how big is the kill zone on a moose?

[Stonewall308]

How big is the kill zone on a Moose? I read conflicting reports online, anywhere from the size of a basketball to the size of an oven door.

Archery is what I have in mind. Ive killed over 60 whitetails with a bow and I would say the kill zone on a big whitetail is nearly the size of basketball, so I would think a moose would be quite a bit bigger than that.

 

[noKnees]

Its pretty big. If you want to get a good idea, print out a diagram of a moose vitals and go to cabelas/bass pro. Most of them have a full body mount. Between the diagram of the vitals and the mount you will see the size and get a good idea of desirable ( and not so desireable) shot angles. Its really just a big deer/elk tho.

 

[Nontyp]

Size 12 boot

 

[Blockcaver]

From a 40"wide 7x7, probably 3-year old NE Alberta Canada bull moose I arrowed in 2022:

Vital area of the chest was 18" deep behind the shoulder.....not measured but proportioned off a 9" long folding hunting knife laid on the skinned bull rib cage. Note there is a lot of "no man's land" below the top of the back/shoulder/hump on a moose...see Nontyp's photo above with his size 12 boot in the picture. Ensure an archery aiming point is well below center as it is easy to shoot a moose too high and never see him again.

A big Alaskan-Yukon bull is certainly deeper and a Shiras quite a bit shallower but no definitive data from me.

 

[PA Hunter]

How big is the kill zone on a Moose? I read conflicting reports online, anywhere from the size of a basketball to the size of an oven door.

Archery is what I have in mind. Ive killed over 60 whitetails with a bow and I would say the kill zone on a big whitetail is nearly the size of basketball, so I would think a moose would be quite a bit bigger than that.

Big lungs but they take a few minutes, they dont fall over like deer.

 

[B Harrison]

Big lungs but they take a few minutes, they dont fall over like deer.

My first deer of last year was a big eastern doe.
Arrowed at 15-20 yards with a 2” Rage
Clean double lung hit with the audible poooof when the arrow hit her.

She ran downhill 60 yards, and stood, then uphill 85-90 yards and stood against the fence with her friends.

I couldn’t see her there until I got down, confirmed the arrow was completely covered in bright red blood, I saw her way up the fence line, so went back to the tree and gave her 5 minutes….

Walked out again and she was still standing there, obviously feeling rough.
She fell and rolled down the hill while I walked to the truck.

Odd for me, but she literally died on her feet and finally fell over.

I’m sure with a moose I’ll try to spine it for the second shot, but hopefully will learn more before September


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jaden Bales]

Made the mistake of hitting that tall meaty fin between top of lungs and top of back on a cow moose last year. Which I didn't realize was such a big thing. Based on this one experience, I'd aim a little lower third than middle.

But hey, if I'd have hit what I was aiming for which was 6-9" lower, then this wouldn't be a conversation, so don't suck and I think you'll find a forgivable kill zone outside of that top third!

 

[Coveyleader]

Big lungs but they take a few minutes, they dont fall over like deer.

My daughter took a crude video through a spotting scope on a bull I shot. He was dead in 3 seconds, (if that) after the arrow hit him.