Caliber and Bullet Selection The topic of hunting would not be complete without the discussion of the topic of caliber. Although the topic of cartridge selection can be a heated debate with many people passionately willing to share their opinions, a good rule of thumb is given below. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, magnum cartridges are not required to harvest Alaskan game. ADF&G states that accuracy, shot placement, and bullet construction are more important than more caliber. That said, bullet design and construction are crucial to success. The right caliber with the wrong bullet is just as bad if not worse. Hunting Cartridges   Deer and Medium Sized Game The .243 Winchester on up to the 30-06 Springfield are all excellent deer cartridges. Bullet design must be able to open quickly as to release more energy into the animal, however weight retention is not as concerning as these animals are not as ruggedly designed as moose or bear are, which require deep penetration. Soft point bullets work perfect for this class of game.   Moose, Elk, Bear and Large Game 7mm Magnum and on up are all adequate for harvesting moose and bears in Alaska. Several of the most common are the .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Winchester Magnum and the .30-06 Springfield.  Bullet design must expand but still retain weight to penetrate deep. A classic example of this is the Nosler Partition.   Large and Dangerous Game: Buffalo, Lion etc. .375 H&H Magnum on up are effective in hunting these beasts.  Heavy penetrating large bullets such as solid copper round nose bullets are ideal for extreme deep penetration.