Elk rifle minimum question.

[Raypo]

This like Ford or Chevy type of conversation or what broadness to use. In my opinion, it’s borderline. I’ve killed many elk and a perfect broadside shot with good placement would probably be fine. However a not so good shot or frontal might not be. Elk are so tough. I’ll just say if I had a client make a non-fatal shot on an elk and used an undersized cartridge, I would say, “well yeah, you should of used a larger caliber”. My humble opinion only.

Shot placement always sounds good until your heart is pounding at 200 beats per minute and you can see the breathe of a 900lbs monster.

[175gr7.62]

My Dad lives lives in Montrose. He said all the locals can tell where all the other hunters are from just by asking what round they are shooting. 270/308/243...they are locals that kill elk every year. 300 Win Mag/RUM Weatherby.....they be from Texas...

[Arrowthreat]

Good friend of mine just got back from New Mexico. They lost an Elk with a .338 Lapua. Bad shot placement. Personally I've never shot an elk, but with any animal shot placement is key.

[ramrod]

My Dad lives lives in Montrose. He said all the locals can tell where all the other hunters are from just by asking what round they are shooting. 270/308/243...they are locals that kill elk every year. 300 Win Mag/RUM Weatherby.....they be from Texas...

Some of us would rather bring a gun to a knife fight then the other way around.

[175gr7.62]

Some of us would rather bring a gun to a knife fight then the other way around.

Totally up to you what you shoot.....but when the guys that kill elk every year for 20-30 years shoot a 243 or a 308.....maybe you really aren't in a knife fight.

[billfromtx]

I hear tell if crazy folks killing elk with a bow and arrow!😂👍

[Jspradley]

You'll be fine. They are big but they aren't that big.

Get a high quality, heavy bullet and put it where it should go.

[GarrettH]

My great uncle knocked down well over 20 in his time with a Savage 250-3000

[44mAG]

I know everyone is saying smaller calibers. I went with a long-time outfitter out of Wyoming this year, and after a few decade of experience, he will not allow anything under 30 cal in his camp. 300 Win Mag is his preference. Now, this is most likely due to the fact that a lot of people can't shoot. He said he lost count of the number of bulls they have lost wounded to 7 mags. I personally believe you can easily kill an elk with smaller calibers, but when you are talking about possibly a once in a lifetime hunt, then my caliber is the last thing I want to be worrying about.

[cgny27]

My Dad lives lives in Montrose. He said all the locals can tell where all the other hunters are from just by asking what round they are shooting. 270/308/243...they are locals that kill elk every year. 300 Win Mag/RUM Weatherby.....they be from Texas...

pretty sure your dad just became my best friend...Telluride is the most amazing little ski town/resort in the land...and I use to live in Lake Tahoe...I'll take that area of Colorado ANY day!!! Lucky dude!!

[bphillips]

I know everyone is saying smaller calibers. I went with a long-time outfitter out of Wyoming this year, and after a few decade of experience, he will not allow anything under 30 cal in his camp. 300 Win Mag is his preference. Now, this is most likely due to the fact that a lot of people can't shoot. He said he lost count of the number of bulls they have lost wounded to 7 mags. I personally believe you can easily kill an elk with smaller calibers, but when you are talking about possibly a once in a lifetime hunt, then my caliber is the last thing I want to be worrying about.

Not sure I would trust a guy that told me I could use a 30-06 but not a 28nosler

[TacticalCowboy]

I’d go bigger.

[lodgepole]

I know everyone is saying smaller calibers. I went with a long-time outfitter out of Wyoming this year, and after a few decade of experience, he will not allow anything under 30 cal in his camp. 300 Win Mag is his preference. Now, this is most likely due to the fact that a lot of people can't shoot. He said he lost count of the number of bulls they have lost wounded to 7 mags. I personally believe you can easily kill an elk with smaller calibers, but when you are talking about possibly a once in a lifetime hunt, then my caliber is the last thing I want to be worrying about.

Really 0.284 vs. .300 makes that much of a difference? Come on man.

Shot placement first, good projectile second, caliber last...mostly. Don’t shoot a .22.


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[tanto]

Not sure I would trust a guy that told me I could use a 30-06 but not a 28nosler

No kidding. Or a 30-30 over a 7mm wby, 7 stw, 7 LRM. The list goes on.


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[44mAG]

Really 0.284 vs. .300 makes that much of a difference? Come on man.

Shot placement first, good projectile second, caliber last...mostly. Don’t shoot a .22.

Again, this is not me, a one-time elk hunter talking. This is from one of the top outfitters in Wyoming with hundred of elk killed under him. I just thought it was a good data point for the OP. I think basically what he preferred is a 300 win mag over a 7mm-08, 7mm mag, .243, .270. etc. I am sure he would be fine with some of the custom juiced-up rounds.

I personally killed my elk using a 300 Win Mag shooting 180 gr Nosler Accubonds. But, I shoot my 300 Win Mag for whitetail when I am hunting my target buck, so I didn't have any thinking involved.