I built a 338 Lapua on a Rem 700 action specificaly to hunt Elk at 1k+ yardages and practiced and felt that I was ready for the challenge
I was hunting oout from Chama NM in the Carson National Forest. I speciffcaly wanted to hunt this one particulat mountain where the Elk could be spotted from long range and shot from long range.
The Mountain
We spotted Elk in the meadow of the photo above, but the closest shot would have benn 1750 yards I did not feel comfortable with this distance since I had no where to practice for a shot that far away. So that meant taking the horses and going up the mountain and hoping for a shot
The owner of RB Outfitters Ron Shalla took me and Wayne up the mountain that morning hoping to conect. Assoon as we got to about 10,800 feet elevation Ron heard an Elk bugle and he and Wayne started up hill on foot, after 5 or 10 minutes I heard Wayne shoot and he had a 5X5 down. After field dressing Wayne's Elk we waited for the evening hunt and at about 12:30 my nose started bleeding profusely and took abit bit to stop. At 3;30 pm we got the horses and rode to the evening observation point. I sat in ambush until about 5:30 pm and Ron said that he and Wayne were going to get the horses and go and load Waynes Elk and for me to stay put. As they started up the mountain to get the horses after going about 100 yards Wayne spotted a cow Elk and then Ron spotted the bull. Ron ran down the mountain to where I was located and said "come quick there isd a Bull in the trees. I gathered up my rifle and hightailed it. I didn't see the Elk at first and asked where is the Bull, Ron's said on the right> I didn't see the Bull untill I raised my rifle and looked through my scope which was still set on 10X. I emediately put the crosshair tight behind the shoulder at about 150 yardes and let fly a 300 grain SMK. That was the first time that I had fired that rifle freehand and the shot landed perfectly. I had my Bull the first day of the hunt.
some of the damage created by the 300 SMK
the lungs
I was hunting oout from Chama NM in the Carson National Forest. I speciffcaly wanted to hunt this one particulat mountain where the Elk could be spotted from long range and shot from long range.
The Mountain
We spotted Elk in the meadow of the photo above, but the closest shot would have benn 1750 yards I did not feel comfortable with this distance since I had no where to practice for a shot that far away. So that meant taking the horses and going up the mountain and hoping for a shot
The owner of RB Outfitters Ron Shalla took me and Wayne up the mountain that morning hoping to conect. Assoon as we got to about 10,800 feet elevation Ron heard an Elk bugle and he and Wayne started up hill on foot, after 5 or 10 minutes I heard Wayne shoot and he had a 5X5 down. After field dressing Wayne's Elk we waited for the evening hunt and at about 12:30 my nose started bleeding profusely and took abit bit to stop. At 3;30 pm we got the horses and rode to the evening observation point. I sat in ambush until about 5:30 pm and Ron said that he and Wayne were going to get the horses and go and load Waynes Elk and for me to stay put. As they started up the mountain to get the horses after going about 100 yards Wayne spotted a cow Elk and then Ron spotted the bull. Ron ran down the mountain to where I was located and said "come quick there isd a Bull in the trees. I gathered up my rifle and hightailed it. I didn't see the Elk at first and asked where is the Bull, Ron's said on the right> I didn't see the Bull untill I raised my rifle and looked through my scope which was still set on 10X. I emediately put the crosshair tight behind the shoulder at about 150 yardes and let fly a 300 grain SMK. That was the first time that I had fired that rifle freehand and the shot landed perfectly. I had my Bull the first day of the hunt.
some of the damage created by the 300 SMK
the lungs
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