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Paul Leverman

That is all really good information. Exactly what I was looking for, thank you. I think what had me most concerned was that I was falling prey to the "Master" hunter video producer, you know, the Hollywood Hunter. Dramatic videos, exciting music, 5.8million magnum from 3200 yds.
Mark, I also prefer your method. I like sitting there watching and waiting. There is so much going on out there that if you don't take the time to sit and look, you will never see it. My own personal gauge of patience is when the whiskyjacks land on the stump next to you, or you have to flick a finger or foot to keep the weasel from running up your leg. (My all time favourite was when my wife and I were sitting waiting for a bull to show up and a lynx walked by on the trail. A little unnerving at about four feet, but she wasn't hunting us, so all was good.) And yes, it also drives my buddies crazy. Too dark to shoot? Not if it's close enough. I once asked the CO about this "one hour after sunset" regulation, and he told me that if you can see it in your scope, it's legal. Good enough for me. Dark:30 it is.
I like your opening statement, David. That's exactly what I tell people about moose. There aren't too many animals that can live long with an open wound through their lungs. The rig you use is probably one of the most perfect combinations for hunting up here, as well. Short, sweet and to the point (of aim). Good tip on the waiting period, thank you. We have jumped a bull before he was done, and it took my nephew quite a while to finally put him down. It was a succession of track, spot, wait; move forward, wait, over and over. And each time the bull would get up and go another 40 or 50 yards. When we opened him up, he had one small crescent shaped portion at the very upper rear of his left lung that wasn't filled with blood. He just wasn't ready to quit. (There's way more to this autopsy, but I would have to hijack my own thread, so maybe another time).
I've only used bullets, or more proper, projectiles, other than Hornady's twice. The latest was the slug on the black bear, the other was factory ammo loaded with a Speer bullet, on a calf elk. There is no doubt it did its job. A broadside shot from about thirty yards, right in the ribs. Not sure if it was the bullet or a combination of bullet and ribs, but you couldn't have covered the exit wound with a dinner plate. It didn't take the CSI crew with luminol to find that high velocity splatter. That calf ran for 100+ yards, then turned around and came back, and went past us for another fifty. We found out then the difference between a sedentary target and one that was adrenalized. (It also prompted some research that turned up a paper written by Col. Frank T. Chamberlin, US Med Corps, Ret. that is well worth the read.)
At the time, I was both impressed and skeptical about the efficacy of Speer bullets. If they did this a close range, what would happen at a distance? A very long time later, enter TBR, and I find out that this is exactly what they were designed to do. Deliver everything they had to the target, and open it up. I still don't like them and I still don't use them, but that's just me being stubborn.
I'm still trying to get my head around this quick kill strategy. Maybe I'm overthinking it, I don't know. There are so many variables that come into a shot that I think I hedge my bets, go for the biggest target area, aim small, a quick prayer to the animal's spirit, and pull. Not even sure if I was shooting off a rest, at an unsuspecting target, would I aim for the plexus. What if I was out by 1"? This is probably due to lack of experience, but I would hate to experiment and lose a wounded animal.
Sorry for being so long winded, it's been a long winter with not much to talk about, so unfortunately you all have to take the brunt of it.