Need Elk Help

[Specklebelly]

I know this is a deer forum but it was the closest thing I could find to an elk one. 

I was lucky enough to be drawn for an elk hunt (cow) this fall in Oklahoma.  I deer hunt quite often but know very little about elk.  Please provide advise on:

Is a 30-06 165 grain load enough?  If so, what is max distance?
It is a rocky and mountainous area, am I supposed to stalk or sit tight in one spot all day?
Is buggling needed?
Anything else I need to know?

Thx

[catman]

Yes the 165's will do good for you.... Do you reload for the 06 or is this off the shelf 165's?
If off the shelf get the same lot # and see what happens @ least 100 rounds.

MLC

[Specklebelly]

Yes the 165's will do good for you.... Do you reload for the 06 or is this off the shelf 165's?
If off the shelf get the same lot # and see what happens @ least 100 rounds.

MLC

They are off the shelf Remington Accutips.

Thx

[lewdogg21]

.30-06 is fine.  Lots of elk have been killed by .270's out here.  Range = know your gun and it's drop off plus how good of a shot you are.

Elk hunting is vastly different from deer in that you need to cover a lot of ground to find the animals.  Once you find them STAY on them.  I would suggest scouting of course to get an idea for opening day and for opening day wear clothing/boots that you can walk miles in.  Being mega quiet while covering ground is not nearly as important as when deer hunting.  Many times you will smell the elk or hear them before you see them.


A bugle  is not needed since your hunting cows and bugling is overrated these days.  The one thing bulging could accomplish is tell you where the elk are from a long ways off.  However I don't know when your hunting. If it's august/september bulls will be with the cows and either getting ready or rutting. If you do bugle you want to sound like a juvenile bull so every bull in the woods will be thinking about whipping ur butt and more bulls will respond.  Without going into detail bugling is not the rip roaring guarantee that it used to be (Sort of like honkers and 747's)

I would suggest getting a few cow diaphrams and practicing with those so you can "cow call" and also one of these    The hoochie-mama is really easy to use.  When your trying to find elk or stalking them carry it ready to use.  In the event you break a loud branch or elk sense your presence hit the hoochie mama and wait.  Many times (if not winded or directly sighted) they will figure your another elk and go back to normal activity shortly.  If you find a herd of elk or animals cow calling can bring in other cows as they are very curious.  This is how my dad got his elk bowhunting last fall.  We parked the truck and moved off and immediately smelled elk.  After setting up and calling for about 10 mins a young cow got real curious and came trotting to us.  End of story = dead elk.

I don't check the forums often but if you have any more questions feel free to pm me and maybe I can help.

-lewis

[TCBrian]

If you are already using a good 165gr bullet that you hunt deer with go ahaid and use it. I killed a cow elk a few years ago at 225 yards with 165 hornady spire point. They pentrated to the far skin but did not exit. I say they, because the first bullet didn't even seem to phase her. That was a tule elk cow. I imagine the species you will be hunting is Roosevelt which are much bigger. My cow was around 400lbs.

If you don't have a load you are already using, I would go to 180s in the 30-06 to assure a little more retained energy and penetration. Elk, even cows, have a nasty habit of getting into the nastiest deepest caynon before they die. I didn't have to shoot my cow more than once, but I did to anchor her on the small patch of dry land she was on, before she got into the tules and 3' of water.

Good hunting,
Brian

[lewdogg21]

Congrats to you Bryan for drawing a Grizzly Island tag.  I saved up for the preference point this year b/c I can't work it around my wedding. 

Biggest thing is shot placement.  Remember that if you make a bad shot she will try to stay with the herd..... That could mean miles of tracking.

[TCBrian]

My tag wasn't for Grizzly island, it was for Owens valley. I took my cow on an island of the owens river. We had to carry quarters through 3' of cold water. I have been applying for a Bull tag ever since, but haven't been lucky. I am moving out of CA now, so I will have to start drawing for elk in some other state, since CA doesn't allow non-residents to apply for big game except deer. Glad I got a tule elk while I was here. Both of the bullets were within 4" of each other on the far hide and the entrance wounds were about the same distance apart as well. Both bullets hit the back of the right lung and the front of the left lung, since she was quartered away and she still stood there for quite some time before dropping. Very tough animals for their size.

Later,
Brian

[7x57]

Hey Specklebelly,   Hope it isn't too late to respond.  I live in the Kootenays of BC and I live and breathe elk hunting. Your rifle and bullet combo will do just fine provided you practice well before hand. As someone said before, I would prefer the 180 grainers but that is only my opinion. One of my hunting buddies swears by 165 grain partions.
I don't want to parrot what others have already told you...good advice about not needing a bugle, not freaking out about making noise,the Hoochie Mama. 

One of our best tricks is to RUN !!! after a herd that has been spooked in timber while cow calling... most times they don't go too far (1-2 km or so) before they slow and try to find each other again + they can't count and big animals make noise, they will think you're a lost cow.

You will need to cover LOTS OF GROUND to find a herd. Move rapidly between areas that you can glass and buy a good spotting scope+binos. There are exceptions to every rule but most times the herds will move up in the morning and down at night, most movement will be done by 10 or 11 am. If it is hot there may not be much movement until late afternoon.

When you do find a herd you have many options to consider. Can you move to intercept them along an obvious travel route? Can you keep them in sight until they bed down and then stalk like a whitetail? Remember that unless they are disturbed the herd should use the same area for at least a few days so you can sort of half-a%* pattern them then set up and wait just like the deer you are used to.
Lastly... and most important... KEEP SHOOTING TILL THEIR NOSE IS IN THE DIRT!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck and keep us posted!!! 7x57