I learned that after my first grouse cost me a $15 arrow. Suppressed 22 ftmfw!

No kidding. It seems there's always those who hunted elk electronically, and those who actually hunted them. I'll be honest, I don't know about those really big Roosevelt elk like they get on the west coast, apparently those can get like 1200 pounds. The elk I see in South Dakota and Wyoming, they are not giants. I'm guessing a cow is ballpark 400-500 pounds, and a bull maybe  up to 700 pounds? I don't know that I've ever met anyone who weighed one, unless you carried a livestock scale and a come along with you, how could you? They are nowhere near as big as a moose.


I'm willing to bet if you surveyed Wyoming residents, the top calibers for elk you would get are 30-06, 308, and 270. Tons shoot 300 win mag, I'm sure plenty shoot 6.5 creedmoor too. I've never heard any complaints from the guys using a little 243 winchester either. I probably wouldn't recommend a 223, it might not even be legal in Wyoming. My own choice is a 308. I shot a cow with my 22" barrel with a 180gr Hornady 180gr SP, about 2550 fps MV. Shot was at 180 yards, hit center lungs, double lunged here. She went down on the spot and kicked a little bit, but that was it. The bullet did like it always does, punched a 3/4" or 1" hole all the way through. I don't know how you could ask for better. I don't know that I've met an elk hunter shooting a 338 anything, but you certainly could if you wanted.

I think there is this misconception that the ONLY way to hunt "west" is to be glassing miles and stalking and taking a relatively long shot. You could do that, it is fun. You don't have to do that if you don't want to. That's probably the most effective if you are after a certain size trophy. I don't spend hours and hours on a ridge watching. I do a lot of walking and watching. Half the time I don't even stalk, I just happen across some animals. I don't see why long shots have to be a requirement, it's not that hard to get inside 300 yards. Having that extra range never hurts, but if you only feel comfortable taking up to a 250 yard shot, then by all means, you won't be that limited. Especially in the mountains it's kind of a trip for flatlanders like me. What appears to be a LONG ways to the next ridge is often only like 350 yards. You have to get pretty high to see 1 mile in the mountains and there's plenty of topography to sneak closer.