Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Please comment concerning my options

Yup, the campfire these days. Nothing but azzholes.

(Too I have several 270 Winchesters in Winchester Model 70’s as well as a “shooter” in a early gray stock Kimber Montana).

My preference is TTSX’s or LRX’s (for the sake of penetration) but I’m open to options.

I'd take your Kimber MT 270. A lighter rifle is a real blessing elk hunting. I'm personally not really a fan of mono's, and you'll generally get quicker kills with a more fragmenting bullet, but either way the Barnes are good bullets. Practice out to 500 yards, but more importantly make sure your boots are comfortable, you're in shape, and you're packing the best binoculars you can afford.

Sheesh, way to make it sound easy Brad...

I'll add make sure you have quick access to your bin's/RF and your pack fits nicely.

Oh, and a few feet of 550 cord for odd's and ends..

And last but not least, "find an elk to kill."



Merry Christmas Scotty!

"If I were to pick from your list I believe I'd go with the 280 Rem and 160gr Speer Hot Cores. Use to use those Speer in a 7mm mag and loved them. Never shot an elk with it but I am certain a well placed hit would make the elk fall down right away! Second choice on your list would be the 30-06 with the 165gr load. I'd prefer the 180gr bullet but no doubt in my mind if you hold up your end, the 165 gr will hold up it's end."

That was my thought as well on both cartridges. About the only differences I have would be the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slam for the .280 and the 165 gr. Nosler Accubond in the 06.

Many here have taken a lot more elk that I have but one was with the .300 Win. Mag. at a laser measured 530 yards. One with the 30-06 at about 100 yard with the 165 gr. Accubond. the rest were with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX from my .35 Whelen. Shots ranged from about 75 yards and the longest at 350 yards as measured by my guide.

Just some notes on the .300 Win. mag. I'm not as recoil shy as some but also know wwhen to quit. On the hunt with that long range shot, I literally spent on average two to three days at the range shooting from 100 yards out where the 500 meter rams were on my clubs silhouette range. Some shots were from the bench to establish holdover and the from various positions. Mostly off hand at 100, sitting at 200, 300 400 and 500 meters. I did some kneeling but probably not as much as I should have. Just never liked the position. Did not work with prone. The shot was about 8 AM, not one bit of wind. I'd bellied up to the last small bust that was maybe a foot and a half tall. The elk were lasered ay 530 yards walking in a straight line heading for the Apache Reservation. When hunters show up they move out. I picked the last cow in the line and aimed with a bit of daylight between the crosshair and her back and touched one off. Several things happened in rapid succession. I did not feel the kick of the rifle and all I heard from the shot sounded like, "poof." The elk went down hard, kicked a bit then lay still. When I heard that shot I thought, "Oh, I had a squib." My point being if you can do the practice like I did you will have a sore shoulder but you'll never notice it on your elk. Just a further thought. I think when I took that shot on that elk, I was concentrating so hard for a good hold and trigger squeeze that I blocked all outside interference. I've notice this at the ranges as well when I'm sometimes trying to get the best possible group from a known accurate load. BTW, that 300 Mag load was a 200 gr. speer HC at just short of 2900 FPS.

I think it was the late Bob Hagel who commented on recoil. he said something like this. "Shooting a rifle with heavy recoil is like prize fighting. Once you step into the ring you know you're gonna get hit. It's the same thing shooting a rifle with heavy recoil. Yoo're gonna get hit."
PJ

And last but not least, "find an elk to kill."



Merry Christmas Scotty!

With a 493 mile walk and a river to swim ahead of you, you might want to ponder things beyond your fantasies.
Comprender.?!?!?🤣

358 WSM, I Haven't had an "easy" elk hunt yet, easier and tougher, yes. A real short hunt for a cow elk last January, just one day, but it was a rough day, lots of hiking in steep country. A crawling stalk for a couple hundred yards and finally a 30-06 shot from 405 yards when we ran out of cover. Three of us packed her out of there back to the road. My goodness! One day, but a great hunt and great meat. Enjoy!

With a freezer still half full of elk meat I didn't see a need to hunt elk again this season. Got my cow elk last January. I think I'll be trying to re-do that same cow elk hunt in about a year. Should need meat by then.

You've got several great rifles to choose from. Pick a favorite, enjoy your practice time with it and enjoy your hunt. Looking forward to your hunt report!

Regards, Guy