well lets get it going!
tell us about the ELK hunting
I do mine in Colorado on public land walkin and out 2-6 miles each day

looking forward to reading about your ELK hunts

I apologize for possibly taking this thread off on a tangent, but I would be most interested in knowing what your favorite elk hunting cartridge and load is for the elk hunting you do. Elk hunting takes place in a wide variety of habitats, so needs vary.

My current favorite calibers and loads are 30/06 with a 220 bullet and near maximun load of H-4831SC and 444 Marlin with a 300 grain WFN bullet from either Beartooth or Cast Performance in front of healthy dose of H-322.

As you can guess, most of my hunting is in the timber, but either of these loads can reach out to 200 yards if necessary. Although, I can count on one finger the number of elk I've shot a that distance or farther.

wyonative and wolverine I hunt in Nothern Idaho around Orofino and we hunt the heavy stuff and often get a chance to shoot several hundred yards across a canyon or meadow.

Been crippled up for the last few years so do some road hunting combined with just finding a place I can sit and watch. Let the young bucks stir up the elk and get them moving. havn't had as much luck as when I could climb over the hills, but still manage to fill my tag once in a while.

I shoot a Remington 8mm Mag. a carryover from living in Alaska with a 220 grain Sierra boattail at 2950 across my chrono. Longest shot was 300 yards. Nice Spike that stopped and posed for me. I simply could not let an elk that stupid go on to mess up the gene pool.

I hunt around the edges of Dwarshak Lake, either on the Pierce/Headquarters side or the East side. Does not seem to be as many elk as was 20 years ago, but that could be due to my limited mobility.

I don't really hunt for the meat any more. I just like to get out on the woods and be with my son an grandaughters. Filling my tag is just icing on the cake.

Hunted Colorado in the Debec area NE of Grand Junction in the late '80's. Managed to get a nice 6x6 that still carried a broadhead under the skin on his right shoulder blade. Used a Ruger M77 7mm Rem Mag with 160 gr Nosler Partitions for that one.

Now, hunt elk here in Arizona up on the Mogellon Rim north of Payson. Last bull was a 7x6 that went down with a 30-06 using 180 gr Hornady Interlock. Last cow was taken with a 7x57mm AI with 162 gr Hornady Interlock.

Elk moving through black timber at a distance is difficult hunting - every one I've taken have been across a canyon and stopped to peek around. Only close ones were moving fast and of the wrong sex for my tag.

Like faucettb, I'm older now and can't take the hill and dale as 30 - 40 years ago. Either a horse takes me to where I want to go, or I find a perch with a nice rest and wait'um out.

I hunt locally, in the Snowy Range of SE Wyoming, about 40 miles West of Laramie. I can hunt out of the house in town but usually work out of a small cabin on the East edge of the Snowies. That saves me 45 min. of driving each morning.

There are lots of roads and two-tracks in these mountains but those who are willing to pay the price can get into some pretty rough country. Without horses even a mile from the nearest road is a long way to pack out an elk on your back...five trips usually.

I try to get into the roughest, thickest places I can find. In 12 years I have never had a shot opportunity longer than about 125 yds. with 50 - 80 yds. being the norm.

So far I have taken eight elk with Rem. 700 rifles wearing 4X or 2.5X (on the Whelen), fixed-power scopes. Calibers were 280 Rem., '06, and 35 Whelen. All have performed just fine and I've never lost an elk. Ammo was various brands of non-premium fodder except for one with the Whelen (Fed. 225 gr. Trophy Bonded Bearclaw).

Okay, I missed a raghorn at about 25 yards shooting offhand at the smallest part of the neck (adam's apple). Add that to the mountain of data that proves the trigger should be squeezed, not jerked!

Finally, the elk gave me time off in 2004. Guess they figured my 58 year old legs and back needed a rest. Already dreaming about 2005.

I hunt in the Flattops Wilderness in Colorado, about 45 miles South of Hayden. My outfitter, J.C. Trujillo is a former rodeo world champion, thus I know I'll always have a good and safe mount.

We sleep in a heated bunkhouse and have meals and recreation in their small ranch house. I could only get a cow tag last year and filled this license only two hours into the first day.

I'm looking forward to applying for an either sex license this year. I used to use a 300 H&H but this year I will use my new Axtell 1877 Sharps rifle in 45-90.

wyonative and wolverine I hunt in Nothern Idaho around Orofino and we hunt the heavy stuff and often get a chance to shoot several hundred yards across a canyon or meadow.

Been crippled up for the last few years so do some road hunting combined with just finding a place I can sit and watch. Let the young bucks stir up the elk and get them moving. havn't had as much luck as when I could climb over the hills, but still manage to fill my tag once in a while.

I shoot a Remington 8mm Mag. a carryover from living in Alaska with a 220 grain Sierra boattail at 2950 across my chrono. Longest shot was 300 yards. Nice Spike that stopped and posed for me. I simply could not let an elk that stupid go on to mess up the gene pool.

I hunt around the edges of Dwarshak Lake, either on the Pierce/Headquarters side or the East side. Does not seem to be as many elk as was 20 years ago, but that could be due to my limited mobility.

I don't really hunt for the meat any more. I just like to get out on the woods and be with my son an grandaughters. Filling my tag is just icing on the cake.

I've spent some time around Dworshak hunting elk, mostly Smith Ridge area, and it was good hunting until the winter of 95/96 I think it was. Big dump trapped a bunch of elk and F&G estimates approx. 50% winter kill in that area, if I remember correctly. Of course, you probably know that the bear population is (was?) quite healthy too, and a F&G study determined that up to 65% of elk calves we being whacked by predators. And lastly, the clear cuts in the area are maturing so not as conducive to a healthy elk population for several reasons. So, it's not your imagination that there are fewer elk.

Good hunting.

Well I hunt the Snowys myself the Platte River Wilderness to be exact. I use a Marlin 1895GG with 300 grain laser cast bullet with 43 1/2 grains of RE 7

Muzzell,
I would like to hunt WY someday, either for mule deer, or for moose. I got my "lifetime" (they've changed the rules this year on that) Idaho moose in 2003; a nice "almost 40-incher" (39.5). Best eating animal I've had so far, except possibly antelope. I know I'll get some raised eyebrows on that statement, but I've shot 3 antelope in my life, and all were excellent. All three were taken to a river skinned out, rope tied to foot, and thrown in the river to cool out for 30 minutes. Some people I've talked to said their antelope wasn't fit for a dog (and some dogs actually wouldn't eat it). While I think feed has something to do with it, how you take care of the carcass after the kill has more to do with it, IMO. If you drag an open carcass through the dirt and sagebrush, I don't think it should be a surprise if the taste is off.

I haven't had a bad tasting elk yet, some were tough, but the flavor was always good.

Family never did care for antelope meat unless it was BBQ'd or jerked. It's a sweeter meat and some don't cotton to the taste. Think it's akin to goat, no matter what the fish and game folks say. It and a goat are the only clove hoofed animals with gall bladders and they eat about the same, so they're goats, to me.

The one and only moose I ever shot was a young bull that was the most tasty critter ever brought home. In fact, the wife and kids encouraged me to go get another! Very tender and mild flavored. Another fellow on that hunt shot a big bull on the day we flew out, so there wasn't time to hang and age the meat. Got cut up and frozen as soon as we got home. He and his family couldn't stand to stay in the house when it was cooking, stunk so bad! Guess the bull was in full rut when shot.

Never met an elk that wasn't good eating. Sure wish I could get drawn again here for another one. Think I'll put in for cow this coming draw and see if my chances improve.

First time ever elk hunting 2004 Gunnison Co.,Electric Mtn.area we took the meat to the locker in Peyonia,good folks. 5 men in camp 1 nice muley4x5,210# dressed,1cow 1nice bull 5x6.I had a poor shot at a nice muley didn't take the shot.I'm a 46yr.old flatlander and there were times I was huffin'& puffin like an old steam train. One of the best experiances of my life! I am totally hooked and will continue as long as the Lord lets me.

I've heard people are very particular about the hanging time of game animals. I've never insisted upon a certain time (I always take it to a meat cutter as I hate the job) and it usually ends up being 1-2 weeks. There aren't very many meat cutters from year to year (and sometimes none) in my area, and I beg some of the local grocery meat cutters to do it on their off-time, but most of them are hunters too, so it's always a stressful time for me wondering if I'm going to have to bite the bullet and do it myself, and often the weather is such that hanging it in my garage is iffy, temperature wise. So, I have plans to build a walk-in cooler on the north side of my house this summer so at least that part is taken care of.

It's getting more difficult to draw an elk tag in my area; tag numbers have steadily been reduced (have to feed the wolves, you know). It used to be that you could put in for a bull tag first choice, and cow tag second choice and be assured that you would draw one or the other. Not any more. I can't complain too much though as I don't think I've had to buy beef for 6-8 years now between elk, moose, antelope, and deer (haven't had to resort to coyote yet!).

Used to have a fair chance of drawing elk tags here - up 'til about 15 years ago. So many folks invaded the state from Calif and back east and the hunting areas have shrunk with population buildout that it was getting next to impossible to draw a tag, even with bonus points.

Then, US Outfitters sued the state over the practice of limiting non-res's draws to 10% of total tags. A liberal fed judge here agreed it was crimping their style and interstate commerce with guiding services (they are located in New Mexico) and forced the state to open up the drawings to more non-res permits. Now, an elk permit is a rare commodity, indeed for residents.

Can always get on the waiting list for a permit on the Indian reservations, but most have a 5 year wait and the prices start around 15K, plus the mandatory hiring of one of their native guides. Some tags are up around the 45K figure.

[QUOTE=kdub]Then, US Outfitters sued the state over the practice of limiting non-res's draws to 10% of total tags. A liberal fed judge here agreed it was crimping their style and interstate commerce with guiding services (they are located in New Mexico) and forced the state to open up the drawings to more non-res permits. Now, an elk permit is a rare commodity, indeed for residents.QUOTE]

I read about that suit. I think this could have repercussions everywhere. I don't know if the state can just simply raise out of state tag prices to help even things out or not??? Of course, with more and more people that money is no object, maybe there would be no effect.

Beautiful country down there. I did a project within the last two years at Eager and drove both from Tucson and Phoenix on trips, up through the Show Low area. Sure looks elky, and elk warning signs are abundant, and AZ has a reputation for producing some biggies.

Federal Load No. P300WA1
Factory Primer No. 215
Caliber 300 Win. Magnum
Bullet Weight Grains / Grams 180 / 11.66
Bullet style Nosler AccuBond


I hunt above Meeker on Public land-lots of Elk
lots of Mule deer

great scenery too

usually get a draw tag- but if needed get OTC
last season 8 hunters in 7 Elk out to locker good odds I think!

Pop took me elk hunting when I was about 6 years old and I've been hooked since!!!! He was a guide in the Bob Marshall for about 25 years. His last trip was in 1975 when I was 15. We went in through Montour and down to Frying Pan Flats where we set up camp. Although we were just fishing I will remember that trip for as long as I live.He took me to all the places he used to go back in the day. I've never caught so many fish or seen so much beutiful country. That was also the first time I heard a bull elk bugle and man it was close. My hair stood on end so hard it about pushed my hat off my head.
I grew up around elk hunters and found them to be a very generous breed, always ready to lend a hand when the work started. Whether it was with a stout back or a horse you can usually count on some help. They usually don't like to give away their favorite hunting spot until you get the privalage of helping pack one out of it. Even then you are jokingly threatened with death if you tell anybody where you went. It's ok to take your sons or daughters to that spot but no one else.
I grew up in Montana but have since "had" to move to Colorado where the elk hunting is about the same. Most of the elk hunters are the same too but there are a few exceptions. My oldest son's first elk hunt was ruined by some nimrods on 4 wheelers who were more interested in "guiding" than hunting. (Ranching for wildlife has made some people greedy.) His elk was just about to cross the fence on to some BLM land where we were hunting when they drove up laughing and yelling and spooked the elk into the next state. But as we elk hunters do we didn't give up and after some favors here and there (no money changed hands) we've got some real good places to go now.
My oldest son's elk is bigger than mine but then I think that has more to do with the guide! He's started to go elk hunting with his friends now which means he's about grown up. I know he'll do his part to keep the spirit alive. I guess Pop raised me pretty good because its always been about getting outside and being with ole Ma Nature instead of always killing an elk. (except when some knucklehead roars up on his 4 wheeler)
Oh, by the way, my favorite elk rifle/gun is the one I happen to be carrying at the time. 30-06,7 mm Rem mag, 35 Whelen,50 cal muzzle loader, 300 RUM, 358 Win, 44 mag wheelgun or a sharp stick with feathers on it.
Keep your powder dry and when you go afield take the kids!!!

Recoil Junky,

You are certainly right on two issues:

1) elk and elk hunting are good for the soul. Besides my family, I get no greater satisfaction from life that to be out there chasing elk. Never mind that I sometimes only get one chance a season at a bull, although in the past few years, I have had the opportunity to hunt cows as well.

2) elk hunter are generally a very generous bunch. I have had complete strangers, upon seeing blood on my boots and pant legs, offer to help me pack out an elk that I have recently killed. When I have offered to share the meat, they simply said that if I were ever in the same situation as them, to do the same.

It's nearly time to apply for permits. The scheming and dreaming now begins in earnest.

well folks according to the game management map most of the NW and Mid west areas of Colorado are CWD units-
are you still going to hunt? :confused:

I will be there

I hunted Deer and Elk in CWD units the last 2 years.

It's not that big a deal, just have um tested, Once you have the results, defrost the quarters, and butcher normally.

As a group we've had 1 out of 10 deer come back positive.

Get out there and enjoy

Nate

A Wyoming state vet told me the risk to humans is minimal to zero. He sees the biggest threat of CWD to be the possibility (very unlikely, though) that it could spread to the point of wiping out the resource or at least ruining out hunting.

Here's my take:

1. don't shoot at any animal that behaves oddly or doesn't appear to be in tip top fitness

2. wear protective gloves and avoid spine, brain, and eye tissue when field dressing

3. bone out the meat

4. cook meat (no steak tartar, no Rocky Mtn. sushi)

Beyond that, I'm going to be out there hunting as hard as I can.

I think CWD has always been around. It's just the fact that people had to start raising their own elk for profit that made it come out of the closet. Just like every thing else these days if you can make a buck doing it some bueraucrat will find a way to ruin it for you. Not that I'm exactly in favor of commercializing elk farming.
I hunt in CWD areas also and we don't worry about it too much. We have the heads tested but usually get the meat cut up before the results get back. I think naumann is 110% correct in his thinking about havesting an animal. I might even be so bold as to add that I might even put a deer or elk down if it was acting sickly just to put it out of it's misery.
I did have a "friendly " discusion one day with my game warden buddy up by Chinook MT after he "caught " me shooting a three legged doe about a week after season had ended. He had to agree with me about the humanity of it but according to his rule book I could have been pinched for taking the inevitable long, drawn out and painful suffering out of the equasion. Granted the poor old girl wasn't too far from tipping over anyway. Me and Ben plan on hunting just the same as we always have. It wont' matter much to me if I get one just so long as we have agood time and get to"put the sneak" on some elk. If one happens to be "comin' right for me" I will have to defend myself.
Just saw the new Federal ammo add in American Hunter. "One shot stopping" pretty catchy!

My sister & hubby always want me to come hunt on farmer friend's land along the South Platte in Washington/Morgan County in NE Colo., but that is prime CWD area. Besides, the state really hiked the non-res license fees!

Understand if you don't mess with the brains or nervous system (spinal cord), you should be OK. Good idea to wear rubber gloves and clean up immediately afterwards with soap and water. Better yet, talk your buddy into cleaning it for you! :D

I guess we have have two or three confirmed cases of CWD in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming. Have not been too concerned with it yet up here. Was a little concerned when going to school in Laramie about shooting a deer or elk with it but never had a chance on a elk and the two deer came back fine.

I hunt in what is the Shonhone National Forest. Near where I live once you get on the forest you are pretty close to where the washaki wilderness starts. I have never really had the chance to hunt elk without either having to walk in or ride in to base camp. The elk hunting is excellant up here if you know the country. Chances to get a 350 plus class bull are very easy if you take the time and hunt the areas throughly, I mean not go up for a day and come back. I would go out for three to four days and find the elk and then spike out until I could get close enough to them without spooking them to find the bulls. Always has seemed to work.

If you guys ever get a chance, Put in for area 61 type 1 or 2, 62 type 1 or if you feel really lucky area 58 type 1 (25 permits) but there are bulls there that will go 390 plus.

I do my hunting in northern Utah. So far I have only taken a couple cows, the odds of drawing a limited entry bull tag here are about the same as the odds of getting hit by lightning while winning the lottery (no, we dont have a lottery here.....). Im a magnum junky, I took the first with a model 70 featherweight in .300 win mag, and the last with a 70 featherweight in 7wsm. Both longer shots than I should have taken, but it ended well both times, so what the heck. Cant get my wife to eat the meat (bambi syndrom), but I like it. I have a freezer full of New Mexico white sands Oryx right now. Tastes as good as Elk anyday! Now that was a fun (and expensive) hunt!
That reminds me, its time to put in for another cow tag......... :cool:








well lets get it going!
tell us about the ELK hunting
I do mine in Colorado on public land walkin and out 2-6 miles each day

looking forward to reading about your ELK hunts

Welcome to the board, fnfnc - Please be sure to check in on all the other forums and join in.

Yes - it's getting tough for residents to get tags in the states with the draw system. During the off season, the rascals seem to be everywhere. Don't know why the G&F have to be so stingy with the tags! :p

Still waiting to hear the results of our draw - not due to hear until the end of July/1st of Aug.

Montana residents surely pay to liive here; low wages, 6 month winters,etc. But....we still have over the counter elk tags for residents. And in some areas a 2nd tag for a cow is available over the counter so You can REALLY fill a freezer with TWO.

I hunt a very unique area with a large elk herd. The terrain varies from rolling praires and large irrigated hayfields to very arid or mountainous terrain. Most of it is the property of five very large Ranches who limit access to a reasonable degree.

If I'm in the timber I've used .44 mag pistol/.454 Freedom Arms or even my .375 H&H M70. Taken them in the timber and coulees at 15 yds or out to 100 yds at times.

In the irrigated fields the .300 H&H with 180 NP's at 3000. Or my .280 Rem/.280 AI 40 with 150 NP's at 3000+ fps. Shots can run as far as you feel you can connect. Though I've never fired at any if the first digit in the rangefinder is a "4". The average is on the long side of 300 yds. Years ago when I was using the .375 for most of my shooting I took three bulls in the 300-350 yd range with 300 Sierras at 2450 fps, all very cleanly too. Have a .338-06 M70 that I like very much. It gave me my best bull with a 225 NP at 2550 fps.

Elk hunting can be one of the most satisfying as well as the most irritating of endeavors. Still look forward to it though each year. Now with rangefinders, bipods,GPS, and judicious use of an ATV for retrieval it's a lot easier than 20 years ago.

FN in MT

FN in MT

Well now I thought I new just about every little town in MT but I was wrong. Next time I head for Augusta to see my mother I'll have to swing by and drive thru your little burg. It's not that far from Wolf Creek is it?

Oh yeah and welcome to the forum!!!

I'm a former MT resident myself. I was born in Cutbank in 59. We moved here to Craig CO from Ennis in 97 after it got so we couldn't afford to live there anymore. Took us 5 years to sell the house up there.

I found the elk hunting here in CO to be about as good as "up home". Just more people.

Craig is just 7 miles north of Wolf Creek off I-15.
Augusta has been getting a lot of rain, VERY green all over out here. Been a great Spring so far.

Just went through ennis the other day. It's SO taken over by the flyfisherman Yoou wouldn't recognize it!!

FN in MT



FN in MT

Well now I thought I new just about every little town in MT but I was wrong. Next time I head for Augusta to see my mother I'll have to swing by and drive thru your little burg. It's not that far from Wolf Creek is it?

Oh yeah and welcome to the forum!!!

I'm a former MT resident myself. I was born in Cutbank in 59. We moved here to Craig CO from Ennis in 97 after it got so we couldn't afford to live there anymore. Took us 5 years to sell the house up there.

I found the elk hunting here in CO to be about as good as "up home". Just more people.

Our house in Ennis was on 287 towards Virginia City, last one on the left as you head up the hill before the big curve.

I'm gonna have to take pictures of pictures to get them to load here.so you can see some CO.elk. I've got some pictures of elk where I work with one of our Page draglines in the back ground. There are about 2000 head that winter on the mine. We have at least that many that winter in the wheat fields east of the house. Just about any day in the winter after there's enough snow I can run up the road on the sled and see elk. I haven't seen any babies yet . The speed goats and mulies have theirs so the elk babies must be on the ground too.

If anybody wants to come kill a few antelope in CO area 4 this fall I'll let you shoot one on my "ranch". I let a guy and his son get a couple here last year. It was his sons first big game kill so it was kinda cool.