Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game What's the BEST Brush-Busting cartridge for elk & moose you would you use ?

And I've seen people not shoot at animals because they didn't have the experience under those circumstances to know what was going to happen if they did take that shot. I commend them for their restraint, but some of those shots were easy ones, and didn't have anything to do with gutshots or broken legs.

I am of the (light-hearted) opinion that one could probably "bust brush" quite successfully if they tried not to miss the brush. My reasoning is that when there is more - often much more- than 50% open space, the chances that one should get the bullet through undeflected should be quite high. It seems that it doesn't work that way however, and I think it's because of "Murphy's Rules." I think that by using Murphy to our advantage and hoping/trying to hit tinder, perhaps we will miss (cellulose) every time.

The best cartridge for elk is the .30-06. There's no such thing as a brush-busting cartridge.

John M. figured it out a long time ago. Don't see any brush left do you?

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No such thing really. To hunt those critters up close I would use my .338-06 or .45-70 Guide Gun.

I've never had any trouble harvesting brush without shooting it. A Cold Steel machete is the tool for that. Anyway, I doubt I'd be able to get that beast far enough up the mountain to find game, but a (GE XM214) 5.56 minigun might be a better firearm option?

Personally, my favorite close range elk/moose cartridge is the 35 Whelen.

A few years ago as I was walking into my bear bait in Idaho, a big, easily identifiable black bear came running out of the area at about a 45 degree angle towards me, going up a hill. I took my time and was very sure of the shot, as he was only about 40 yards away, although he was moving very quickly. At the shot I expected to see some sign of a hit, but didn't. Once we started looking, there was a nice big hole caused by my 300 Win Mag in a 6 inch tree right along the path that the bear had taken. My buddy killed that same bear 2 weeks later. He had no other holes in him.

The best brush-busting rifle/cartridge for moose/elk is whatever I have in my hands at the time.

If I could reach into a golf bag and pull out a rifle for the chore at the precise moment I needed it,it would likely be a 375H&H.

The first California Mule Deer I harvested was laying in about 1' high grass looking at me, when I shot at him, aiming at his adam's apple. The bullet was a 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Silvertip, launched out of a .308.

Some years ago I read an article (can't recall the author's name) who set up a "brush box" to test how various loads were deflected. He used 1" diameter wooden dowels, to simulate brush and also allow some degree of easy replacement, and repeatability. His findings were that fast moving, lightweight bullets actually stayed going in a straight line, but usually turned sideways. Heavy, slow moving slugs would retain their orientation, but would appreciably change direction. Surprise, surprise, the message was, don't shoot through brush!

In my case, the bullet hit exactly where aimed, and flattened the buck. As I walked up to him, though, it was clear he was still alive, so I put another into his chest. Checking the neck wound, I had expected to see a large exit hole in the back of his neck. Instead I found the side profile of a Ballistic Silvertip at entry, and no exit. I never did examine the inside of the neck, but I suspect the bullet hit him hard enough to incapacitate him, but not sever the spine. The grass was light and wispy, but almost enough to cause a miss. Good thing I wasn't trying for a shoulder shot!

I think we also have to keep in mind that it really depends on where around the circumference of the twig the bullet impacts. It's a difference of mere millimeters in POI with the brush, but can really change the outcome. If the bullet hits the tree or twig dead center, it will likely expand and carry on in a straight line. If the bullet glances off the side of the twig or tree, it will likely tumble and change direction. That is VERY hard to control, even for testing, because we're talking literally just a millimeter or two off to one side and the entire outcome can change.