Here is what I found. If your hunting Elk in open country A very long shot is 400yrds. Beyond that the wind, bad rest, heart rate, heavy breathing, time to get on target, Elk moving all kill your ability to make a clean shot. I have a few Elk rifles. The 308, 30-06 class are fine 200yrd Elk rifles. They start lacking energy beyond that. 7mm rem Mag with 160-175gr bullets are fine for that rare 400yrd shot. Then there is what I carry most days when Elk hunting. 300 win mag loaded with 200gr Partitions at 2900fps. Good from 50yrds to 500yrds and a bit beyond if you have spent the time practicing. If you think hunting Elk is all about long shots, You need to hunt Elk more. Several times I have set up on nice Bulls at over 500yrds. Just because you can see them in your scope, Have ranged them with the range finder, doesn't mean you should shoot. Imagine you just climbed a 7000' ridge, Spot a Nice bull across the canyon or out on a spur ridge. Wind is blowing about 30mph, temp is 15deg up from zero when you started the day. You just spent 3hr hunting up the mountain. You get set up, sitting with your shooting sticks. Dig out the range finder and you keep getting reading on the bull. 535yrd then 615yrds, 585yrds, 615yrds. The deep cold and wind is screwing with the reading, your shaking from the excitement, The battery is cold. Bull is calm, has not seen you. You wait for a shot, look for a line of travel you can get closer. Longer you wait, the colder you get. The worse the sight picture looks. Wind is still gusting past 30mph. That is Elk hunting. Not some fantasy written in a hunting rag.
Good post.
For someone to try to convince you that you aren't shooting at long enough range is simply looking for an excuse to spout off.
Guessing you probably don't need someone from another part of the country to tell you about your weather.
