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What is the largest moose ever recorded?
Executive summary
Available reporting shows disagreement about what counts as the “largest moose ever recorded.” Historical, weight-based claims point to a late‑19th‑century Yukon/Alaska bull weighing about 1,800–1,808 lb (820 kg) (Guinness and Wikipedia summaries) while organized trophy records focus on antler size and point scores, with modern record bulls measured by Boone & Crockett and SCI scoring systems [1] [2] [3]. Some hunting outlets claim larger recent trophies (e.g., a 2017 Chukotka moose scored 756 1/8 inches), but those claims are promotional and not universally corroborated by major record keepers cited in available sources [4] [3].
1. What “largest” means — weight vs. antlers vs. score
“Largest” can mean different things: body mass and height (a physiological maximum), antler spread or mass, or a composite trophy score used by record organizations. The Guinness/encyclopedic tradition highlights a historic Yukon bull of the late 1800s weighing roughly 1,800 lb (about 820 kg) and standing about 7.6 ft at the shoulder as the biggest by mass [1] [2]. Modern trophy registries such as Boone & Crockett and SCI emphasize antler measurements and point scores; their world records often cite measured racks and scoring panels rather than live or dressed weight [3] [5].
2. The commonly cited “heaviest” — a 19th‑century Yukon/Alaska bull
Secondary reporting and compilations repeat a Guinness/encyclopedic claim that the largest moose by weight was shot in western Yukon in September 1897 and weighed about 1,808 lb (820 kg), standing roughly 2.33 m (7.6 ft) at the shoulder [2] [1]. Note: these are historical, often second‑hand figures compiled into modern summaries; contemporary, verifiable scales and standardized measurement protocols were less consistent in that era [1] [2].
3. Modern “world records” focus on antler measurements
Boone & Crockett Club and similar organizations record trophy world records based on antler scoring. For example, a Yukon bull verified in 2014 had a rack with an official score of 263 1/8 and an estimated body weight of about 560 kg (roughly 1,234 lb), which was announced as a world record rack [6]. Boone & Crockett also listed a new Alaska‑Yukon world record moose harvested in 2010 that was subsequently scored and verified by judges [3]. These modern records reflect standardized scoring, not necessarily absolute body mass [3] [6].
4. Conflicting claims from hunting promoters and enthusiasts
Commercial hunting outlets and enthusiast sites sometimes claim larger or more sensational measurements. One outfit asserts a Chukotka moose measuring 756 1/8 inches as the largest ever taken in 2017, a figure promoted in their materials but not corroborated in the same sources as major record‑keeper announcements [4]. Another hunting site claims a 2004 Alaska bull weighing “over 2,300 pounds,” a dramatic figure that appears on enthusiast pages but is not aligned with established museum or record‑keeper summaries in the provided reporting [7] [1].
5. How to weigh these competing claims
When sources disagree, prioritize records with transparent measurement and verification protocols. Boone & Crockett and similar clubs publish scoring procedures and panels that verify racks [3] [5]. Guinness and encyclopedic summaries tend to repeat historical weight claims for the largest‑by‑mass moose [1] [2]. Promotional claims from hunting operators often lack the independent verification or standardized scoring published by record organizations [4] [7].
6. Bottom line and limitations of the record
Available reporting does not offer a single, undisputed “largest moose ever” because definitions and evidence differ: historical weight claims point to an 1897 Yukon/Alaska bull ~1,808 lb (820 kg) [2] [1], modern record books recognize different trophy winners by antler score [3] [6], and commercial or enthusiast claims sometimes report larger animals without independent verification [4] [7]. Sources do not mention a single, universally accepted contemporary specimen that unifies weight, height and scorer consensus as the definitive largest moose (not found in current reporting).