Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 25-06 vs big Bull @ 400 yards

Scenario: You're hunting Elk with the only rifle you own, an accurate 25-06 loaded with 115 Berger VLD started at 3135 fps. You have a very nice 6x6 Bull across the canyon at 400 yards, no detectable wind, and not enough daylight left to attempt to get closer. You taking the shot? Or letting him walk


This is your shot angle.. Post your thoughts, I'll post the decision that was made after a while.




EDIT:

Here is the full video. This is my youngest boy (18) on the gun. Featherweight6555 absolutely nailed it!

I'm gonna hold for bullet impact @ about 4:30 (oclcock ) right on that dark brown to light brown transition area. The if my aim is true I'm getting out my skinning knife. YMMV.
Flame away.

I’m taking it. Hope you did as well. That’s a dandy bull.

Hmm, I've used my 25-06 with the 115 Berger VLD at about 3150 fps on mule deer out to 400 yards with excellent results.

But this is a bull elk, quartering towards the shooter, and the daylight is fading... I do believe I'd wait a bit, hoping for a more broadside shot.

It is awfully tempting though... Good looking bull.

Guy

I'm in the process of working up a load for my 25-06 with the 115vld.

What powder are you guys using ?

TIA

I've had good results with both Retumbo and IMR 8133. Sadly IMR 8133 is no longer available. I saw the 115 VLD average 3199 fps with good accuracy from IMR 8133.

Not much less with Retumbo though.

Regards, Guy

WELL............................WE'RE WAITING?

1st i don`t hunt with a 25-06 and never will i have 257 Weatherby mag. rifl, my handloads and with a my bi-pod on my rifle prone or sitting 400 yards is a easy shot on a big animal with my rifle. i use 103 gr. Hammer bullets at 3680 FPS average . i am basically 500 FPS faster, but a 25-06 is still a fine cartridge for some hunters to use. Pete53

My friend in Rapid City, South Dakota hunts elk with his 25-06 loaded with 117 grain Nosler Partition bullets. He has never lost an animal yet but his shots are always less than 250 yards. Your scenario of 400 yards is an extremely long shot even for a skilled rifleman. I would pass up because of the distance.

My elk rifle is a Savage 99 in .308 and I've had very good luck with 180 grain Core-lokt ammo. Longest shot for me was about 225 yards.

Sherwood

About a foot below his chin would break the spine where it goes in between the shoulder blades. However, it's only a 115 gr bullet and canyons often have unfelt wind currents. A couple inches to either side would be a disaster.

Assuming I can get a good prone position, my shot placement would be right up that left front leg to about mid-body. Which very well might mean the front of the scapula is in the way. May or may not be an issue. He looks alert — ready to bolt…or is he going to calm down and go back to feeding in a moment or two…I’d hesitate a bit to see if he moves more favorably.

Then confirm wind one more time.

All hypothetical as I wouldn’t be elk hunting with Bergers as a first choice.

I do my homework on shooting to that distance so I take the shot.

I would with a TTSX or Accubond but not with the Berger. I have seen first hand what they do when they hit bone and it is messy to say the least. That was on antelope. Elk are far tougher than antelope.

Even if I were using my 338 Win. mag with suitable bullets I'm not so sure that's the shot I'd take. Assuming away any penetration issues, from the shot presentation in the picture it seems to me that point of impact would have the bullet traversing the "chest innards" farther back than I'd prefer. I'd like to land it a bit left, closer to where the dark collar meets the tan.

There's a lot of merit to this. I like the VLD, but not sure that a 115 gr Berger VLD is the right choice for bull elk quartering towards.. Might end up hitting the shoulder bone, and I'm not sure that the Berger is going to provide enough penetration... I would feel better about the Barnes TTSX in this situation.

Guy

I’d already be walking across the canyon to try to get a hero pic with my bull before I lose the light.

Do you really think he isn't going to take a step or two and give a better shot?
I'd give it a little bit, but what do I know.

Interesting scenario. Enough daylight to get to the animal after the shot?

I shot my bull last week with a 338, 225 grain AB. Cross canyon shot at 350 yards. Damn glad I wasn’t shooting the load you referenced.

Edited to add my congrats to a fine shot.

OP edited with the video and a pic. There was never any doubt as to whether or not we take the shot, I've seen what those little Bergers do when they are placed in the chest cavity, and yes, they will break an elk shoulder.