I am planning my 2011 moose and grizzly hunt. Now I will be going with a bow but if things don't work out I can use a rifle. What are you thoughts on that caliber. I know little about heavy calibers as I alomost always bow hunt. Any thoughts.

Thanks,
Mike

With no hands on experience on Yukon Moose or Grizz to draw from...a 338WMg is fine for the Moose but way light for a Stopper in turning a Grizzly charge...think more of a African Dangerous Game gun or at least a 45/70 in a Marlin Guide Gun for an up close and personal shot measured in feet and inches...and the guide will prolly carrying something similar. 338WMg is prolly enough gun for a non agitated non coastal Grizz at distance. Ask and trust your guide for an honest answer, or study the responses you get from the guys that live there.

We killed Shiras Moose in Finland with 30'06 & 308's loaded with 200 gr'ers as Standers out in front of the Drivers & Dogs who routed the moose out of the deep brush...our only worry was Artic Wolves running in front of the beaters too.

Go look at www.24HourCampfire.com & www.Accuratereloading.com for a better feel from guys who do this kind of hunt every year living in Alaska & Canada.
Ron

Thanks Ron. I have a 45/70 and thought about that but I heard someone mention the 338. I will take a look at the sughts you gave me. Thanks again

Bowhunt,

The .338 Win Mag is a good all around gun for Alaska.
Excellent for Goats, Moose, Brown and Black Bear.

What we carry is the .338 Win Mag for the primary gun with a .44 mag side arm.

This is my opinion, hope it helps

Duckfoot

I agree with Duckfoot, I think that the 338 is an excellent gun for Alaska, including bears, with the right bullet. You might need something larger if you had a "charging grizzly", but I think the 338 is a great all around gun for Alaska.

I have had and shot both the 338 Win Mag and the 340 Weatherby Mag.

I killed one moose in Newfoundland with the 340.

I believe the 338 is going to do everything you need it too.

Hopefully you will be able to take both animals with you bow, but if worse comes to worse, the 338 will handle the situation.

Your most important thing is to talk with your guide as much as possible about how the hunt will be run and what type of conditions you might run into.

Listen to everything he says and do not be afraid to ask questions, especially those concerning where we wants you to shoot if you are forced to use your rifle and what his opinion is of the 338 as a back up if your archery plans go sideways.

Best of Luck on your hunt, take lots of pictures and enjoy the experience.

My Son has lived, hunted, & worked as a guides assistant in Alaska for years. He has repeatedly told me that the 338 Win Mag is the caliber to have for hunting up there. The favored "Oh Sh__" here he comes gun is the Marlin 45/70. If you've got the guts to go up against one of those bears with your bow, you should have no problem at all going up against one with a 338 Win Mag!!! Just make sure you take it out to the range enough to get real comfortable and accurate with it!!! Nothing will work miracles and put a bear down with a poorly placed shot.

Congratulations on the upcoming trip, & Good Huntin',
LlindeX

FWIW ...some years ago when I was still working for the factory via their US Importer, Stoeger Industries I got a message from my NSMgr to look for a last minute package and be sure to take it with you call, as I was setting up the "booth" for the last Dallas Safari Club Show held at the hotel convention center at DFW Airport...had to be about '83 or '84. Sure enough here comes an overnite box with a totally non cataloged carbine length SAKO 375H&H in it with standard iron sights and a funny placement for the sling studs...3 of them in fact. The rear one was closer to the butt pad than I had ever seen before and the normal forearm stud was in place along with a barrel band stud out in front of the end of the forearm by a couple inches. Neat looking gun in a McMillan stock, as all the 1st generation synthetics were mickey stocks. I missed the followup message about who I was to show this gun to, and just put out for display where the stubby over thick barrel & black "african walnut" stock really stuck out in my sea of dressy wood/blue stuff. I had a mickey stocked 7RMg too and used the two black guns as end pieces of the display. Understand SAKO did not offer the FullStock Carbinein the US in a 375 or 338...so the short gun really stood out to the SAKO savvy crowd.

Anyway, on the last day my "customer" finally shows up and is bent out of shape that I had been showing HIS rifle. He got to nit picking and turned down my sample because of the normally positioned sling stud ...sez it was only a hand ripper upper and in the way...but called Stoeger and accepted the custom order for a couple dozen of these hybrids. Seems that he was a honcho in a fishing guides assc in Alaska and wanted to offer a bear stopper for his fly fishing guides that could be worn upside down - hence the the close to the butt sling stud - and not have the butt protrude over shouder high. The barrel band sling stud was so wet hands would not get ripped up slipping on recoil. Sure wish I had kept that sample...it shot 1 1/2" groups with Remmy 300's under a Tasco 1 1/2 x 4 1/2 and bounced my fat butt completely OFF the stool and laid me out flat on my back at the old Winchester range in Dallas the first time I pulled the trigger. Seems I have a bad habit at that range of hooking my ankles together around the seat post to get my big feet out of the way...NOT a GOOD IDEA with a boomer lol. After I learned to shoot it off the bench it was a blast getting lifted off the bags...OBTW the 'lil short Holland and weighed 7 1/4lbs scoped....
Ron

After a nice long conversation with the guide tonight I have decided on taking my 45/70. He does not think that I should go out and spend another $1500 dollars on a scope and rifle when that gun will do it all. He also stated that the guides carry 375h&h's and 300win mags as back-ups and if I felt more comfertable I could use the guides gun. I think I will be just fine with the bow though. Now if I can get some extra scratch after rounding up the $21,000 for this hunt I just might go out and buy the new gun that going to be a big if though. Thanks all for your imput.

who did you end up picking to go with?

I ended up pick Deltana outfitters out of Delta Juction Alaska.

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