Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Am I Overthinking My Elk Rifle?

Very nice tanger right there. looks like a factory laminate. I had one exactly like it and it was an excellent rifle. I culled it and many more back in the mid 90's after reading some very bad advice from Col. Craig Boddington. Live and learn..Your rifle will make an awesome "do all rifle".

Thanks Mauser. Hopefully, the elk won't see the little blue tip coming either

Paint the tip camo,problem solved.

Thanks Kutenay. It's apparent this isn't your first rodeo.

Man do I wish I could swing some of the equipment mentioned. Truth is, I just can't. To put into perspective, if my lead on a Bushnell 4200 doesn't work out, I'm wondering if going with a Leupold VXI is worth the extra few bucks more than a Redfield Revolution. Binos will likely have to be in the $200 range. That's just my reality.

I do have a newer pair Danners and Irish Setters for boots. This is one area I want duplication.

No more camo for me however. As a side note, I often wonder why I even put it on since a bright orange vest has to be put over it

Leupold will be lighter than the Redfield, and have better glass.

That's if you meant the VX-1, and not the VX-I

Recoil will be plenty managable. Depending on the real estate being hunted bino's and spotting scopes can be the difference. Sometimes (area) good quality 8-10x bino's are perfect and the spotter is just weight. Where I am hunting close to home now long shots and spot & stalk don't exist. It's just way to thick to hunt like this.

Being well practiced, in shape, and ready to hunt will make the biggest difference in enjoyment. Consider your clothing & equipment, be in shape, have a reliable gun, & good knife.

Thats a lot of our reality - don't have the jing to buy top end. When the choice boils down to buying top end equipment and not hunting or buying decent equipment and going hunting the choice is easy.

Kute is spot on with boots, packs, and binos in general. A few suggestions for the budget minded:

Scope: Leupy VX-2 3x9x40. Buy one on fleabay for a couple more bucks than a new VX-1. IMHO the VX-2 is a great scope value

Binos: I'd look strong at the Minox. Doug at Cameraland has great prices. Buy a pair of open box specials. You can get a decent pair for $500 if you are patient. I have 3 pairs of Minox and have sold 6-8 more for Doug. Dad has Leica's and Zeiss. I've had all three in different light conditions using a acuity chart and in natural settings from woods to field. The top end glass is definitely better but not 3-4x cost better. I don't believe having the Minox vs Zeiss/Leica has ever cost me a game animal. The other bonus is that I'm not worried about breaking, losing, or having someone steal them.

Boots: sounds like you have that covered - as long as the Danners are American made version. I'm not a fan of the imported Danners. Bought my first pair of Irish Setters this year. So far so good but have only worn them a dozen times. Time will tell - I'm hard on boots.

Buy the best you can but most importantly go hunting.

YES!

Recruit,

Over time you will find yourself spending a lot of money on this elk hunting gear stuff. I to am forced to hunt on a budget, especially when you drop decent money just on tags to hunt as a non-resident hunter. Getting there costs, staying there costs, & everything you need to hunt there costs!

Buy smart, but don't think you'll have much fun if you try to do it as a minimalist. You can do it, but it isn't much fun. Been there done that. Montana can be COLD, especially if the wind blows.

Good pack boots during late October/November will be well worth the money you spend, warm clothing that is fairly light in weight w/warm long johns. Wool is the way I fly. Gaiters would be nice high up in the deeper snow. A good pack to day hunt with and assist in carrying meat out is a must or you can add trips to and from truck. Two good knives & survival equipment & some rope a must. Then everything you will need if you are camping out. That's pretty much minimalist right there.

If you add all this up as far as money you'll spend, you could hunt Africa and kill more animals. It's expensive so do your best and have fun.

Gear will last a long time if you take care of it, and you don't buy junk.

The first year you buy everything hurts the worst.

Then it's just those pesky tag fees from then on.

Thanks bwinters. Your last comment is my favorite.

Like your advice on a VX-2 too also. I buy used quite a bit if in very good to excellent shape.

Wish the boots were U.S. made but just checked and they're not. Will see how it goes...just glad to have two pair.

Yep, meant the "one" not the "eye". Leupold sure didn't pick the easiest naming convention A used VX-2 is appealling too.

Thanks BSA. Good to hear you've had postive experiences with the M77.

And all along, I've liked reading Craig Boddington's stuff. Oh well, such is life

Now that's just plain good advice right there!

Thanks for the laugh

Thanks Wild Bill. Fortunately, I've amassed a collection of quality outdoor clothing over the last few years. I'm all about layers that can be added or shed as needed and wool is part of that equation here in Michigan too.

Yea those darned non-resident fees...ouch! But to me, it will be worth every penny as I've never experienced an out west elk hunt. You guys that do it on a regular basis don't know how good you've got it...or maybe you do. The only time I've seen elk, antelope or mule deer is on TV...and it just ain't the same. My brother lived in Kalispell for a few years and I was able to fly out and spend a week with him back in 2000. We spent 3 days canoeing the upper Missouri, fished and camped on the Blackfeet reservation anad also the Middle Fork?, hiked in Glacier, Bison range, etc. and while the pictures I brought home were nice, they just didn't do justice to seeing it first hand. I know the experience will be the same see elk, antelope and mule deer first hand.

Thanks Big Nate. I appreciate especially your last two sentences

You're welcome.

Apropos, of costly gear, I DO have it, a LOT of it and I grew up in brutal poverty, have NEVER been "wealthy" and did not/will n ever inherit dime one.

HOW, very simple, I WANTED IT enough to WORK two jobs, I would take the most unwanted and toughest solo sites in my forestry employment and DO IT RIGHT and I learned HOW to buy the good stuff FIRST and look after it.

I was living in a mountain tent, in the snow near my hometown, unemployed and cutting wood,etc, for food money when I bought my current Zeiss bino in 1975 on "layaway". I had NEVER met the store owner and he asked his son if I was "OK" and the reply was yes, he is the most honest guy I know...I busted my azz with O/T in a local planermill to pay on time, with 365 surgical sutures in my right leg...so, I KNOW all about "hard times" and HOW to get the BEST gear, what little you NEED, not merely want, even when it LOOKS like you can't.....

You will NEVER regret buying a Zeiss bino and a really GOOD pack to hunt with, almost anything else, even your riflescope, can be of "GOOD" not absolutely BEST, quality and a 4x Leupy is a FINE choice for Elk, especially on an '06.

Whatever, I am NOT trying to argue or to denigrate the choices of others, here. For the BEST advice on hunting optics I know of, PM John Barsness, probably among the top 5 or 6 gun writers I have read in almost 60 years and the best working today, no question. He KNOWS his stuff and is also not some egomaniacal azzhole who will fill your head with bullsh!t.....

HTH.

Kutenay,

I apologize if I came across feeling denigrated by you with my words. I do not at all feel that way and was certainly not my intent to express in that matter. I appreciate you sharing your background. It's apparent you've worked hard for what you have as have I.

Perhaps the way I should have worded it was that hunting is a medium priority for me...or something like that. My personal downfall is having TOO many hobbies. My wife reminds me of this often . I enjoy hunting, woodworking, backpacking, adventure racing, radio-control cars and airplanes and I absoulutely love riding dirt bikes. I currently have 4 dirt bikes and have torn down and am in the process of rebuilding two of them. Couple that with annual trips to West Virginia for "riding adventures" and well...you get the point.

Anyway, what all this means is splitting funds to fuel the hobbies I enjoy. I'm a strong believer in if you want something material bad enough, you can aquire it through hard work. You have done this for your hunting "hobby". I wish I could focus on fewer or even one hobby but I'm entertained by too many things I guess.

At any rate, thank you for your help and insights. I appreciate hearing and learning from those who are truly dedicated to their hobby

Don't own them but read on here that the Leupold Yosemites are suppose to be decent binos for about $130