2004 MT bull

[cmiddleton]

I'm shooting a 300 win mag with 180 gr i have shot 3 elk with it and they all dropped so fast i didn't see them go down.
its bullit placement stick it behind there ear and they never take a step.
wasn't to good on my 4x4 bull this year broke the skull plate but he didn't go anywhere he never herd the gun go off.
I hunt by hog park in your neck of the woods and the long shots have been 80 yards.
thick timber over there

 

[JoseCuervo]

Hey Buzz,

Congrats on the nice 4x. That is actually a pretty good bull for a 4x.

The 7mm is adequate for Elk, the .300Winnie is better, and the 338 is even better. Kinda funny how when you fling a bigger bullet at an elk out of the same case, it works better... But I don't think anybody on this board has shot enough elk, under enough controlled circumstances to make decisions based upon field performance.

And I hate to see comments advocating "shoot them behind the ear" garbage. Unless of course CMMiddleton is referring to the Front Shoulder as being "behind the ear". I would hate to know how many of the "behind the ear" shots have missed by 3 inches and blown off the lower jaw, resulting in no blood trail, and an animal that will starve to death. :MAD :BLEEP:

 

[jerrym]

ELkgunner you were reading my mind. This year while hunting I had a cow give me the headbob like a whitetail trying to figure out what I was. That would not have been the time for a head shot. Your margin of error is pretty small, guys that can do it are better shots then me. JerryM

 

[BuzzH]

Jigmaker,

Sorry to disagree, but I wouldnt shoot hornady bullets at big-game if I was paid to shoot them.

The jackets are chicken skinned and the velocity of the 7 mag combined with heavy boned critters like elk would create situations I'd rather not get involved in. Been there, done that, and its no fun. I rank hornady bullets slightly better than a sierra, but really its a coin flip as to which one is worse on game. That elk was dead after the first nosler passed through his lungs, elk are just tough, and I dont take chances. The difference with the 338 is a bigger wound channel, more tissue damage, more penetration, and the ability to break bones. I've never seen anything work better on elk than a 338 and 250 grain noslers.

I should have just stuck with the 338 and this just proves what I already know, the sub-30 caliber rifles just dont perform on elk like the 30's and up do. I dont expect them to either, but I just wanted to get familiar with the new rifle.

Nothing wrong with the 7, it shoots great, and I'll kill a pile of Wyoming mule deer with it...I'll just leave it at home when elk hunting. Its a great deer rifle for sure.

I do use hornady bullets for practice bullets though, they're cheap.

 

[cmiddleton]

elk gunner none have ever taken a step and i have never missed a elk. coyotes thats another story, 80 yards is the longest shots possable and if you can't hit a elks head at 80 yards you better stop shooting at them.
i have never taken a head shot at a moving elk and accully have never had to take a lung shot but have trailed elk shot in the lungs or neck for miles.
every elk i have shot never took a step.i had a cow go down so fast i almost shot at anouther elk thinking it was her but i decided i had better check first. glad i did
after shooting as many coyote as i do a elk is no challange to hit right where i'm aiming. i sight my 300 dead on at 100yrds and it puts them right where the crosshairs are.
cuss all you wont if you don't have the confedence to make the shot don't take it.
why does everyone here have to be so critical all the time.
elk gunner go back to the range and learn to shoot and maybe when you grow up you can make the shot too.
don't do it with a 270 weatherby mag though i saw one shot dead between the eyes stay on his feet. for 20 yards

 

[JoseCuervo]

I hunt by hog park in your neck of the woods and the long shots have been 80 yards. thick timber over there

elk gunner none have ever taken a step and i have never missed a elk. coyotes thats another story, 80 yards is the longest shots possable and if you can't hit a elks head at 80 yards you better stop shooting at them.
i have never taken a head shot at a moving elk and accully have never had to take a lung shot but have trailed elk shot in the lungs or neck for miles.
every elk i have shot never took a step.i had a cow go down so fast i almost shot at anouther elk thinking it was her but i decided i had better check first. glad i did
after shooting as many coyote as i do a elk is no challange to hit right where i'm aiming. i sight my 300 dead on at 100yrds and it puts them right where the crosshairs are.
cuss all you wont if you don't have the confedence to make the shot don't take it.
why does everyone here have to be so critical all the time.
elk gunner go back to the range and learn to shoot and maybe when you grow up you can make the shot too.
don't do it with a 270 weatherby mag though i saw one shot dead between the eyes stay on his feet. for 20 yards

Wow!!! I didn't know you were that incredible of a shot!! Must be that "X-Ray" vision you have that allows you to have "80 yard shots in thick timber". Maybe your timber is different than our timber, but in "thick timber" you don't get much for 80 yard shots at stationary elk heads. Unless you just take "sound shots"... |oo

Congrats on the superior marksmanship, I think you must rank right up there with Annie Oakley. hump But just out of curiousity, if you are just taking 80 yard shots, and placing the bullet behind the ear, why would you need a .300?

 

[scarbs]

This is my first post as I just signed up. I moved up from a 7 Mag to a .338 after a good shoulder shot with the 7mm led me on the trail to find the big guy.......this hasn't happened after changing to the 338.
On another note, does anyone know of a website or link where a guy can contact hunters in other locations who might be willing to trade hunting and/or fishing trips?
I am located on the Oregon coast and would love to trade with someone who would like a salmon trip in the summer or a Roosevelt Elk hunting experience in the fall. I am especially interested in hunting elk in any place west of the Mississippi.
Thanks all!
Scarbs