ive Also shot a bunch with 243 among other calibers. What’s as important as shot placement for me is dead moose placement. A moose shot on dry ground that runs into the swamp is a dead moose in the swamp first and foremost. A moose dropped on dry ground is downright enjoyable to work on. Get some bush tea on the go while you skin. I prefer a neck or brain shot but that’s just my own preference. 270 is my moose gun

You hear some great stories in the northern bush from natives who have shot those big clumsy animals with the smallest and feeblist excuses for rifles.

Like your 308, keep your 308. More than plenty of gun.
Some great tips above.

Osky

My dad would use 243 if he had no 7x57 mauser ammo, I mostly use a 270 when I first started hunting moose, got ten since high school. I used a 6.5 grendel last year and this past fall. 30-06 a couple of times, and once with a 7x57 mauser. Going to use a 308 this coming fall.

What Ryan said, shoot it in the head right behind the ear. It wont go anywhere and you wont ruin any meat.

Its gonna be fine,your gun. Your ammo is going to be more important for a thick skinned large cavity animal/
I was in Newfy in 2015 ,central part, 300 weatherby mag. No you dont need that big of a gun, but I am so comfortable with that gun and accuracy, its my go to Gun! my moose dropped direct to the ground 110 yds. Shots range there from 50 to possibly 300+ if your prepaired.at least in central, Newfy.

Behind the ear is my preference too, depending on the distance.

I've found we usually have to walk up and shoot them again in the neck, but it's a lot easier than tracking a wounded moose and packing him out even further.

My first time moose hunting i brought a 33o win mang, my buddy brought a 5.56 for his 10 year old son to shoot. I dropped my moose with two shots at about 100 yards, the first shot it stood still making me think i missed second shot it dropped in its place. Both lung shots. An hour later his son dropped a bigger bull at about 100 yards with one shot, hitting it almost directly in ear hole. My point is i think using a gun you are comfortable shooting is most important, and shot placement is key.

After that first trip ive never and will never shoot a moost that far from the river again, packing sucks, especially through mud and water. Knowing what you moose is in or on is super important. id rather shoot a small bull on dry land 50 yards from the river then a 80 inch bull in a pond 500 yards from the river. Ive also used a .270 for every moose after that first one.

You get used to it

The one on my back was an easy pack, just over a mile. The meat-on-the-pole moose were much worse. They came from the base of the mountain in the right part of the pic. Miles, several miles.

I will second that. But my experience wasn't quite so cut and dried.
My son shot a young bull about 150 yards away. His first moose at age 8. Dropped like a rock.
However as we were walking up to the bull he was trying to get his footing. and I did not pick up on the clues that were in front of me. His back legs were moving. He just could not get footing. We got up to about 20 feet and he looked square at us. The adrenalin kicked in and he lifted up on all 4's and headed our way. I was filming at the time, my son was packing the gun, I turned and ran as the gun was at the time empty. My bad. My partner was packing however and he shot from the hip and put the bull down. I chambered a round and was going to let my son put another one in the bull as it was still looking pretty lively. As we approached he lifted up yet again. I grabbed the gun and shot the bull. Pretty crazy affair.
Lesson. As hard as they might fall. If those back legs are moving put another one in from a far.
When we skinned the bull out he had a bullet hole square in the middle of one of the spinal processes. Vertical vertebra we call the hump. That bull would have lived just fine had he been able to continue to get away after the first shot.
I agree anyone putting one in the shoulder on a moose is making a poor choice in my mind. Why ruin meat?

I don't have a lot of experience with moose but the few kills I've been involved with make me think that moose are one of the easiest animals to kill for their size. I saw one moose that was double lunged at the far end or tip of the lungs, the moose didn't go ten yards. Then I've seen double lunged elk that weren't found until the next day.

You are correct waggler, moose are not particularly hard to kill. I've seen FN hunters kill them with a 22 magnum numerous times.

Bought my first rifle when I was 15, it is a 300 Savage. Over the years it has killed many many moose with no problem. When I started guiding part time in the 70's I purchased a 270 Winchester. Killed a couple moose with it but most often returned to the old 300 Savage. Also in the early 70's I purchased a 22-250 for coyotes and found it worked well for deer and killed a couple moose with it also. It was more an opportunity situation than a specific hunt. All my father ever used was a 30-30 Winchester. He also had an old 308 Savage which he got rid of when I was very young, he preferred his 30-30.

Shot placement is key as many have indicated. Some have one preference, some another, for me it right in the engine room just behind the front shoulder. As indicated also they do not always fall immediately, everyone acts a bit different but even if they run they do not go more than about 20 yards. Once I shot one and he ran about 15 feet forward then started to back up and fell right where he was standing when I shot him.

Bet ya can't guess what I run for Moose... Lol.!


Yes of course the 308 Win will do it, but remember, it's the bullet not the cartridge case that's doing the work.

If you handload there are several good Moose killing bullets available for the .308" caliber. In the 308 Win I would be looking at the 165 TTSX or one of Noslers Partitions or Accubonds.
The nice thing about the 308 Win is that there are good factory loads available that load these same bullets.

Most importantly, is shot placement. The 308 is a pussycat on the shoulder, and therefore easy to shoot accurately.

Had bought my wife a Marlin 45-70 some time ago for when she'd head out herself either to pick berries or just to be out in the summer/fall, a lot of the times I'd have to stay home since I work both thru summer and winter and wouldn't have much time to be out. Got a lot of bears wondering during those times so when I got the chance to buy the rifle, I took it. The pics. are from this fall, mid-September. Was upriver where my mother-in-law has her camp, was just getting dinner done when my wife gasped and told me to look the other way toward the bank. Was an awesome sight to see this moose walking along a high bank, rushed over and told my wife to just run up the bank and take the shot. As soon as we got there she jumped off and ran up, when she jumped off the boat she pushed the boat out at the same time so I had to turn again to park. Stumbled up the bank all the while trying to get the anchor line off my legs. Looking up I see my wife ready to fire, first shot dropped it. Behind the leg and thru the lungs. Was an awesome evening. I do have a .300 mag that I carry with but didn't need it. Some might say its a bit much for moose but at the moment, those are the only biggest rifles we have. Loves her rifle btw.

That darn anchor line..!

Great story and pics.

Moses those 45/70s are great rifles that can do just about anything. Got a friend that has been using one for many years. He has taken a pile of game with his.

358wsm, I agree that the 308 is easy on the shoulder! Thats one reason its such a great choice, its easy to shoot. No need for expensive premium bullets in it though. Cup and core do a fine job. The 308 in my experience doesn't have the velocity to warrant a tough bullet like the Barnes, unless you shoot a lighter weight bullet, and theres nothing wrong with that.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences

If I had to pack that far I would thankfully i live in a place where we have enough moose and liberal enough bag restrictions to be a little selective. I also like a shorter back as i dont like to bone out in the field, I want that bone marrow for soup!