Jason, In coastal timber for elk, I’m using either open sights on a lever gun or a lightweight Browning BAR MK3 with a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 scope. Both, to me, have advantages. Running shots on bulls in dense timber, I prefer open sights and shooting with both eyes open.
If we’re heading into timber with pockets of small clearings/wallows and meadows, I like my scoped BAR. The 2.5-8x36 is a pretty decent timber optic at reasonable yardage inside a canopy of Doug Fir.
As you stated, it’s unrealistic to claim one size fits all the types of hunting environments for optics, rifle chamberings, or even boots...With that said, my personal experience, especially hunting elk on pub-land on the Coast, is optics rule, both in scouting with long glass, scanning the hunting ground with bins, or in a scope.
I always have to assume, other hunters have done the same leg work I’ve done, to scout up bulls before opening day. Because of the competition, and the inherent seriousness found in people during bull hunting, any advantage, is a good thing.
In contrast, me sitting over a shooting bag for 10 hours shooting ground squirrels or p-dogs - my scope optics are not the same quality as my big fur rifles. They’re good, helpful, and easy on the eyes for extended lengths of shooting. But the glass isn’t tier 1 stuff. For me, it’s perfect for that type of hunting I’m doing.
I believe that since I’ve been on both the unlucky end of having game shot out from me, and also the winning side of taking animals before others had the opportunity, mostly due to optics. I would encourage anyone who hunts public land with OTC tags to consider what I have found helpful by upgrading to a solid performing scope with glass good enough that a person can transition from the bins to their scope in low light and watch heads until you can hit the go button.
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PS
I hunt the Wilson Unit exclusively for elk the past 43 years....Damn, I’m getting old !
Small world! I've been hunting the Wilson, Trask and Saddle Mountain units for awhile now. But mostly rifle blacktail, and archery elk. If you're getting it done in the Wilson for elk, year after year, my hat's off to you. I mean it.
I've only done one rifle elk hunt in the Wilson, just a few years ago. And I think it would make a good reality TV show Circus would be an understatement! You're not just dealing with the animals, but hoards of people. Groups driving elk like deer, and shooters at each vantage point. I'm used to seeing trucks at gates, and running into other hunters in the field, but that elk hunt is more like a sports competition with animals involved.
The last 10 years, the unit has exploded with hunters. There was a time when the Coast bull hunt was a plan B for dudes that didn’t draw an Eastside hunt.
They would typically roll in Friday night and pray for an elk sighting over the next 4 days...Over time, these hunters started learning from coming back and talking to other non-local hunters about the areas and how our elk move.
Today, if you’re trying to hunt by truck on logging roads, you’re going to have crowds where the elk herds are easily seen.
Last season, we were down two hunters. I elected to puss out and go to a few honey holes by truck where I had put eyes on bulls.
Didn’t matter that we arrived at 3:30AM opening day, hunters were already there sleeping in rigs where we needed to head in before light...They ended up missing a decent 4 point, I had hoped we’d hunt up.
Day 3, I got on a small spike. I passed on him, but hailed my pard on the radio to come to my spot to get take the shot if he wanted...By the time he’d made his way to me the spike and cow moved into a deep ravine. We had a big storm crushing us, neither of us wanted to dive into the steep timber with 60 mph wind gusts hammering into trees.
Last season brought back the bad memories of too many hunters running amuck in drivable areas. I’m going back to the hike in behind locked gates, no vehicles hunting. That 2, 3, and 4 mile up hill trek cuts the hunting pressure by 90 plus %.
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Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog “Molon Labe”
Circus would be an understatement! You're not just dealing with the animals, but hoards of people. Groups driving elk like deer, and shooters at each vantage point. I'm used to seeing trucks at gates, and running into other hunters in the field, but that elk hunt is more like a sports competition with animals involved.