im from western oklahoma been public land colorado last 2 years no luck, me and my wife are success full whitetail hunters, cant find a legal elk to save my life, leathal out to 700, and ideas anybody?
need to put a second season rifle bull down not pickey
- Thread starter dying to kill
- Start date
Old Hunter
Banned
Old Hunter
Banned
Maybe you could tell us what you've done so far to research the units? Then we'd know how to help better. There's a wealth of information on the DOW web site.
One thing you don't need to do is take 700yd shots.
One thing you don't need to do is take 700yd shots.
labman
Member
I am a fellow okie and I am fixing to embark on my first backcountry elk hunt this year with a bow. People on this site are wonderful and full of information, but they will not give you answers to such broad questions. I have done a ton of research on the area I am hunting and then came back to forum and asked specific questions. If you ask specific questions they will answer on forum or PM you with their invaluable knowledge. My best advice to you is pick a area do google earth scouting and come up with questions about specific aspects of your hunt you want answersed. Good luck and god bless!!
adbowhunter
New Member
Labman, Nice post!
We appreciate those that do everything they can to learn an area first and then start asking questions. I personally, understand the out - of - staters feeling having lived most my life in Cali (please forgive me for that
) but now living in CO, I'd be happy to help someone that has helped them self first.
With technology today, its amazing what you can learn about an area or the data available for specific units.
Here are a couple of websites I use:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Pages/Statistics.aspx
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Colorado/colorado.html
http://huntodds.monstermuleys.com/
www.huntinfool.com
Being a member of Eastman's you can also access the MRS which can help too
Good luck, Dying to Kill oh and Old Hunter is right, no need for 700 yard shots
We appreciate those that do everything they can to learn an area first and then start asking questions. I personally, understand the out - of - staters feeling having lived most my life in Cali (please forgive me for that
) but now living in CO, I'd be happy to help someone that has helped them self first.With technology today, its amazing what you can learn about an area or the data available for specific units.
Here are a couple of websites I use:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Pages/Statistics.aspx
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Colorado/colorado.html
http://huntodds.monstermuleys.com/
www.huntinfool.com
Being a member of Eastman's you can also access the MRS which can help too
Good luck, Dying to Kill oh and Old Hunter is right, no need for 700 yard shots
appriciate the advice guys i guess i should do more research first one thing im confused on tho is to not take the long shots,may i ask why not? also thinking of going the route of paying a tresspass fee to go on private ground, any one with experience on that one?
Old Hunter
Banned
There is a difference between hunting and killing, some may say that if you can only get within 700 yds. you are just killing, and that the hunt really hasn't began @ that distance. Lots of things can go wrong with a shot that far, especially in the mountains. Im not saying right or wrong, it's a matter of hunter perspective and hunter ethics. If you search the forum there have been numerous threads on this debate.
to old hunter 700 no did kill a coyote at 650 few months ago and killed deer a bit closer, not braggin by no means just saying with the right equipment those kind of shots can be very ethical, i can shoot out to a grand but choose to limit taking animals to 700
to old hunter 700 no but did kill a coyote at 650 a few months ago and taken deer a bit closer not bragging by no means jus saying with the rite equipment those kind of shots can be very ethical
adbowhunter
New Member
Simple reason for not taking those long shots is its not necessary. I'm not saying their aren't proficient "shooters" out there, but most of us hunters can not consistently make a 700 (or 300, 400 or 500) yards shot, even with substantial practice. I shot every day for 5 years while working for a premier firearms company and I will say that taking a shot of that distance, takes more than the like of a "super magnum" rifle and even practice, all stars have to be aligned, so to speak. There are just too many variables at those distances to overcome.
Can it be done, yes, are the firearms today capable, yes, but its just not necessary and from my opinion the animal deserves a little more respect than flinging lead at him from a half a mile away...
During that time at said firearms company, I killed 2 animals over 500 yards. I hunted over 150 days a year and only 2 animals required that long of a shot. Simply put, its not necessary.
My opinion, I know, but we will get more respect from the non-hunting people and hunters alike by taking ethical, humane shots than pretending to be animal snipers potentially leaving game wounded, crippled, lame or to a slow death.
I work in the hunting industry and I know a lot of people who can make these long shots, but my opinion stands that its not necessary.
Sorry to rant, but its just a sore spot for me!
Can it be done, yes, are the firearms today capable, yes, but its just not necessary and from my opinion the animal deserves a little more respect than flinging lead at him from a half a mile away...
During that time at said firearms company, I killed 2 animals over 500 yards. I hunted over 150 days a year and only 2 animals required that long of a shot. Simply put, its not necessary.
My opinion, I know, but we will get more respect from the non-hunting people and hunters alike by taking ethical, humane shots than pretending to be animal snipers potentially leaving game wounded, crippled, lame or to a slow death.
I work in the hunting industry and I know a lot of people who can make these long shots, but my opinion stands that its not necessary.
Sorry to rant, but its just a sore spot for me!
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
There are several outdoor/hunting/shooting shows on cable that specialize in showing off their products that they tout as capable of this type of long range shooting. I have no doubts that their equipment is capable of it, it's just the human part of it that bring into question the ethics situation. First...is there a "need" for a hunter to shoot this far? "Maybe"...IMHO. If you watch these shows, could they have gotten closer, probably, but that would not show off their product. Second ...is it ethical? Thats an individaul question each hunter has to answer for themselves. I've hunted for over 60 years and only once or twice have I shot at anything over 400 yards away....with mixed results. Years ago my equipment really was not capable and neither was I. Today I have equipment that is and I've practiced a lot out to 500 yards. That still does not mean I'll shoot that far. I'd rather work hard a getting as close as possible. If thats not possible, I'll pass and keep looking and working.
One thing that is never addressed is how much footage and how many "bad killed" animals shot to get that perfect stuff for TV? I don't have any idea, but I'll bet a lot.
One thing that is never addressed is how much footage and how many "bad killed" animals shot to get that perfect stuff for TV? I don't have any idea, but I'll bet a lot.
Old Hunter
Banned
hunting on the open desert will sometimes call for long shots, infact more often than not. my furthest was 400 and although i harvested ill not do it again unless i have a record bull or buck that i know i cant get on. this is a touchy topic for alot of folks. not saying dont not saying do... we all know our limits.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
As far as shooting 700 yards on an elk, my biggest concern is that elk can soak up a lot of punishment. In fact, I think elk may be the or one of the toughest critters in North America. If someone is shooting at 700 yards, it is going to be far more difficult to make a follow-up shot at a moving bull. Another concern is it could take half an hour or more in elk country to cover that 700 yards to begin tracking the elk for a followup shot, that is if you can even find the exact spot the elk was at the time of the shot.
When I first started elk hunting, a friend gave me advice I still stick to when elk hunting "don't stop shooting until all the legs are in the air". Too many times I have heard the story "I shot, the elk hunched up, and I waited for it to go down." That story opening is usually followed up with the rest of the story how they tracked the elk for miles and lost it. I've killed somewhere around a dozen elk, three moose and been in on a couple grizzly kills and those are my thoughts from experience that an elk is a very tough animal.
When I first started elk hunting, a friend gave me advice I still stick to when elk hunting "don't stop shooting until all the legs are in the air". Too many times I have heard the story "I shot, the elk hunched up, and I waited for it to go down." That story opening is usually followed up with the rest of the story how they tracked the elk for miles and lost it. I've killed somewhere around a dozen elk, three moose and been in on a couple grizzly kills and those are my thoughts from experience that an elk is a very tough animal.
I agree with Umpqua Hunter also...A wounded elk could travel a long ways in the amount of time it takes a human to hike a 1/2 mile across the mountains. Most hunting shows I watch people keep shooting until the animal is down. Also it's going to be very difficult even for a spotter to see where/if you hit the animal at that distance unless he goes down right away. Long distance shooting is only for the range for me.
man guys i sure do appriciate all the advice this is some stuff i really need we mite not agree on all topics but sure will listen to any one who will throw a comment or suggestion out there. i guess im jus trying to be as prepared as possible on my next elk hunt i feel like im 17 again and still trying to kill a buck with my bow. to kill a bull elk feels to be only a dream at this point and i refuse to give in and pay a guide to hold my hand ,walk me up to a hill and wack one. you guys are the pros in my opinion