Is a 270 WSM an adequate elk round?

ObiJohn said:

The 6.5 elk looked like a neck/spinal shot... it dropped instantly. IMO a riskier shot (perhaps a slight miss to the left from wind?) than a lung shot, but it certainly worked. Hard to make definitive judgments about the suitability of the caliber from this one example... the same results would have happened with any deer-capable bullet from a centerfire rifle.

The 25-06 shot was a front quartering shot that clearly penetrated... you can see the exit wound when the elk turns to the right, and the blood sign gets larger quickly. That elk bled out from a shot that likely took out both lungs and exited just behind the diaphragm on the opposite side. The bullet performed suitably, and this is IMO a positive example.

With both of these, what would have happened if the bullet had been 6" to the right? IMO a dead elk but in the first case maybe 5 to 10 seconds on its feet, but for the second case a gut shot elk that would have run quite a ways.

Is there a margin-of-error factor that makes choosing a larger caliber with more energy a better choice? Not for when everything goes right, but when something goes wrong?

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No, not with any of the cartridges I've seen. When the first hit is bad, good chance you're gonna have a sh*tshow on your hands.

memtb said:

Sometimes the "wrong end" is the "only end" that you are offered in a hunting season.

Properly placed, little edible meat is lost unless a ham is hit. Still…..75% of an elk is much better than 0% of an elk! Again, the right bullet properly placed, will kill an elk (or any other big gam animal) very quickly!

Or……loosing an entire elk because a long range, shot with a marginal (under less than ideal circumstances) cartridge is used!

Just because it "can" be done …….doesn't mean it "should" be done! memtb

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Ok, you're one of those guys. Just get a bullet in them before they hit the trees eh?

257Tony said:

Ok, you're one of those guys. Just get a bullet in them before they hit the trees eh?

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Sometimes I hunt in the trees! An "unguided" hunter on "public land" can't be picky where he hunts elk! He/she must be prepared for any and all opportunities…..open country or heavy timber!

Some folks don't understand these things! memtb

memtb said:

Sometimes I hunt in the trees! An "unguided" hunter on "public land" can't be picky where he hunts elk! He/she must be prepared for any and all opportunities…..open country or heavy timber!

Some folks don't understand these things! memtb

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I'll guide ya! First thing I'll tell ya, don't shoot em in the a**

Thanks for the kind offer!

I suspect getting a license in Utah may be a bit challenging though! Then there's that little issue! I've never considered attempting to elk hunt in another state.

If, for the sake of conversation, an out if state'r were to hunt Utah…..what are the success % in the area that you hunt…..and approximate costs? It seems you've been involved with a lot of successful hunters. Then, there's that handicap with my self-imposed 600 yard limit……under near perfect conditions!

I would imagine that some others on the forum may be interested in knowing the challenges of an out of state hunter in Utah! memtb

memtb said:

Thanks for the kind offer!

I suspect getting a license in Utah may be a bit challenging though! Then there's that little issue! I've never considered attempting to elk hunt in another state.

If, for the sake of conversation, an out if state'r were to hunt Utah…..what are the success % in the area that you hunt…..and approximate costs? It seems you've been involved with a lot of successful hunters. Then, there's that handicap with my self-imposed 600 yard limit……under near perfect conditions!

I would imagine that some others on the forum may be interested in knowing the challenges of an out of state hunter in Utah! memtb

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The area I guide in is managed more for opportunity than trophy quality, tags are guaranteed through the CWMU program. Almost all of our clients have opportunity at a branch antlered bull, what they do with that opportunity is up to them Lots of 5x5 bulls, with a few 6's sprinkled in. We usually kill one or two in the 300-340 range. I think the hunts are around 10k,I'm just a guide but that's what I hear from the hunters.

257Tony said:

The area I guide in is managed more for opportunity than trophy quality, tags are guaranteed through the CWMU program. Almost all of our clients have opportunity at a branch antlered bull, what they do with that opportunity is up to them Lots of 5x5 bulls, with a few 6's sprinkled in. We usually kill one or two in the 300-340 range. I think the hunts are around 10k,I'm just a guide but that's what I hear from the hunters.

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Thank You Tony!

I assume that these hunts are on large parcels of private ranches. Meaning well managed, for either trophy animals or a large quantity of animals. Maybe not a "high fence" hunt but very well managed.

I'm strictly guessing here: As you aptly described…..for a tidy little sum, a hunter can (maybe almost guaranteed) have an opportunity at an elk. Many hunters, not having ready access to elk hunting areas, merely want an antlered elk……almost any bull elk to scratch that off of there bucket list. You and other guides affiliated with those private lands offer a valuable service for those hunters! I'm certainly not belittling that service.

But, that service isn't for everyone. Many hunters do not have the funding, while others will wait for a license in a hard to draw region/area…….that failing, buy a general license.

That general license can offer some really good elk hunting for those with pack animals or young (er) tough hunters. But, for those not blessed with the above qualifications…..the elk are a bit more difficult to come by.

For some of those hunters…..that means unfilled tags! Maybe that's why it's referred to as hunting…….rather than "shooting"! memtb

memtb said:

Thank You Tony!

I assume that these hunts are on large parcels of private ranches. Meaning well managed, for either trophy animals or a large quantity of animals. Maybe not a "high fence" hunt but very well managed.

I'm strictly guessing here: As you aptly described…..for a tidy little sum, a hunter can (maybe almost guaranteed) have an opportunity at an elk. Many hunters, not having ready access to elk hunting areas, merely want an antlered elk……almost any bull elk to scratch that off of there bucket list. You and other guides affiliated with those private lands offer a valuable service for those hunters! I'm certainly not belittling that service.

But, that service isn't for everyone. Many hunters do not have the funding, while others will wait for a license in a hard to draw region/area…….that failing, buy a general license.

That general license can offer some really good elk hunting for those with pack animals or young (er) tough hunters. But, for those not blessed with the above qualifications…..the elk are a bit more difficult to come by.

For some of those hunters…..that means unfilled tags! Maybe that's why it's referred to as hunting…….rather than "shooting"! memtb

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I certainly don't appreciate the "high fence" comment, or the assumption that it's anything other than a fair chase hunt. We have a small to medium sized cwmu, with more tags per acre than any draw unit in the state. I now see your purpose in asking questions, definitely not in good faith, IMHO.

I've hunted public land my whole life, I don't have the money for guided hunts either. Never stopped me from killing big bulls or big bucks. Never shot one in the a** either. Good day sir.

257Tony said:

I certainly don't appreciate the "high fence" comment, or the assumption that it's anything other than a fair chase hunt. We have a small to medium sized cwmu, with more tags per acre than any draw unit in the state. I now see your purpose in asking questions, definitely not in good faith, IMHO.

I've hunted public land my whole life, I don't have the money for guided hunts either. Never stopped me from killing big bulls or big bucks. Never shot one in the a** either. Good day sir.

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When I said "high fence", I think that I was pretty clear that it wasn't public land, but was being managed as a ranch. Much like a cattle ranch…..the animals are monitored, the excess animals are taken to market or as game…..limited kills. This is nothing more than good management……be it a cattle ranch, a ranch where game is hunted…..or both!

And as a very general statement, these ranches are on some of the better land available at the time of purchase. That same land which is decent cattle country, is also found desirable by the elk. Yes, the elk are free range and "NOT" fenced, but elk will live and feed where the better conditions are……it's all about survival in the wild. Most any landowner would be a fool not to use all of the available assets of his ranch…..including the hunting of big game. It's simply a good business practice!

For some folks, this may be their only opportunity to hunt elk. For them, they are very happy with this form of hunting…..after all, it's still hunting, only in a somewhat controlled environment!

For others, whether it's the money or the satisfaction of doing it on their own ……they chose "not" to hunt in this fashion.

Just different people with different needs and capabilities! JMO memtb

About Utah and private ranches. It's a money maker for the private land owners. I work with someone that has access to hunt private ranch and his son was a guide on the ranch for many years.
The private property owners have a lot more sway with the state legislation when it comes to how the wildlife resources are managed compared to state biologists.
For example the ranchers and farmers complain to the state that they are incurring to much crop damage and the general public is not effective enough at controlling the elk herd's.
The state pulled over 300 antlerless elk permits and gave them to the private landowners to use or sell for as much as they want.
I know of at least 2 large ranchers that use helicopters to push elk and deer on to their property before the general hunts open up.
They say the are just rounding up cattle.
Any cwmu tag for a bull elk is going to cost 8 to 10 Grand for the cwmu and then I think it's another 1,000 for the state tag.
At least that's what they were 3 yrs ago.
If you don't have 20+ years to gather preference points and just want to apply for a general hunt in Utah my advice is to due an archery hunt for an any bull unit.
If you want to rifle hunt I would either try and get a early tag or a very late tag and hope for a good snow year.
To kill an elk if you can't spend time scouting is going to be extremely hard with odds not much better than 20% on most general tags.
I can name some areas to consider but never on an open forum like this. I would just spend a lot of time gathering info on areas such as road conditions, what is the terrain like mountains or cedar desert rolling hills or pine forest.
For an out of state hunter the hardest part is going to be logistics especially in late season. Are you going to drive,stay in a hotel or tent?
If you fly can you rent a 4x4 having the rental agency say they have one and actually getting one are 2 different things. How are you going to get access if the roads are closed for winter ECT.

My 6.8 Western killed an elk deader than fried chicken last month with a 141 HHT. Very similar cartridge, your 270 WSM should work great.