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Moose hunting with the .54

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Hi Zerosprk! How’s your weather down there? Ours was -38c this morning that was with windchill. Too damned cold to go and shoot!! We have lots of snow here too on the north shore of Lake Superior. By the way the ministry of Natural Resources advises we have wild pigs in southern Ontario now!!no hunting of them yet though…
It's been a relatively warm and dry January. 40's mostly during the day and teens or less at night. The mountains have snow and the ski resorts are open. However, most if not all are less than 100%open. Taos Ski Valley where I ski is only about 50% open. From what I've been reading, southern Colorado is much the same way. If we don't have a wet spring, it's going to be a gnarly summer fire season...
 
Greetings from another Ontarian - further south, I'm afraid.
JBMR: would that be the one with the rams horn below the nipple? If so, it's a darn fine gun.
Congrats on the moose and winning the draw.
 
Greetings from another Ontarian - further south, I'm afraid.
JBMR: would that be the one with the rams horn below the nipple? If so, it's a darn fine gun.
Congrats on the moose and winning the draw.
Well Mr. M. It is too the one with the Ram! And a neat little clean out screw in the middle of the curl. A buddy of mine and I burnt pounds of triple fg out of those smoke poles. We had a little “gang”. We had two guys with 50’s as well. These guns seem to “like” 3fg but will use 2fg as easily. We went bear hunting on lake of the Woods off from Sioux Lookout and mine was loaded all week in the wet. She went off on the last day no problem. No bears but lots of ticks!!
 
It's been a relatively warm and dry January. 40's mostly during the day and teens or less at night. The mountains have snow and the ski resorts are open. However, most if not all are less than 100%open. Taos Ski Valley where I ski is only about 50% open. From what I've been reading, southern Colorado is much the same way. If we don't have a wet spring, it's going to be a gnarly summer fire season...
40’s eh? Downright tropical comparatively. Skiers are out here too but not when it’s 40 below!! I hope you don’t get a fire season like parts of the states had last year and western Canada as well. We have been fortunate here with forest fires just a lot of black flies…Should be Ontario’s provincial bird!!
 
I shoot a .535 with 80gr no problem. Moose are big, but are about the same to put down as a deer. Elk.... That front leg is massive for climbing hills, that takes more to put down than bullwinkle.

Moose are dangerous game in my opinion. If you can use a rifle, you'd be wiser to do so. I'd hunt moose with a muzzleloader from a stand no problems. 50 cal might be ok too. Don't own one though.

I do not hunt elk, but If I did, I would cast my own balls with pure lead and buy some lyman antimony to harden up the lead to a known amount. With some homework, casting from wheel weights that are known to be nt zinc would be ok too. I dont cast a ton, but use sheet lead from old doctor's offices.
Agreed! Moose are big and can be very dangerous if... the bull is in the rut - they have been known to charge trains! The cow is very dangerous if she senses that her calf is threatened-then watch out! Moose are not that tough to kill BUT you must connect in a place that will put them down quickly from shock or make them leak so much (lungs) that they drop at the 75-100 yards when they get real tired and lie down. 50 calibre is the least I would use on a moose and .54 is going to give that cushion of energy at typical distances. I feel more comfort in a 120 3fg load backed by wasp nest with a .530 ball wrapped lovingly in a bore buttered patch :) . Where I live and hunt if you don't connect quite right then Bullwinkle will take you through hellacious territory before giving up the ghost. Therefore , proper shot placement is paramount and patience is virtuous. If you do your job the moose will cooperate...if not?
Thanks to you and all others welcoming me! Be warm.
 
I’m still trying to find someone to make me some moccasins and a jacket out of the HUGE hide. Let me know if you guys know anyone. I keep wanting to make them myself but I haven’t done much work with raw material other than fleshing, salting and brain tanning. Don’t want to waste any material. Hoping to maximize use out of the animals hide.
Contact Poppins Moccasins. You can probably google them. If you can't find them that way then email me back. I have their contact info somewhere and wear a pair of their mocs on a regular basis.
 
Contact Poppins Moccasins. You can probably google them. If you can't find them that way then email me back. I have their contact info somewhere and wear a pair of their mocs on a regular basis.
Thank you
 
They're about the size of a big buck whitetail arent they? 😁
Big buck eh? Well let me tell you the biggest one I shot was a 52 inches weighing in at about 1200lbs . We got over 700 lbs off him and he was 18 feet nose to hoof on the pole. Unfortunately I used something more modern on him…Knocked him on his ass and he got right back up dropping dead 25 yards later. We worked on that guy to coax him out for 3 days.
 
Big buck eh? Well let me tell you the biggest one I shot was a 52 inches weighing in at about 1200lbs . We got over 700 lbs off him and he was 18 feet nose to hoof on the pole. Unfortunately I used something more modern on him…Knocked him on his ass and he got right back up dropping dead 25 yards later. We worked on that guy to coax him out for 3 days.
It is a dream of mine to experience that before I die but sadly I ain't going to happen with the price of moose hunts these days.
 
It is a dream of mine to experience that before I die but sadly I ain't going to happen with the price of moose hunts these days.
Agreed!! My wife says I should buy a cow!! Think about it pickup truck trailer gas propane food and…libations licenses oh and I forgot the possession and acquisition licence we all have to have and if you have restricted firearms that’s a separate course!! I am positive I missed stuff like rifles ammo etc🤔
 
It is a dream of mine to experience that before I die but sadly I ain't going to happen with the price of moose hunts these days.

Guided moose hunts are really expensive for sure. It’s still reasonable if you can draw a tag in a western state and go DIY. Looks like you aren’t in the states though which obviously increases the price dramatically. Moose hunting the west is kind of a “gentleman’s hunt” (easy). The pack out can definitely be the hardest part of the hunt.
 
Good to know, I love my 54 and have every confidence it will put a stag down hard this year.

A bull moose is a dream of mine someday, you guys in North America have amazing game animals.
Man isn’t that true, grizzly bears, great horned sheep, wild turkey, blue grouse, pheasant, believe it or not wild oryx, elk, cougar, bigfoot, gators, Canadian geese, sandhill crane and all the other more standard game animals. We have it really good here.
 
Guided moose hunts are really expensive for sure. It’s still reasonable if you can draw a tag in a western state and go DIY. Looks like you aren’t in the states though which obviously increases the price dramatically. Moose hunting the west is kind of a “gentleman’s hunt” (easy). The pack out can definitely be the hardest part of the hunt.
Actually… I can drive 20 minutes out of Thunder Bay and walk into the bush hunting. My hunting unit however is a little over 100 miles away. Been hunting that area since 1975 and we have been pretty successful there. The province changed the rules last year so now it’s a point system. We will see what the data from the first year says.
 
Man isn’t that true, grizzly bears, great horned sheep, wild turkey, blue grouse, pheasant, believe it or not wild oryx, elk, cougar, bigfoot, gators, Canadian geese, sandhill crane and all the other more standard game animals. We have it really good here.

I will get to tick off some animals hopefully. Been building up points in WY for a few years now. Mule deer, elk and antelope are in line there.

Can't explain it but I'm far more interested in a nice black bear over a griz, and that's very doable.

Sheep and moose I've pretty well crossed off the list. 10 years ago prices were reasonable I just didn't have the money, since then prices have tripled for AK hunts.

I'd love to do a lion hunt, occasionally speak to a guy who runs hounds that said he'll take me out if I ever get there. I hear it's good eating.
 
I will get to tick off some animals hopefully. Been building up points in WY for a few years now. Mule deer, elk and antelope are in line there.

Can't explain it but I'm far more interested in a nice black bear over a griz, and that's very doable.

Sheep and moose I've pretty well crossed off the list. 10 years ago prices were reasonable I just didn't have the money, since then prices have tripled for AK hunts.

I'd love to do a lion hunt, occasionally speak to a guy who runs hounds that said he'll take me out if I ever get there. I hear it's good eating.
I haven’t hunted bear, but I have lived in bear country for my whole life. I would say a black bear is doable, not very doable. You’d think they were around every corner by myth, but it is a worthy goal. Elk, mule deer and antelope are very doable in WY, but you will find antelope more challenging than you might think, especially with a muzzleloader. If you choose to accept the hospitality of your friend, the lion hunt will be the jewel of your stay. I watched/heard hounds tree a cougar in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico and it stirred a longing within me that I didn’t know was there and spurred me to begin hunting with dogs. I would invite you to my hunt, but my style is not conducive to what many consider “successful” hunts. A lot like hiking with a gun. If that suits you, you are welcome. The animals here are amazing, but the land is epic. Cheers!
 
Our 1990 Minnesota bull moose - shot with an unmentionable - we sent the hide out to be tanned. When I picked it up and opened the package it looked as if someone had shot it with a shotgun! The tanner's skiving machine had popped off all the tick bite "nodes". Made it unusable for anything but small items - a bag for my round balls, etc. We weren't happy. But the meat - delicious! The job hauling it out - a full days work.

Tom
 

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