How many elk have you been a part of killing?

[Predator 22]

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.

One thing I will add to that is if you shoot a animal, no matter what it is, coyote to elk, reload and stay on target for a minute or two. I've seen elk shot perfectly get up. And good boots are worth double their weight in gold. Elk hunting does suck and I look forward to it from the day after season ends.

 

[Battering Ram]

I have been hunting elk in Idaho since I was 12 years old. I'm on the far side of 43 now. I did not get my first elk until I was 17 years old. I think it took me that long to learn a little more about elk hunting. Since then I have only gone three years without getting an elk.

I started hunting with a 270. After a few years, and one heck of a tough old cow, I moved up to a 7mm. 7 years ago I set up a 300 RUM because my hunting changed to cross canyon shooting for elk in the
Timber. The 7mm was stretched to it's limits in my opinion and I DO NOT like losing elk. I have not looked back since.

My two sons started hunting with a 270s. Between the two of them they have harvested 9 elk since 2010.

One thing that has always rang true with me and elk hunting with a .270 and 7mm is to break leg bones. I have learned it's better to put one down and get another shot into it, then to get a lung shot and take a chance on the elk getting away. I hate to see them suffer, but I hate worse to lose one after shooting it.

Elk are very tough and sometimes it's hard to tell if they were even hit because they hardly flinch at all. Since using my RUM I have shot 6 elk and not one of them has required a second shot. My farthest to date, with this caliber, is 586 yards. One of the years I didn't get an elk was the last year I had 7mm. I'm proficient with it at 700 plus yards. I had a nice bull ranged at 709 yards. I was by my self and I chose not to shoot because I believed if I had hit it, but did t drop it right there, then there was a huge risk of me losing him in the timber. I believe in the 1500 Ftlb rule for elk as I've witnessed time and again elk being hard to kill.

I do believe there is something to be said about an "elk caliber". That is all relevant, in my opinion, to how far away one is from an elk and shot placement.

This year my wife shot a nice cow at 199 yards with a 7mm-08. I heard the bullet hit, but didn't see the elk flinch at all. She ran about 30 yards with the rest of the heard. She stopped and as my wife was getting ready to pull the trigger again, the elk fell. Seconds later she was dead. The shot placement was behind the shoulder, through the lungs. That's her picture above with her "unicorn hunting rifle".

In the end I would suggest to anybody to shoot a heavier caliber with premium bullets. That's just my opinion and I'm know there are many others out there with a ton more experience than I have.

I like reading these forums, because, like every hunting trip, I still learn new things.

 

[Elkkhunter]

6 Bulls myself, another 3 have been with my hunting party. My hunts, Oregon Rockies:
Could have taken more, but difficulty in getting non resident tags really slows things down, took only been on 3 hunts in last 14 years. Hunt hard, hunt smart.

(1) 300 Weatherby (3 pt) 100 yards running, headshot, still ran down hill
another 100 yards

(2) 300 Weatherby (5 pt). Started at 50 yards in brush, finally dropped him at 200 yards

(3) 7mm (5 pt) 60 yards

(4) 338 WM (Spike) 40 yards in brush

(5) 338 WM (Spike) 350 yards running

(6) 338LM (5 pt) 650 yards

 

[Country Bumpkin]

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.

Post story when you return, and pics, please

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I've only killed 3, been a part of another 10, so I'm mostly learning from you guys in this thread, so thanks to all contributors.

Of you folks that have personally killed more than 10, with a rifle, what bullet do you currently prefer (assuming that you probably feel that you have found an ideal recipe for success)?

I shot my first raghorn with a bow (frontal, he went 60 yards down a steep hill - I studied a lot of anatomy threads to be confident with that shot; and just ungulate anatomy from a LOT of whitetails). My first rifle raghorn was a 190 VLD in 300 WM. This year I switched to 7RM shooting Barnes 139 LRX or 150 TTSX.

We have never lost an elk that was hit (missed one - dialing error from earlier in the day), but we also subscribe to the mentality of shoot 'til they are dead, for Certain! I have seen them soak up some hits, my first raghorn took 2 to the lungs, one brisket and one spine. Tough beasts. This year my bull, nice mature 6-pt took a high lung that dropped him. He struggled back to his feet and I hit him again same spot. That put him down for good. I stayed in the scope for several minutes just to be sure.

 

[26Reload]

i have taken a good amount of elk myself with rifles and bows....we got two last season and I had forgotten the golden rule...dont shoot more in a day than you have back for..............i hurt for a long time after that...
One season there were several drawn tags and landowner tags at the same ranch.....all the elk were stretched over the ridge from the ranch house...we all spread out and covered the hillside like locusts.......after the first couple shots those elk rang smack into each hunter on the ridge trying to escape....i think that morning was tallied at 9 down....it was he'll getting all those out...
It was fun...but the hanging room was full as was the walk in refer....elk everywhere....we waited a few days to go again.....

 

[Eagle eyes 17]

180gr. 30-06 brings home the big bulls Everytime.

 

[memtb]

I went 10 to 20, and, probably passed on at least that many.....hoping for the "big one"!

In "rereading" the original post....I should've gone with 20 to 30. I didn't consider those taken with my wife! memtb

 

[1Moose]

I've taken 7 elk (all bulls). Six with .50 cal muzzleloader shooting 300 grain Thor all copper bullets and one with 300 WM shooting 185 Berger HVLD. The first elk I shot (50 cal) required a follow up shot as he got up. The one I shot with the 300 WM had me worried because he ran when hit but turned out he only went 30 yards or so and fell right out of sight. The only other runner was the bull I shot at somewhere under 40 yards. He ran ~40 yards but had me all kinds of worried I screwed something up as I was caught getting up (convinced I needed to relocate and he appeared!) and shooting from a very awkward position. Indeed I hit him pretty far back but still got the lungs.

The muzzleloader has proven to kill well, but I hate not having an immediate follow up shot ready. That's stressful but mitigated somewhat by taking the right shots. There have been times a quick follow up would have been easy with a scoped rifle (and quicker kill) even though they didn't move far.

 

[RevJim]

Three cows for me, never had a legal bull in front of me when I had a bull tag! Several "huge, 340+" around me when cow hunting late season, ha. Was with guys on 2 more cows and one big spike. I shot my first cow, running at 135 steps, 30-06/180 Hornady Light Mags. My 2nd was with a .375 H&H/300 Sierra @ 200, and last one was right at 250yds with 338WM/185 Barnes XLC. My SIL lost a cow in archery ( hit too high, above the lungs/under spine.) and a friend just clipped another cow low leg.
I had a 300 RUM/200AB made up for my Marine SILs return from his 2nd tour/Iraq, 2004. He put a Husqemaw (sp?) on it, 5.5x20I think.He took a big cow a tad over 440yds. One shot, tight behind the shoulder, all the way through with big chunks of tissue in the snow. I plan on just borrowing it if I draw out a late season cow where I can shoot a ways. I have a friend who uses a .308/150 corlokts on everything and another who uses a Mod 700 .270/ Federal 150 Fusions. Myself, I like to thump them hard, ha. I then shoot "all the wiggle" out of them.