What’s the smallest caliber/cartridge you’ve hunted big game with?

[IronNoggin]

Arctic Hunting:

Many Caribou with a BLR 222. Lung them and they never go far whatsoever in the deep freeze.

Hunting Dall Sheep one time, I had both a 22 Mag and my 270 Win in scabbards on either side of my snow machine's seat. Rounded a corner of the mountain, and a ram standing right there at 30 yards. Pulled the rifle on the right (fastest). 22 Mag. Dammit! Lined up under his chin, and dirt nap in situ. Wasn't planned at all, but worked.

Island Hunting:

Both 222 and 223 / 5.56 on Island Blacktails. Function fine when you place them properly.

Cheers,
Nog

[BRrooster]

The Moose I harvested last year had a bullet embedded in his nose, that was all healed over from a previous wound . Someone shot him in the nose. Can't tell what caliber it was. Also will never know why he was shot in the nose, and how long ago it happened or any of the other circumstances. He was a mature bull , double tri-palm , 8x10. The shot messed up the interior of his nasal passages and there was shrapnel all the way to his eye socket. He might even have been blind in that eye.
Just saying, maybe a larger caliber, might have had a different result.

[Bustercluck]

The Moose I harvested last year had a bullet embedded in his nose, that was all healed over from a previous wound . Someone shot him in the nose. Can't tell what caliber it was. Also will never know why he was shot in the nose, and how long ago it happened or any of the other circumstances. He was a mature bull , double tri-palm , 8x10. The shot messed up the interior of his nasal passages and there was shrapnel all the way to his eye socket. He might even have been blind in that eye.
Just saying, maybe a larger caliber, might have had a different result.

I was wondering about a bull I shot a few years ago. I hit him right in the forehead, head on. I think it may have ricocheted off his skull, because he didn’t have the regular eyeballs popped out or anything else like I’ve seen with deer and no bullet recovery. I wasn’t that interested at the time it happened, but I’m wishing I would’ve investigated more at the time.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Moose die much easier than elk, I have hunted moose successfully from 1959 to 2012 when I left the Northern Lands. I also guided for them in the late 60s/early 70s I have seen moose go down from everything from a 460 Wby th a 22-250. Ny personal opinion a 6.5 or 25 cal caliber although that is not to say a smaller caliber would not do in a pinch. There has been more moose(Euro Elk) killed with the 6.5x55 140 gr bullet than just about any other caliber. Jmho

[Keta1969]

The Moose I harvested last year had a bullet embedded in his nose, that was all healed over from a previous wound . Someone shot him in the nose. Can't tell what caliber it was. Also will never know why he was shot in the nose, and how long ago it happened or any of the other circumstances. He was a mature bull , double tri-palm , 8x10. The shot messed up the interior of his nasal passages and there was shrapnel all the way to his eye socket. He might even have been blind in that eye.
Just saying, maybe a larger caliber, might have had a different result.

I personally don't like reading all the tales of what went "right" with shooting large game with a small caliber. Congrats to those that have been successful. My personal experience from deer to elk and moose is give me a bigger bullet. Yes, PERFECT shots kill no doubt about it but if you're off a little bit the bigger bullet will do more damage. 6 mm for moose if you and your son are extremely disciplined and are sure of shot placement you will kill a moose, if he pulls the shot you will be chasing a wounded moose. I love partitions for big game but wouldn't consider a 100 grain for moose. Deer no problem.

[Bustercluck]

I don’t know. Things can go wrong anywhere. I watched my brother shoot a big bull completely broadside double lung with a 180 grain out of his 300 win mag at 75 yards ( I think it was a Berger) and the moose ran 100 yards into the bush and still needed to be put down when he caught up to it. There’s all kinds of variables, that’s why I’ll be there to back him up just in case. It’s the best option rather than telling him he has to wait another year or stick him behind a gun he’s not comfortable with. I didn’t really want this thread to be about my choices, just discussion about others successes.

FYI I hunt moose with a 338 win mag for the same reasons.

[250 sav]

Shot several moose 250 savage 100 grain Silvertip

[igojuone]

Congrats on the moose draw and good luck on the hunt.

Perhaps it's just your writing style but you don't seem 100 % confident of your son making a good shot ? I have read dozens of threads about youth hunting cartridges and the emphasis is always on low recoil because we don't want to scare our kids away from hunting. The emphasis , it seems to me , should be a quick clean kill not a long drawn out tracking job or an animal in obvious distress...those things could actually turn off a kid from hunting.

By the way , I'm not saying the smaller cartridges can't work ( although they did invent larger cartridges for a reason ) .

They did invent larger cartridges for a reason, people that are poor shots.

[Keta1969]

They did invent larger cartridges for a reason, people that are poor shots.

Hunting is hunting and shooting is shooting. I consider myself a good shot and have taken probably around 100 animals in my time. Most were bang flop but not all. Hurried shots, poor distance judgement,wind, nerves, brush and unfamiliar shooting position are just some of the things that can affect a shot in the field. Sounds like the OP recognizes this as he will be there with a 338 for backup. I hope they have a good time and the young fellow gets his moose.

[blackbart]

One sector seems to really like .22s for moose.... This is of course illegal for most on the forum.

My son uses a .308 with the hornaday light loads. Has worked great on deer. He is ready for full loads now. Nice to be able to just change loads as he gets bigger and not a whole new set up for him.

BB