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.

My first was at 453 yds and the second was about 250-275.

Thats a helluva poke for an opensighter handgun!! Good job!

BobinNH
Just getting lazy, Bob. If it doesn't fit in a number 3 shell holder and use 4350 or 4831, I don't want to use it! My 338 is grandfathered in on the shellholder requirment.
What have you got planned for hunts?
Fred

Just did the math and my average KILL shot has been taken at about 94 yards. They've ranged from about 20 to 185.

My first shot at an elk was an ill-advised "long shot" that I would certainly pass up in favor of a stalk now; but at age 14 I didn't know any better. I missed another shot at an elk about a dozen years ago. This was a running shot and, in hindsight, I should have let him go. Anyhow, if I average in the misses with the hits, it makes my "average shooting distance on elk" right around 100 yards.

ttpoz

once again thanks to all for your posts and good info.

I shot a 25 stw in the mid 90s, it was flat, and burned up barrels fairly quickly. Not sure I consider it an elk round but put the bullet where it needs to be and all will be just fine. We used the 25 as a woodchuck gun and it would reach right on out there. My buddy had the 25 and an 7 stw also.

Jeff

Yeah that was my first thought when I saw the post

.25 cal and 100gr bullet definetly would never be my choice.

But at 4000fps in the right spot would do the job.

Free country though.

I"d have not one stinking issue if I could stick it in the ribs or exit through a shoulder, but bone on entry might scare me.... you know me, I operate on carry enough gun that if I want to take any shot, I can....

Guys I know the 25 cal is on the small size and i have three 338 cal rifles i use for Elk but i want to kill a Elk with this rifle so decided to use it and that was with a lot of decisive thinking on it before deciding to take it. I know what the rifle will do and i know my shooting ability so the 25 STW is packed and ready to go. I am a firm believer that if you shoot them where they live they just don't really care what cal rifle you use, they just lay down and die. The Barnes TX takes a small cal rifle and makes it perform like a bigger cal. I believe you lose a Elk from poor shot placement rather than the cal rifle you use.

don't worry, I"d personally have no qualms about hunting em with my 243s....it just limits one a bit to shot choice and distances.

Most all of this will come down the type of country that you're hunting. Some of the country we hunt it is easy to average under 100 yds to 200 yds.

And then some of the other country we hunt it is easy to average 400-500.

Just depends and it's nice to be prepared for where you're gonna hunt and so with practice you'll know to what ranges you're capable of taking elk (note I didn't say you'll know to which ranges that your rifles capable of, most all people run out of ability b4 their rifles do)

Dober

This is EXACTLY what I bought my younger brother for his all-arounder a few years ago, so I couldn't agree more. Makes perfect sense.

I've made it much, much more complicated for myself though.

My closest was about 50 feet, farthest about 220 to 225 yards, missed one at a lazered 312 yds. I think that was the farthest shot I've tried on Elk. I've taken a couple deer at about 300, but I try to stay under about 250 yds now days. I've gotten to old to try farther without a rock solid rest and plenty of time.

Average would be less than 100 yds. Figuring in the 30 plus years of hunting elk I can say the longest is maybe 240 yds but the the majority being in the 50-100 yd range.

exactly my experience!

Before you make a final decision, read Royce's post again very carefully. Then get into the best physical shape possible. For the record my typical shot has been about 150- 200yds.

average has been about 120yds. Closest was 33yds.

Royce has made a good suggestion, but I'd opt for 180gr bullets. When I was shooting a 30-06 and the 165 Partition's I never had one exit the elk.

As others have said, the rifle is the easy part, being in hunting shape is what matters most.

I think the real question here is "how far am I prepared and capable of making a consistent kill shot under hunting conditions?"

This is really what you need to know and be prepared for.......most of the shorter shots are "easier", if there is such a thing.

As many have stated, "average" kill distance might be something like 150-200 yards, but depending on when and where you're hunting, as well as what kind of animal you're looking to shoot, you need to be prepared to shoot much farther than the "average".

Shooting a cow or spike or even a raghorn can usually be done at fairly close range and (for me) wouldn't warrant a long shot.

On a high dollar, guided hunt for a BIG bull, you should be able to have confidence in your ability to cleanly kill an elk at at least 350-400 yards.........regardless of what some may think or say, there are times and circumstances where you simple cannot get closer, so it's either shoot or pass.

With any high velocity cartridge suitable for serious elk hunting, (270/7-08 class being minimum,) 400 yards on an elk sized animal is not asking too much from a decent shooter, who has practiced and knows his gun.

As someone already mentioned, the 'o6 makes a great elk rifle, especially with the bullets available today.

Nothing at all wrong with the bigger stuff if you like 'em and can shoot 'em well, but in reality, compared to the 'o6 or the 270, it's really not needed.

JMHO, YMMV

MM

Anything less than 1000 yards is ...unethical!

I have shot 8 and most have been close I had a 325 or so downhill a couple of years ago. He did'nt know I was there, he ate good..340 wby he died after spinning 180.
Most shots under 100 and most running or at least moving.
I did pop the antlers off of one a few years back with a close up head shot. 340 at maybe 5 yards. One of the antlers came totally detatched from the skull after skinning.

The 30-06 is a good choice, hunting for elk can be close as in timber and steep canyons, or it can be long 300 plus yards such as open country in eastern Utah, Montana and Wyoming. Bullet energy is critical and there are a number of excellent ones out there.

Taking and comparing the 308, 30-06, and the 300Win Mag, there is allot in common out to 300yds. Each however has about a 20% increase in energy incrementally. Bullet drop is within a couple of inches of one another. But the 300WM has considerably greater recoil. Generally if you see elk at long distance you can get closer. But, there are times when you can't. Moments like this require expert riflemanship, knowing what your rifle is capable of out to YOUR MPBR (Maximum point blank range).

Anyone with good coaching and allot of practice can shoot well out to 350-400yds. Most calibers require hold-over or adjustment in eleveation to make a clean kill at 400yds.

I shoot a 300WM and have made clean kills on elk out to 600yds.
They weren't aware of me and they were totally unaware.
But, it's not my first choice in distance. I prefer to be within 100yds.

God doesn't give you what you want. He help's you with what you given!

Go with the 30-06, 4-14x50mm Luepold, duplex reticle, and target knobs. Establish your base zero at 100yds and verify elevation come-ups out to 500yds. For hunting in the field dial in for 200yds than anything you see out to 350yds is meat in the cooler without any further adjustments.

Remember if you hold over and aim at air, your only going to kill air. Make the required adjustments and aim right on POA/POI.
SEMPER FIDELIS

I have taken 4 elk. 1 in Col. and 3 in Wy. Average distance was 235yds.

For me, while hunting in Eastern Oregon's Wallowa County only;
Average- 115 yards
Shortest- 40 yards
Longest-225 yards

FWIW- I sight in for 3.5 in high at 100 yards and then shoot at 200 and 300 yards to figure out what the load really does. I then use Norma or Hornady's ballistic program to give me rough ideas on trajecoty based on the three known points.

Since you are considering cartridges and rifles- I have killed elk with 308-150/165, 30-06-180, and 338-225's.

They all worked fine. I think with the 338 it is easier to tell from their reaction that they are hit than with the 30's. Not everyone agrees.

Even though I have never killed an elk with one. I have also seen enough folks use 200 grain Noslers out of a 300 Magnum [two Sako's, two Ruger 300 Win Mags and a Win 70 in 300 H&H] to recommend that as well.

I hunt our coast range also but it is pretty challenging to hunt so the ranges tend to be either quite short or quite long and measuring range prior to the range finders was essentially impossible.

I agree with the .338. On the other hand, if you don't know what kind of area you will be hunting and if its going to be a once and done deal, I would go with the all around bolt action 3006 with 180s.

I have 2 at 300 yds, most are 100 to 200. I hunt in so. Idaho where the country is very open, lots of sagebrush. The last 2 were with a 300 WSM. It's a little flatter shooting than a 30-06 or 270 but I haven't needed that edge so far. Before I bought it, all of my elk were with a 270 out to 300 yds. None went more than 100 yds after the shot.

your question was: "at what distance are most elks taken?"

my answer: the majority are killed at less than 300 yards.

you didn't ask about caliber or bullet type, so i imagine you already have made that choice.

I think my elk this year was taken at about the 26 mile mark. (That is how far I walked in the 2.5 days prior to shooting it.)

The gun is way less important than the running shoe/boot tread you have worn off in the previous 6 months.

I'll plus 1 that last post.

Best post I have read in a LONG time!!

The average is one thing, at 163, but the longest was 350 and there are many shots at longer ranges that I have turned down. These days I practice out to 600 yards, although I wouldn�t take a shot at that range unless conditions were good.

The closest shot has been 25 yards but I�ve turned down shots at 25 feet.

Get yourself a 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06, or .300 Win Mag, use good bullets (Partition or better) and you�ll have all the gun you need inside 500 yards and the 7mm RM and .300 WM are good beyond 500. More important than the cartridge is your ability with it.

Shot a few Elk and my experience says your shoe leather statement is right on. All my Elk have been between 50 feet and 75 yards. But you know I'll not pass on that Boone and Crockett Elk that I don't think I can sneak closer too. I'm an 8MM Remington Magnum kinda guy when it comes to Elk I don't worry about those quartering shots.

50-150yds. Been lucky I guess.

Average? Or most frequent?

Since I started carying an elk rifle in 1970, I've killed a lot more elk at less than a hundred yds than over........

Both elk this year were 80-90 yds--and both were running/trotting at the time.

My longest elk kill was later lasered at 441 yds.

It's going to depend on the area you hunt, and how you hunt--but in most elk country, you'll find more elk holed up in the timber than wandering around in the open.

Practicing bringing up the rifle, flipping off scope covers and safety, finding the target in the scope, keeping both eyes open to find a shooting lane, will get you more elk than will hitting a milk jug from prone at 600 yds..........

Guiding, I see more clients miss the whole opportunity at an elk moving through the timber at less than a 100 yds, than they just plain miss the elk at 250-300 yds.

Casey

Good advice,Casey.

The elk my wife and I have taken (mostly in Montana) have been shot at an average of 158 yards. That includes a little bowhunting, but the shortest shots with the rifle are right in there with bowhunting, around 40 yards. The longest shot I've ever made (or even attempted was 375 yards.

Aside from Montana, I have hunted elk from New Mexico to British Columbia, from early September into December. There have been some opportunities for very long range shooting, especially in Colorado and above timberline in BC, but I have never been very tempted by such shots. Maybe if I'd seen a really big bull at 500 yards I would have been, but my three biggest bulls were taken at 75, 100 and 250 yards.

I have never had any diffculty killing elk with a .30 caliber, and all of my wife's have been taken with a .270. No problems there either.

I'm with the crowd that advises practice that stresses the ability to shoot quickly at the shorter ranges vs. the longer ranges.
Having killed a few big, tough critters way out there, I've learned a few things.
First, I would not sacrifice any handling quality of my rifle choice that slowed me down for those quick shots in favor of one that favors the longer shots.
Second, I'd know the maximum expansion range and other characteristics of the bullets I'm using. All bullets expand very little, if at all, after a certain point. There is also the concern about hitting a big animal in the fanny and then finding either of these later. I, for one, would be very reluctant to take either shot if it were on the edge of my bullet's performance.
Last of all, I've learned that wind can be very complicated in the areas where elk live. As far as I'm concerned, no long shots for this elk hunter under any kind of windy conditions. E

Doing the math in my head for the 7-8 I've been personally involved with...

Around 200 yards...

Now let's talk average packing distance to get the dang things out of there... And average vertical distance... Grin/groan...

Plus one. Elk ghosting through the timber, or crashing along is even worse, will make a monkey out of you if you don't really focus on staying cool and keeping the captain in charge of the ship so to speak.

It never cost me an elk, because there were no legal shooters, but my first couple years there were a couple times where, after the encounter, I'd do a self-analysis and realize that if there HAD been a shooter, I'd likely not have got him... You have to stay sharp, and most importantly, make decisions and stick with them. That shape among a dozen others that you already ID'd as a cow needs to be OFF the radar...

WTF?

It seem's that most shots are less than 200yds, 150yds being the average. Hunting in timber can be from 20 -100yds. Allot of non-magnum rifle calibers are perfectly suited for the job. Light to medium weight, fast handling, with a variable scope (1.5x4, 2x8, 3x9). A short action rifle like a 308, 358. or the WSM calibers known for mild recoil. known your limits, adapt to the hunting conditions, practice with your the rifle, use premium bullets, use a rifle caliber with enough velocity and energy for the game your hunting, get in shape, and be prepared to wear out some shoes.

thank you all for the sound advise.
SEMPER FIDELIS

Sounds like you've got it figured out, but I would add one thing that I've seen in the 2 dozen (non-archery) elk kills I've been in on. Seems like most folks are over-scoped as well as over-rifled. Not too many years ago, I gave up the 30-30 for a .270 and got talked into a "whiz-bang" new scope for the new rifle - a 3-9 power scope. Most of us shoot either a 4x or a peep sight of some sort, but figured with this high-speed rifle, I needed a bigger scope. Anyway, we/I mostly backpack in and timber hunt to avoid the crowds and get the elk pushed out of the harder hit areas, so shots are pretty short. Somehow the scope either was set at 6x or moved there due to brush/whatever bumping against it - nearly cost me either a huge mistake or an elk that year. I had a spike tag and the limited field of view from the high setting nearly had me shoot a 5x5 rather than the spike directly behind it.

Just something to consider...

Paul

PBR,
With diabetes, along with other ailments, and bad eye sight, I have to use a scope in the majority of shooting situations. A few days ago I went target practicing. I have an AR15 carbine w/16" barrel and a fixed 4x scope. It's a fun rifle to shoot from in close out to 200yds with this setup on a clear day. The problem in the early morning, at dusk, or cloudy overcast days it doesn't gather enough light to shoot, similiar to hunting in heavy timber. I can't see the recticle when looking into poorly lit areas. I have another AR15 setup as a long range varmint rifle with a 4.5x14x40 Leupold which I've shot in poor lighting conditions and it's great. I went ahead an switched out the scopes (weaver bases so it's a fast exchange). Shooting the carbine with the varible extended my accurate shooting distance to 400yds. Good for coyotes and ground squirrels. I'm going to put a low power variable 2.5x 8 Leupold on the carbine. The benefits are at low power it provides a large field of view and helps in low light conditions. I have this scope mounted on a Winchester M94, 44magnum and it's an awesome combination in poor lighting. too prevent accidental changes in my power setting I tape the power-ring with electrical tape. I also do this with my variable scopes including the target knobs. I overlap the end of the tape so I can remove it if neccessary for a long shot that requires elevations/windage adjustments.
My brother lives in Texas and he and his buddies hunt deer in heavily wooded country where their shots are at sunrise and late evening at dusk. they all use low power variable 1-4x leupold scopes.
Thanks for your point of view.
SEMPER FIDELIS

+ 1

I have only killed 3 elk. One at 260, one at 75, the other at 35. All with rifles.

+5 or 6 what Royce said.

When I first hunted Out West, I expected game to only be spotted at long range, based upon what I had read online and in print. Imagine my surprise when I jumped two cows at about 60 yards on my first day of hunting. I did not have my rifle in my hands, like I would have Back East. That was in a burn are in Arizona, and the brush was thick due to the increased sunlight hitting the forest floor. BTW, if you ever hunt an area like that, I suggest carrying a small pair of brush clippers on your belt so you don't get cut up too badly.

JV

So that means no attached bipod, correct? I don't use mounted bipods.

I've killed 10 elk at ranges from 15 - 378 yards with rifles. The average range was 192 yd. (distances were IIRC, 15, 378,
300 100, 75, 267, 70 65, 300, 300-400). The 15 yd shot was a botched stalled on a herd of cows where I jumped one on the outer edge of a large herd. Only two of the shots were a "quick shot" and I had plenty of time on the others.

My average yardage out of 10 elk kills would probably be somewhere around 60 yards +-. Eight with a rifle, longest about 100 yards (spike) and two with a bow, closest was right at 28 yards (6x6).
If you hunt where the elk are, they'll be close at hand.

USMCGrunt,
Just a thought, you may wish to try out a thicker european style reticle. There's no missing them in the glass. Thanks for your service. Go ARMY.

For a first time elk hunters this past season the two of us took 5 shots and killed 3 elk. Miss at 370 feeding, kill at 180 walking, miss at 140 feeding, kill at 150 running, kill at 300 bedded.

Depends on how you hunt. In our group I always "dog it". Out of maybe 20 bulls and cows (I really do not care about numbers) all but one inside 100yds. The one exception about 175yds. Just make sure you are ready when out amoungst them.

Shootist, HOORAH!
Worked with a few Army LRRP Teams in Vietnam. Outstanding Troops! European reticle is a good suggestion.
Thanks
SEMPER FIDELIS

My average of 18 elk is 219 yards. The longest was 590 yards and the closest was 100 yards. Only two have been over 300 yards. The primary factor is not how far our averages are, but how far can you ethically shoot? You'll probably run out of ability before your bullet runs out of adequate energy. By the time you can shoot 300+ yards with confidence, you'll probably know plenty about ballistics. My theory is that you should be able to put something like 9 out of 10 shots into the vital zone of an animal. For offhand, that might limit your shots to 50 yards. For prone, further. You need to practice to determine what your ethical distances are under different conditions. Like Clint Eastwood said, "A man's got to know his limitations".

I agree with Bob33,and rather than worry about the "average" shooting distances,I've always prepared for my elk hunts(anything really)by determining the maximum distance at which I and my eqipment was proficient;and the reason is simple:as a hunter you don't control the conditions,and have no knowledge in advance(generally)about how far away your elk is going to be when it comes time to shoot.

When i watch elk moving in mountain country I'm always amazed at how quickly a bull elk can turn 200 yards into 500 yards at that ground-eating trot,in rough country.They can do it in seconds,and if you prepare youself for the average,you might find youself wondering how to handle a deteriorating condition.Carryin a rifle, cartridge and bullet capable of both long and short distances,undertstanding its limitations(and yours)seems like a really good idea to me.I've only had to stretch things 2-3 times, but it worked fine because I was "ready" for those circumstances.

Another bull(the biggest I have ever seen while hunting)I passed on the long shot because ,while the distance was within capability,the wind was not,and I had tho pass the shot.

I can't add anything original to the good advice given here; I especially like Royce's admonition on page one, but it's the 'fire so I'll chime in anyway.

I've only taken eight bulls and they've averaged about 265 yds., perhaps a little longer than most averages. There were three well over 400 that skewed things a bit. All except one were taken with a .340 B. The one exception was taken with an '06 and it was one of the long ones (168-gr TSX) and the '06 worked quite well. I would strongly recommend considering it. You don't say what you have or what your experience is so based on that I'd stay conservative. You don't need a magnum.

I know there are a lot of arguments about the 340 being unnecessary for about 98% of elk hunting and they are valid. I certainly would never advise other than a seasoned shooter to use one and then only when he knew what was required. I was love struck with the 340 in the late 80's or early 90's after reading a Ross Seyfried article about it in G & A and thus made one and have been shooting it since.

For a new elk hunter I like the cartridges with about '06 capacity and ranging from 270 to .35 cal. with good glass. Then as Bob has mentioned run it to 400 or 500 yds from field positions as much and as often as you can.

Closest was 35 yds and longest was 482 yds because I simply could not get closer.

omega1349,

For me it's probably been under 150 yards! Longest was just(measuerd) under 400 yards. The closer the better! memtb

Lots of good information and advice in this, with lots of experience. I've hunted elk for about 25 years in CO, NM, and AZ, and have killed I don't know how many. I shoot a .270 Win with Leupold 2-7x scope, with 130 gr Barnes or 150 gr. lead bullets in handloads. I zero at 200 and am comfortable out to about 450 yards. I'd say my average elk was taken at about 150 yards, with furthest being about 275 yards, nearest being about 15 feet.
Any rifle of .270 and up with proper bullets will kill elk out to 600 yards or more. The trick is to find out how far YOU can properly hit an elk. You need to be able to consistently put ALL your shots into an 8" circle, about the size of an elk's vitals, any range you can't do that is too far for you. The disadvantage of buying a new rifle before the hunt is that you don't get to use it enough to know what you can do with it. The disadvantage of using a super whizzo magnum turbocharged rifle is that you never practice enough to get good with it at any range.
I'd +1 all the advice on getting a .30-06 and practice with it A LOT. 160, 165, 168, up to 180 gr. bullets are fine. I like Barnes bullets, there are several others that are also good, like Swift, Nosler, etc. A quality 2-7x or 3-9x scope is very good to have. 8x, 10x or 12x quality binoculars are a must.
The importance of being in the best possible physical condition cannot be overemphasized. It's also important to have clothing, bedding, cooking and food during the hunt to maintain your physical condition and give much needed confort during and rest after hard days of hiking tough country in severe weather at high altitude.
Good luck on your hunt.

bump for a good thread as people start contemplating elk draws.

Good idea. My most frequent elk shots are around 100 yards on alerted, but not exactly spooked animals. So you need to be ready for a quick shot. However, every once in a while you do have a long poke. I've never had one much over 400 yards, but those shots will give you time to settle down, get your thoughts and think about trajectory and wind drift. So I don't know what I'm getting at. Be most prepared for a quick, short shot, but put some effort into making the longer shots.

I can't really see where the distances that other folks have killed elk at, is going to be important to ME, although all the replies have been interesting.
Just use a reasonable cartridge with a good bullet.
Elk hunts are expensive, even DIY's. I always hope for the best, but try to prepare for the worst possible scenario, that's why I carry a Kimber Montana 7mm WSM with a Leupold & B&C Reticle with 160 Grain Noslers. Just as good up close, but has the ability to reach out.

Over almost thirty years of elk hunting I don't remember killing a bull at less than 125 yards or any further than about 475. I have seem then shot at as few at 6 and as far as 875. I am a crappy bowhunter but a pretty good rifle shot so I probably tend not to wait for the animals to get too close plus can never sneak in on them like some people I know.

Average out all the distances listed here in response and subtract 50 percent.

My longest was 350 yards, but I have passed on many at greater ranges. My closest was 40 yards but I have passed on closer, too.

For me, it has been predictable based on the country hunted.

When hunting open country, my shots were longer.
My actual longest that was actually ranged was 392 yds.
A couple may have been a bit longer based on how far the bullet dropped.

In timber, I have quite a few at 50 yds or less.

Sort of sounds like a "duhuh", I know, but it is what it is.

And, honestly I mean no disrespect to anyone.

I don't think I can give an informative answer to this one..It would entirely depend on where I was in relation to where the elk was...I have shot them from a matter of feet to probably 600 yards..If you hunt the thick stuff they will be close, if you hunt the sage or the mountains shots will be far.

Yup!

Really some good shots here!

Taking a fairly common .300 Win Mag ,a fairly flat shooting load*, sighted in @ 200 yards, will drop slightly more then about one bread-basket (chest-cavity height) @ 500 yards, and drop almost 2X bread-baskets at 600 yards. The margin of error is doubled from 500 - 600 yards, it is really a gray area for any consistency.

*For a say, say a Federal Premium 165Gr. Nosler Partition (.409BC) sighted in @ 200 Yards will drop 39" @ 500 yards, and 69" @ 600 yards, ranging becomes very critical.

The longest shot I've ever taken on one is 150 yards and the shortest a nice 5 point bull was 50 feet.

Follow up.
Second time elk hunters:
247 standing cow
228 standing cow Same group of cows
290 standing bull
290 running bull Same group of bulls

All lasered ranges

again, no visible difference in killing power between my buddies 7RM with 160 vs my 338 RUM and 210

KILLS:
25 yards running - 1 shot offhand
50 yards still - 2 out of 2 hits kneeling
125 yards running - 2 out 3 hits sitting after sprint
425 yards still - 3 out 3 hits from prone
606 yards still - 2 out 2 hits from prone

MISSES
75 yards - still (ski gloves, no rest to shoot off of & fatigue)
300 yards - still (rushed shot and shot over him, then tagged him at 425 when came out the othe side of the finger)

I guess the lesson is that ranges are terrain dependant and having a rest or being prone is critical if the shot is more than a chip shot. I don't use a bipod but shoot over my pack if at all possible.

most shots are well under 100 yrds for me.

I've taken almost 30 bulls, some of each with an '06, 300WSM and a 300RUM at distances from barrel length to 526 yds. I'd say the average distance was 150 yards.

An '06 and a well placed and constructed pill in the 180 range will always do the job........it always has before.......

No magic in killin' elk, really. There's much more to the finding them and putting yourself in a solid position to make the shot......at whatever range you're comfortable and proficient.

Good luck, 'cuz there's always a bit of that involved when huntin' elk as well.