Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 243 on Elk

This thread has gotten away from the original intent of the opening question. It was not whether an experienced marksman, hunting guide, or confident big game hunter could use a 243 and get away with it. It was whether or not a fist time elk hunting teen age young lady with little to no big game experience should be able to use this round on an Elk.

There is no doubt that a 243 can, and has killed many elk. Nobody will ever know how many have run off to die a miserable death after taking a tiny little .243 bullet though.

As stated before by me, sometimes you just have to accept that not every animal is a logical target for every hunter. There are some people that will just never be able to handle the fire arms needed to hunt every species. As backward and slow to evolve as Africa seems at times they have set some logical and very functional minimums for big game. I hate anyone intruding on my desires but I have to respect that it's the right decision after many years and thousands of animals which have formed these opinions, or as it stands now RULES.

Even archery has minimum draw weights for many species. I have accepted the fact that I will never shoot several species there with my archery equipment. My accuracy is fantastic, my equipment is the best available. But my draw weight is only 70 pounds max( and that is pushing it!). I need 80 lbs to hunt buffalo legally, and I cannot shoot 80 pounds with my frequently dislocated right elbow.

I have to move on and hunt the things I can handle. Much like an inexperienced hunter who would like to have some instant gratification. Elk do not come easy without the effort, practice and dicipline to manage the size of a rifle needed to do the job right.

I do not mean to sound harsh or without feeling. However I see quite frequently so many folks that seem to think big game hunting is like fishing where you try to take on the biggest fish possible with the lightest gear. We have no catch and release with bullets. One bad shot and you have caused the sickening and horrible slow death of a very valuable animal. The majority of which will then begin looking for another animal when they don't find the first one. How fair is that to the rest of the hunters who have done everything right, learned to use the right tool and don't get an opportunity for a shot because of the dropping population of Elk? This is often caused by those who attempt big game hunting without the dicipline, or experience to do it right?

If a hunters tag was punched with the very first time they pulled the trigger at an animal, .... I promise you there would be a hella lot more practice and proper firearms in use. There would also be a hella lot more game alive in the bush as well.