Judging moose tips

Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,808
Location
Colorado
Hard to believe that’s 51. I do, just difficult. I thought 58. Of course that pic also has them in forefront with you in back, and bare skull. I’m sure that makes Em look a little wider. Still, I was off by a lot!
I agree, the bald head makes them look bigger, and my "fisherman's pose" probably doesn't help. I think the thing that hurt him was how cupped his paddles were forward. If they laid out flat, he would have gained a lot
 

shawdawg

FNG
Joined
Mar 12, 2022
Messages
78
Location
N Idaho
This is a great thread for those new to judging moose. I'm slated for 2023 and this is a starting point to get comfortable at attempting to field judge them. Thanks for everyones input!
 

ndmarine

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 14, 2017
Messages
190
Location
san diego
6867F7E3-0FEA-4D4B-ADCE-40A2D241A1E8.jpegDownload my measures on iPhone. Give yourself a 6” buffer. This guy was overcalculated by 4”. He had plenty of brows so it didn’t matter
 
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,219
Location
Kansas
I hope me posting this doesn't get redundant but I feel like it's the most accurate way to go about it... especially if you're hunting in a 50"/4browtine unit.


I use a combination of ways to measure. I've looked over so many pictures and videos & seen quite a few moose in person now that there are some bulls that you automatically know he's a shooter as soon as you see him... no need to measure. Width between the eyes works but the most accurate way I've found is to use the reticle on my rifle. Obviously this won't work for archery hunters.

I can judge a moose to see if he's legal from 100yds all the way out to 1000 yards and I feel extremely confident in doing so. You just need to make sure you can get a very steady rest.


Examples:

Range Finder - 300 yards, Moose measures 20MOA
3 X 20 = 60" moose


Range Finder - 475 yards, Moose Measures 13.5MOA
4.75 X 13.5 = 64" moose


Range Finder - 178 yards, Moose Measures 26MOA
1.78 X 26 = 46" moose



The scope I use is a Zeiss V4 4-16X44 with a ZMOA-T30 reticle.

reticle.jpg
 

Catchfish

WKR
Joined
Jan 21, 2019
Messages
434
He barely beat 51" wide. I was pretty surprised when I measured, but am really glad he had the brow tines to be legal either way. We passed on a couple of smaller bulls in the trip, and I'm super glad we did! I don't think I would have shot this guy without the brow tines.

If you notice in the second picture, his tines come forward instead of laying out to the side.
Second picture you can also see how much his ears are inside his palm, that is normally not a good sign. The first picture is one of those pics that make animals look bigger than they really are. Very cool moose though I like the character on the inside of his paddles
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,808
Location
Colorado
351610284_787311832833797_8345727371255437784_n.jpg
Catchfish, camera angles make all the difference! Same bull with some magical angle. But in this pic you can see the ears overlap the inside edge of the paddles by a few inches on both sides of the rack.
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,808
Location
Colorado
I hope me posting this doesn't get redundant but I feel like it's the most accurate way to go about it... especially if you're hunting in a 50"/4browtine unit.


I use a combination of ways to measure. I've looked over so many pictures and videos & seen quite a few moose in person now that there are some bulls that you automatically know he's a shooter as soon as you see him... no need to measure. Width between the eyes works but the most accurate way I've found is to use the reticle on my rifle. Obviously this won't work for archery hunters.

I can judge a moose to see if he's legal from 100yds all the way out to 1000 yards and I feel extremely confident in doing so. You just need to make sure you can get a very steady rest.


Examples:

Range Finder - 300 yards, Moose measures 20MOA
3 X 20 = 60" moose


Range Finder - 475 yards, Moose Measures 13.5MOA
4.75 X 13.5 = 64" moose


Range Finder - 178 yards, Moose Measures 26MOA
1.78 X 26 = 46" moose



The scope I use is a Zeiss V4 4-16X44 with a ZMOA-T30 reticle.

View attachment 562704
It's also important to note that this image says it is a second focal plane scope. With a SFP scope, there is typically one magnification that this will work at. The measurements on a FFP scope will work at any magnification, so make sure you know your gear and accurate magnification setting with a SFP scope.
 
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