After the first weekend of elk hunting where I generally use my 340 wby, and hunt as a team member where I usually watch for other hunters to push elk past me in some remote typographical choke point,I generally base camp out of a parked truck and spend 3-4 days at a time back packing into areas I hunt elk in so Im not forced to travel a great deal most days from where I sleep to where Im hunting ,I generally camp where ever I am when it gets dark,but to be successful at hunting this way requires cold camping and minimal influence on the area naturally ,so I must carry everything with me into an area and keep things as light and low bulk as possible. for years I carried a 35 whelen or 30/06 remington slide action or on some trips a 44 mag lever gun, ranges tend to be under 100 yards because I tend to hunt small steep side canyons and its rare to see other hunters.
the last trip I made I carried a ruger #1 light sporter in 270 win with peep sites

its a great choice in my opinion, for that application. now I got asked several times why I didn,t just carry a 44 mag or similar revolver, well revolvers are great but Ive seen far to many nice elk out at 150-200 yard ranges to ever consider a revolver as a primary hunting weapon for elk, and while Id have zero problem using a revolver at 100 yards or less Im not going to hunt with only a revolver or carry two firearms while back-packing and hunting in some of the steepest country imaginable, miles into some remote canyon .

well what do you guys use?

For black bear and interior grizz I'll be using a .308 win that will be sub 5 pounds all up.

For sheep I'll be using the same .308 win that is 5.5 pounds all up.

For coastal brown bear I'll be using a 325 WSM that will be 5.75 all up.

For mountain goats where coastal brownies around I'll be using the same .325 WSM but setup to be 6.25 pounds all up.

My mountain rifles:



Top to bottom, as you will see I have some mountain rifle OCD:

Winchester Model 70 300 WSM, Mcmillan edge, 23" barrel. VX-3 3.5-10x40 cds, 7.5 lbs, max range: 450 yds, game: bear, deer and elk.

Kimber Montana 243, VX-i 2-7x33, 5 lbs 13 ozs, max range: 400yds, Game: Deer and cougar

Remington 700 Titanium 308 win, MPI thumbhole stock, Mt rifle take off barrel, Timmeny trigger, Sako extractor, VX-2 3-9x40(not shown), 5 lbs 12oz's, max range: 400yds, Game: Backpacking rifle for everything.

Remington Model 7 custom KS 350 rem mag, VX-3 2.5-8x36, 6lbs 7 ozs, Max range:300, Game: Elk and Bear

Marlin 444XLR, xs scout rail, Bushnell red dot, barrel cut to 18.5", 7.5 lbs, max range: 200yds, Game: Close range Elk, deer and bear

Winchester 94 trapper 357 mag, scout rail, ghost rings sights, 5.75 lbs, rambling gun

Here is my hunting weapon of choice...


Oh, you didn't mean that kind of hunting.

In all seriousness, I'm not much of a hunter, I prefer punching holes in paper. But if I did get a hunting rifle it would be very similar to Big W's third rifle down from the top in his photo. I've been very tempted to get a Remington 700 Titanium in 308. That is a great looking rifle Big W! The only thing I might change is I'm not a fan of thumbhole stocks. I'd probably go with a McMillan HTG like I had on my XCR Compact:

This gets the nod for all my hunting. Mauser action, remington barrel, syn stock, leupold fixed 2.5x, .308. 7.25lb all up (unloaded). Still playing with optics. I suspect the new Leupold 1-4x IER scope is the best choice.




Although not my first choice, it would work ok for that other kind of hunting too Jedi.

For my mountain hunting, my "custom" model 70 in 270win is the only rifle I use.



For everything else I use my Marlin 1895 XLR 45-70.

I actually REALLY like that set-up. My next bolt gun will have adjustable iron sights.

Very cool rifle evanhill.

340mag - I've been looking hard at one of those nice little Rugers in .30-06. I've got one in .375 that I really like, but mostly I hunt mule deer, so all that power simply isn't necessary.

In recent years I mostly hunt with a .25-06 700 CDL with a 6x Leupold. It's filled my mule deer tag almost every year since I bought it in 2004 or 2005. Light enough for backpacking, flat shooting, reasonably accurate. I just plain like the rifle.



Young buck taken in rough country here in Washington. I'm real glad he stopped sliding down into the canyon when he hit those rocks! Packing him out, quartered up, I was glad he wasn't a bigger buck too...


Guy

Yes, it would work quite well for just about anything. Evan, if you would, please elaborate on your barrel, sights, mounts etc. I'm guessing it is a mil mauser with a bolt stop and you run strippers?

Lanche, details please

TAK, details start on page 3 of this thread:
http://hillpeoplegear.com/Forum/tabid/679/forumid/24/threadid/147/scope/posts/Default.aspx

Lots of discussion on the rationale for various choices too.

I will when I get them back Big W. Both are off at the "biggest loser" ranch.

That rifle shows a lot of careful thought, planning and just plain "horse sense" and it is one I would love to own. There is very little in terms of legal game here in BC that it would not be ideally suited for and it shows what a real, functional, practical wilderness rifle should be.

Full details, please, Evan, are your irons XS? Whose stock is that?

Usually I make runs into local areas like the Clearwater and Selway to hunt trout and grouse. At least they are easy to eat on spot or pack around. I usually use an Marlin Papoose.

With it I carry an Freedom Arms 454 and Evan Hill has just made me an chest carry rig for it so it will be totally conveinent to carrry. I've take game like elk, bison, and asian buffalo with the 454 so there is no of upclose power.

I still prefer to stick with trout and grouse.

I like my Rem Ti in .284 Win, 5.95lbs MT


And yes it works, first picture was taken about 30 minutes before the second:

Bow
1) Dan Toelke XXWhip Longbow
2) Hoyt Vantage LTD Fingerbow
3) Hoyt Carbon Matrix Releasebow

Bob Lee take down recurve bow, with 4 arrow quiver installed, just under #4.
I like like to be up close and look them in the eye.

Tikka .300WSM for deer/elk/bear
Model 70 .270 for deer/elk/bear
Pre 64 Model 70 in .30-06 that is about to be customized - just need to figure out the customizations (haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet)
Will be putting together another gun, probably on a model 700 for longer range mule deer hunting (I hunt in areas with long average shots when I do rifle hunt - usually high elevation)
Last few years I've mostly been bow hunting in my home state: Matthews Z7

My choice of weapon is a .50 caliber rifle shooting a 350 grain bullet. Not so much because of the weapon itself, but so I can hunt in the early muzzleloader season here in CO, September is my favorite time to be out in the mountains with a rifle in my hands.

hoyt vipertec, 7 pin sight, deadly out to 80yds however 30 yd is the farthest I have shot at something

There is nothing that compares killing with bow and arrow. I would bet a traditional bow would be even more satisfying.

When rifle season comes around I am using a browning ss stalker in 7mm rem mag with a Leupold 2.5-8x36 scope. I am happy I have this gun but looking forward to one day putting together a lightweight mountain rig.

This year, Kimber 84L MT in 30-06...



And Kimber 84L MT in 270...

Next year the 270 will be the primary...

Brad, I particularly like that top photo. Tells a bit about the good old .30-06 in a modern, lightweight package.

Is that the 6x Leupold?

Yup, 6x36LR.

But the outcome would have been no different with the 270.

Unless Elmer Keith saw you do it




Seriously, to the OP. My preferred method of taking game is a 60# Schafer Silvertip 3 piece takedown recurve.

When I don't want to play with my food, its a thoroughly beat up Kimber Montana in 308 with a 2-7x33 VXII with LR duplex in Talley LWs

Its wearing a few more stickers after my hippy girlfriend got ahold of it

Well, yeah!

[quote=DanAdair]



Not often one sees a can of Monster on the bench is it...

Also Dan, do you normally use a led sled thingy bench rest like that or do you use a traditional front rest and bunny bag in the rear?

And one last Q, what bullets out of your 308 Mt have you used to take elk?

Thx
Dober

You got a hippy girlfreind this week?

I can't complain too much about the way the little GAP .260 worked this past season......I'm pacing the floor, waiting for black bear season to open so I can add to the list.

56 dayz and counting 4 Mato...

Dober

Great pic and fine lookn' wuff. Are wolves mostly seen at dawn and dusk or ???

Nice sheep and nice mule deer. Congratulations on the sheep permit.

Oops, previously sent it to Dober. Wrong guy. Anyway, congrats on the sheep permit. Very nice sheep and a nice mulie. That's awesome.

Mathews bow mostly for elk and Mule deer, but when I carry the boom sticks my Rem Ti in 30-06 is my go too. It wears a Leupold VX-II 3x9. I have other rifles but hard to not like a 6-lb 30-06.

About 21 dayz for sno-gophs....

Ran into a friend at the local gun shop yesterday and he was stoked, his lab put the fang to a snow goph yesterday. Tough to beat life in the snow goph fields...

Dober

Just talkin to a guy on the Hi-line...says hes seen a few, and they have no Snow....

I don't use a weapon to hunt.

I use a firearm.

I very rarely drink beer,

But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.....

I knew there was something about you...

Wasn't my permit, it was my younger brother who got lucky. I was laying right at his side when he took the ram using my .260.

139gr Scenar?

Notice the monster is still closed?? No way could I shoot a flyweight like a Montana after industrial dosages of caffeine. I started drinking Monsters and Rock Stars back when I worked Graveyard and D shift (weekends with lots of double backs) Working shift work and manual labor like that is a major bonus come hunting season. I know how far I can push myself before I literally do a face plant That pic was the day we were working up loads at the range. Brass was prepped and I brought along my "remote press" That was when I discovered the Montana likes Lapua brass and 165 NABs
crappy pic through the spotter


That cheapy Benchmaster sees a lot of use. you can't see it in the pic, but had the two halves welded together, so the jack screw does nothing. Its pretty rigid, and it works. I try to stay off the benchrest as much as possible.

Last years "Elk Load" was a 560 grain Beeman MFX Traditional with a 100 grain brass insert up front and a 150 grain Werewolf double bevel head leaving my recurve 184 FPS Avg. I haven't shot an Elk with a rifle since '99. Once rifle season opens Elk are an incedental target. last 2 years I had 165 HotCors in my Montana, at just over 2750 FPS.

I love walking in the woods with my 50@28 Dan Toelke Whip, but haven't really hunted hard with it. Have a plethora of rifles for the application including a 7-08 Rem Ti, Contender carbine, and various customs. Hoping that my latest Husqvarna small ring in 6.5x55 in a Brown stock with Leupold 6x42 will be my last rifle, but the pursuit for perfection tends to make me a gear whore. Just bought a cheap Quinn Stallion 50@28 for chasing critters when bowhunting requires travel...

I know that when I hunt with a traditional bow, shooting instinctive, I actually feel like I'm hunting.

I wouldn't trade the blown stalks, set-ups gone wrong, and the few moments of pure magic for anything else in the world.


You should just buy a big PVC tube and bring that Whip with you. Seems fitting to take a bow from my neighborhood hunting in my neighborhood Hell, that or ship it out before you get here??

I've thought about it, I'll get one pinned down soon. The stallion is a hell of a lot of bow for the money...