I normally hunt by watching trails and field edges, at first and last light. If hunting in the thick bush I still hunt slowly and often use a cow call. I always carry shooting sticks if walking in open country. If I find a distant elk, I stalk closer or call them in. I never take a shot farther than 200 meters. Most of my elk have been taken at half that distance or less. Many elk, perhaps most, have been shot just at the limit of legal light. I usually use a Sako AV in .35 Whelen loaded with good 250 grain bullets and equipped with a Zeiss 3-9x50mm scope. I set it on 4x or 5x and leave it there. Duplex reticle, no illumination or turrets or unnecessary stuff. The scope allows a good view under dim light conditions. The cartridge will reliably kill an elk with a minimum of tracking, and strong heavy bullets like the discontinued 250 gr. Speer Grand Slam usually produces an exit wound to help with tracking if necessary. If the bullet isn't bonded or partition or all copper or otherwise "premium" it MUST be heavy for caliber. I have no use for "ELD" long range bullets, in fact I don't mind round nose profile. I believe I've taken 24 elk in 26 years. The .35 Whelen rifle has accounted for about half of them. I've also used a .270, 7x57, 7x64, .308, 30-06, 8x75IS, .356, 9.3x62, .375 H&H, and .450-400 Nitro Express 3". I lost one wounded elk. ( gut shot) Can't remember missing any that got away. A few times I had to make up for a poor first shot with another quick effective shot.
I don't have to defend my choices, because I know they all work very well for me here in Saskatchewan. Your situation may be different. For me the key thing is to be able to shoot quickly without fussing, know where to aim, hit what I aim at, and use a bullet that penetrates without breaking up while expanding to about double original diameter. I like exit holes but they are not necessary.
Last edited by castnblast; 01/26/20.
