Giant Moose??

[CanuckShooter]

I've been watching WildTV and some of those moose those fellows get are giants in the moose world. The largest I've ever taken was 53" and he was still good eating. I am wondering if those giant 70" + bulls are still good eating or are they just good for burger and sausage??

Has anyone got a story of a 70+ to relate?

[timberhunter]

Quality of the meat more depends on the stress level of the animal when it is taken. And how the meat is taken care of after the animal is down on the ground.

I do remember a story my hunting partners dad used to say.
"It had great big horns, but when you cooked it even the gravy was tough"

[evhunter]

Diet, time of the year, age and condition of the animal (general health) as well as body size (mass) all contribute to the quality of meat, before we even come in to the picture. Young, small, early fall animal will be hard to beat!

[Movingdirt]

Quality of the meat more depends on the stress level of the animal when it is taken. And how the meat is taken care of after the animal is down on the ground.

Wrong!!!!!

[Bighorn hunter]

Quality of the meat more depends on the stress level of the animal when it is taken. And how the meat is taken care of after the animal is down on the ground.

Wrong!!!!!

I gotta question your reasoning here? How you take care of the meat before butchering is a huge factor IMO

[hunter1947]

I gotta question your reasoning here? How you take care of the meat before butchering is a huge factor IMO

I couldn't area more with your post..

[835]

No,, Moving dirt you are wrong. If you dont agree with Timber hunter i would not like to see what you bring home.
Although i think what CS was getting at was how tough are thoes 70" moose.
And Evhunter your right as well. There are many things that contribute to meat quality, but only half we can help with. In my opinion that half the one we do is by far the most important.

Although i think what CS was getting at was how tough are thoes 70" moose.

[srupp]

biggest has been 58" or so..never a 60" but some huge bodied bulls,,,so far nary a tough one....

Steven

[Hunt'n Guide]

Nothing over 70", but lots in the 60-70" that were all good eating. I agree with whoever said diet is important. All of our big bulls spend the summer eating willow and never leave their feeding grounds. No work and good forage equals tasty but not tough big bulls.

[Big Lew]

Shot an above average, large-bodied bull first day of hunting season just north of Bridge Lake just before the rut (it was with another the same size). Gutted it, cut it in half, had a terrible time fitting it into the truck canopy, and then rushed to a private butcher in Lone butte where everyone pitched in to skin it etc. and then into his cooling locker. Of all the moose I've shot, it was the best and tastiest. It had been hanging out in the willow swamps and logging slashes all summer. I can only conclude then, not letting anything contaminate the meat, especially open cuts and wounds, getting it cooled down quickly, and proper cooling temperature and aging before processing makes a huge difference.