I hunt primarily in Colorado for elk, tend to hunt small openings in aspens next to black timber and in the black timber itself at elevations between 8500 and 10,500 feet. I've shot 4 bulls in the past 6 years - closest was ~ 30 yards in the timber, farthest was ~ 225 across a small aspen meadow. The avg has been ~ 100 yards.
Since I started chasing elk seriously about 9-10 years ago, I've had shot opportunities every year, some years the shot comes together, some years it doesn't. Twice I've had shots that I wasn't comfortable with mostly due to distance and wind. Far and away most elk I see are between 75 and 200 yards - mostly because thats how I set myself up. I make that point because I think the terrain and hunting style determine your length of shots. I love to sit and glass. I normally do so with the intention of finding out where elk are going and to set myself up in their way on a future date. As a result, most elk I see are within reasonable shooting distance when I see them.
