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Joined: Dec 2013
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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I realize that I'm painting with a very broad brush and the answers will vary greatly, but I'd like to know the average distance in which your taking elk with a rifle.
If it's not too much to ask, please include the distance of your closest rifle kill, distance of your longest rifle kill, the average kill distance and the state and type of terrain you're hunting.
24HCF in its entirety, is solely responsible for why my children do not have college funds, my mortgage isn't paid-off and why I will never retire early enough to enjoy the remainder of my life.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,390 Likes: 4 |
Idaho, very open terrain. Often see elk at 1/2 to 1 mile or farther. Shortest distance, maybe 50 yds. Longest, 350. Average, 100 to 150. I've never shot one in black timber. Mine have all been in the open or along edges as they're moving in and out of the timber. If you bump them out of black timber, they won't quit running for 5 miles and they won't be back.
βIn a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.β β George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 14,104
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2005
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I have shot a several at 10-15 yards and one out at almost 400, but most have been between 125 and 175 yards. The last time I averaged shots from my field notes, the average was 147 yards. The three that I have killed since then wouldn't affect that number very much, if at all.
Ben
Some days it takes most of the day for me to do practically nothing...
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 28,862
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 28,862 |
First one was ranged at exactly 400 yards. The shortest distance was 72 long steps. The other three fell somewhere in between.
"Only Christ is the fullness of God's revelation." Everyday Hunter
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 96,158 Likes: 3
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 96,158 Likes: 3 |
Life Member SCI Life Member DSC Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,654
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
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42 closest, 430 longest. Average is around 180
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,085
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,085 |
I think I have shot maybe four elk past 200 yards. The rest have been less than 125 yards. Most are in the 60-70 yard range.
Last edited by saddlesore; 04/25/15.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,768
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,768 |
Average distance is under 200 yards, probably somewhere between 150-175 yards.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,428
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,428 |
Average distance is WELL under 200 yards, probably somewhere between 80-120 yards,and keep in mind if the average is lets say 100 yards theres a bunch of 40-50 yard shots to average in with the few rather rare 190-270 yard shots. yeah! all the magazine articles I read make it seem like 400-700 yard shots are normal, but obviously the area you hunt has a huge effect on your average opportunity for even seeing an elk. elk are not stupid, during the first few hours of hunting pressure they rapidly travel to steep, remote or well wooded cover, thats less pressured to avoid most huntersyes I'm sure theres areas in CO. and WY. where youll get longer shots, but I darn sure have used a 358 win, 340 wby 35 whelen,and 375H&H a whole lot more under 200 yards than over that distance. a couple years back we had a club meeting and we took a brief survey and in 30 plus years not a single member had even had the opportunity to see or shoot at any elk out at 300 yards, most were shot at an average ranges closer to 120 yards which means a good amount were shot at 30-60 yards in the thick timber Id also point out that several times Ive helped guys pack out elk they shot at "350-500 yards" what when we paced out the place they shot from to the dead elk sure , took less paces and the guys held dead on with a 2" high at 100 yard zero and the bullets miraculously, shot remarkably flat! needed no hold over to hit near the aim point , even with a 358 win or 180 grain 308 win
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 587
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Unless something has changed, Bugle publishes yearly a survey taken among successful elk hunters, I believe, at an annual convention. As I recall, the average distance for all in the survey from all elk-hunting states ranges from 110-130 yards. What this means in reality is people who enjoy target shooting at live [elk] targets at ranges dramatically exceeding 200 yards are in a distinct minority - thank goodness. Others conclusions or deductions might include: many older firearms and cartridges will do a more than adequate job; muzzleloader hunting is a reasonable option, and probably more fun; more attention could be paid to watching with wider view binocular, and stalking with wind in your face; in learning about elks' food and cover preferences during the hunting season; and on, and on. Final hint: Using Craig Boddington's rifle will not make you a good hunter. Too many hunters waste too much money buying advertising hyperbole. Hope this helps. I realize that I'm painting with a very broad brush and the answers will vary greatly, but I'd like to know the average distance in which your taking elk with a rifle.
If it's not too much to ask, please include the distance of your closest rifle kill, distance of your longest rifle kill, the average kill distance and the state and type of terrain you're hunting.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 3,599 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2013
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last 3 were less then 100 yards
All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,969
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2001
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I've shot 33 elk.
On three different occasions, I shot bulls that were about 30 yards away. Two were running.
Longest was too far away for the range finder to get a fix on a good reflective object. I guessed that it was about 500 yards. I watched him casually grazing for about 15 minutes. It took that long to dope it out. Shot twice and hit him twice.
Most kills have been between 150 and 200 yards.
I live in Colorado where terrain is mountainous, usually heavily treed with some occasional meadows. I like hunting in aspen groves.
KC
Wind in my hair, Sun on my face, I gazed at the wide open spaces, And I was at home.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 145
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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closest was 20 yards, longest about 300 yards. Most were 40 to 75 yards
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2003
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I hunt primarily in Colorado for elk, tend to hunt small openings in aspens next to black timber and in the black timber itself at elevations between 8500 and 10,500 feet. I've shot 4 bulls in the past 6 years - closest was ~ 30 yards in the timber, farthest was ~ 225 across a small aspen meadow. The avg has been ~ 100 yards.
Since I started chasing elk seriously about 9-10 years ago, I've had shot opportunities every year, some years the shot comes together, some years it doesn't. Twice I've had shots that I wasn't comfortable with mostly due to distance and wind. Far and away most elk I see are between 75 and 200 yards - mostly because thats how I set myself up. I make that point because I think the terrain and hunting style determine your length of shots. I love to sit and glass. I normally do so with the intention of finding out where elk are going and to set myself up in their way on a future date. As a result, most elk I see are within reasonable shooting distance when I see them.
Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 975
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Campfire Regular
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My closest shot was approx. 125 yards. My longest shot was close to 225 yards. My average shot is about 175 yards. We hunt elk in Bear Lodge Mts. of Wyoming. I've had very good luck with my Savage lever gun in .308 shooting 180 grain core-lokt ammo.
Sherwood
FIRE UP THE GRILL - is NOT catch and release!
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Joined: Sep 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I've shot 4 elk in 7 years of chasing them, it's pretty open country so there isn't much sneaking to get closer.....the distances were:
150 300 360 379
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
I have shot and killed six Elk , four bulls and two cows shortest distant around fifty yards longest five hundred ten yards on the range finder
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,659
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I've only shot 3 elk and all 3 where right around 300yds. Nearly double my average shot distance on pronghorn...
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,566 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,566 Likes: 1 |
The interesting thing about elk hunting is the success rate is around 17%. Of that 17%, probably 80% of those hunters kill elk regularly. That can account for closer shots as elk are darned familiar with there environment and just walking up on a wild elk isn't likely. Successful elk hunters know how to kill elk.
I hunt elk in timber, mountainous areas and open country. I shoot elk when I see them, the distance has varied from 60 yards to over 600 yards. I have also found that you can't eat anything you don't kill so limiting my elk hunting to just bulls isn't something I do.
I would guess that all things considered, I have taken around 10-12 elk at 450 yards to 660 yards, 15-20 at under 100 yards and 35-40 between 100-350 yards...
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Joined: Feb 2013
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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From 43 to 430 yards. Most under 200 as a few were archery harvests.
"Shoot low sheriff, I think he's riding a shetland!" B. Wills
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