Sounds awesome post up a pic of the 67”!!!Definitely not in the brisket. I'd say 100% fatal shot based on several moose that I have or have seen shots placed very similarly on. Lungs and liver most likely. If he was quartering away, probably would have got some heart in there.
The worst deaths and recoveries I've seen on moose, including one my partner killed 5 days ago, are high shot placements, midline of the animal and up. There are a lot of voids in the top half of moose that either won't kill the animal, or won't kill them quickly. I always exaggerate my shots low on moose for a few reasons, quicker death and better blood trails. High shots on moose usually lead to a lot of blood pooling in the body cavity and crappy or nonexistent blood trails. High double lung shots can be very problematic to follow even if the animal dies relatively quickly. It is remarkable how much ground a moose in flight can cover in a very short period of time.
On my moose this year I put two rounds from a .300wm in basically that same spot but with more of a broadside presentation and blew the heart to shreds. The 67" with a massive body bull took three steps and was dead in seconds with a shocking amount of blood loss.
You can’t legally do that resident or NR, that being said a lot of meat does get donated either in the villages or to the local food banks.Good points.
I wasn't clear with my intention on the NR dig. My point with that comment is that NR's are guests in R's hunting areas and should be even more considerate imo. For many AK residents moose are hunted as a meat hunt. For those of us with that view on moose hunting it's sacrilegious to potentially kill 2 moose and only fly home with antlers and backstraps from one of them. (not trying to instigate a trophy hunt convo lol)
Either way, I should have left the NR comment off my post and your points are noted!
I will look all day for it but if isn't recovered, I will continue to hunt.
Tell your friends to stop being embarrassments to huntingI have multiple texts from multiple people already about wounding elk with bows and muzzleloaders, and then continuing to hunt.
I think it is a product of people not practicing, not preparing, and not thinking through the scenarios they have created for themselves. I believe there are far more people who hunt that will not hesitate to send it on a marginal shot "just in case" rather than wait for that shot they are 99% on. I believe it is a hit to the ego to turn down an animal and risk not getting that picture for the year.
EX:
"four arrows for four elk...grazed and scared (crying laughing emoji)"
different person
"found arrow, two drops of blood..smaller 6x6...meh shit happens" (kills a different bull the next day)
different person
"perfect shot on a bull can you come pack meat?...he went into a canyon...(very short time later) he went uphill into this canyon so I don't think he died."
different person
"shot a stud bull hard quartering away...I'm going to go back to the truck and come back in 7 hours"
Take a guess at how many of those people kept hunting, how many killed a different animal?
It reminds me of this thread that I started last fall. https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/how-often-do-you-find-unrecovered-animals.334329/
Everyone has there own limits and ethics. Some people can shoot 110 yards with a bow confidently and ethnically, then the next guy can’t keep it in a pie plate at 40 and calls the other guy a p.o.s.Is there limit on this thought process for you?
For example, say you have wounded, and failed to recover, a different moose every day for last 10 days. On day 11, do you get up and "continue to hunt"?
In my opinion:
If the answer is "yes", then you're a dirtbag.
If the answers is "no", then why not apply that same logic to day 2?
This is just a thought experiment. I'm not trying to pick on you (or call you a dirtbag).
I can't yet, they are still out hunting.Tell your friends to stop being embarrassments to hunting
I really like this thought experiment.Is there limit on this thought process for you?
For example, say you have wounded, and failed to recover, a different moose every day for last 10 days. On day 11, do you get up and "continue to hunt"?
In my opinion:
If the answer is "yes", then you're a dirtbag.
If the answers is "no", then why not apply that same logic to day 2?
This is just a thought experiment. I'm not trying to pick on you (or call you a dirtbag).
But one fell out!
What about if it's turkey? Pheasant? Dove?Out of curiosity, does anyones answer change depending on the hunt/species? Like, would you keep hunting an OTC unit vs a limited draw area? A Dall Sheep vs a spike buck? Genuinely curious.....