I'm from the midwest and close to a thousand miles from any elk I can legally hunt. Though I've hunted initially about every other year it has become about an every five year thing of late over the thirty years I've hunted them. Also being a general gun loony, I went up the cartridge latter fast graduating with the 340 Wea, all of which I blame Ross Siefried for.
I shoot a lot but my immediate locale limits me to five hundred yards on a farmers field so that is what I became comfortable with though depending on circumstances I would consider six hundred on a hunt. I am not in the game with some of the "long rangers" here (like scenarshooter and others) but wanted to maximize my chances on a five to seven day hunt on public land wherein I may see one or two bulls briefly during that time. If any. I also bought into, "placing a bullet in the heart-lung complex on a big animal from any angle" concept so used heavier "X's" and Nos Part's mostly finally settling on the 210-gr TSX. In review though, no Tx Heart Shots were taken or other extreme angles either. Most were broadside.
Of the eleven bulls taken with the 340, most were over three hundred yards with the longest at LRF'd 475. Two cows were taken at forty and about eighty yards with. 45 Colt and a 45/70 respectively. I did take one bull at about 400 with a 30/06.
Long way of saying, my criteria for "go-no go," is range to animal; presentation and attitude of same; possibilities of closing the distance; wind; firearm and bullet I'm using and my comfort level with any one or all of the above.
Thus I've not wounded and lost an animal. The longest distance from hit to "DRT" were the cows, one with a 45 hard cast through her ribs and the other with the 45/70 which made me rethink hard casts for soft, thin-skinned animals.
