First elk hunt, what to bring....

[DinkyDau]

I put one down with a 300 mag 180 grain Nosler Partition at 538 yds in Colorado..I love those partitions

 

[Whetstone]

Beer....lots of beer....

Yeah, like this you have the chance to see …..multiple animals….

 

[Bear44]

The elk that I have taken has been with 7mm or 300 win mag
I wouldn’t even think about using a 270

I'd go with the 300, but with that said... Jack O'Conner.

 

[DinkyDau]

Make sure when you go that after you arrive, shoot and check your accuracy.

 

[DinkyDau]

Quick hunt next week. First time for elk. Can also shoot white tail. This is west Texas.
I tend to go on the lighter side trading "fast and flat" for "slow and rainbow". Used mostly a .260 for years for Ga whitetail.
So realistic choices would be:
.270
.30-06
7mm mag
.300 win mag
Have a .308 I'd love to use but don't trust it I unfortunately (old 742).
Very confident in that .270. never hunted with the others.

Do you have any idea of the distance you will be shooting?

 

[Bennyboy]

If you shoot that 270 the best, I’d use that and a suitable, heavy bullet.

If you’re confident you can shoot them all well, just take the biggest for insurance: 300WM.

 

[Lionheart]

.270 will do the job with right heavy bullet. If you feel better with more gun then you can borrow my 7mmSTW or .300WM.
I KNOW they will do the job lol.

 

[kuduman]

Use a good (bonded) heavy bullet. And keep shootin'. They bleed; you pay. So put 'em down-- even if you "waste" an extra $4 cartridge... different mindset on paid hunts.

In Africa you shoot 'em again when you walk up on 'em to be sure.

I know nothing from personal experience about elk, though I have a couple of books on the subject.

Make dang sure your gun is sighted in, and you know where it hits at various distances, too. But you knew that.

Good luck with your hunt!

 

[GeauxLSU]

.270 is fine but .300 win mag would be better. Is your tag for a cow or bull?

Don’t forget your elk tag.

No tags. Elk are considered exotics in Texas. Open 365, no limits.

.270 will do the job with right heavy bullet. If you feel better with more gun then you can borrow my 7mmSTW or .300WM.
I KNOW they will do the job lol.

I have everything I listed. The .300WM my father bought to on his only elk hunt (Montana. He got skunked). So it's tempting for sentimental reasons.

Do you have any idea of the distance you will be shooting?

Unfortunately I don't. There's not a lot of trees out there. Mostly scrub but supposedly some decent elevation changes. Regardless I wouldn't take anything over 300 yards.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Use a good (bonded) heavy bullet. And keep shootin'. They bleed; you pay. So put 'em down-- even if you "waste" an extra $4 cartridge... different mindset on paid hunts.

In Africa you shoot 'em again when you walk up on 'em to be sure.

I know nothing from personal experience about elk, though I have a couple of books on the subject.

Make dang sure your gun is sighted in, and you know where it hits at various distances, too. But you knew that.

Good luck with your hunt!

This isn't a paid hunt. It's free. . That's why cow only. He's getting $8,500 for bulls. . This is all low fence free range.