Please talk me out of using my 45-70 for Idaho Elk next fall

[guserto4]

I'm planning a drive in basecamp hunt "out west" with a few buddies for this fall in the Salmon unit of ID. It's a hunting/maybe a little fishing/mostly "get out into that wilderness" sort of trip for us flatlanders. Given that I've spent 20 years hunting deer in the close quarters of cedar swamps / brushy terrain in upper peninsula of MI with shots no greater than 100 yds, I favor my Marlin 1895GBL 45-70 (18" barrel) with 1.5-4x scout scope. I have a Ruger MK2 30-06 22" barrel with 3-9x that I've owned for as long as I've hunted but the 45-70 just carries and shoots a little better for me, and since picking it up is the only gun I take into the deer woods. Plus if I pull the trigger the critter stops moving immediately. Recoil is of absolutely no concern shooting 325 grn Hornady Leverevolutions.

My question is this: Am I crazy to wanna go it "old timey" with the limitations of the caliber, given my own limitations and the vastness of the terrain? I have not been to this part of the country before or hunted elk and though I'm a strapping lad in his early 30's and a bowhunter I am worried that I'll be overly limiting myself by not being able to take longer shots. Even if I zero'd at 200 yds and prepared for that sort of shot, will I have much of a chance being a first timer in this part of the country?

All the rage right now is smaller, faster bullets at further ranges, and I'm thinking about doing all of the opposite.
Should I just stick with the .30-06?

 

[LCH]

Take 'em both. I always bring 2. If you feel handicapped with one, switch to the other.

 

[noharleyyet]

30-06....

 

[Ben Lamb]

45-70 kills as far as you can shoot accurately. Especially with heavier bullets.

 

[406LIFE]

Take whichever one you want. If you want the longer range, then use your 30-06. If you want the thump, take the 45-70. The gun and the kill are both just elements to the experience. If I ever get a bison tag, I'll be taking a sharps or bow for sure, not my fancy new 300WinMag. I am also building an old ML, use it on a deer, and then hang it up for the rest of its life (probably, who really knows). Again, that is about the experience of an old fashioned gun that I built being used to take an animal. If I wanted efficiency or accuracy, I'd bring out the 300.

 

[elkduds]

Take 'em both. I always bring 2. If you feel handicapped with one, switch to the other.

Carry whichever matches that day's terrain to be hunted. Still hunting timber w a lever gun is epic.
Also, shoot the 06 some before the hunt to increase your comfort level.

 

[1_pointer]

You're driving, so take both. Once you put boots on the ground you'll be able to answer the question better for your self. I've hunted around Salmon and there are areas there I've hunted where the 45-70 would not be a hinderance. But other places I've hunted the increased range of the 30-06 would be very welcome.

PS- If you've never been, that country is, in general, steeper than it looks on a map or aerial...

 

[LuketheDog]

but the 45-70 just carries and shoots a little better for me, and since picking it up is the only gun I take into the deer woods.

Talk you OUT of using the 45-70? Why? That's awesome!

 

[TimeOnTarget]

Talk you OUT of using the 45-70? Why? That's awesome!

Exactly....I wont do it!

 

[Mthuntinfool]

Take both! it would be awesome to get an elk with a classic like a 45-70, but if range is a limitation, break out the '06

 

[tim629]

take the 45-70 & 06, my bil shot his mule in the salmon zone at something like 60 yards. also find a place and work on shooting the 45-70 out farther, it'll reach you just have to lob it a bit higher

 

[HSi-ESi]

I'll echo the take both. Just don't put hard-cast lead through an elk. My brother did a kill-shot on an elk once with his .45-70. He had the Garrett 510gr hard-cast in the gun that day. It did zero damage going through the neck (elk was expiring, but it was a mercy type shot). I think the 325gr Hornady's would be fine on an elk.

So either -06 or the .45-70 will kill an elk. I'd shoot the one I shoot best.

 

[johnp]

Take the 45/70 works good on elk. Killed my first elk with a marlin 45/70 back in 1979 in what is now the nature conservancy Blackfoot initiative area by Ovando. 60 yd shot in the black timber.

 

[MJE2083]

What I think you need to do is buy yourself a Howa in 7mm-08

 

[Four22]

Don't be scared of a 45-70... I carried a rolling block rebuilt in 45-70 shooting black powder that I used for compeditive shooting to hunt mule deer in 1999. Needless to say, range time is priceless and I always carry what I'm most comfortable shooting.

My mule deer in 1999 was shot at 270 yards with a black powder propelled 45-70 utilizing iron/tang sights.

If your planning to pack a long ways, take what carries the best. My rolling block weighs in at 11.5 pounds but it made it 10 days in Wyoming

 

[Washington Hunter]

Hunt with the rifle you want to hunt with. If you were talking about something that would be a major handicap, I WOULD talk you out of it. But a 45/70? No way. Practice shooting it at 200 yards and 300 yards if you can. Make sure you have a good rangefinder and know your rifle's trajectory. As others said, bring the 30/06 as a backup rifle. I always bring two rifles anyway, on out of state hunts. Good luck. I can imagine the satisfaction you'll get if you do kill a bull with that lever action 45/70.

 

[guserto4]

I'm glad to hear that this isn't such a bad idea after all. I found a thread that indicated fairly strongly that although there are some far shots, most people shoot elk at an average of 150 yards. I have confidence in my 45-70 at 150 yards. And I do like the idea of just bringing both. I might kick myself if I leave the wrong gun back at camp, but I suppose that's better than kicking myself for leaving it back home. I do LOVE carrying the 45-70, and frankly prefer getting closer to game, whatever the species, so I'm glad to hear it's reasonable to think I can pull this off with this equipment.

On a slight tangent... what's the terrain really like in the Salmon unit? I'm researching all I can, but it's worth asking here too given terrain was part of my concern on weapons choice

 

[Madman]

Don't Do IT!

 

[Sawtooth]

As 1pointer has mentioned, the terrain in most of that Units public land is quite steep. Your 45-70 will fit in just fine amongst the thicker lodgepole and aspen areas, with shots ranging from 10-100 yards. There are some spots where cross canyon shots up to 300 yards are possible for the 06. I hunted zone 28 for several years in a row in the 90's, with good success. All of my elk were shot within 175 yards with my .270 win., but I tend to look for the dark timber when hunting elk. My hunting buddy preferred to spend more time on in more open terrain and his elk occationally shot at longer distances.

 

[guserto4]

Very very good to hear! I think coming from the Midwest I'm going to naturally tend to gravitate towards the thicker stuff anyway, so I m glad to hear I did in fact pick a decent unit for similar but different hunting feel.

Except for, ya know, this 'change in elevation' thing you guys are trying to explain to this flat lander.

Time to find some stairs to practice on