Minimum bow weight for Moose

[PrimitivePete]

For all my Moose hunting heroes, what would be the minimum setup you'd advise for hunting Moose

Thanks in Advance
Pete

[Hummer3T]

Im no expert moose hunter, but have taken with 49 lbs at 28 bow with FOC arrow, 200 grain broadhead, 100 grain insert and 200+ grain shaft.  with extras around 560-580 grains .

combo lead to a pass through at twenty yards.

in saskatchewan you have to draw 40lbs @28 to hunt big game.

My broadhead is german kinetics which I find makes a very effective cutter.

[Terry Lightle]

Killed 1 in Newfoundland with a 49# Caribow,but shot a 700 grain arrow with 2 blade Zwickey Delta
Terry

[The Whittler]

The same setup you have for deer, they are just a big deer well really big :-). I know some guys that have shot them with 40# with no problems. Just do your part and all will be OK.

[The Whittler]

I forgot to add you should check what the minimum poundage may be in some states.

[wingnut]

Both John and I hunt in AK with 50-52 pounds at our draw length for moose each year.  John got one a few years ago and would have had a complete pass through if he hadn't hit the leg bone on the far side.  Made short work of him.  We both draw more then 30 inches.

Mike

[David Mitchell]

A lot of other factors enter in besides draw weight alone.  We all understand that 50# with one bow and the same 50# with another bow may not produce the same results depending on the efficiency of the bow design.  Also draw length is a factor.  50# at a draw of 27" and a 50# at a draw of 30" for example will not produce the same performance in terms of energy stored, etc.  Given the same bow efficiency the longer power stroke will outperform the shorter power stroke.

[Orion]

Here we go again. I think anything less than 50# is cutting it very close.  Moose are not only big critters, their hides are nearly a half-inch thick, covered by a lot of thick, heavy hair, their ribs are a lot bigger than a deer's ribs, and they're three-four times wider than a deer. Sure, they can be killed with less than that if everything goes perfect -- perfect broadside shot, perfect arrow placement, perfectly flying arrow, etc.  But things don't always go perfectly.

I recommend as much weight as you can handle.  I've only killed one moose, a quite large Alaskan Yukon bull.  My 725 grain birch arrow tipped with a Zwickey Delta broad-head just barely broke the skin on the offside on an 18-yard broadside shot from my 66# r/d longbow. I'm shooting 45-50# now for most of what I hunt, but if I were to hunt moose again, I'd sure try to get my weight up to 55-60#, or even more if I could do it. 

[Bowguy67]

I’m not trying to start any issues and I certainly am not a moose expert. I wish I was. Orion’s points are very valid and if it was me this is the advise I’d take. Now if the weight is impossible to draw work on strength (you’re gonna need it anyway) or you need to remember all your limitations as Orion suggests imo.

[GCook]

I'll just say it is an expensive hunt.  If you are using an outfitter you only get to put an arrow in one.  You draw blood and you are done recovered or not.  You have to decide what is adequate. 
If you have an outfitter he may have a minimum as well.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[longbowman]

I'm no expert either but I would hesitate to hunt deer with anything less than 50#.  Obviously there's the "perfect arrow placement" thing but in killing bull elk, bear, mulies and bunches of whitetails I never seem to find that one that allows that always perfect stuff.  I use 72# for everything but wouldn't hesitate to use 60 and up for moose if I couldn't shoot my regular bow.  Keep it in the lungs and good luck!

[wood carver 2]

Here in Ontario, you must have a minimum draw weight of about 49#for moose.
Dave.

[skookuminak]

Hi all, longtime reader, seldom poster but hoping to help. I killed my first moose (although not a big bull) in AK 26 years ago at age 13 with an old (even at that time) 42# @28" recurve but probably only drew 25" and a heavy arrow with 2 blade zwickey. arrow hit heart and didn't quite make it out the far side. as I grew up I increased bow weight and am in the 60# range now but I shot several moose, including some good bulls, with light bows when I was younger, all well under 50# at my draw, all using heavy arrows, mostly with single bevel grizzly's and had several pass-throughs. the best arrows I used as a teenager were the old compressed yellow cedar forgewood with grizzly heads. I'm not sure how heavy they were but I'm guessing 700+. These days I'm all in on the extreme FOC and will likely moose hunt this coming season with Valkyrie system and 350gr up front, around 700gr total, likely Tuffhead but maybe the Valkyrie head. I think arrow design/broadhead do a lot more for penetration on moose than adding poundage. For what it's worth, I have had way more issues with penetration on Mtn goats than moose. the only moose shots that have given me trouble have been very high lung hits. as a result I always try to keep the hit mid mass or below if possible. best of luck and safe hunting to you!

PS as others have said, be sure to check local regulations. AK now requires 50# draw weight for moose. 

[bucknut]

If you are limited on draw weight (strength) I would possibly look into new bow options as well. They are really getting some great performance out of the carbon super curves from Morrison, Border and Zipper to name a few. They are getting the performance you would expect out of a bow 5# heavier and possibly more depending on what it is compared to. It is a big expense but so is a moose hunt. I would want to take whatever measure I could afford to help be successful.

[Stickbow]

Hi all, longtime reader, seldom poster but hoping to help. I killed my first moose (although not a big bull) in AK 26 years ago at age 13 with an old (even at that time) 42# @28" recurve but probably only drew 25" and a heavy arrow with 2 blade zwickey. arrow hit heart and didn't quite make it out the far side. as I grew up I increased bow weight and am in the 60# range now but I shot several moose, including some good bulls, with light bows when I was younger, all well under 50# at my draw, all using heavy arrows, mostly with single bevel grizzly's and had several pass-throughs. the best arrows I used as a teenager were the old compressed yellow cedar forgewood with grizzly heads. I'm not sure how heavy they were but I'm guessing 700+. These days I'm all in on the extreme FOC and will likely moose hunt this coming season with Valkyrie system and 350gr up front, around 700gr total, likely Tuffhead but maybe the Valkyrie head. I think arrow design/broadhead do a lot more for penetration on moose than adding poundage. For what it's worth, I have had way more issues with penetration on Mtn goats than moose. the only moose shots that have given me trouble have been very high lung hits. as a result I always try to keep the hit mid mass or below if possible. best of luck and safe hunting to you!

PS as others have said, be sure to check local regulations. AK now requires 50# draw weight for moose.

Real experience........thought it was worth a repost

[Jason W]

I am biased, but an arrow tipped with a single bevel head and a heavy weight that you are comfortable with and with the obvious good shot placement, a well tuned bow and arrow and confidence in your set up will take a lot of animals.
Big and small.
Dr. Ed has done many, many tests with a 650g arrow out of a 40# recurve and had many pass through on big buffalo.
Good FOC and the proper head will do a lot more than you think.

[Garman]

I am biased, but an arrow tipped with a single bevel head and a heavy weight that you are comfortable with and with the obvious good shot placement, a well tuned bow and arrow and confidence in your set up will take a lot of animals.
Big and small.
Dr. Ed has done many, many tests with a 650g arrow out of a 40# recurve and had many pass through on big buffalo.
Good FOC and the proper head will do a lot more than you think.

I do not have near the experience with trad bows, but I can tell you the difference I have seen switching to the heavier arrow with proper FOC with my wheel bow has been significant. All this with proper tuning makes a tool that is unstoppable. Maybe this will help in this thread somewhat. This year I shot an adult bull elk (373 gross score) with my older wheel bow. 70 lbs 28.5" draw, 650 grain arrow system, excellent single bevel broad head razor sharp. 38 yds or so, quartering away, took at one of the last ribs and exited his front opposite shoulder (pass through).

Upon return from that trip I used the same system on deer, I shot doe whitetail 20+yds, hard quartering away, I was 20+ feet up, severed spinal cord, exited through shoulder blade into ground.

End of October shot an adult 3+ year old buck my guess, somplete pass through at 18yds or so. Buried deep in ground. I understand this is a wheel bow with heavy poundage. My buddy shoots a longbow, 50lb  with same type of results. I have complete confidence with a 45lbs bow on a moose with a proper set up. I would guess I would try to get up to 50-55 though if it was me. Get a hold of grizzly stik and they can give you a excellent recommendation.

[stagetek]

Call me "old school", but I draw 30.5" and would not use less than 55#.

[hunting badger]

I hunt moose here in Alaska and shoot between 55 and 60#, last moose a killed was with a 57# longbow. I would shoot more weight if I could but at this stage of life I'm happy with the mid weight bows!

[Kevin Dill]

This isn't meant to convince anyone of anything, and I'm only relating my thoughts...not advising.

I've seen and known of more than one moose not recovered due to poor penetration and less than optimal shot placement. Moose are surprisingly quick and things often happen suddenly at close range. That perfect broadside shot at a standing bull is like a slow pitch down the middle....you're happy to see it but you can't depend on it. I like a bow with power.

The advantage of an exit wound is hard to overstate. Moose terrain is often very poor for blood trailing, and all possible blood on the ground is desirable. The farther a moose runs after the hit, the worse things tend to get in terms of recovery. Think "farther away, into a swamp or water, into nasty cover" and you've got it.

The best blood trail is the one you don't need. I've watched every bull I've killed go to earth, and I'll take that every time over the best blood trail. Those shots were all accurate, and they got total penetration. I used enough bow to feel certain of it happening.

My favorite bows for moose and caribou are around 64 pounds at my draw length of 29". I would say 55# is my personal low limit, considering my experiences and seeing the results I've seen over the years. I'm sure I could kill with less poundage, but I like a fairly heavy arrow and head while trying to minimize trajectory out to 30 yards.

My average shot distance on moose is just under ten yards. I prefer a semi-wide 2-blade head in a single-bevel configuration. I shoot the Abowyer Wapiti and have used them exclusively for many years. Carbon shafts will almost always exceed wood for penetration, but I DO shoot really good woodies I make myself. I've killed moose and caribou with both arrow types.

Accuracy beats everything else, but I can't count on being accurate 100% of the time. I'm just not that good of a shot....and that's probably why I work really hard at getting extremely close shots.