“Drop shot” placement on a moose??

[trophyhunt]

 Seems like a silly question to ask but say you got a moose in the middle of the road or on the edge of the lake and you want to drop him in his tracks, where do you shoot him? Keep in mind I’m not taking a headshot because the euro mount is what I have planned. I’ve shot one small bull moose in Canada one year and the guide told me to shoot it in the hump, it dropped dead on the spot. I’m just not sure if that shot would have the same effect on a bigger bull, thoughts?

[elkrack]

It is a silly question Jerry! I’ll report back to you the day that I draw a moose tag and let you know how it turns out you shouldn’t be using your rifle you should be using a bow

[brew]

no expert but I drew a any moose tag in 2006.  about 6 pm opening day ran across a bull at about 70 yards standing along side of the road.  broadside and aimed about 2/3 the way up the shoulder and dropped him with one shot from the 338.  had to put another one in his neck as he was still kicking but not going anywhere.  had the bow and thought about it but something about backing up to that monster and loading him directly into the truck was too much to pass up.  Not huge but 43 1/2" and was good enough for me.  good luck

[Okanagan]

Keep the shot low in the hump, preferably low enough to hit the spine where it passes under the hump.  That is basically a highish shoulder shot.

I shot a bull moose in the hump that dropped, but soon would have strolled away with no more than sore hump had I not shot him again.  The bullet passed between the vertical bones above the hump and though it knocked him out, did virtually zero damage to nerves, bones nor cardio vascular systems.

The spine is quite low on the body as it passes under the hump of a moose.  I'd go for the spine at the hump myself, to drop a broadside or broad angled moose on on the spot, and plan to err on the low side rather than too high.  If low, you hit lung and blood plumbing, but there is nothing vital in that hump above the spine.

[jrebel]

The hump is a bad shot unless your low as stated earlier.  Moose don't run with lethal shots.   4 moose shot in camp last year and the furthest went 40 yards.  .270 win., 7mm mag, 300 wm, and 325 wm.  I shot mine I. The head at 40 yards and still put two behind the shoulder because he just locked up and stayed standing.  Lights were out but he just locked up.......I was taught if they are still standing keep shooting, so I did.  Never took a step and the head wound was 100% a kill shot ..  almost took his head off.   

Double lung them and they die quick. 


Whatever you do......don't shoot them in the bell!!!!!!!   Inside joke.....hahahahahah

[Buckjunkie]

Shot a couple and witnessed another. They don’t seem to be too tough to kill. I shoot for the offside shoulder and they don’t go far. The last one’s back end went down from a front shoulder shot and took one more in the shoulder to end it. I would suggest a heavy for caliber bullet to break big bones and deep penetration.

[JoeE]

Drop him in the river Jerry! Adds to the experience

[JoeE]

I’ve heard the hump shot too. The moose in the pic above trotted about 100 yards with a lung shot. The other moose I shot dropped within 10 steps or so.

[trophyhunt]

I’ll be using my .300 win mag, thought about using the bow but just want to make sure it goes down since this is a once in a lifetime deal. Received my map today and have my first scout area picked out!  Just wish the bio would call me back, left 2 messages so far. 

[trophyhunt]

I’ve heard the hump shot too. The moose in the pic above trotted about 100 yards with a lung shot. The other moose I shot dropped within 10 steps or so.

Thats a sweet pic Joe!  And running 100 yards is what I’m trying to avoid, what gun did you use?

[BULLBLASTER]

Just shoot him in the shoulders. And if he’s still standing keep shooting.

And please for someone’s sake even if you aren’t using the cape save it and sell it to a taxidermist. Shiras capes are always in demand.

[huntnnw]

no kidding! sell them to a taxi if not using worth good amount of money.

moose have to be the weakest animals I have seen shot. Mine almost dropped with a arrow

[steeleywhopper]

They don't usually go anywhere with a "high shoulder" shot. Both my bulls dropped with that shot and my cow got hers in the back of the head and she did not do anything but lay her head down and never moved again.

[jrebel]

They don't usually go anywhere with a "high shoulder" shot. Both my bulls dropped with that shot and my cow got hers in the back of the head and she did not do anything but lay her head down and never moved again.

Out of curiosity......when you say lay her head down, did she tip over or stay standing for a bit??  My bull took a 212 grain bullet out of a 300 win mag to the head at 40 yards.  His head dropped and his legs locked up.  He stood standing for enough time for me to get better line of site and put two more behind the shoulder before he tipped over (approx 20 - 30 seconds total time). 

[grundy53]

I would say hit him in the shoulders if you want him to drop. I shot mine right behind the shoulders perfect double lung shot and he still went 50 yards.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[HillHound]

I shot mine high in the shoulders with a 300 Wsm 180 gr. and he went strait down. But in all the excitement I ran up the hill and when I got to him he opened his eyes and jumped back up bulldozing down hill snapping dog hair pines to the bottom of the draw where he expired. so even if they do go straight down give them some time and be ready for the second shot, that’s a lot of blood to pump out. Also a side note mine was in the process of protecting his cow from two other bulls so he probably had some extra adrenaline on his side too.

[trophyhunt]

Good advise, thanks all.  I'm thinking a high shoulder shot at this point, it will be hard to not go behind the shoulder and double lung him, that's always my aim point.  But something is going to die I know that much!!! 

[Okanagan]

Unless it is critical that you put him down on the spot, I'd go for the double lung you prefer, or maybe mid shoulder, depending on how he is turned.  It is a more sure-to-kill shot with more margin if the bullet is a few inches off from aiming point.

 Also, as several have mentioned, it is common for a moose to take a mortal hit and do nothing but lock his legs and remain standing as long as he can, which can take awhile as that enormous body empties of blood.  Long time moose hunters advised me that if the moose stops and locks his legs, keep aiming at him in case he moves, but otherwise shooting more only ruins more meat.

I grew up with the rule to keep shooting as long as he is on his feet, and I still do that with elk.  But with moose, when I KNEW that I'd put a killing round through his heart/lung area, I have simply kept the rifle loosely shouldered and looked over the sights at the motionless bull till he fell over.  If close, I'd put one through his brain or behind his ear. 

Along that line, be wise with head shots. A friend of mine put a bullet through a bull's sinuses rather than his brain on that long, mostly-empty-of-vitals head. 

After thought:  if it is your first moose, keep shooting till he is DOWN!

[h20hunter]

Keep it coming folks. Hunting in Oct and will be sticking with the double lung'r myself!

[DOUBLELUNG]

To be sure to drop any big game animal on the spot, you need to bust the brain or spinal cord. 

Your best shot and greatest margin of error with a bull moose is broadside, directly below the highest point of the hump and in line with his back behind the hump.  Perfectly executed, you will break both shoulders and sever the spine; miss by a few inches and he will still die fast and be a fast recovery.  If you take that shot and he DOESN'T drop, keep shooting because you didn't hit point of aim.

[trophyhunt]

 

[Okanagan]

To be sure to drop any big game animal on the spot, you need to bust the brain or spinal cord. 

Your best shot and greatest margin of error with a bull moose is broadside, directly below the highest point of the hump and in line with his back behind the hump.  Perfectly executed, you will break both shoulders and sever the spine; miss by a few inches and he will still die fast and be a fast recovery.  If you take that shot and he DOESN'T drop, keep shooting because you didn't hit point of aim.

Doublelung, who am I to quibble with an internet picture, but that diagram of the moose sure looks to me like it has the spine way too high as it passes between the shoulders under the hump.  In my recall, there is a LOT more hump above the spine than is shown in that diagram.  I'm likely wrong...  but if shooting at a moose today, I'd aim lower than the diagram shows if I wanted to hit the spine under the hump. 

This to basically repeat, that if a hunter isn't sure where the spine is, hold on the low side of best guess.

[BULLBLASTER]

Moose in holes build character!

Just shoot him and deal with it.   

[elkrack]

Moose in holes build character!

Just shoot him and deal with it.   

Lmao

[trophyhunt]

Moose in holes build character!

Just shoot him and deal with it.   

lol, trust me, I have lots of character !   

[Karl Blanchard]

Moose in holes build character!

Just shoot him and deal with it.   

lol, trust me, I have lots of character !   

HA!!!! Any man who blasts John Denver in public is obviously lacking character and should probably have to retrieve a moose from a pond and then pack it out of a hole.  My recommendation to you Jerry is don't suck at killing moose


Seriously though, if it were me I'd be shooting for behind the shoulder, double lung. I like braised shoulder roasts too much. Stear clear of head shots if you want a euro. Probably just stear clear of those anyways. I've slaughtered close to a hundred lambs as well as more than a few head shots on wild game and if you hit the brain it is lights out right now, on the ground instantly. You miss that brain or spine though and they either go zombie mode, or you are gonna have a chase on your hands. I had a cow elk come running by me one season and someone had shot her in the jaw. That image and the stern words my grandfather had about it has stayed with me to this day. Go for the 100% guarantee and put it center mass

[trophyhunt]

Took you long enough to reply!!!  I believe half your comment !  Lol

[WSU]

Having been part of a head shot gone wrong, I'd avoid that like the plague.

[Karl Blanchard]

Took you long enough to reply!!!  I believe half your comment !  Lol

  am I gonna see you guys at Steven's next weekend?

[trophyhunt]

Not this year, might go scout out the Selkirk. Honestly that shoot is a blast but the traffic and amount of people make it not worth it, going to miss going.  Really hoping for a crystal mnt location someday. If I didn’t need to save all my vacation time for moose, I might have went anyway.

[idahohuntr]

I have been on 6 moose hunts in North Idaho.  5 of the 6 went smoothly with normal behind the shoulder shots and the moose did not go far at all...less than 10 yards in all cases. 

The one that did not go smoothly...the otherwise experienced hunter got caught up in how big moose are and rumors of moose being shot and running miles.  He got some barstool advice about shooting moose in the neck because their lungs are so big...bla bla bla...long story short, we get in on a good bull and I watch this guy shoot it 3x in the neck...and then the moose ran off and we never found it.  Distance was 70 yards and I watched the hair/meat fly out of this moose neck with each shot from his newly acquired .375.  Never found this moose. 

Moral of this story in my eyes...don't change your approach to shooting big game animals just because its a moose.  Shoot your moose where you would shoot your elk or deer.   

[DOUBLELUNG]

To be sure to drop any big game animal on the spot, you need to bust the brain or spinal cord. 

Your best shot and greatest margin of error with a bull moose is broadside, directly below the highest point of the hump and in line with his back behind the hump.  Perfectly executed, you will break both shoulders and sever the spine; miss by a few inches and he will still die fast and be a fast recovery.  If you take that shot and he DOESN'T drop, keep shooting because you didn't hit point of aim.

Doublelung, who am I to quibble with an internet picture, but that diagram of the moose sure looks to me like it has the spine way too high as it passes between the shoulders under the hump.  In my recall, there is a LOT more hump above the spine than is shown in that diagram.  I'm likely wrong...  but if shooting at a moose today, I'd aim lower than the diagram shows if I wanted to hit the spine under the hump. 

This to basically repeat, that if a hunter isn't sure where the spine is, hold on the low side of best guess.

Point taken, I've only shot and butchered one moose, shot behind the shoulder.  That advice comes from a lot of collective New England and eastern Canada moose hunter wisdom, and quite a few I know who have taken it with desired outcome.  I don't advocate CNS shots for any big game, but I was trying to answer the question.  Personally, I'm going to shoot my next moose behind the shoulder and uphill from the road.

[Karl Blanchard]

Not this year, might go scout out the Selkirk. Honestly that shoot is a blast but the traffic and amount of people make it not worth it, going to miss going.  Really hoping for a crystal mnt location someday. If I didn’t need to save all my vacation time for moose, I might have went anyway.

well you suck then

[PA BEN]

I have been on 6 moose hunts in North Idaho.  5 of the 6 went smoothly with normal behind the shoulder shots and the moose did not go far at all...less than 10 yards in all cases. 

The one that did not go smoothly...the otherwise experienced hunter got caught up in how big moose are and rumors of moose being shot and running miles.  He got some barstool advice about shooting moose in the neck because their lungs are so big...bla bla bla...long story short, we get in on a good bull and I watch this guy shoot it 3x in the neck...and then the moose ran off and we never found it.  Distance was 70 yards and I watched the hair/meat fly out of this moose neck with each shot from his newly acquired .375.  Never found this moose. 

Moral of this story in my eyes...don't change your approach to shooting big game animals just because its a moose.  Shoot your moose where you would shoot your elk or deer. 

The advice I got was never take side shot on the neck. The neck is so wide you might miss the bone. That being said I shot my moose at 37 yds with a 7mm rem mag, 175 gr rem corelock in the back of the neck. He was facing away from me and there was no way I would miss the bone on this shot. Well I shot and he ran off, did not go to his knees he didn't flinch at all I thought I missed him. I put 2 more in him on a heavy quorting away shot behind the shoulder. He ran about 100uds or so. When I boned out the neck I saw a round hole between 2 vertebrae, I stuck my finger in it and picked my perfect mushroomed bullet out. Between 3/8 inches of hide plus hair and 12 inches or so of meat it took all the punch out of the bullet. I handload now and one of my bonded  bullets would have broken the neck.

[Grizzlykiller]

I've worked as meat cutter since 1990 and cut many moose over the years with shot up shoulders.
I see no reason at all to keep poking holes in a moose hemorrhaging the best game meat there is.
A shot 6-8 inches below the hump will drop them immediately in their tracks.
We've killed about 60 and that shot placements been used on over 40 of them.

[JoeE]

I’ve heard the hump shot too. The moose in the pic above trotted about 100 yards with a lung shot. The other moose I shot dropped within 10 steps or so.

Thats a sweet pic Joe!  And running 100 yards is what I’m trying to avoid, what gun did you use?

300 WSM with 200 grain accubonds. That bull was rutted up and hot on the trail of a cow when I shot him. He wasn’t giving up easy!

[steeleywhopper]

They don't usually go anywhere with a "high shoulder" shot. Both my bulls dropped with that shot and my cow got hers in the back of the head and she did not do anything but lay her head down and never moved again.

Out of curiosity......when you say lay her head down, did she tip over or stay standing for a bit??  My bull took a 212 grain bullet out of a 300 win mag to the head at 40 yards.  His head dropped and his legs locked up.  He stood standing for enough time for me to get better line of site and put two more behind the shoulder before he tipped over (approx 20 - 30 seconds total time).

The Cow Moose was bedded facing away from me and I shot her in her bed. Normally I would never take a head shot but this time it felt doable as I knew what I was capable of with that gun. The bullet went into her head where the spine connects to the skull.

[Macs B]

Try this

[Timberstalker]

I can't say I would head shoot a moose.
Pound the shoulders and be done with it.

[trophyhunt]

Try this

I sure hope I see a bull like that!!! 

[Timberstalker]

That bull moose fever would overtake you, Jerry!

[bigmacc]

I've worked as meat cutter since 1990 and cut many moose over the years with shot up shoulders.
I see no reason at all to keep poking holes in a moose hemorrhaging the best game meat there is.
A shot 6-8 inches below the hump will drop them immediately in their tracks.
We've killed about 60 and that shot placements been used on over 40 of them.

 
I never killed a bull moose but my grandparents killed around 30(between the 2 of them) back when they spent half their time in Alaska. Like Grizzlykiller and DOUBLELUNG stated there number one shot preference was, "find the hump and drop down about half a foot, drops em like a bad habit"

[AMBUSH OUTFITTERS BC]

   Macs B thats the spot 

[Okanagan]

Try this

That is a much more accurate diagram of moose anatomy IME.

When we say to aim/drop six inches or so below the hump, do we mean from the top of the hump or from its baseline?  If we measure down from the top of the hump, six inches is not far enough down to hit the spine.  That is a BIG animal, much farther from top of withers to spine than on a deer or even on an elk.

And to add another complication:   sometimes the hair on a moose's hump is standing straight up, especially when he is coming to a call.  The hair on a moose hump is some of the longest on its body, sort of a mane, and can easily add 8 inches of vertical height to the hump, and likely more.

I shot a moose at close range that had his hackles up, angry at me.  I dropped well down from the top of his hump and expected to hit his spine.  I shot through the hump.  All of that empty hair standing up above the hump fooled me.

Our mileage does vary, but I would go/and have gone for the middle of the shoulder or 1/3 of the way up the shoulder at the front leg for a more sure shot, and aim for spine only if it was critical to put him down on the exact spot.

[coachcw]

mines gonna get a 140 berger through the pumper !

[trophyhunt]

mines gonna get a 140 berger through the pumper !

where you moose hunting Corey???  Did you get the raffle???

[coachcw]

mines gonna get a 140 berger through the pumper !

where you moose hunting Corey???  Did you get the raffle???

nope B.C.