Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Shot distance on elk

That seems to be the case.

The same guys fill their freezer every year. The same guys complain about how they never shoot any elk.

Frankly, killing elk is not difficult. Shooting them in a location where they are easy (relatively) to recover seems to be the hard part. They get heavier every year.

Out of 20 or 25 elk, one was at 425, one at 550, and one was at 600 yards on the nose. The rest have all been less than 300 yards.

I am set up to go to 600+ but it is for those situations where I don't think I am getting any closer and often it is the last day of the season. A do or die kind of situation. I do prefer to get closer if at all possible but sometimes that just isn't going to happen.

I've killed @ 25 elk & guys in my camp have killed @ another 25. I killed one bull with a 54 T/C Renegade, my buddy killed a bull with a T/C 50 cal Hawken & 1 bull was killed with a 300 Win Mag. The rest @ 47 were killed with 30/06 rifles. Using plain jane C & C bullets. One guy from PA wanted to use Partitions---they killed the bull just as dead as the "Core-lokt" All bullets were 180 grain. Scopes were 3x9, 2.5 x8 & several 6X. Leupold, Nikon and a couple of Weavers Shots were from 50 yards to 275. We lost 1 elk-----bad shot on my part--I tried to clip the spine. Several of the bulls were "300" class, small 6x6, raghorns, spikes when legal & cows & calves. We like elk-----we would shoot cows after we all had gotten several bulls over the years. A dry cow is good eatin. Bob

Agreed!

Shrapnel, what do you consider to be the minimum cartridge for bull elk?

You still in Or Dre? Public land hunt success rates are pretty bad/low there. I've hunted there the last 26 years. I ran a similar set up on a model 70 300WSM one year and hated the top heavy feeling that scope gave to the rifle. I've had better luck with smaller scopes on my "elk rifles", mainly Burris FFII 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle. My furthest shot has been 200 yards in a somewhat timbered area. The next furthest was 90, using the set up as described above with the Nikon monarch on a spike bull, one cow at that distance when she was on the move, another cow at 30 yards, a bull at 10 yards, another at 30, one at 20 yards. None of the ones I've shot have been considered "long range". However, if I had seen one at 500 yards, it wouldn't have been difficult. Always be prepared for any kind of shot and know your limitations. Most of my elk have been shot at pretty close range for the most part.

One at 618 yards

Most at 250-350 yards.

One at 25 yards.

It’s weird 4 me….

Thinking bout the ones I got…….

They ain’t burnt in my feeble mind.


Most of my near photographic memories …….

It’s them sum beaches that got away, 😫

Much of this discussion is do to the country in which we hunt elk.. My first elk hunting was done in the mountains near town. But over the years, elk have expanded their territory, and now they are often found on the plains. Early in my elk hunting career, I found a spot I could get to each day after work.. I never had the luxury of a 10 day hunt until after I retired, by then my elk hunting was on the down swing. The deal was this was an open mountain side. The elk came out late in the evening, never the morning. The shot was long, and in the days before range finders, the flattest shooting rifle I could find was a must. If I went to this spot every evening, I would see elk. Maybe one in a season, maybe several times, but I would get a chance. So much of my elk hunting has been in open country after maybe the first 5 seasons. There are guys in town who hunt the mountains, and probably never kill and elk at over 200 yards. The country in which we hunt is one of the important things about the rifle we select for taking our elk.

Elk originally were plains animals I believe.

But I have looked a long time for wounded / dead elk in 2.5 foot tall sage brush.

No trees really.

Laying flat, they ain’t much more than 24 inches?


Until they bloat.

Bulls got the antler deal sticking up though.

I’ve only killed nine bulls, all with a 30/06, 180 Accubond at ~ 2740…..23 yds, 25, 75, 100, 150, 225, 250, 350, 475

Have mostly hunted elk locally in Montana, but also in Colorado, New Mexico and British Columbia. My local experience began on public land in the 1970s, when most were found in thicker timber due to hunting pressure--especially for foot-hunters on public land. While quite a few elk frequent more open valleys these days, they're usually on private land--but even on many local ranches they still tend to hang in heavier timber. The longest shots that my wife and I have taken locally have been around 250 yards, with many under 100.

Hunted with three friends on a local ranch around a decade ago, and we all got 6x6 bulls. But even then the longest shot was 345 yards--made by one of my partners with a .30-06 and 180-grain factory ammunition.

The longest shot I've taken was on a ranch in Colorado, close to 400 yards. But the weather was pretty cold and snowy, and most elk were in more protected terrain, whether timbered or draws.

Well, I haven't taken an elk anywhere near 500 yards. I've seen some but didn't plan to start shooting at that range and still don't.

My longest elk was about 225 yards, my shortest no more than 25 yards. Most have been 60-125 yards. I hunt elk brushy areas and long shots are few and far between. I shoot more deer at longer ranges than elk. Often with deer just a bit shorter than 300 yards is needed frequently. I got to 85 yards for my bighorn. I did have to shoot my pronghorn at 268 yards. Point being, I prefer to be close.

Just why you have strong opinions about the correct equipment escapes me. For what it is worth I use 2.5-8, 3-9x40 and 3.5-10 scopes on elk guns. A 4x I used for a few years wouldn't resolve antlers on a couple of spikes so I changed up.

Your chamberings are fine with me. I used a .308 Winchester for several years . Now generally an '06. Even so, I still use my .338 when I get a good tag.

I don't think you should leave magnums out of the mix where more open country is involved. I plan on using my .308 Norma and/or my .300 Weatherby when I hunt Wyoming where my oldest boy lives.

I do practice shooting at longer range and if needed, I believe I could hit at 500 yards with my main elk rifles. That said, I don't plan on taking a first shot past 300 yards. I did on a deer (465) and the goat roping involved in finding it put me off.

25 to 30 elk for me. Been hunting them for about 50 yrs. Only one over 300 yards (around 325 or so). Majority between 100 and 200 yds except archery kills. I’m old, I use wood/blue rifles in either 308 win or 270 win, and a 3-9x40 scope. I wouldn’t take a shot at 400 plus, but that’s just me.

I've have 2 elk to my name, both under 50 yards. 2 years ago when I went with some friends, we tagged 5 elk, all under 100 yards. Four were shot with 308s and one with 300 mag. What's my point, match your gun and scope with where you are hunting. There is no need for high power scopes and magnums in the thick timber where we hunt, but our 308s and low power scope would be challenging in wide open, cross canyon type hunting.

But what if you stalk thru the black timber all morning looking for gleaming eyeballs, then come to the edge of enormous canyon, and all your elk are now on the opposite slope 600 yards distant? Then what?

Won't happen where I hunt, but if you hunt there, I would choice a set up for that environment. Or, just sit back and watch them and enjoy the day.

Remember that a bloodspot is very hard to find after crossing a large canyon to start tracking your wounded elk.

It’s been a long time since I killed an elk. Sadly. 9 feet to 425 yards. All but three under 300 yards. I have never desired to shoot beyond my ability from my best field position, which is sitting over sticks. That limit is about 400 yards in calm winds. The 425 was not a good shooting day as he was running across alfalfa field. I prefer to hunt close.
I also have no desire to carry the gear to create high percentage longer range shots.

I like a 6 power LRD reticle for daylight hunting.

Twilight, snow tracking, I like a 1.5 to 4 illuminated burris