Moose Caliber: Maine

[Mebe007]

Hunting Maine moose zone 2 this year in September as a sub. I have a few different firearms choices without scratching the buy a new itch.

Below are my thoughts on what i have and what they are currently sighted in with

.270 (130gr Swift Scirroco 2)
.30-06 (150gr nosler ballistic tip)
7mm Remington Magnum (160gr barnes tsx)
444 Marlin (265gr corelockt or 270gr cast lead)
45-70 (405 corelockt)

My thoughts point me to using the 7mm mag initially. Granated i can change ammo, work up different loads, buy a new gun etc.

 

[TN2shot07]

Haven’t been lucky enough to draw a moose tag but because those hunts are so rare I’m taking the gun that means the most to me. Those cartridges will all kill a moose if you do your part, carry what you want to be a part of the story later.

 

[Grassymike]

Everything in your list will do the trick including loads listed.

 

[MuleyFever]

They will all kill a moose. Pick the one you shoot best, or the one you want in your moose picture.

 

[6mm Remington]

Pick the one that's most sentimental to you out of your list and take one of the other rifles as a backup just in case you take a bad fall and mess a scope up or something. Wouldn't hurt if the one you like the most happens to also be very accurate. Best of luck on your hunt and I hope you get a whopper!

 

[StupidLightweight]

Congrats on the tag! Have you considered a 6.5 Creedmoor? Just kidding.

Great points above about sentimentality. Rock the rifle that makes you happiest. The 7mm Rem. Mag. is certainly the most versatile, but I can't imagine the shot will be that far in Maine. Regardless, the moose won't know the difference, but you certainly will.

 

[Usi05]

Same boat. Drew Maine moose tag. Have a 7mm-08 for whitetail and a .308 kimber for western hunting and I’ve been overthinking caliber as well.

I know both can kill a moose. I’m reluctant to take Kimber because I can shoot my 7mm-08 significantly better freehand and I don’t expect the shots to be long range or weight to be a big issue.

Does feel like a good excuse to buy a new gun though.


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[StupidLightweight]

By all means, don't overthink it. Take your 7mm-08 and use good bullets. It'll kill a moose as well as any cartridge available.

Many hunters have more moose experience than me, but I've been fortunate to kill 5 with four cartridges: .338 Win Mag (first and second), 7x57 Mauser (third moose), .308 (four) and .30-06 (fifth moose). Oddly enough, only two took more than a step, and that was with .338 and 7x57. Go figure.

Moose aren't as tough as an elk or, come to think of it, a coyote. Plus, their vitals are the size of a baking sheet. They may not go down quickly, so keep shooting and enjoy a freezer full of delicious meat.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[Mojave]

I do not understand the concept of a sub?

 

[JDK]

He is a sub-permittee. Someone else drew the tag and he is allowed to hunt with them.

 

[Chuckybmd]

Agree with the seven mag decision. Though playing the devils advocate why not scratch the buy a new gun itch. Maybe a classic 375 H&H model 70?

 

[Dennis]

I would choose the 30-06 with 180- 200 grain premium bullets (Barnes TTSX, Nosler Partition etc.).

 

[Mojave]

He is a sub-permittee. Someone else drew the tag and he is allowed to hunt with them.

So why does he need a rifle?

This hurts my western brain.

So they get to shoot 2 moose?

 

[mtnwrunner]

Congrats on the tag! Have you considered a 6.5 Creedmoor? Just kidding.

Great points above about sentimentality. Rock the rifle that makes you happiest. The 7mm Rem. Mag. is certainly the most versatile, but I can't imagine the shot will be that far in Maine. Regardless, the moose won't know the difference, but you certainly will.

Wouldn't hesitate to use a 6.5 creedmoor on moose.

Randy

 

[WKB]

As a lever gun lover, I hate to say this, but if that is factory Remington brand 405 Grain 45-70 I would not use that on a moose. The factory 405 grain loads are notoriously underpowered so they can be safely chambered in trapdoor Springfields and other period single shots. If those are hot handloads or you could get some HSM 430 grain "Bear Loads" or Buffalo Bore 45-70 (assuming you have a modern Marlin or Winchester 1886) I would go with that. Otherwise, the 444 would be better suited, and honestly with the 265grain load, not by much. The 7mm Mag or 30'06 better is better than either of them.

 

[Usi05]

So why does he need a rifle?

This hurts my western brain.

So they get to shoot 2 moose?

No.

Both can carry rifle but there is strict guidelines of distance they can be apart. Basically they must hunt together to prevent more than one moose being shot.

1 tag total but they allow two shooters is a simpler way to say that.


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[Mojave]

No.

Both can carry rifle but there is strict guidelines of distance they can be apart. Basically they must hunt together to prevent more than one moose being shot.

1 tag total but they allow two shooters is a simpler way to say that.


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I do not understand that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. The only reason I could see that is if you put your wife in for a tag and then you shoot it because she doesn’t want to shoot it but she still wants to go. Party hunting in the west is totally illegal. This is what that is. I didn’t know it was legal anywhere.

 

[Mojave]

About 30 years ago, I met a guy that killed a bighorn sheep in Wyoming. And he was party hunting with another kid from Missouri both families to come out to try and get the sheep and the guy that worked for me killed it illegally. The guy was probably 15 when it happened. He was 19 or 21. He works for me, like I said they were from back east

 

[tater]

I do not understand that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. The only reason I could see that is if you put your wife in for a tag and then you shoot it because she doesn’t want to shoot it but she still wants to go. Party hunting in the west is totally illegal. This is what that is. I didn’t know it was legal anywhere.

B.C. has a shared hunt format for limited entry moose and bison in some areas. One tag between 2 or three applicants and two tags between four hunters. Increases draw odds for applicants.
Up to the group to ensure that they don't over harvest.

 

[Grassymike]

Alberta also does partner licenses. Say I got drawn for Moose, I can then get a partner license for my Son and he can shoot it. Two hunters one tag.