Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting I might need a new gun advise

I’m in agreement. If it’s private/pasture/bought paid for good for that person. Just don’t call it what it’s not and don’t give advise as an all knowing. I’ll give advise but I’m far from all knowing. The only thing I know for sure is how bad my body hates me after elk season, maybe that shows how much I don’t know 🤔

Get back with whoever is left here on the Fire when you hit 70 and let them know you still feel the same way! Happy Trails

I advise you to seek advice.

Hopefully there’s places like this left to argue over hunting techniques, rifles and gear in 35 years.

I haven't seen anyone (in this thread at least) try to pass off a ranch hunt as a DIY public land hunt. For some reason BSA thinks if you don't wear gaiters then you're on a ranch hunt, but that's all that's been brought up and beside the point.

As for your last sentence, maybe it just shows you have the wrong attitude.
My body hates me the day after I get one out on my back, but my mind loves it.
Getting the darn things out is one of my favorite parts. It keeps me in shape, and gives me incentive to stay in shape...It's way the hell better than going to the gym.

YMMV but that's how I see it.

Yep. And if it was easy, everybody would be back in there.

A 358 Norma would certainly not be a bad choice for an elk stopper, kind of the anti-270. Not sure how much that rifle would weigh but as much as I love the look of wood stocks on rifles a lighter gun with a synthetic stock just makes more sense when you drag it up hills all day at 8-10,000 foot elevation through nasty brush and weather.

Handled the Future Son-in-law’s new synthetic stocked Vanguard in 300 Weatherby for the first time today and it really feels nice, the gray stock is better looking to me these days than when my cousin got his 7 years ago. Much lighter than my wood stocked Ruger 7mm Ive dragged around for 40 years. It really is a bargain for under $500 shipped to my FFL dealer it points and holds better for me than the lighter guns and manages the recoil well with a good scope it is a very capable elk rifle.

You could do worse than a 300 weatherby that doesn’t break the bank, shoots well guaranteed and doesn’t make you cringe when it gets a little character scratch & dent in the woods.

I’m still packing them out on my back and taking the heaviest load at 60, it is much harder than in my 40’s but also more satisfying.

Really looking forward to having the grandson along this year. This will be his 3rd trip and at 15 he is ready to go physically, at 6’3” about 250 and wearing size 15 boots. We start training this month with packs & rifles hiking up hills in the dark. If things go as planned I won’t be carrying the heaviest load any more.

Sortest "packout" I've ever has was 3 feet - straight up onto the tailgate of my truck. That was on one of Colorado's RFW (Ranching For Wildlife) ranches. While we had nee anticipating a 400 yards shot or more, the elk came right up a hill to us. I turned down a 25-foot shot for one at 25-yards or so.

Have been able to drive up to within a few feet of a bull on public land. Nice when you can.

Longest and hardest by far was 3 elk (two cows and a bull), three miles to the truck with my hunting buddy. Won't ever do that again.

Other pack-outs have been in-between the extremes.

One reason I like to hunt the migrations is the pack outs tend to be easier. I've taken three elk off a 160 acre piece of public land and next to a paved road. Pack outs have been somewhat under 300 yards to 1000 yards and I've been able to use my game cart every time.

I have enough horns sitting in a wheelbarrow in the barn. The goal is meat in the freezer, horns or no. My grandkids are growing up on antelope, deer and elk. To that end I'll take the shortest pack outs possible.

Anybody that follows BSA’s lead is an idiot as well.

I have killed 1 elk on private ground, a “unit wide” ranch that was ~900 acres and it is actually the smallest bull I’ve killed in a long time. (Not that any of them are big) Anybody that thinks they are getting access to “easy” ranches around here without writing a pretty good check is delusional.

I agree, packing them out is half the fun.

Let’s start a new argument, meat in the bag or load shelf? Load shelf for me.

I've never tried putting meat in my pack before (take from that what you will...) as I've only used the load shelf.

One day I'll try putting it in the bag and see WTF I've been missing, good or bad.

For elk loadshelf, bucks I bone out and stuff in the bag...

drashti dhami

No experience with a load shelf. Do they minimize side to side weight shift?

I'm a bag stuffer but occasionally when I'm feeling froggy I'll open the shelf up on the Reckoning so I can bag and shelf...

Some pack-outs...

SLDUCK
Do yourself a favor
And take my advice
Use what you have already
And if you want a new gun get a Tikka 30-06 or a 270 there is great factory ammo for both calibers. You really don't need a
338 for elk.

I’ve been a 2 pack guy most of the time using an Eberlestock X2 as daypack to hunt and carry out a first quarter in the bag in a trash bag & game bag or the strap set-up outside the bag if we left bone in or an odd shape, Then switch to Cabela’s Alaskan frame with shelf for subsequent trips.

Now I use a Wilderness Specialties pack that feels & carries the weight between the frame & bag strapped with maybe 14” wide carry material no shelf. If I’m done carrying a gun I’ll go with a tiny pack strapped to just the frame still using the strap. Later in the week or deer hunting only back to the daypack.

My favorite pack out is still when we have more than one elk down, hunting partner or partners & me the first trip, rental horse or horses the next trip and done.

Go for it!

While I think the .358 Norma is an excellent elk getter, you might consult a competent gunsmith familiar with the 1917s before such a rebore and opening up the bolt face for a magnum cartridge. I am certainly not an expert on those old rifles but have read that some have metallurgical issues when subjected to higher pressures. You can also get .35 Whelen loads real close to .358 Norma velocities. Happy Trails

SLDDUCK, If your considering a .35 caliber, take a look at the .358 STA. It’s a pretty darn good .35 caliber cartridge, and brass is readily available ( 8mm Rem Mag, or .375 H&H). memtb