bronko22000

OK - now that I got your attention and not that I ever would use a .243 for moose but apparently some people do.
I was preparing a rump roast for dinner tonight from the bull moose I shot a couple years ago and found a jacket from a bullet in it. I measured the bottom of the jacket and it was .243".
I've used a .243 for years for deer with great success but IMO it is not an ethical cartridge to use for moose. And it also seems that the person doing the shooting either wasn't ethical or was a lousy shot to have the bullet in the animal's butt.
Now I'm not sure about an individual moose's home range but I shot him miles from the nearest highway.

flags

Will it work? Yes. Is it a good round for it? Nope. For what it is worth, I've seen 2 elk shot with a .243 and both ended up on the game pole with a single round. Both were shot by men who lived in elk country, had shot a lot of elk and were willing to pass on questionable shots and wait for a broadside shot at an elk standing still.

hunters_life

Fairly old saying but it applies very well here. Can a .243 take an animal in the Moose weight class? Most certainly yes. So will a .22 short if put in the perfect spot under perfect conditions. Should one rely on a .243 to efficiently take a Moose? Most certainly not. Just how often does one get that perfect shot presentation where a .243 would work well? Moose hunting for most people is an expensive proposition and not one I would want to bet that large expenditure on a small caliber rifle. You don't need a cannon for Moose. You don't even need a magnum. What you do need is a good amount of bullet weight with enough power behind that weight to bust through a very large amount of hide, muscle, and heavy bone. I can honestly see a rib bone of an adult bull Moose turning a .243 caliber bullet so even that perfect broadside presentation could easily turn into a very long day of tracking a wounded bull. And if you have never been up close to an adult bull Moose you aren't ready for that. They are a very large animal and highly dangerous. Even a smaller cow is 5 times the average adult human male's weight and can kill you in the blink of an eye. Only the largest and hungriest of Brown Bears will mess with an adult bull Moose. That ought to tell you something.

TN Lone Wolf

I'm not one to tell some not to use a particular gun/method, but the saying "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," definitely applies to whoever shot that moose. Of course, from the sound of their shot placement, a 375 might not have helped them.

mthusker

Like most, I would assume it was shot by a hunter, but there are other possibilities. It is sad to think, but there are folks who would throw led at something that they believe is being a nuisance around their place, or someone(s) just doing it for the thrill of shooting at something, stupid yes, but not unheard of. No need to debate a 243 on moose, most ethical hunters know it is not a caliber to rely on for heavier game. There will always be some that disagree.

the blur

[QUOTE=bronko22000;4315273]
I was preparing a rump roast for dinner tonight from the bull moose I shot a couple years ago QUOTE]

How long was the meat in your freezer?
Couple years you say.....
Any freezer burn?

flags

[QUOTE=the blur;4315388]I have meat that is 3-4 years old in my freezer. Vacuum pack it and there is no air and with no air there is no freezer burn.

bronko22000

None at all. And this was without my vacuum packer that was broke at the time. I had it tightly wrapped in a plastic storage bag then wrapped in freezer paper. Meat was still nice and red when thawed.

HIGHLANDER HUNTING

i know it's been done, but not my first choice......

nube

I think bigger is best in case of a bad shot