Alaska moose width thread?

[Gunnersdad49]

I tried searching and didn’t find such a thing. Would the experienced moose hunters on here consider helping some of us out by posting a photo of their bulls, and later revealing the actual measured width?
I don’t want to make it a million guesses thread, more like a tool / study guide others can learn from.

I am trying to get better at width estimation.

Thanks for considering it.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Alaska Fish and Game has a video you might find useful:
Is This Moose Legal?

 

[Gunnersdad49]

It is a good video, and I agree it is THE place to start, and I have watched it several times. I was just hoping for more practice. I know I’m likely overthinking it, but I’d much rather feel confident and competent going into my hunt.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I don't know exactly where a thread on antler width exists, but I'd bet my last arrow there is such a thread here or on a different forum. I can remember reading more than one "how wide is this bull?" thread with guys guessing numbers.

I'm not a numbers guy and my method is that I'm hunting an any-bull area, or else I'm only shooting at a no-brainer legal bull. Differentiating a 52" from a 48" with 99% certainty is for experts, and I decidedly ain't one. And that said....

Over many years I've looked at countless pictures of bulls, dead and living. Except for a very few, most pictures of killed bulls aren't very helpful for judging or learning to judge width. The main reason is a lack of perspective. Pics of killed bulls almost always make them look bigger than reality. A 47" can look like a 55" or bigger with no intent to deceive. It's just a camera lens thing. The most useful pics are of bulls on their feet looking at the camera...though most of those images don't have the benefit of a measurement to follow.

 

[Steve O]

Yep. It is SO difficult. I’ve been looking at a 52” bull that is over 200” for 20 years dozens of times every day and my last trip to Alaska I passed a bull because I was not sure he was over 50”. The brow time is WAY easier. You can practice all you want but when I become a criminal because I misjudged an inch, that makes me really really cautious and I’d rather go home without than break the law even with the best of intentions. I sure do dislike the moose and sheep rules in AK for that reason.

When I replay that questionable bull in my mind now without the pressure of a fine I am sure he was over 50”...that is so frustrating.

 

[Voyageur]

To the OP: thanks for starting this thread.
First moose hunt is coming up in 2021. My plan is to only shoot a bull that has the required number of brow tines...unless of course he is a no-doubt 60"+ bull.
To those of you with multiple years of experience, does that strategy make sense?

 

[VernAK]

Kevin is on target!.......don't even try to guess if the bull is over 50"........think 60"! Pics are very hard to judge. The bull in my avatar was 63" when shot but for some reason the pic is fuzzy.

We usually try for 60"+ bulls but if a 57" comes into camp or approaches the air strip, he has just become a very fine trophy!

Palmation makes the trophy IMO and in B&Cs opinion. A bull in 50"+ with great palmation makes a great trophy.

When you call a 60" bull in very very close, you will be impressed.........at least I am and I've been hunting em for over 5 decades.

 

[carsonkeys]

OP, I know the exact width of this bull so take a guess or two if you’d like

 

[FishfinderAK]

OP, I know the exact width of this bull so take a guess or two if you’d like View attachment 186434View attachment 186436

I’ll play. 56”

 

[Voyageur]

I'm guessing 50". He looks bigger, but when I break him down into segments I come up with around 50"....but he still looks bigger!

 

[Laramie]

I got 48.5". First reaction was don't shoot based on width.

 

[AKDoc]

I absolutely agree with others here that determining width with precision is not in my wheel-house, even after 30+ years of practice. I have always been a brow-tine counter when in a antler restricted area, and there were a few bulls that even counting brow-tines got challenging before pulling the trigger, e.g., the spacing between the brow-tine grouping and the beginning of palmation wasn't well defined on the bull, estimating if that short fourth brow-tine point is over an inch, etc.

I'll admit that I am an overly cautious hunter, wanting to clearly be within the law before shooting, so I won't take a 50" risk that others might. It's also the reason that I've yet to harvest a ram...I'm pretty sure that I likely passed on a legal ram or two, but I just wasn't 100% sure of full-curl at the time.

An any bull area is soooo much more relaxing!

BTW...my estimate/guess at the width of that bull, as someone who has already admitted is poor at it, is between 49-51.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I would guess that bull around the 45" mark. Not meant as an insult, just my honest and totally unqualified opinion. If his inside gap is around 27", and paddles are about 8", that gives 43", but that sticker on the bull's right side goes a bit wider. The sticker might drive him a little more. I definitely wouldn't risk it in an antler restricted zone personally.

Does anyone know how long a moose's ears are? Ballpark? I know ADF&G says about 10" across the face, so if the ears are about 10", if you could lay them flat, those plus the face should be right around 30", right?

 

[WMR]

New guy here. Don't have experience with moose, but I'm learning. Actually have a hunt in the works where I'll need to know this. I'll guess this moose is 53 inches. Looks kinda legal, but I'd not be sure enough to shoot. Thanks, BTW to Vern, Kevin and all the others who make this forum fun and educational.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

moose pics with spread size please

Bowhunting and Archery Information Article

forums.bowsite.com

Google "moose width photos"

 

[Gunnersdad49]

moose pics with spread size please

Bowhunting and Archery Information Article

forums.bowsite.com

Google "moose width photos"

That is a great thread! Thank you!

 

[Akwoodchuck]

OP, I know the exact width of this bull so take a guess or two if you’d like View attachment 186434View attachment 186436

Fortyish.

 

[carsonkeys]

I’ll play. 56”

I'm guessing 50". He looks bigger, but when I break him down into segments I come up with around 50"....but he still looks bigger!

I got 48.5". First reaction was don't shoot based on width.

I absolutely agree with others here that determining width with precision is not in my wheel-house, even after 30+ years of practice. I have always been a brow-tine counter when in a antler restricted area, and there were a few bulls that even counting brow-tines got challenging before pulling the trigger, e.g., the spacing between the brow-tine grouping and the beginning of palmation wasn't well defined on the bull, estimating if that short fourth brow-tine point is over an inch, etc.

I'll admit that I am an overly cautious hunter, wanting to clearly be within the law before shooting, so I won't take a 50" risk that others might. It's also the reason that I've yet to harvest a ram...I'm pretty sure that I likely passed on a legal ram or two, but I just wasn't 100% sure of full-curl at the time.

An any bull area is soooo much more relaxing!

BTW...my estimate/guess at the width of that bull, as someone who has already admitted is poor at it, is between 49-51.

I would guess that bull around the 45" mark. Not meant as an insult, just my honest and totally unqualified opinion. If his inside gap is around 27", and paddles are about 8", that gives 43", but that sticker on the bull's right side goes a bit wider. The sticker might drive him a little more. I definitely wouldn't risk it in an antler restricted zone personally.

Does anyone know how long a moose's ears are? Ballpark? I know ADF&G says about 10" across the face, so if the ears are about 10", if you could lay them flat, those plus the face should be right around 30", right?

New guy here. Don't have experience with moose, but I'm learning. Actually have a hunt in the works where I'll need to know this. I'll guess this moose is 53 inches. Looks kinda legal, but I'd not be sure enough to shoot. Thanks, BTW to Vern, Kevin and all the others who make this forum fun and educational.

Fortyish.

This bull was right at 50".

 

[WMR]

Thanks! Anybody else got one to try?

 

[Robinhood21]

49.5