Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Your elk hunting rig

For those of you who elk hunt and actually still do some walking; what is your go to setup? I'd like to know the make, model, caliber and optic you rely on and please tell me how many miles you cover a day on average.

Lets see, on my rifle hunts, Ive carried a savage 110 in 7mm08, A3O3 30-06, Savage 110 7mm rem mag and last year win 70 in 270wsm. Scopes have been, Tascos, Simmons, Burris and Leupold in that order.

My elk hunts are typically backpack hunts... going into a wilderness area with enough to stay out for a number of days. Think steep country. Weight is important.

Anymore my elk hunting rig will be a Kimber Montana 84M/L chambered in either 7-08, 308 or 270, though I wouldn't hesitate to use a 260.

This year will be with my 308.

Mileage varies day to day.

My current rig for serious hikes is a Weatherby Back Country in .300 WM with a 3-9x33 Leupold Compact scope. I'm too far along in years for death marches, so if I cover 5-7 miles a day that takes about all the energy that I have. If I'm hunting thick aspen woodlands or mixed conifers, I will carry a Ruger No.1-S in 9.3x74R with a 1-4x20 Leupold VX-III scope.

I use a variety of stuff, but mostly bolt guns from .25-06 to .300Win. I've got a 6.5x284 being built right now that'll be carried a bit this coming fall. I've been known to carry a Weatherby Accumark in .340 Wby too. When on horseback I often carry a Marlin 1895 in .450 Marlin...mainly because it is so much easier to fit in a scabbard.

I cover anywhere from 5 to 20 miles a day, depending on where I am at. I cover a lot of ground before and after dark, simply getting to where I want to glass from.

If I back-pack into deep creek or grizzly creek drainage, several miles into the canyons I hunt, I generally take my 35 whelen 7600 slide action , but I'd point out that the rifle choice is more due to familiarity like an old friend, and any of several rifles I own would work just as well, both the 340 wby and my sako 375 H&H have made that trip several times as has my browning BLR in 358 win, its NOT the rifle its the skill you have using it! Id use my 257 roberts BLR on a hunt if thats all I owned and I doubt it would effect the results

I load a speer 250 grain over 53-54 grains of imr 4320, and a fed 215 primer, in my rem 7600 slide action,
its dependable and accurate up to at least 250 yards and Ive found its well suited to longer trips than the 340 wby that I generally use if I only intend to glass and stalk or the 375H&H sako carbine I use if I want to spend the day sneeking thru dark timber at a snails pace.
but I'd point out your area might not be as steep and wooded as where I hunt where ranges tend to be short but walking 4-5 miles along a canyon each day does tend to get results and the pack out is always a huge P.I.T.A.

This year I hiked 7 to 8 miles each day. I could have hiked farther but I generally spend time sitting also.

I backpack to hunt for elk also and I also use a heavy rifle for the same reason as 340mag. I'm familiar with this rifle, that breeds confidence so I'm competent with it. It's a T/C Icon Weathershield 30-06 pushing out 180 grain NPs at 2,880 fps. I carries a Leupold VX-3 3.5x10x40. It's heavy and ugly but it shoots MOA and it's nearly indestructible.

KC

Mcmillan G30 338 Win Mag, Swaro 2.5-15 Z6i BT 4a Talleys. Usually 2-3 miles from trail head 9-11K. Lot of sitting, head back to truck slowly about 3pm. Leave in the dark, come back when its dark.

I'd take 30-338mag on 700 action with 3.5x10 Leupold. Most times I'm walking in before daylight find spot were I can watch few hrs then start walking. I'll try find a spot to watch till last shooting light.

Amount I walk depending on the weather and how much snows on the ground and how much I have to layed to walk.

I've shot a couple elk in Grizzly Creek, Lot of work to getem out of there!!!

A bolt action.

Caliber,anything from .270-.375.

Scope smallest is 1x-4x all the way up to a 3.5x-10x.

Bullet 130 gr-300 gr.

Barrel length 22"-26" depending on rifle/cartridge being used.

Custom 700 .300 Win. 4-12 Leupold..

The last 5 years I've used my somewhat customized pre 64 M70 300 H&H w/ MCM legend (edge) stock topped with a swaro Z3 3-10x42. It weighs a little under 8 lbs. My hunt is typically hiking in/out 4-5 miles each way, gaining about 2000' with everything on my back. This set-up has worked great with 4 bulls out of the last 5 years.

Ruger Hawkeye 338WM with a Burris Fullfield 2-7.
Hike's can be a few hundred yards to several miles where I hunt.

Ruger MKII SS/Lam 338 Win Mag with a 3-9X40 Leupold Vari-XII. Not sure how far we walk. At least a few miles/day, just depends on where we are. One place we rarely go more than a mile from camp, but camp is 7.5 miles from the truck...

Between the wife and I we have three rifles in the house for mountain hunting,
Ruger 7x57
Tikka T3 lite in .300 win mag
Mauser 8x57 ( backup gun Never really used)
All have a straight 6 x scope and all portable enuff for a ll day hikes.
I use the .300 only because it came in a good deal and is lite, she does not shot it because it is light and the recoil is a bit much for her.
The 7x57 was used successfully on an old bull with no drama and is a family heirloom of sorts.
As to the OP's comment about " those of you that still walk" I do not know of too many places where elk hunting does not require a decent hike. A few private ranches offer some big money hunts on hay fields ,but that is about it. Most elk are killed in mountains or foothills and a decent hike is in order.

yeah! I remember one trip out when both my buddy and I had easily 80 lbs of meat and gear in back packs plus rifles and about 1/2 way out we were 90% exhausted and I turned to RON and said...how much did we PAY to do this, and are we having that much FUN YET, .....neither of us could stop laughing at the absurdity and we could hardly breath even before that! but you pretty much have very little competition down in that canyon for that reason, you have to be 1/2 nuts about hunting elk to do that year after year

Most of my hunts are day hunts and estimate I walk from 3 - 12 miles. I don't have a dedicated elk rifle and usually carry a couple of different ones each season. I carried M70's in 300 or 338 Win Mag for years but no longer have either. In recent years, I've carried bolt actions in 270 (Win and Wby), 7x57, 325 WSM, 9.3x62, and 35 Whelen, and single shots in 7x57, 300 H&H, 9.3x74, 375 H&H and 45-70.

More and more, I'm grabbing the lighter/handier rifles and my preferences in optics have changed to smaller, more compact scopes (1-4x or 1.5-5x, up to 2-7x or 2.5-8x) etc. Future scope purchases will likely be low power variables or fixed 6x.

Borden 280 AI - 7 lb
Borden 300 WSM - 7.5 lb

Ruger MarkII RS in 338 Win Mag shooting Barnes 225 grain TSX and topped with a Leupold Vari X III AO 3.5 x 10. Hikes have been up to 9 miles in a day. Most days average about 4 or 5 miles. I wish I had a lighter rifle when hiking up drainages, but the wieght of this rig helps settle the crosshairs and I have 100% confidence in the rig and the caliber. Knowing I am going to be carrying that pig makes me stay in decent condition all year and I save wieght in other item of gear.

Perry

I use a M70 EW in 300 WSM with Talley lightweight rings and VX III 2.5-8 Leupie. It weighs a shade less than 8 lbs and shoots 180 Nosler Partitions into 1 MOA. I tried a few lighter rifles but find I like this rifle as it sits. I can live with an extra 6-8 ounces on this one.

I normally camp along some type of road access with road being loosely defined and hike in from there. I just about never find elk within 1.5 miles of the trailhead/road. On average, I hike 2-2.5 miles in, then start hunting. I tend to be at a spot at daylight, hang out till 10 or so, then still hunt to/through bedding areas during mid day, then find a suitable afternoon sit, sit till dark than head out. It makes for a long day. I'd say I average 10-12 miles in a day and 12-1500 feet in elevation. Some days more miles, more elevation, some days less but not many less.

One of the best things I ever bought was a postal scale - I weigh everything I use and cut weight anywhere I can. I normally don't carry a range finder or spotting scope and set up accordingly. I carry items in my pack without cases. For example, why carry a sheath on a folding knife? Or a bag/pouch/box for a compass? Everything gets weighed and lighter alternatives evaluated and replaced if need be. I usually only carry 5 extra cartridges as well. I've never gone through a full magazine let alone extra bullets.

All depends on the draw here in New Mexico. If rifle, I WAS using a Rem 700 SS in 338 Win Mag wearing a Leupold 3-9x40 and 210gr Nosler Partitions. But alas my son's roommate just acquired it from me. I'll have to settle for my Model 70 Alaskan in 338 Win Mag topped with a Leupold 2.5-8x36 and 225gr Partitions.

Last year's hunt was with a Marthews ZXT slinging Easton Axis arrows and 100 gr muzzy 3 blade broadheads.

As for distances, typical day can range from 5 to 12 miles. Out well before sunrise and back after dark.

Been a TC Omega the last few years.8.5#.

Milage varies. I would guess 8 to 10 on average.

Custom Remington 700 with a 24" lilja barrel. Rimrock stock. 3x9 leuplod vx3. Chambered in 30-338 win mag. Shooting 165 grain accubonds over a stiff charge of RL-19. weighs in around 8 lbs.

My elk hunts have been pack in horseback type. Rifle is a jap Mk 5 26" 300 wby slinging hand loaded 168 TTSX. Best dang bullet I have found for this purpose where shots will be 100-400 cross canyon.

I like to carry my 30-06 Interarms Mark X , but more and more I find myself reaching for my Savage 16 .308 because it's lighter and handier (topped with the same scope). And, actually, I prefer to hunt elk with my bow over carrying either of these rifles

I'd say my average hike is 4-5 miles for an entire day. Some may do 8-10 mile days, but I prefer to take my time and hunt, instead of burning through the woods (spooking elk, instead of shooting them).

Mine is a Kimber Montana in .300 WSM with 180 gr Barnes TTSX hand loads. I left the miles of hiking behind, along with my 60th birthday some years ago, but a good mountain horse still gets me where I need to go in the Wind River Range of Wyoming.

donsm70

Either a 7.5lbs 7mm mashburn 160 grain accubonds 3x9-40 Remington 700 or a 7.5lbs 338-06 25 grain accubond 2x7-33 Remington 700. Couldn't tell you how many miles I cover in a day as Ive never really kept track and it varies depending on the plan and the day.

I like many others have a plethora of rifles, all bolt actions. In many different chamberings.

One of my favorites is a custom 721 I built for myself in 30-06, It has a Pac-Nor 1-11 barrel and wears a 3-9 Zeiss West German scope.

I have four EW Model 70's 264WM 300 WSM 300WM 338WM and a All wear 4.5-14 Leupolds

FN Patrol Bolt Rifle in 300WSM in a McMillen Super Grade style stock. Kahles variable 2.5-10

Several Weatherby MK 5's in 257 300 30-378 338-378 378 and 416. All have Leupold scopes that range in power from 3.5-10 to 6.5-20.

I have more but only these I would use for Elk.

My wife only has one rifle for Elk and that is a Weatherby Vanguard in 270 Win.

What rifle I use depends on where I draw the tag. And of course I take back ups.

My go to setup is a Model 70 SS Classic .338 in a Mc Millan stock. It has backup iron sights and has a 2.5-8x36 Leupold scope on it. There is a newer K-4 Weaver backup as well. When I bought it I had it shortened to 23" and had a brake installed. I quickly took the brake off. I use 225 gr TBBC loads for elk.

We cache our camp in behind locked gates a few miles and hunt out of that camp. 5-7 miles is probably average. We have a couple of hunts we do as a group that take all day and involve a bit over 10 miles. That gets tougher as we get older though. I am the group geezer at 67.

In my youth when I was humping 5-10 miles per day with pack attached....I carried a nice, compact savage 99c in 308 ...loaded with 180 gr core locks. Never shot one with that rifle but loved lugging it around. Of the 9 elk I have shot, 7. We're with pre 64 270 featherweight and 150 np

M700 Mtn rifle, 270W, 150gr NPt's, bolt fluted and handle skeltonized, aluminum shroud, aluminum TG, B&C stock, Weaver mounts, Burris Zee rings, VX3 2.5-8.

It's not how many miles, it's elevation gain, and in what terrain that counts.......

Casey

OR......A Black Widow TD, Port Orford tapered cedar shafts, feathers, Zwickey broadheads.

Remington 700 Classic 350 Rem Mag, barrel cut to 20". Custom stock by ME. It did wear a Leupold 4x compact but now has a 2-7 Ultralight. Shoot 225 SierraGamekings.

This little 5 point was killed at 30 feet and I could still barely see him.

I also like to use:
Ruger 375 Ruger Alaskan Leupy 2-7
Rem 700 300 WBY. Leupy 4.5-14
Rem 700 30-06 Leupy 2-7
New this year will be a Rem 700 338 winnie and
Tikka T3 Super lite in 30-06 Leupy 2-7

Walk anywhere from 1-12 miles.

The last couple of hunts 300 Weatherby vanguard with a Timney trigger wearing a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x50 with a Z600 reticle zeroed at 200 with Barnes 180TTSX. It isn't pretty but is very accurate to 600 yards from field positions.

I typically walk between 5-12 miles in a day about 1-2,000 Ft of climb included depending on location. We often choose to hunt areas where ATVs are prohibited or couldn't normally go. At the end of the day and the end of a week or so the rifle feels heavy.

Remington Mdl 700 BDL in 7MM Rem. MAG, LEUPOLD 2 1/2 X 8 variable. Nosler 175 gr., 78 gr. H870 (still have 2 lbs.) Also Marlin 1895SS 45/70, BTB 425 gr., 46 gr. H322, old El Paso Weaver 2 1/2 scope.

Terrain varies. Mostly steep areas hunted with some flats and open areas. Bouncing on 80 years so shank's mare is limited. Did tag a spike last season. Looking forward to the hunt this year.

Weatherby Ultralight Mark V
338-06 A-Square
225gr Accubond @ 2600 + fps
Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36
Mountain Sling

I forgot about the how far you walk part, for rifle somewhere between 6-8 miles depending on the terrain. For bow, I usually spike out so I dont have to hike near as far, probably somewhere between 2-4 miles. I normally try to get at least 2 miles from the trail head before I set up camp.

A lot of interesting replies; elevation gain vs. miles is something I never considered....I expect it's a very true statement.

I plan on doing an elk hunt within the next couple years and I'm setting up my rig now. I got a good deal on a Remington 700 KS, 300WM that is 7.06 lbs without the scope; it'll go slightly over 8 lbs when scoped and loaded. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get too heavy.

I'm still young enough (44) and in good enough shape to cover the mileage most of you spoke of, but the weight of a good animal on my back would probably make me question just how fit I am.

I truly appreciate the replies, it's given me more to think about.

StudDuck - 3 to 4 miles of rough country is, well, rough. I don't question some of folks that have posted claiming big mileage, but I would venture a guess that the country isn't as challenging as some elk country. Another consideration is that dropping an elk 5 miles from the truck will result in at least 4 trips out (maybe 5 with gear). 4 round trips, at 5 miles each way, is 40 miles... half of which is loaded down with a heavy pack. Depending on weather, this can be stretched out over a couple days, but a lot of folks don't fully understand how much work is in front of them when they pull the trigger.

I'm not trying to paint a grim picture - it's a labor of love. Take your time and enjoy it - nothing better than elk hunting the high country!

I was going to post the same thing with respect to distance and pack out. Getting to the elk alot of the time isn't the hard part - its getting them out of there. A fully mature bull will give 225-250 lbs of boned meat. I've heard of them bigger but haven't seen one first hand, only stories, tales, and the occasional picture. I solved that issue where I hunt by having horses readily available. It cost me $250 each time I want a horse but it is the best $250 ever spent when your critter is 2-3 miles back in some steep, nasty terrain. If you bone the meat and pack smart, it is a one trip deal. Carrying elk out is a tough deal regardless of what some would have people believe. I've done it and it is doable if the pack is 'relatively' flat and its only 1-1.5 miles. Add in a canyon, distance, or black timber and it sucks real quick. 4-5 trips in that terrain will make you re-think how to get an elk out.

As to mileage, I think you are spot on. I'd also add elevation to the equation. For example, pull up West Elk Wilderness in Colorado, just W-NW of Gunnison. Quite a few elk live in the canyon; going in after them isn't about distance, its about getting out. It is the steepest elk country I've ever hunted - and I've hunted in the Selway in Idaho. Plus its at about 10,500 feet elevation. I currently hunt in northern Colorado. It has steep spots but is also a bit lower and is 'flatter'. You can navigate for miles if you follow contour and are smart about how to get to where you want to go. I hiked 4 straight days into an area this past fall. It was 2.75 miles from the trailhead to where I started hunting but only about 1.75 was on the trail. At times, I was 4.5-5 miles from the trailhead - but I knew I could get a horse into those areas for the pack out. So it was a threefer - no people back in that far, elk, and a doable pack out. I hunt alot of areas like that and have been fairly successful in the past 5-6 years. As my Dad always said: prior planning prevents piss poor performance - or the 6 P's.

I will hopefully go elk hunting this fall in the Wind River Range of western Wyoming. I will be equine-enabled so no back-pack hunts anymore for me. However, I do have a "back-pack" type rifle in a very light (6.5 lbs ready to go) .284.

I also have a Blaser R8 with three scoped barrels in .243, 30/06, and .375. I will probably take the R8 in '06 (~ 8 lbs) and the .284 and depending in how the outfitter hunts and determine which to use on a day by day basis. Incidentally, I always have a spare rifle as I don't live in the west and it's a one week, one-shot deal. No pun intended.

I have taken about eleven bulls and a few cows on various types of hunts and if one hasn't done it before, the difficulty of carrying 80 lbs of meat and gear over any distance in the mountains, especially if you're not from there, cannot be easily communicated. It's a reason I built the .284.

It's a serious undertaking but an addicting one.

Must be a custom Leupold too, didn't know they made a 3-9 VX3

280AI, 24" @ .660, Hunter's Edge, 6x42 FX3. I usually climb up, then don't have to go too far in.

I have its cousin.

Model 70 Stainless New Haven cut to 24"
300wm
McMillan Hunters Edge (Same Color)
Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 CDS

Might as well get in here I guess.
Nothing fancy, 700 ADL in 338-06 with a 3X9 Leupold BC reticle, but it's become the one I choose most of the time
With 210 Partitions it gets it done.
I don't cover a lot of miles, I tend to move along slow with lots of stops. I like to look and listen more than to move a lot

I carry a Model 700 30-06 bedded in an HSP shooting 165 TSXs over H4831 mostly. Topped with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 currently. I carry a Model 70 300WM and a 338WM, but these days those heavier rifles seem to get left behind more in favor of a Tikka 270 that is much lighter, wearing a Leupold, shooting 140 NABs, along with the aforementioned -06. Used to walk 15 miles a day without issue. Been closer to half that lately.

Been thinking about a Montana or Forbes as I get older... Seems a pound or so can make a difference by the end of a day.

I am old and have Horses. Love my R1 300 WinMag with Nightforce 2.5-10x32.
Honest 3 shot 1" rifles with 168 TSXs and W780.

I've used a ruger m77mkII UL 243 pushing 95 grain BT's all the way up to a 300 wby using VLD's. put the bullet in the right place and the elk will die. killed my furthest with the 243, and the closest with a 30-30.
scopes were simmons 3-9 up to leupold vx3

walking ranges have varied from 400 yards to 6+ miles in a day.

Stainless plastic ruger M77 mark II in 30-06 with a leupy 3.5-10 running 180 grain partitions. I've put in probably as much as 15, but 4 or 5 is more typical, and the year that we were all sick, it was less than that. 3 tags, 2 elk. I've taken a couple of years off due to the drought. The drought is over, but the tags aren't back yet, and the ranch where we parked the camper is up for sale, so I'm not sure when the next elk hunt will be. Thinking about going with something lighter. I've been meaning to try a fixed 6X42, but I like the 3.5-10 too much, so I'll probably stick with that.

Average for miles in a day varies, weather and area to area... Varies from 5 to 15 miles being the absolute most in one day so far.

In the 27 years of hunting elk, I used different calibers, ranging from 22 to 45. All bolt guns except one lever gun chambered in 45-70.

My go to riffle any more has been my well worn m-77 chambered in the .280 rem housed in an old ram-line stock. It has slain the most wapiti I have fired a rifle at. 98% of those elk were with a 160 grain nosler partition at 2800 fps. The ol' m77 weighs in at 8-1/2 lbs IIRC loaded, sling, wearing an old vari-x II 3x9-40 leupy.

The spike in my avatar was kilt by that rifle, @70ish yards in the pooring rain. Got lucky that day, only walked about 3 miles, rain was coming down in buckets, and shot the fool thing on my way back less than a half mile from my pickup

now assuming your not going to use an outfitter who will set up your camp and pack out your elk for you...
and assuming you'll be packing into an area or at least packing your elk back to your truck once its down...I'd say the rifle caliber or action might seem to be very important but Its been my experience that most of the 25-45 caliber rifles work in even semi skilled hands if you can get into a decent shooting position at a decent range, if you can shoot accurately from field positions the same can definitely NOT BE STATED in regard to your average back packs ability to cope with several hours of the strain of transporting 60lbs-80lbs of meat and gear out of some steep canyon. IM FORCED TO REMIND YOU, that any dead elk ,even when the meats boned out to reduce weight and placed in the 2 gallon zip lock bags and after they are placed in the snow too cool off on any elk hunt, tends too weigh a great deal more than you will feel comfortable packing out of most deep canyons on your back!.
you generally will require several round trips, from some steep canyon to your truck over rough terrain, to pack out an elk!
before you bring any back pack on a ELK HUNT youll want to test it out carefully, by actually testing it,with significant weight loaded over at least 30 minutes, what might feel OK in a 2 minute test WON,T feel the same after 30 minutes!
you need to spread the significant load on your shoulders and hips and pad it as much as you can!
you need too adjust the straps and hip belt so 80%-90% of the weights on your hips not your shoulders, and youll want too,find several trash bags and put a 80 lb bag of sand inside them,and duct tape them carefully so it won,t leak, then place the large load simulating a elk quarter or load of meat,in the pack. if your pack won,t fit a MINIMUM of that size load in its main compartment YOULL NEED TO LOOK INTO A LARGER STRONG PACK!
then spend a minimum of two hours walking around ,ideally, up a few stairs,in some out door high school stadium or condo stair case,or across local hills etc, if the pack you selected squeaks or rips, under that load ,its JUNK and you just saved yourself a whole lot of grief knowing that well before the hunt, and getting a better pack is mandatory, because you normally will be packing gear into or elk meat in or out, in your pack, and a pack that fails 1/2 way up a steep canyon is a huge problem.

I tried at least 4 different welded aluminum frame freighter style pack frames similar to this,(I'm sure theres a dozen good quality freighter packs but the ones I tried were junk!,) every one was noisy and eventually broke under the loads I packed out, of those canyons, they were a HUGE P.I.T.A. and in my opinion a waste of money
the first few elk I packed out I used an external frame aluminum frame, pack. the first year was a total disaster as the riveted aluminum frame squeaked constantly and eventually broke under the 80 lb loads in very short order, the next year I bought a far stronger name brand welded frame ,that cost over $120 which was a huge expense in the early 1970s, it lasted two years before it broke , I explained my problem at cabelas store, to an old geezer who had actually experienced similar issues, and the guy suggested a cheap PEAK ONE pack,frame,at that time or something like the CURRENT RED HEAD ENDURO FLEX but suggested I have a better bag made,with a larger compartment, I bought a heavy nylon duffel bag and heavily modified it so it securely strapped too and was supported by the flex frame at a dozen plus all adjustable strap locations, on the frame, plus

I used 20 feet of seat belt nylon and brass grommets to make a custom pack,support sewn to the edges with a great deal of sewing of seat belt web strap, to secure the duffel to the pack frame so it comfortably supported 100 lbs of sand bags inside the duffel ,the dozen plus individual buckle straps sewn so the weight stayed centered and close to my body, I bought far better quality hip and shoulder belts and added those and its lasted and worked for 30 plus years, its ugly and not high tech, but like a crowbar its hard to damage, and it works

HERES A GOOD BASIC FRAME
http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Enduroflex-Plus-Field-Frame/product/10212624/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT



http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-RH5000-External-Pack-Frame/product/1301160606328/

80%-90% of a loaded packs weight SHOULD be supported on your hips NOT the shoulder straps so a sturdy well padded hip belt is ABSOLUTELY mandatory
you may NOT be able to fing a quality hip belt on a sturdy frame so mix & matching frames, belts and straps might be your only choice

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/311178472864?item=311178472864&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true

Id point out that youll generally be forced to make several trips to back pack out an elk and carrying a rifle on the return to get meat trips in and out is a P.I.T.A. so I generally carry a shoulder holster and a heavy caliber revolver. you don,t want to arrive at the recently shot elk, on the second or third trip, to retrieve meat, only to find a bear, cleaning up the scraps and disputing the elks true owner, while your un- armed
the 44 mag silhouette with adjustable front site and 10 5/8" barrel

YES IT REQUIRES a shoulder holster to use comfortably
[img]http://www.grumpysperformance.com/10sho.jpg[/img]
your back pack choice to pack out meat in significant quantity is something you really need to think through

Where are you from? Just curious.

I currently live in Florida but have lived in Colorado and maine in the past, yeah I'm and old geezer now at 66 years old, 6'3" and 260lbs I used to weight 230 for most of that time frame,and worked out a good deal, but I have spend 40 plus years hunting Wyoming, northern California and Colorado.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH ME THATS FINE! we all have different experiences , but Id like to help the newer guys by explaining what Ive seen and done.

Gotta get me some bass pro shops pack to help me out. Could use a me a big 44 to ward off the critters with sharp teeth as well..

Woohoo, I be set..

carrying a pistol on a hunts is a bit like keeping a fire extinguisher handy, you may never need it, and 99% of the time its extra weight, but if you do you'll be glad you had it, in 40 plus years of hunting elk Ive seen plenty of evidence of scavengers on gut piles on return trips, but only once had a minor confrontation and that ended with me firing a shot into the ground and the small black bear deciding the next county was a good destination.

How much does that massive 44 mag weigh?

You carry a fire extinguisher, too???

I think you'd find carrying a portable defibrillator more useful than your handgun... 99% of the time.

Or an oxygen bottle.

Why carry a pistol if I have a rifle in my hand? Anyway...

My rifle of choice is:
Kimber Montana 84M in 338 Fed
5 lb 14oz including sling, but no ammo.
Leupold VX2 3-9 w/CDS
I tend to switch up the bullets. Have used 185 TTSX (2730FPS) and 160 TTSX (3030) on elk. Current load for 2015 is 210 Partition (2600)

My hunts start with a ~6mi hike in and I hunt between 10k and 11k elevation. Very steep terrain, endless dead falls to crawl over. After using a light rifle I will never go back.

After the first trip back to camp, I leave all my hunting gear except for a knife and a light, get a good frame pack and a compact 45acp.
There's no predator where I hunt that is that hard to chase away.

I don't think that a long barreled .44 would be my first choice, but WY game and fish is serious about guys watching out for grizzly bears when they are gutting animals, particularly around Yellowstone. They suggest that one guy stand guard, with a rifle in hand, while another attends to the cutting. The bears are habituated to come to the sound of shooting.

Beats carrying a fire extinguisher.

Forbes 24b in 280 AI, with swarovski scope on top of it. Weight is 5.5 pounds for rifle, 14.5 oz for scope. I went light because I hike in steep and deep, average 8-12 miles daily. Somedays I have covered more than 15 miles. I think 18+ is a personal best but I spread that over 21 hours.

I hunt public land so I have to go further, faster, and be more nimble than the plethora of other hunters. Seems like every year more and more guys are willing to go further back in. Last season I got my elk 6+ miles from a road. It took me, 2 other guys, and a horse a total of 25 hours to get him out of the woods. Sanity of elk hunting was a frequent topic of conversation during the ordeal.

As for advice on your "rig" I generally say to focus on your personal fitness first, then rifle accuracy, followed closely by optics quality, and minimize weight on all of your components. Your chosen rifle (rem 700) will work well. 8 pounds is the middle ground. I hunt with a very fit buddy who carries a browning BAR with Burris eliminator 3 on it. His rig easily tips the scales at 10 pounds.

He is able to get through it, or suffer through it because he is physically able to endure it. Mid 30's, and I bet his rig changes as he ages.

Its important to be able to make the shot count, but there are many solutions to that equation. The one thing that will remain constant no matter what rifle/bow/muzzleloader you are using is YOU. And nothing substitutes real world knowledge of your hunting area. If you don't have the time to acquire this personally- it might be time to evaluate hiring someone (guide) with that knowledge.

There are plenty of people who luck into an occasional elk, but the guys who fill their freezers year after year usually have been hunting in the same area for years. Knowing the behavior of hunted and pressured elk can play into a distinct advantage.

Good luck- I promise you one thing for sure- elk hunting is one heck of an adventure! Worth the sacrifice, and elk steak tastes even better when you earn it the hard way.

For those looking at external frame packs- on a budget. Look at Eberlestock Mainframe F1. Weight is 4.5 pounds, then add a Kifaru Camp bag 0.8 pounds in weight.

http://store.kifaru.net/camp-bag-4800ci78liters-p146.aspx

http://www.eberlestock.com/miva/mer...amp;Product_Code=F1&Category_Code=BP

You will be into one of the lightest external pack/ pack frames available at under $300, and weight is 5.3 pounds.

Real world testing. 2014 -I had a hind quarter, both backstraps, with meat bag, and head with antlers strapped to the frame using only the provided straps. Trust me when I say it is tough enough to pack out heavy loads, I believe it will handle more weight than you can carry.

17_wizzer, been there. Good post.

Excellent post.

I've received some great advice so far.

After having a hard time getting my elk out 2 years ago I purchased a Mainframe F1, I didn't get to try it out on a elk this year but liked he way it felt with my old pack strapped to it and loaded. Now I have my sights set on the F2 Transformer to use with it next year.

As for my gun I traded my Finnlight WSM for a Forbes 30-06 and was happy with the change.

I may be the only guy on this thread that lives and hunts around Yellowstone. Grizzlies are a way of life here.

When I'm taking apart an elk, my rifle is nearby. When I come back in to pack out meat, sometimes I pack a pistol, sometimes not. But I sure as heck wouldn't pack a 10" 44 mag!

But I ALWAYS pack bear spray, and I'll take bear spray over any handgun, every time.

Call it "Bear Extinguisher."

More useful to me these days. If I had a revolver, I might shoot myself with it.

no one could hope to accurately guess at what a different person might select in a wife, hunting equipment, a truck, rifle or predict what choices they make, in each area, because they are not using the same base of past experience to base those choices on.
while Id bet your correct that the vast majority of the readers would not select that revolver , I find it an excellent choice as is deadly accurate and fast to use in my hands and has accounted for dozens of hogs and several deer in the past.
I load a lee 310 grain hard cast over 21 grains of h110 and cast from 95% ww alloy and 5% pure tin, it will hold a 3" 100 yard group of a bench rest and a 4" 50 yard group free hand, and its a whole lot lighter and easier to pack back into some canyon on a meat retrieval trip than any rifle I own.
yes your correct it might not be your ideal choice , but it IS mine and I'm very willing to carry and depend on its performance,as I have for 35 plus years

Curious, how many times have you needed to use it while packing meat over those 35 years?

HAD TOO USE.. once, but Ive also used it several times to collect other game , like one mule deer ,and a few grouse head shot on a trip back out near the truck, since the opportunity was there and I had a license

I didn't carry a 9mm on day 3 of a bow hunt for elk in Utah and hunters with dogs ran a bear into my area who was pissed off and growling. That stick and string seemed pretty impractical thinking about a charging bear. Luckily he sniffed me first and I didn't have to ward him off with an arrow and a knife.

The physical exercise that mixes climbing stairs or hills with a load and having a good pack is very good advice. I hunt with an Eberlestock x2 and use it for the first quarter haul out , then go with a Cabela's Alaskan frame pack as the meat hauler. I have rented horses a few times and that is a great way to haul out elk - can sometimes be an adventure wrangling rental horses too.

Lighter wool layers great warm boots and practicing shooting out to 400 yards + are nice but nothing pays off like being in terrific shape.

If we don't tag out during archery season:

Mine: Primary: Remington XCR 300 RUM with a VX3 3.5 - 10, Before that a custom Sendero 300 RUM with an NXS scope.
Backup: Remington Mountain 30-06 with a Trijicon 3-9

Hers: Weatherby 7mm-08 with a Nikon POS 3-9.

We cover as little as 3 miles per day to as much as 13 per day.

Nula 300 WM
VX 3 4.5x14x40
180 Nosler partition
3 to 12 miles
500 to 2000 altitude change
We always try to get animal out whole, there is usually 4 of us. We have one guy sweep in front and the other 3 grab and pull. It is amazing how easy it can be to pull an elk when all the sticks and such is out of ur way. Although this doesn't work every time. But nothing like a full bull hanging on the pole. Furthest pull we did on a nice 5x6 was 4 miles and about 1300 feet up. But then again we had to 1/4 up a 4x4 that was only 1.2 miles out.

Guess I'm a bit "old school" in my choice of an elk rifle. I started my elk hunting with a Remington 700 chambered in .338 Mag. and scoped with a 2x7x33 Leopold and have never seen the need to change.

While it is a bit on the heavy side (just under 9 pounds scoped and ready to go) when compared to "modern" elk rifles, I have never seen that much difference in any rifle between 7 and 9 pounds (over 10 and I do begin to feel it at the end of the day). I stay in good shape through the year and at 58 don't mind a bit of weight in my hands (it's bad knees that limit me more than the rifle I carry). Still I typically cover 5-10 miles in a days hunting.

I totally agree that getting an elk out is much harder than getting in to shoot one. I have come to believe your best investment is to have pack horses located that you can hire to get the meat out once the killing is done.

What I do notice more than weight is the handiness of a shorter rifle. The 24" barreled .338 is a bit more awkward and slower to into action than my Ruger Mannlicher carbine I sometimes carry when hunting thicker timber, but no real handicap when glassing more open areas.

I really like the .338 on elk size game, but do sometimes hunt with a .308 (the Ruger), .30-06 or a Savage 99 in .358 and have never felt under armed.

Only once or twice have I ever thought the "power" of the .338 was a real advantage and only then when I had to take a severely angled shot at over 300 yards....and the lighter rifles would have likely have done just as well even then.

I have carried some type of handgun on my hip almost daily for more than 40 years and feel kind of "undressed" without one. Most often it is a SAA in .45 Colt with 260 grain cast bullets loaded to 1000 fps. I've carried so long that I don't even notice the extra weight.

To no one particularly, generally you'll notice those that live in elk country use lighter armament than those that don't... just saying.

Yep. I use a lowly .308..

Yes and the more you frequent elk country, the more you act like the locals.

I have a custom Rem 700 300RUM since '99. It started out as a Rem custom shop AK wilderness rifle, and in 09 I had it rebuilt. It's little heavier, but has a fluted 27.5" lilja barrel. I've always shot 200 Accubonds, but yesterday I shot a .3" group with the 208 Amax. I recently put a Bushnell LRHS on it. I will walk as far as any elk hunter I know, and a 9lb rifle goes against the grain of most backpackers, but one thing I know is elk absolutely HATE my rifle choice. This year, will be no different if I don't kill one during archery season first.
Tack driving 208 Amax doing 3100+ .. look out.

I slum a 308 also...

Usually a .308 with TTSX or NP. Sometimes a 358Win with old style Silvertips.

Elk make a dandy excuse to go buy a bigger rifle!

i'll use anything from 264 to 375

Reminds me of a sig line I read here, "Joe Average is over scoped, over head stamped and under bulleted." Very true in my opinion.

The only reason I have a 300Win Mag is because I got a great buy on it, but I've been considering selling it on the classifieds and going with a Kimber Montana or Weatherby Ultra Light in 270Win.

My BIL goes to Saskatchewan every year for whitetail and the guides there frown on anything below a 300 Mag. I asked him if the deer wore body armor North of the border.

Any good caliber from 26 to 338 will work if you put the time in shooting it. The thing about elk hunting and mileage is not so much how far you walk mileage wise but elevation covered. I cover about 3 to 5 miles a day from my pickup, but it is what is in those 3 to 5 miles that makes it uncomfortable for most people. And it is all fun and games smelling the pine needles and watching the birds and generally enjoying the outdoors. Until you pull the trigger and realize you have just filled your tag. You are pumped up and all excited until you reach the animal and start trying to wrestle it around to get it tied to a tree so it does not continue rolling further down the hill. At that time you begin to look around at where you are at, how far you are from your pickup, what time of day it is and most of all how fricking big this animal really is. But at the end of the day or days when you have it all loaded in your rig and headed home exhausted, sore, wanting a shower and a comfortable bed you realize that you would not trade it for anything in the world. That is why we elk hunt.

Used a 10lb M70 300Win M on the first one and a Chainsaw to get the truck in there to get him out. The second a M700 ss in 300 Win Mag with 180 NPT's same as the first. He came out 4 trips on a Camp Trails freighter frame. The next 2 were taken with 225 gr NPT's out of a M77RS in 35 Whelen. 6x on the first 2 and a Vx 3 2.5x8 on the last 2. Last elk tag didn't produce an elk carried my old M700 7mm Rem mag loaded with old 175 NPT's but you can't shoot them if they aren't there when you are. 3-5 miles a day with no where the elev most guys have described. Times have changed and so have access rules where I hunt,got the last 2 out in 1 piece by myself with some legal but hard use of a 4wd and chainsaw for cutting downed trees. If a guy can use his truck to get back in I allways have lots of rope and a comealong or 2 with the truck. I bought that Freighter frame in 1979 and it still works for me. Has packed a lot of deer and antelope where that is the way you have to do it. The Cabelas Alaskan appears to be a clone of it. Where you put the bullet is still more important than what you use to put in the elk. I went to the 35 Whelen and 225 gr NPT's for less meat loss and it works well at that. Magnum Man

I either take a 7mm or 300 in a few different flavors.
I'm trying to get rid of my 300 RUM, but I just can't seem to do it yet.

Your are probably on target with that statement. Up until 4 years ago, I only used a 30-06 with 180g partitions.

I bought my first 300 RUM from a "visitor" after he realized that the longest shot he would take might be 125 yards

I spread it around, using a rifle to kill an elk then using another rifle on the next one. So far have used cartridges from .270 Winchester to .300 Weatherby, but will probably use some sort of 6.5 this coming season, or maybe a .25. My wife tends to stick to one rifle. She used the .270 until this past fall, when she used a .257 Roberts. So far they've all worked fine. The biggie is finding a rifle you want to pack around for a while in steep country, maybe in your hands when the elk are in the timber.

yes the various magazine articles have done an amazing job of convincing readers that elk hunting requires the ability to make 400yard and longer shots and that exceptionally flat trajectory is a huge benefit in selecting an elk rifle, when I started hunting elk the old geezers, that were my mentors almost insisted I buy a 760 rem pump in 30/06 and use 220 grain peters or remington ammo,and site in at 3.5" high at 100 yards, as they swore it was the ideal combo, even at 19 years old I questioned that advice after years of reading O,connor , wooters, etc. but after 45 years of hunting elk I can think of only two I shot that combo might have been less that capable of taking, almost without exception Ive killed elk well UNDER 300 yards.
since I was their guest on the first few hunts and THEY had been very successful for decades I grudgingly accepted their advice and looking back I could have saved a wheel barrow of cash if Id stuck to that original rifle, but then I had a great deal of fun , and gained a ton of experience,with a dozen rifles in the process over 45 plus years learning and accepting that fact too.
now I've found rifles and calibers I think work better, and Ive sure been amazed at what other guys have used very successfully to take elk, but I doubt the results would have changed if Id stuck with that one rifle,or swapped to a 270 win or anything in between up too a 458 winchester , but what fun would not trying out new rifles be?

I took a lot of "long range" game in the 80's and 90's without turrets or ballistic reticles by simply knowing trajectories and the size of the critters I was hunting. There are a whole hat load of standard cartridges that with a 225 to 250-yard zero (~ 3" high at a hundred) are 5-8" low at three hundred, 16-20" down at four. They are then down about 33-36" at five hundred yards.

Long shots without contentious winds were on calm, broadside venison whose average size made hold-over very doable. While a little retro-, this still works.

I agree 340. I still have the rifle ( 30-06) that I killed my first elk with almost 30 years ago. The reason why I bought it. Something new and shiny... even thought most of the elk I have taken were under 125 yards.... yes I am a closet gun slut

I have several elk hunting rigs including 300 Win Mag, 358 Win, 9.3x62 and recently acquired a 7mm-08. My two current favorites are:

Browning X-Bolt 300 Win Mag w/ Nikon 3-9x40 BDC using 180 grain NP PP
Ruger M77 358 Win w/2-7x33 Leuplold VX2 using 225 NP Sptizers

I do like the power and accuracy of the CZ 9.3 but it is a bit heavy for mountain hunting though still very useable (I'm an older hunter and weight counts). This year (my 5th elk hunt) I may try the Tikka T3 7mm-08. It has a Redfield 3-9x42 scope and I'm narrowing down the hand load. It will likely be either a 150 grain NP Spitzer or 145 grain Speer Grand Slam. I have yet to take an elk so hopefully this year will be different as we are trying for a 1st rifle season hunt in CO instead of our normal 2nd season hunts.

Sako 75 finnlight
300 win mag (180 gr. TSX)
Leupold vx3 (4.5 - 14 x 40) with varmint reticle
Good out to 600 yards. :-)

Took my first elk with a custom 270wby Mark V. Accurate, but heavy SOB, sold.

Then came an ULA 7RM, perfect but sold.
Then came a custom 700 in 7STW and a T3 superlite in 30-06. I have a little higher mag scopes than most, as we can only shoot 3 point or better bulls. And in the NW we have lots of rain/fog so seeing whether its a 2 or 3 pt 300 yards away is tough. I have a Z6i 2-12 on the stw and Z5 3.5-18 on the 30-06.

I'd call my terrain "foothills", but it sure as hell ain't flat. I walk between 4-7 miles on an average day.

I was witness to another elk rifle at work this past year, 3 bulls, all big ones, all taken well off the beaten path. It's a 12lb rifle chambered in .284. Ranges were 190, 530, and 1089m.

Non-traditional rifle, non-traditional results.