Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Minimum caliber to hunt elk??...

I've got a brother that because of his line of work can afford to do anything he wants wrt big game hunting and equipment.

Every season, just before leaving on a big ticket hunt he goes to the shooting range bench and launches 5 or six rounds at 100 yards. GTG.

Every season, on returning he tells me he had to shoot the big ass elk 5 times to put 'em down for good. He figures it's bad ammo and he wants me to tune a load for him. I tell him he needs to field practice more. A lot more.

So, with tuned handloads in hand off he goes on another hunt. And again, he has to empty the magazine into the bull elk to finish him off. Damn! he says, it must be the scope. Gotta get a better scope. Nope. he need to field practice more. A lot more.

So, last season, with handloads, a shiny new scope on his rifle, and a handful of rounds fired from the bench the weekend before we left for elk country he misses 4 times at a bedded elk at 259 yards and finally connects with rounds # 5 & 6. Personally, that has got to be one dumbass elk.

WTH! he says. You shot yours with one shot from a freakin' 6.5 CM and my elk won't die without emptying a magazine of .30-06 into them. The problem must be with the cartridge, and so his buddy who owns the sporting goods store is telling him he needs a .300 WM.

No. I tell him he needs to field practice more. A lot more. Just for S&G I choose a different cartridge to hunt with every season. This season? Probably the 9.3x62mm will get the call. But I field practice a lot. Like every week a lot.