Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting New rifle for 1st Elk / Mule deer hunt

Years ago some guy proposed the following formula: 1B x 2L = DE. This means 1 bullet/broadhead through 2 lungs equals a dead elk. In my experience it tends to work.

I've probably related this before, but I've been shooting 2 cow elk a year for the last 3 years with a 6.5mm to keep the dinner freezer filled. 5 of them with the CM, 1 one with a PRC (it was a little ways out there), and all with the 143 gr. ELD-X.

I was in a small town, old-timey gunstore with an old timer behind the gun counter. He overheard a couple of us chatting about elk hunting and apparently decided he needed to tell that out-of-towner (me) what-for for using a too-light, unethical, and likely illegal cartridge on the precious elk. After asking him when was the last time he'd downed an elk, I simply told him he needed to get out more.

I still puzzle at times about people who get wedded to something and can't look beyond their nose.

Like, right now, I'm using the 9.3x62mm in the hunting rifle challenges 'cause I'm taking it on my next cape buffalo hunt. So far I've only run into 2 issues:

1. Nobody knows what the hell is a 9.3.x62mm, so I just call it the .366 Bock. They're fine with that and nod their head knowingly (?)
2. And then comes the: Cape Buffalo! You crazy? 'Aint that too-small, and probably illegal?

It just don't end ...

Not all western hunts are the same. Ask the outfitter what kind of shots they expect, then train for that and keep them posted on your progress. They genuinely appreciate a hunter who prepares to work with them and knows his limits because he's tested himself. Most clients show up unprepared and expect to kill stuff, then blame the guide when things go south at the moment of truth.

Almost any cartridge that's been mentioned on this thread will work if you're able to do your part.


Okie John

Like I said in an earlier post bull elk have a much different behavior after 1st week of rifle season. Depending on where you hunt a bull elk in first week of October it is nothing like hunting a bull elk in the last week of October. In Colorado you can go into mid November on rifle and bull elk are dug in like a wood tick.

From my experiences a 300 Wby may present some advantage the first week of rifle season, perhaps, but again in my experiences it would be a disadvantage in late season. Drudging through heavy timber through miles of deadfall with a heavy over scoped 26” barreled rifle is no pleasure and that’s where the herd bulls are holed up after the rut and hunting pressure.

I’ve killed a few elk in my day in Colorado south of Silt and Rifle (big cattle ranches in that area) near Baldy and Haystack Mountains but none were taken over 250 yards and the majority under 200 yards in heavy timber at 9,500 feet in late October and early November hunts. I’ve used 338 Win Mag (250 gr Hawk) early on, then switched to 444 Marlin (280 gr CorBon) and 308 Win (165 gr NPT). I won’t ever use a 338 Win Mag again, not because of recoil or that it doesn’t work, but rather it’s just not worth the unhandiness by weight and barrel length and the way and time of season I hunt. A low power fixed scope 20” barreled lever gun or 20” SA bolt gun in 7-08 Rem, 308 Win, 338 Federal or 358 Win is all you’ll ever need to kill a nice late season bull in heavy dark timber.

I’m not sure that many newcomers realize how an animal that size with antlers can maneuver in places that look like spider webs of timber whereby a hunter can’t hardly make it through, but the elk sure do and they can be hard to spot inside 100 yards. That’s when your nose will tell you they’re close by. I’ve spent days walking and stalking through that kind of terrain and timber and the rifle weight, length, handiness and rapid sighting with fixed low power scope is invaluable under those conditions. I remember one late season hunt in November when my hunting partner and I both downed elk the same day. Well everyone who hunts knows pulling the trigger is easy, butchering and backpacking two bulls out at 9,000 ft in less than two days is a heart attack waiting to happen. Luckily I survived.

Just curious why is the Tikka first string instead of the Sako? Weight, accuracy confidence?

I’ve put enough elk on the ground and played rodeo clown tracking wounded animals poorly shot to know only a few things -

Good shot placement is the starting gate.

Impact distance and bullet quality means something.

Shoot whatever you want, but know how to shoot your rifle well, and know what limitation it, or you may have.

🦫

Words of wisdom.

It’s already been said but the .257 WBY is great for MD and will do the job for Elk. I also like the feel of the Bergara rifles, like someone said it is similar to a nicer 700. I primarily hunt with a 7mm Rem Mag. I was in a similar boat when I thought my .30-06 didn’t shoot flat enough, I wanted faster and was torn between the 7RM and .300 WM. The 7mm doesn’t kill anything any quicker than my .30-06 did but does shoot flatter. If given the same choice today, I’d pick the .300 or save my money and use the .30-06.

Then, I was concerned about recoil and now having shot some animals and off the bench with a .300 Win, the recoil difference is negligible for me with a normal wood stock. Stock design does make a difference. I recently put an HS Precision stock with vertical grip on my 7mm, and the perceived recoil is much less although of course the real recoil is exactly the same.
Good luck on your hunt, there’s nothing like Elk hunting.