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I call BS.

"7-08, Elk Rifle Wannabe

What Went Wrong?

Two of our hunters walked back into camp just as I got the last mule loaded with elk.

One said, �Anybody want a bull elk? There are two up in the corner of the horsepasture.�

It was the third day of the first hunt. Three hunters had gotten bull elk on the second day. They decided to stay in camp, hunt deer and relax instead of going to town with me.

I said, �I haven�t got a license yet, plus I�ve got eight mules loaded and I need to get going.�

A high-pitched voice shrieked from the cooktent, �I want an elk.�

It was Michele, the cook.

The tent flap exploded. Michele ran toward me with her Browning BLR and pleaded, �Dennis, will you take me?�

�Let�s see.�

WE all walked out of the trees that obscured the horsepasture from camp. Sure enough, two rag-horn bull elk grazed 700 yards away in what we called the horsepasture.

I looked at the ground, rubbed my left hand over my forehead and eyes, and thought I know better, but this wouldn't take long. �OK,� I said, �let�s hit the trees.�

We had an almost direct route from camp through timber along the east side of the horsepasture. It brought us within 80-yards of the nearest bull and about 120 yards from the farthest bull elk.

I motioned Michele to the ground beside me and instructed, �Lay down and get a rest over this deadfall.�

She said, �I can�t shoot laying down.�

I may have looked at the ground and rubbed my forehead and eyes again, not sure, but I said, �Well, get situated, get a steady shot and hit the nearest bull right behind the groove behind his shoulder.�

She shot. Nothing.

I had my Steiner glasses. The bull didn�t wiggle. I said, �Take another poke at him.�

She shot. Nothing.

�Where were you aiming?�

Right were you told me to.

I said, �Shoot again. Take your time and squeeze one off.�

She shot. Nothing. Not even a flinch. Neither bull was concerned with us in the least, and both of them had seen us by now, and both went on grazing.

This went on for five shots. I figured she was out of shells and indicated I was going back to camp�I still had eight mules loaded and tied to the hitch rail, and I still had 19 miles of wilderness trail, 30 miles of gravel road and �town business� to conduct before sacking out in the evening.

I was wrong. Michele fished out a whole box of Remington Core-Lokts from her jean pocket. I am sure I looked at the ground and rubbed my forehead and eyes that time. The box and her inability to shoot prone indicated we were in trouble.

She reloaded and fired one. I decided to wait two minutes before each shot. I can�t say why, but I couldn�t believe that every shot had missed from that range. I hoped that he would keel over before we emptied the box.

Somewhere in the process the nearest bull laid down. The farthest still continued to graze.

Michele shot everything but five bullets.

I said, �Reload.�

After the reload, I said, �Now, we�re going to walk up on him. When we get 25 yards away, I want you to shoot him in the head.�

At about 35 yards, Michele couldn�t stand it. She said, �I�ve got to shoot him, NOW.�

�OK.�

We had walked into a depression between the bull and us. Michele kneeled down and shot. Dirt exploded five yards in front of us.

I said, �Where were you aiming?�

�At his head,� she replied.

�Let�s move closer and get this hump out of the way.�

At 20 or 25 yards�with both bulls looking at us, one lying down chewing cud and another grazing�Michele let loose, blowing his jaw off. The bull jumped up and ran out of sight in a patch of timber.

I was at a loss. I had to get moving, but tracking a freshly wounded bull was stupid. I told her we would wait for 30 minutes. That isn�t long enough, but I had to get going.

We set in the horsepasture and watched the other bull graze off. Down below, it looked like most of the crew and hunters were watching the exhibition through binoculars and spotting scopes. Must have been great fun�like Elk Hunting TV.

We walked into the timber and found the bull dead on his feet about 100 yards in. I said, �We�re going to run up on him and you shoot him in the head.� I ran up, put my hand on his hip bone like a domestic cow and pushed him over. She shot him.

Although I had work to do, I wanted to know what had happened. I told Michele to get some of the crew and a couple mules, and I would skin him, but not gut him. The crew had time to gut, quarter and pack the bull.


Skinning showed something odd. In addition to one shot to the brain and one shot through the jaw, the hide had 14 bullet holes in it. No gut shots were found. Most of the bullets entered and a few had exited.

While I have never been fond of the 7-08 for elk hunting, this situation was its worst demonstration. It is possible that in this case, the Browning BLR had too short of a barrel to get the optimum velocity from the 7-08. I had been concerned that Michele�s marksmanship was suspect, but the bullet holes proved she had done her job.

The 7-08s track record on bull elk isn�t good.

If an elk hunter want an elk rifle in 7mm, then get a full-powered model, like a 280 Remington, 284 Winchester, or 7mm Magnum of whatever flavor suits your pistol. You may also want a rifle with a 22 to 24 inch barrel, to exploit their velocity.

I�ve got to get going."

Link:

http://montanaelkhunting.blogspot.com/2009/07/7-08-elk-rifle-wannabe.html�

I agree. If there were holes in the hide and some exited, it wasnt the cartridge/barrel's fault.

There is somuch that just dont ad up. But I had better get rid of my 7mm-08

I noticed on his blog that this guy lives about 20 miles from my home town and I guess "guides" back in the Bob Marshall Wilderness where my family makes pack trips for elk also. That herd of elk gets soo much pressure from countless outfitters and their clients plus all the wolves that have moved in and god knows how many private party hunters that go back there. I highly doubt that those two bulls stood there while she shot almost a whole box of ammo.

It looks like I can keep the 7mm08 it has a 22" barrel instead of 20". That is why it got those two elk one shot each. Wow 100 feet per second who du thunk it??

Mmmm.....

Another "iron clad elk" story......

Methinks you are on to something here.

Hillbilly: Elk are large critters....and don't always react to hits like a deer might....and I have seen them appear unconcerned from a hit that made them dead on their feet....for a few seconds anyway....

But the picture of an 80 yard bull taking 14 solid chest hits from a 7/08 without expiring,where the shots got into the chest....gives me pause....and goes contrary to what I've seen with comparable loadings..who knows?

They must be full of stop leak. grin

I think that sometimes an elk will go into shock with the 1st shot and is unable to react to the later ones. I once shot a bull 4 times in the chest with a 270. He just stood there for an abnormally long time. The lungs were literally jello and the far shoulder was broken. Every shot killed him, but his nervous system just didn't let him react.

Stories from some crazy [bleep] used to start and end at the end of the bar or at some gun counter.. Now they live forever on the 'net.

Yay us.

VERY well said!

The story teller is full of something.

It's a good thing that Alaska's moose are smaller than the Montana raghorn related in this story, or I'd have had some troubles. Either that or the two grown bulls I've killed with mine, one at a pretty good distance, thought I was shooting a 270, a rifle which has a pretty good record on elk I understand. And my only 7mm-08 for many years was a 20" barreled Model Seven.

14 7mm holes in the hide? REALLY? And the bull was "dead on his feet". No significant damage to the lungs in 14 rounds, but one shot "blows his jaw off", and THEN he runs? And stays in one spot for 30 minutes? Standing. With 14 holes in his lungs?

REALLY?

I think I'd like calling him a liar to his face.... FWIW, Dutch.

A bull elk that's not only iron-clad but deaf....

I did see one Rosevelt cow elk go back to feeding after she was shot twice, in the ribs, by my buddy, at around 100 yards, with a 308 Win. and 150gr. factory Core Lokts, but on the third shot, she got nervous and started to run toward us. I then shot her in the head with a 25-06 at about 20 yards. However, I simply don't beliwve the 14 shots to the chest story.....

Rubbing my eyes and forehead here....

Back in high school, a kid I was hunting with had a 30 carbine. We jumped a deer and I lung shot it with a .32 Win Spec. Then he cut loose with the carbine. He emptied a 16 shot mag on her as she ran and literally hit her with every one (we counted the holes). Most were in the hind quarters, however, and only penetrated a few inches. The deer was a mess. She died, but it was from my lung shot. He got to tag her, btw. Dad and I didn't want to deal with that mess.