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7mm08 for cow elk?

I harvested 2 mature cows with my 7mm-08. Federal Nosler Partition. They don't go far.

2nd cow.. I had to shoot again, as I was sloppy with the 1st shot.
 
Thanks everyone for the help! The load I settled on for her cow elk hunt and also my California X zone hunt is the hornady 150gr ELD-X over 39.5gr of H4350 going 2640fps the load is constantly shooting .5 MOA out to the 600 yards that I have available for practice. I want to thank everyone for all the help it's been awesome
 
My wife took a huge cow elk last year in the Walden Colorado area almost a year ago now and used her inherited rem 600 in 308. She ended up shooting it 5 times and missed 3 times. Granted she didn't make the best shot but that happens, especially when you get flustered. We were lucky to recover it and she wasted around 1/5 of the meat. I watched that big cow take a 308 in the shoulder and not flinch. That impressed me. My wife takes. Couple deer and several coyotes every year with her gun but My wife said she would never use her 308 again on elk. I'm not a fan of the 308 on elk as it was kind of a shitshow. But on the other hand my wife only weighs about 116 pounds and is limited as to what she can carry around. No doubt a 7-08 or 308 will work well if a good shot is placed appropriately but you never know how good of a shot will be made until that gorgeous animal is standing within 100 yards of you and your wife gets a case of buck fever.
 
I've know many men to solely use a 7-08 on elk bulls and cows most one shot kills people make the the comment bulls are harder to kill than cows in reality a well placed bullet will kill just as fast on either 243-338 put it behind the shoulder they will die. Don't over think it and just make a good shot if not confident don't shoot to many idiots get in the hills and start slinging led at elk rushing shots and wounding animals those morons should stay at home. Pick a gun your proficient with and stick to it and your be more successful than any guy with a whole arsenal!
 
Mach 1 said:
My wife took a huge cow elk last year in the Walden Colorado area almost a year ago now and used her inherited rem 600 in 308. She ended up shooting it 5 times and missed 3 times. Granted she didn't make the best shot but that happens, especially when you get flustered. We were lucky to recover it and she wasted around 1/5 of the meat. I watched that big cow take a 308 in the shoulder and not flinch. That impressed me. My wife takes. Couple deer and several coyotes every year with her gun but My wife said she would never use her 308 again on elk. I'm not a fan of the 308 on elk as it was kind of a shitshow. But on the other hand my wife only weighs about 116 pounds and is limited as to what she can carry around. No doubt a 7-08 or 308 will work well if a good shot is placed appropriately but you never know how good of a shot will be made until that gorgeous animal is standing within 100 yards of you and your wife gets a case of buck fever.
Click to expand...
Ya I completely understand my girlfriend has only been hunting a few years and has been lucky enough to take a few trophy size blacktail bucks and a big handful of predators. I'm working on getting her comfortable with my bigger 30-378 just in case things are not ideal but a lot of times the muzzle blast is a bit much for her to handle.we hope to keep the shots to 300 or less but we are willing to push the little gun to 450-500
 
Mach 1 said:
My wife took a huge cow elk last year in the Walden Colorado area almost a year ago now and used her inherited rem 600 in 308. She ended up shooting it 5 times and missed 3 times. Granted she didn't make the best shot but that happens, especially when you get flustered. We were lucky to recover it and she wasted around 1/5 of the meat. I watched that big cow take a 308 in the shoulder and not flinch. That impressed me. My wife takes. Couple deer and several coyotes every year with her gun but My wife said she would never use her 308 again on elk. I'm not a fan of the 308 on elk as it was kind of a shitshow. But on the other hand my wife only weighs about 116 pounds and is limited as to what she can carry around. No doubt a 7-08 or 308 will work well if a good shot is placed appropriately but you never know how good of a shot will be made until that gorgeous animal is standing within 100 yards of you and your wife gets a case of buck fever.
Click to expand...
Not all bullets are created equal. A true hunting bullet placed square on a shoulder not quartering from a 308win should result in a clean fast kill.

Steve
 
Blacktail-hunter said:
Thanks everyone for the help! The load I settled on for her cow elk hunt and also my California X zone hunt is the hornady 150gr ELD-X over 39.5gr of H4350 going 2640fps the load is constantly shooting .5 MOA out to the 600 yards that I have available for practice. I want to thank everyone for all the help it's been awesome
Click to expand...

I am only asking a question here, but can you use lead bullets in California X zone?
 
A poor shot from a larger caliber doesn't kill any better than a well placed shot from a smaller caliber. My father in law hit a cow poorly with his 300 rum, my 270 win put her down with a well placed shot. Don't blame the gun, just get more practice in.
 
Mountain Sloth said:
A poor shot from a larger caliber doesn't kill any better than a well placed shot from a smaller caliber.

Well no kidding. All things being equal the larger caliber will do more damage. I've also never met a person that was perfect. That includes my wife. And there is a good reason for caliber limits on elk. Colorado doesn't allow elk hunting with a 223. Will a 223 kill an elk just as dead as a 300 win mag? You betcha. I've seen good shots on elk and they still go for a ways. That can be a real pain packing out the animal and makes you think maybe a larger caliber would have put the animal down faster and closer to where it was originally shot.
Click to expand...
 
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