How many elk have you been a part of killing?

[TG-5150]

Lots of good stories here. I marked 50-100 on the polls.
Have taken 35 elk myself, 11 of those with arrows. The rest were from guiding and helping friends. Might be a touch over 100, not sure. I'd way rather archery hunt for elk than with a rifle. Bugle season and elk at close range is were it's at for me. Never shot a bull over 27 yards with a bow, practiced a lot out to 80 yards. Most arrow shots for me have been under 15 yards.
I am farely new to long range hunting and the components required. Twist rates, bullet selection, scope setups,.....it's a lot like when I switched from traditional archery to compound. Fir shafts and 125gr. Zwickies went to carbons and 100gr. Muzzys. Almost all my experience is under 500 yards , and the majority of kills I have been on have been under 300 yards with conventional bullets.Nosler Partitions, Hornady BTSP's and SST's, Speer Grand Slams, and Swift's along with lots of Core Loct kills. I noticed in other posts about staying on an elk till they are done, i too feel the same way. Just to the rear of the front shoulder, in front of the hairline is the ideal spot for me. Stalking in dark thick dog hair timber, I have had head shots more than body shots.
I've seen/used many different calibers/cartridges for elk. Have shot two with a 22-250, both right behind the ear. I used a .308 and 165 SST's for several years with great results. My personal favorite was .270WSM with 150 partitions in a Tikka.
When I was raising kids in N.W. Montana,I shot the first legal bull I could. Having moved to Wyoming has changed the elk hunting parameters,you can buy a general either sex tag or draw for an either sex tag, plus get up to 2 additional cow/calf tags.
The area my wife and I hunt opens the 15th of August for cow/calf (rifle)
Last year I had a either sex tag and never found a trophy. We already had 3 cow elk and some deer in the freezer. So I figured if it wasn't gonna score in the high three's, I didn't want one.
This year my wife had an either sex tag(turns into a cow tag after a certain date). She used that tag on cow and took another with a surplus cow/calf tag. This year, I shot a calf. It had been alone for two days and was in a perfect spot, along with that, it topped the freezer space out nicely, leaving just enough room for duck and geese and ice fishing.
This year my wife and I were a direct part of nine elk (8 cows and one rag bull) being harvested, ours included.
The other part of elk hunting in Wyoming that has changed as far as rifle hunting goes is that the shot opportunities are way different. In Montana having a mt. rifle with a 20-24" barrel seemed just fine. Out here in Wyoming, a rifle with a 26" tube and a Sendaro contour makes way more sense. That's the fun part for me, is learning this new style. Thanks everyone, for answering questions and contributing so I can learn.
AND..... MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[sp6x6]

TG-5150,Im in NW MT,where you use to live I gather.Hunting way downhill since.You mentioned behind ear,I walked up on beaded 6by,quartered to me,thought why shot it threw all the meat it was bow range.Dropped down on neck and sent one out of my 340wby.Took me a hard 3/4 mile in the middlefork to catch that bull and finish him.Could have pushed a piece of rebar threw neck,missed juglar and spine right between both.Never took shot again.My son shot his bull this year same spot in a qiuck timber shot,took him about mile and have to catch threw cliffs and all,same rifle.If you are by ear they drop like stone my Dad shot a bison that way back when..

 

[Schnyd112]

3. One of my own and two others I watched get killed. All three required multiple shots, mine was with a 300 wm, the other was a 6.5x284 and I have no idea what the third was. I was not even involved in the third but saw the elk, saw the hunters, and watched it like a movie though a spotting scope. It took me 17 years of applications to get my first tag, now I am in the cool off period for 4 more years before I can start collecting points again.

They are definitely not mule deer, I can say that much.

 

[Elkeater]

Personally killed 10 elk in the last 8 years. Mostly cows for meat but once in awhile I kill a bull. Also been a part of maybe another 15 or 20 elk in the same time frame. Sort of a mix of bulls and cows. Most have been pretty standard shot through the lungs they stagger around for a few seconds then tip over but a few have been interesting. Like the bull my buddy killed a few years ago. He took 3 well placed shots from a .308 win through both shoulders to go down then a finishing shot at the base of the skull. Or the bull another buddy shot last year. Took a 180 gr SST out of a .30-06 to the base of the neck and took two more finishing shots in the boiler room. And a cow that took a shot with a 168 amax to the throat and ran 200 yards spraying blood everywhere.

 

[Plinker147]

I've been apart of over 100 I would guess. I've been trigger man on 30ish, more cows than bulls. We used everything from a 25-06 to 338 RUM. The majority I have shot with with 300win mag with 180 Nosler Ballistic Tips. Have never lost an elk with rifles, have lost a couple with archery.

I have learned if you want them stopped quickly there's nothing better than 338's with 225 and larger bullets. They anchor them real quick. But I have also learned I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with the smaller cartridges either. Last 5 elk we killed have been with 6.5's

I will be leaving in a few days to take part of another, and we will be using a 6.5.

 

[slv hunter]

I have harvested 26 and helped with at least twice that many. I use a 300 rum with 230g berger, with a high shoulder shot they usually don't take a step. I have used down to a 6mmAI with 105g berger it's all about shot placement.

 

[Rogue]

I've killed 6. Helped with, well I have no idea .

 

[TG-5150]

TG-5150,Im in NW MT,where you use to live I gather.Hunting way downhill since.You mentioned behind ear,I walked up on beaded 6by,quartered to me,thought why shot it threw all the meat it was bow range.Dropped down on neck and sent one out of my 340wby.Took me a hard 3/4 mile in the middlefork to catch that bull and finish him.Could have pushed a piece of rebar threw neck,missed juglar and spine right between both.Never took shot again.My son shot his bull this year same spot in a qiuck timber shot,took him about mile and have to catch threw cliffs and all,same rifle.If you are by ear they drop like stone my Dad shot a bison that way back when..

sp6x6,
Hunting quality has definitely gone way down up there, agree on that. I have always focused on the base of the ear area for a head shot. Atlas is located right there on most mammals, humans included; that's why Tyson was such a deadly boxer. It's always worked for me.
I used to hunt in a few middle forks. The middle fork of the Flathead, quite a bit actually. A place called Skyline Creek. Logged up there at the base of the Great Bear for a couple of seasons. The Grizzly were all we had to worry about back then. I had a .340 for two seasons, before factory breaks. It kicked to damned hard, elk slayer for sure though. Like was said in a few posts earlier, it's not the size of the gun that matters as much as were the bullet goes. I have had elk absorb several well placed shots that should have killed them dead alone. I hear about African game and their will to live making our elk seem like a muley doe in comparison, I know what elk have the ability to take and it's humbling- an animals will to survive.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

sp6x6,
Hunting quality has definitely gone way down up there, agree on that. I have always focused on the base of the ear area for a head shot. Atlas is located right there on most mammals, humans included; that's why Tyson was such a deadly boxer. It's always worked for me.
I used to hunt in a few middle forks. The middle fork of the Flathead, quite a bit actually. A place called Skyline Creek. Logged up there at the base of the Great Bear for a couple of seasons. The Grizzly were all we had to worry about back then. I had a .340 for two seasons, before factory breaks. It kicked to damned hard, elk slayer for sure though. Like was said in a few posts earlier, it's not the size of the gun that matters as much as were the bullet goes. I have had elk absorb several well placed shots that should have killed them dead alone. I hear about African game and their will to live making our elk seem like a muley doe in comparison, I know what elk have the ability to take and it's humbling- an animals will to survive.

Went to Africa last spring and was not sure what to expect based on the animals reputation. I still think elk are quite tough. The one thing I did notice is the Africans had much more post death twitch. Could be dead for quite a bit and still kick you while setting up for pics.

 

[TG-5150]

Ste

Went to Africa last spring and was not sure what to expect based on the animals reputation. I still think elk are quite tough. The one thing I did notice is the Africans had much more post death twitch. Could be dead for quite a bit and still kick you while setting up for pics.

Without a doubt, the only thing in the lower 48 that has more will to live than an elk is a wolverine.
The hardest elk kill of my hunting career was a spike bull. Different folks have talked about things going wrong on this thread, I have had a couple with archery and rifle both. Have been kicked in the nards a few times too. I poke the eyeball and jab the groin with a knife because experience has taught me better.
Africa is so far out there for me, I envy anyone who can put it all together and get to go, especially the common working sportsperson. Glad you get to go back!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Ste

Without a doubt, the only thing in the lower 48 that has more will to live than an elk is a wolverine.
The hardest elk kill of my hunting career was a spike bull. Different folks have talked about things going wrong on this thread, I have had a couple with archery and rifle both. Have been kicked in the nards a few times too. I poke the eyeball and jab the groin with a knife because experience has taught me better.
Africa is so far out there for me, I envy anyone who can put it all together and get to go, especially the common working sportsperson. Glad you get to go back!

You should come with us in 2019! Gotta fill the spots next month. Will be hitting it on social media and mass emails. It is much more affordable than you think.

 

[TG-5150]

You should come with us in 2019! Gotta fill the spots next month. Will be hitting it on social media and mass emails. It is much more affordable than you think.

Not to hyjack this thread but I wouldn't be able to afford it for 3-4 yrs., wife would want and deserve to hunt as well. And we are renovating. Wyoming is it util we finish. And we just started this past fall

 

[Brad Quarnberg]

I've shot 5 bull and 4 cow elk and been involved in tracking, packing etc. in another dozen or so (also taken 8 Alaska Yukon Moose including a 64inch monster, and been involved in another dozen or so kills: they are also a tough animal)
I have shot a couple of real nice bull elk, and taken a couple with a 270WSM. It is very accurate and deadly with my hand loads with 140gr accubond bullets, but I've kept my shots around 200 yards.
My go to for elk is my 300WSM (although before the WSM's came out it was a 300 Win Mag) or my 325WSM depending on terrain etc. (also my go to Moose gun after they came out).
I now live in Germany and a few months ago got my German Hunting license.
The minimum caliber for all big game (Roe deer are not considered big game) is 6.5mm. However, within the last couple of months some areas have changed that minimum caliber to 7mm because of wounded animals. All hunting areas in Germany are owned by a lease holder or the state and require a tracking (rigorous certification process to be licensed and I'm talking about the dog) dog be available in case of wounded animals. It cuts down on the number of lost animals but it still happens and the hunter who shot it has to pay for the game animal that was lost which can be very pricey). Because of that, hunters are generally much more careful about the shot placement, distance etc. before pulling the trigger.
I have seen animals soak up the lead and keep going but after tracking them down found most of the billets to have failed (jacket separation etc.) and/or the placement not good for a quick kill.
I've hunted with hunters that routinely make 700-800 yards shots on paper at the range all day long: taking their time, dipping the wind, on a bipod or sandbags, but those aren't usual real world scenarios and when you add the adrenaline from a big animal and the heavy breathing from running 30 yards to get to the top of the hills to get the shot, most are not capable of making a good kill shot past 200 yards and have no business trying.
I've seen and/ or put down wounded animals from hunters that took very low percentage/marginal shots. We owe it to the animals we hunt to be at our best and take them cleanly or pass the shot when it's not a good one.
Caliber does have a play in it but the person behind the gun is the most important part of the equation.

 

[WY02K]

Around 40 for me. All in southern WY. The best advise I have is don't let anyone use Remington Core-Lokts. My first elk (12 yrs old) took 4 180 grainers out of a 30-06 at 80 yards in a group the size of a softball, all high heart/ lung shots. Dad finished that raghorn with a knife. The second elk (13 yrs old) was a 650# huge bodied raghorn, same gun setup. He took 9 shots between 10-30 yards. 7 to the heart/lungs and 2 to the neck. Used a knife on that one as well but wasn't necessary. After quartering him by myself, finding my friend and his family and calling off Search and Rescue that were coming to look for me I decided that elk are the toughest animals on earth and that I should only hunt with dad, no one else. Core-Lokts will only poke holes in animals, they do almost no damage! Years later and almost all success stories since my first 2 years we've come to many conclusions. Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is the best factory ammo available but you should just reload your own ammo anyways. Keep shooting until the animal is without a doubt dead. Never hunt with friends, they are only for fishing and drinking beer. Danner boots are nice until you actually use them, then they are miserable. Knives, lighters, cell phones and anything you don't want to lose should never be camo. Wyoming wind sucks. Always bring tire chains. Havalon knives are one of the best things on this planet. Elk hunting sucks. It is the most addictive thing I've ever done and possibly my favorite thing on earth.