7MM Berger 168 grain for elk

[mightyman]

Thanks for all the great comments....guess all have their favorite bullet and challenges with others.
I am by far not as good as many here...
However I have killed two elk ( being from the east) and rarely go due to cost and location..
Both kills were with nosler partition 160 grain.
This time it did not shoot well in rifle compared to Bergers...with the best (as of last weekend) was the 140 grain 7mm Accubonds..

So...I will put a partition, accubond, and a Berger in the clip...and let her rip...
Just kidding,
Going with Accubond...as hunting next to Y/Stone and need to take the wheels out from under them so as not to head back to park.
Thanks for all the input,
Mightyman

 

[ohiohunter]

Any hunting bullet will work. SHOT PLACEMENT is what matters. Don't wanna waste meat, shoot it in the lungs and follow the blood trail or take a head shot. I strongly advise against shooting at the femoral artery.

More elk have been taken with rag tag walmart cor lokts than anything and you're questioning if the berger 168 is as lethal as the 160 partition?

So in a situation where shot placement is crucial as you want to keep the animal out of the park you've decided to go with the less accurate nosler? Did I read that right?

 

[rooster740]

For the record I was not discrediting any bullet. This is my only experience with this bullet .284 168 berger, and it was very much so one of the four misplaced shots that actually hit the animal at 150 yards. Shot placement is key, always. I have had failures with many different brand bullets. I do know that destroyed lungs kill faster then a blown apart muscle group or digestive system.
I prefer one hole in and a big hole out of the chest, and have seen more of this by Berger and Barnes then Nosler.
Have fun, shoot straight and kill a wolf!

 

[rooster740]

To all
Headed to Montana for elk Sept 20th
What is the consensus of the experts on the 168 Grain Berger VLD #28501 for Elk.

The reason I ask is I have worked with the Nosler partition,160 grain and the Accubonds 140 grain but the Bergers shoot the best consistently.

Thanks
Mighty man

Who are you hunting with? I saw your request for a range to check zero, on another thread. Most guys will have accomadations for checking zero. You will be in my back yard, so let me know if I can help.
You will also have cell phone service in most areas you are hunting and a few outfitters have ability to charge phones with solar chargers.

 

[mightyman]

Thanks for all the good information on bullets.
To Ohio Hunter, I realize that shot placement is the most critical, on a hunt like this...

I have no doubt that any of the bullets mentioned will do the job...my key concern was,
penetration of the Bergers, in other than vitals areas, as well as meat damage, and i think others have answered this on this thread...the deer I have shot with the bergers...are dead...yet traveled a bit before dropping..thus the question on the Partitions, and Accubonds....as far as penetration, and damage..

Latest report back from the range is that the Accubonds, for my 7MM are the most accurate in my rifle, so that will be the bullet of choice for me at least on this trip.

Noslers, have served me well in the past (partition) and stopped the animal regardless of placement, and were accurate with the 7mm I was using at the time..

ToRooster 740, I am going with my son, and 3 other friends..we are coming into Bozeman on the 20th, and headed to Gardnier to spend the night, before heading to the trailhead...thanks for the offer...and I will see when the other 3 get in (as they are driving from PA, we are flying from GA.
thanks again
MightyMan

 

[mightyman]

Ohio Hunter...

Here is the latest pictures of the Accubonds from the 7mm at the range...100 yards (all we have here in GA) where I go...
The picture is turned...and I cld not figure out how to rotate it, but the holes are 5 bullets, and at 100 yards...about 2 inches high at 100.

At least from my perspective, it is pretty accurate...
MM

 

[rooster740]

ToRooster 740, I am going with my son, and 3 other friends..we are coming into Bozeman on the 20th, and headed to Gardnier to spend the night, before heading to the trailhead...thanks for the offer...and I will see when the other 3 get in (as they are driving from PA, we are flying from GA.
thanks again
MightyMan

Are you hunting with an outfitter or are you doing a DIY hunt? did you find a range to shoot at?

 

[mightyman]

We are hunting with Black Mountain Outfitters out of Emigrant MT.
Hunted with them before...and had a great time, and killed a couple elk as well.
So, when I know everyone's schedule, will PM you for a potential sight in opportunity.

Is there a range near Gardiner, or Bozeman?
thanks
MM

 

[rooster740]

We are hunting with Black Mountain Outfitters out of Emigrant MT.
Hunted with them before...and had a great time, and killed a couple elk as well.
So, when I know everyone's schedule, will PM you for a potential sight in opportunity.

Is there a range near Gardiner, or Bozeman?
thanks
MM

Scott and Sandy are some of the very best in the business! Isn't that camp awesome! There is a spot just outside of Gardiner along the highway near the north end of the airport but on the opposit side of the highway, that is where a lot of the locals shoot. There is no shooting bench but it is a handy spot.
There is a range in Livingston called the Park County rod and gun club, which is a nice facility. It is at 50 Meigs rd livingston mt 59047 (406)222-3864

 

[jf239]

I killed a 6 point bull two days ago with the 168gr vld 7mm @ 560yrds. One shot drt. That's two one shot kills for me on bull elk in two years. I killed one last year @ 608yrds with same results. I don't know about anyone else but I'm sold! If you can put one just behind the shoulder you will not have any need to be a good tracker cause he will be dead where you shot him

 

[Unofficial Gun Addict (UGA)]

I just took a buck at 246 yards with a 30 cal 168gr vld. One shot, folded, Doa when I got to it. .30 hole in, silver dollar sized hole out, through the lungs and far shoulder. Impressed with the bergers.

 

[rooster740]

Where is mighty man? I hear through the local chit chat and from Scott's daughter that they had some bulls down and had a few wacks at wolves during that week

 

[mightyman]

Here I am!
Got back on Monday to Atl on the 29th, immediately went to Vegas for a trade show! Been busy...

We had a fabulous week with Black Mountain Outfitters out of Emigrant MT!
They are truly a first class outfit, and I would encourage any and all looking to have a quality elk hunt, to consider them....
Rode in on the 21 of Sept,
First morning, we had a 6X6 Bull down by 8am...
Next morning my guide called in 3 bulls and my son shot a 5x5 with his 7.08, 140 Nosler Partitions, in 5 minutes, he called another one in also a 5x5 and I shot it...7mm, 140 grain Nosler Accubonds.

Another hunter with us that week, had by coincidence, that morning ridden where we were hunting, stopped to talk, and plan, before riding on...

..my guide (Justin) called his first elk in a nice large 4X3 immediately after we shot our two elk, and he shot it..3 elk down in 10 minutes or less! All within 100 yards of each other!

The last one to get a bull was the son of a friend, and he got a 6x6 (one side broken), also his first elk, the following morning!
All 5 hunters tagged out by Wednesday evening! 3 new hunters, killed their first elk!

3 of the guys purchased wolf tags, but no success on wolves.

Funny, story, one of the guys, got up Wednesday am to go wolf hunt, (3am) B/fast at 3:30, and loaded up..asked if he had his wolf tag....and he forgot that he put the tag in his "lunch bag" the day before...and then used his "lunch bag" to start the evening fire on Tuesday evening....with his wolf tag in it!

Thus he could not hunt wolves...went back to bed..
They had to get back to MD and WV so we all came out early, and they took our meat with them to be processed, (we saved the shipping)

My son and I were flying out on the 29th, so we toured Y/Stone, Jackson Hole and had a wonderful time...

Again, I cannot say enough about Black Mountain Outfitters, camp, horses, guides, and especially Sandy the camp manager/owner, and cook that week..fantastic food, along with camp showers, sauna, full Bathroom (commode and all) along with the accommodations..
We will definitely go many times again in the future...
I have been on 8 guided elk hunts, and this by far is the best setup all around than any I have been with!

Pictures? I will work on that..my son put all on instagram, and I am having a hard time with this new technology, to pull pics off for other use!
To sum it up...my son (27) said it was the "best experience of his life!

More pictures to come soon on blackmountainoutfitters.com/facebook...
thanks! I will put some pics up...once i figure it out.