Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Avergae Shooting Distance on Elk Hunt

I'm starting to plan an elk hunt for next year or maybe the one after. Right now I'm looking at different rifles and cartridges.

I know that shooting distance can range from fairly close (bow hunting) to several hundred yards. But what could be considered an average shooting distance on elk?

I know it will vary depending on what part of the country your hunting. So generally speaking at what distance are most elks taken?

Thanks!

my 10-year average is right around 200 yds (189 actually)

Despite many accounts of 4- and 500 yard kills, I have yet to take an elk further than 200 yards. Having said that now, I think I've just increased my odds of a long shot next week on the West slope of Colorado!

If you are asking from a practice standpoint, IMHO the best you can do is practice getting the rifle into play and a shot into the vitals ASAP at 50-100 yards, snap shooting. THe longer shots you'd generally have some time, but from my few years in the elk woods, things happen when you don't expect them often, and at those times quick is the key. It has worked fast a few times, though I never had a clear shot I had the gun there, and on a few other times I never got the gun to bear before the elk melted away. All have been inside of 100 yards. The ones outside of 100 have given me plenty of time. Just all have been bulls instead of cows...

If you are talking zero the gun, an elk is a big vital zone, I'd personally feel just fine with either a 300 or 200 yard zero. 300 puts you 4-6 inches high max which is nothing really... I used to head shot does with that zero, at 100 or so, hold bottom of jaw, boom... its all in practice and knowing what to do when.

Jeff

It truly depends on the type of hunting you plan on. I stillhunt in the timber so my average shot ends up being about 35 yards. rost495 gives some good advice on knowing your rifle and being quick with it, especially if you hunt like me. Later in the season there's 300 yard shooting around here. But generaly people who want to shoot long will do it by sitting on ridges or above timberline and waiting for less patient people like me to kick elk out to them. I would practice from snapshooting at 25 yards to resting over a log at 300. As far as a general "average" shooting distance goes I think it would be between 100 and 200 yards. Good luck and have fun!

Elk are big, visible animals that can be seen at great distance,unless you are right in the timber with them,and then it's like shooting a big whitetail.

Because of the terrain they live in,I'd be ready to take them hard off the muzzle to 400-500 yards or so(provided you have the facilities to devote to practicing diligently at those distances). If you can't or won't practice at those distances, then you simply are guessing and should not take the shot beyond the distance that you KNOW you can hit."Guessed" shots at elk generally turn out badly..

I would suspect the average distances are most likely under 250 yards, but it depends on "where" you're elk hunting.I'd guess average shooting distances can vary from NW Montana,over to some elk range in New Mexico,or Wyoming.But all places have opportunities for short or long shooting on the same day;same hunt.

For rifles,there's so many "elk capable" cartridges out there today,it's hard to know where to begin;but I'd say anything from the 270 Winchester,7 mag, 30/06,300 mags, or the WSM equivilents will work just fine,if you point them right and use GOOD bullets.In the end, that is more important than the relatively minor differences between most high velocity cartridges of 30 cal or under IMHO.Some guys who post on here,and have lots of experince in heavy timber,like 338's and 375's loaded with heavy bullets that can "rake" elk at extreme angles in the timber. I guess that works,too.Most elk I've seen killed have been shot with 270,7mag 300 mag equivilents.

omega
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that if I were to recommend an elk rifle to someone who has never hunted elk before, it would be a decent (Ruger, CZ, Remington, Winchester, and a few others) in 30/06, topped with a Leupold 2X7 scope, shooting 165 grain Partitions or X bullets.
I would go with the Ruger because of dependability. I would go with the 30/06 because you can afford to buy corelokt bullets to practice with, its about all the recoil the average person can handle, it shoots flat enough for any practical elk hunting and kills about as well as anything that can be fired from the shoulder.
The Leupold scope is my choice for dependability, long eye relief and good sized eye box, and good performance in low light. Seven power is enough magnification for elk to about twice as far as you want to be shooting at them.
This combo isn't going to wow any gun nuts, but it's made up of the standards that prove themselves year after year here in elk hunting country.
One of the best things you can do to assure your success (other than getting in the best condition possible) is to practice hitting a pie plate sized target QUICKLY from sitting position and/or using shooting sticks out to at least 200-250 yards.
Elk are pretty big animals (like that guy from the Granite State noted), and a rifle that shoots half inch groups is absolutely no over a rifle that shoots 1 1/2 inch groups.
Good luck.

Fred

As noted above, it depends on where you are hunting (deep forest = 30 or yards; open meadows = 200-300 yards). Most shots are probably under 200 yards, from my experience.

Everyone in my group all sight our rifles in to shoot on out to 400 yds. on an elk. That means for my .338 about 2.5 in. high at 100 and I do not have to hold over at 400 yrds. Where we hunt in the Pacific Northwest, you can go from the thickest, god awful brush to 400 - 1000 acre. clearcuts, and have to be ready to shoot as far as you are comfortable.

My nephew, and my brother have both taken elk with one shot at 410 yrds. We have also shot elk at 25 yrds. Just make sure if you plan on shooting out to 400 yds or more, that you have enough gun, to do the job. Smallest I would even consider at that range on a full grown elk is .300 wsm, and I prefer a .338 win mag. it drops them like a rock, as long as you the shooter do your job of making a clean ethical shot. Also remember, more gun does not make up for poor shooting. No matter what the distance or caliber of rifle.

Can't diiffer with you on this - good reasoning!

All good info - thanks.

Royce you mention CZ as a rifle option. They are good looking rifles but I don't know much about them. Are you familiar with how they shoot and hold up?

In the 17 elk I can remember shooting one was shot over 400+ yds.Most of my shots have been with in 150 yds in the trees or just on the edge.

If your talking longrange elk you are going to have step up on performance(caliber,gun and pratice).Elk have big vitals but they also are big animals.
Alot can happen out there 400+ yds,wind is big part and shooting from rock out croping to far canyon the bullet will do funny things.
One of the best reach out and touch them rounds IMHO is the .300 RUM,it's flat,fast and has lots of oumph out there.

BBJ

Rilfe Kills - a bit under 200 yds. Bow Kills - a but under 50 yds. - I shoot a 30-06 and have never felt under-gunned.

I haven't killed all that many Elk , one at about 100 yards, 338 RUM . Two about 100 yards, 30-06, Two with my 338-06 Ack Imp. one at 178 yards and one just over 500 yards lasered. This year i will be using my 25 STW with the Barnes 100 gr TX . Out to 500 yards you can leave the range finder at home. I hope my shot comes less than 200 yards, but as the scouts say be prepared. I'm using this rifle because it is my first rifle built with myself doing all the work including barreling and chambering.

Out of about 35 elk, probably less than 6 were over 75 yds for me.

wow!!!!!!!!!!!

I just did some quick research on a 25 stw by Ferguson

4000fps zeroed at 400yds max rise 5.5inches max drop at 500yds 8.15 inches Wicked dude!!!!!

Anyway to the question of the post;
Any average hunting rifle zeroed 3.5 inches high at 100yds leaves you good to about 300yds with no compensating in between.
Total rise around 3.6" total drop at 300yds about 4.0" varies a little depending on the gun you choose and the ammo but pretty much most hunting rifle and rounds come within those trajectories.

And if you read most of the answers the average elk is shot between 0-300yds - LOL
I personally have shot them from 10ft to 425yds One being at 10ft one being at 425 the rest around 200.

Elk 1 320 yards
Elk 2 400 yards
Elk 3 30 yards
Elk 4 120 yards
Elk 5 30 yards (bow)
Elk 6 18 yards (bow)
Elk 7 25 yards (bow)
Elk 8 20 yards (bow)
Elk 9 320 yards


Average 142.56 yards. My rifle is a wildcat .300 mag just a smidge under the performance of a .300 Ultramag. No elk has walked away after being shot with it.

Fred:+2! I was gonna say"Get a 30/06"! But I wanted to be very objective Great post;lots of common sense there.

Elk are big, tough animals & can be found in almost any kind of terrain, high mountain meadows where the shots can be real barrel stretchers, to bulls in stuff so thick you can't throw a rock into it. Of the 24 I've taken I don't think any were over 400 yds, most were less than 200. My first 6 elk were taken with a custom 270, took me 7 shots, all with 130 gr Hornadys, one bull raised his head. In Idaho's Selway country you don't take chances, so I gave him a second one.
With todays wonderful bullets there are many of the medium calibers that are very capable of cleanly taking elk, that is if the shooter is up to the task. Most outfitters will tell you that the majority of their clients are overgunned & under practiced. A bad hit with a 300 or 338 is still a bad hit.
Since I've only used handguns the last several years my shots have gotten closer, although my cow last year was out there a little for an iron sighted revolver.
Cow elk, 168 yds, lasered, one shot with a Ruger 45 colt & 260 gr cast slug.

Have only killed a couple of dozen elk, but would say the average is probably 150-175 yards, with one around 350. Last one was approximately 250 yards, with a NULA in 308 shooting 165 Partitions.