hunting squirrel too, and perhaps to the great surprise to the fellow who attempted to slap my wrist with his long black ruler in his world (where apparently no fun shall exist ) , I do respect and greatly admire the game I hunt. All of them, actually. But when hunting my goal is to slay them, and me calling them by any number of their nicknames changes neither my respect for them, nor my desire to put a bullet or pellet in them.

At any rate, this thread has run its course, methinks. Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions. Win, lose or draw, I'm sure I'm going to have a fantastic moose hunt this year.

Cheers,

KG

Referring to the animal as a "swamp donkey" or a "bastard" is no different than nicknaming, say, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts as a "masshole".

If I had to use factory loads,I would go with the 160gr tsx loading from federal.It will penetrate better than the 175gr partition,and retain more weight as well.

As for calling moose a "swamp donkey",it is very common and not seen as disrespect for the animal by most people that I know.However,it should be noted that myself and most of the people that I know that hunt moose on a regular basis,do not consider the moose to be one of the more challenging species to hunt as they aren't usually as wary as most other species.

Spend some time listening to moose sounds on the net. Most people use a cow call and then bullwinkle or mr. moose if you can call him that will come rockin and rollin in looking for a gal. Using cow calls will bring any and all bulls, as well as the more agressive cows. I usually use a bull call though. My idea is to call a large dominant bull not just any horny critter- a big one!! You can also use a large stick and whack the bushes and trees with it to simulate a bull bashing his antlers on everything in sight. Some people use a shoulderblade from a moose or cow and rub it on the trees. It really sounds like the paddles of their antlers on the trees. Others pour water into a puddle or the side of a stream/lake to simulate pissing sounds.

If you have the happy chance to find a "piss hole" where the bull has pawed the ground and urinated in the mud to roll in it-you have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Hang out in that area you'll get some action.

If you accidentally spook him try calling as he runs away, he'll often stop and give you a chance for a shot. Also if he runs after you shoot him, try calling. He'll often stop even with a bullet or arrow in him.

Bring lots of heavy equipment. Ropes, block and tackle. wheel barrow/gamecart etc. Anything that will help to get the meat out.

Have a great trip!!

the chef

You might want to try the 160 gr Nosler Accubonds as well. They group extremely well, and I have had great success with them on elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer. Nosler sells them off of there website as Nosler Custom Ammunition.

quote:

Originally posted by Clifton Clowers:
Referring to the animal as a "swamp donkey" or a "bastard" is no different than nicknaming, say, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts as a "masshole".

Your point? I think I made mine, but just to clarify: I think you're a misguided shithead, and I'd prefer you didn't annoy me with your peculiar sense of righteousness any longer. Clear?

Carry on.

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
Spend some time listening to moose sounds on the net. Most people use a cow call and then bullwinkle or mr. moose if you can call him that will come rockin and rollin in looking for a gal. Using cow calls will bring any and all bulls, as well as the more agressive cows. I usually use a bull call though. My idea is to call a large dominant bull not just any horny critter- a big one!! You can also use a large stick and whack the bushes and trees with it to simulate a bull bashing his antlers on everything in sight. Some people use a shoulderblade from a moose or cow and rub it on the trees. It really sounds like the paddles of their antlers on the trees. Others pour water into a puddle or the side of a stream/lake to simulate pissing sounds.

If you have the happy chance to find a "piss hole" where the bull has pawed the ground and urinated in the mud to roll in it-you have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Hang out in that area you'll get some action.

If you accidentally spook him try calling as he runs away, he'll often stop and give you a chance for a shot. Also if he runs after you shoot him, try calling. He'll often stop even with a bullet or arrow in him.

Bring lots of heavy equipment. Ropes, block and tackle. wheel barrow/gamecart etc. Anything that will help to get the meat out.

Have a great trip!!

the chef

This is helpful, and I thank you for taking the time. I've been reading as much as I can on their habits and behavior, going over memories of my own interaction/encounters with them and I have enlisted the help of a guide (sort-of) who is a full-timer in the bush, and just happens to live in the very block I drew--I note this only because out of the 5 places I looked, he was the only one that didn't claim to be intimately familiar with the entire state. He's also supposedly the former NH state moose calling champ, and is how he normally gets his clients their moose.

Having camped, hiked and fished in the region for perhaps 20 years (and hunted the last few), I know the area, but decided that I wanted someone who *really* knows moose to help with tactics/specific locations, but really my motivation lies in that I want help getting what is hopefully the bull of my dreams out of the woods (or heaven forfend, a water body!) and to the processor! I cannot remember any trip longer than 2 days where I *didn't* see moose up there, sometimes all over the place. Last year's success rate was 86%, and I'd wager that a good portion of the remaining % either didn't make it up, or were hopeless drunks that never left the cabin. As has been pointed out, they don't seem terribly difficult to find up there. There, now that I've sufficiently cursed myself...

Thanks again to all who offered advice. I'll post up the hunt details and pics (hopefully) in late October.

Good luck on your hunt.

Up here the appropriate term is BULLWINKLE.