Big game hunting help Elk, Caribou, Moose ect & what caliber to use

[MightyWarMonger]

My daughter has just expressed she wanted to hunt big game animals like Elk, Caribou, Moose ect we will do deer this year and try for big game next year. I have no experience with hunting larger game other than deer, I was looking more to hunting elk (I think) because I wanted to stay in the lower 48 and pretty sure it would need to be a guided hunt. I'm also unsure on the best caliber to use for large game I have a few to choose from but not sure what's the best or if they are up to the task not opposed to a new gun but if what I have will work then that's fine with me. I have a Mossberg MVP in 7.62x51 (7.62 NATO), Remington 700 in 22-250, Westernfeild 30-30, & a Weatherby in 300 Weatherby magnum. I've never done anything like this so I'm also looking for some input and tips for this process from what to look for in guided hunts like what to expect, what to watch out for, what to prepare for on them like possible gear needed things like that. I appreciate any help and advice everyone has to offer.

 

[lazarus]

The 300 Weatherby would be my choice out of what you already have. Or go MVP with a 180gr. Though with the short barrel and .308, that is well less than ideal except for shorter range shooting. I would not want to be taking 400yd shots on an Elk or other large game with it.

Anyway, generally 30 caliber or larger is what you want, and .308 power levels or ideally higher. Especially if you are taking longer shots, which you very well are likely to be unless hunting in dense timber.

A .30-06 with a ~20+" barrel is about my personal minimum.

A 8.6mm/.338 caliber is not a bad idea, but .30-06 has been used since it was invented to take all big game in North America.

 

[Tebonski]

I don't like shooting anything with more recoil than a .30-06. No offense but can she handle a .300 Weatherby mag? Flinching can be a real problem with all shooters not just new ones.

 

[Inigoes]

For big game 270 Winchester and up will work. The 308 Winchester (7.62x51) and the 300 Weatherby are more than enough.

With that said, you can not use just any ammo you pickup at any big box store. Most of the ammo available is geared to medium size game like deer and hogs.

Look for the pricier ammo with the copper alloy bullets. Most (not all) big game ammo has a picture of an elk somewhere on the box.

 

[MeatGrinder]

Personally, I took moose and elk with a 300WSM caribou with a 270. What you practice with and shoot well is the most important part.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I once owned a .300 Wby Magnum. If your daughter can handle the recoil and accurately shoot it, that caliber would be ideal. I wasn't man enough to continue shooting it for fun (I don't hunt).

 

[MightyWarMonger]

Well she's 15 almost 16 a decent shot and has been shooting since she was 5, she shoots the Remington 700 with no problem I think she would be able to handle the 300 WBM with a little practice I'll work her up to it with the 7.62x51 1st since that ammo is allot cheaper than the 300 WBM.

I had thought about bullets and bullet types but forgot to ask thanks Inigos you always have good input.

Can someone tell me about the 270? I don't own one but if it is just as good or better than the 300WBM I would buy one it would be cheaper than the ammo for the 300WBM lol it's like $100 or more for a box of 20. any recommendations on brand or model of 270 they have a wide range & the ammo is way cheaper than the 300. the the cost of the ammo for practice I could buy the 270.

 

[davsco]

in 2020 i shot two elk with a 300wsm at 200 and 400yds and i def didn't feel overgunned. shot placement/accuracy and bullet construction matter. way back when i was a kid 'reading' about elk hunting, the rule of thumb was having at least 2000 ft-lbs of energy AT the animal but with improvements in ballistics and bullets seems like 1500 ft-lbs is adequate.

so take the 308 and 300wby and see where energy drops off and stick to within those distances. and of course practice (not just off a bench but simulate field positions) to ensure you are accurate at those distances.

good luck!

even guided, it's TOUGH hunting out west. insanely cold temps, STEEP, elevation, as someone else said, it's like a 10x scale of difficulty vs back east.

 

[Huckleberry]

You should take your daughter to the NRA Show in Harrisburg in a few weeks.

Plenty of hunting guides and outfitters with all the information and advice you seek for her 1st big hunt.

Every State and Canadian province will be represented. The taxidermy displays and pictures will get your imaginations really fired up.

You two will have a great time planning out this adventure together.

Good Luck and Good Hunting

 

[Inigoes]

Whatever rifle you settle on, I would also suggest it have a detachable magazine.

Some states like Maine, do not allow you to hunting from a vehicle with the engine running. Notice, I stated engine running. If the driver turns off the engine and comes to a complete stop; it is legal to step outside, load, and use the truck as a steadying post.

That doesn't sound very sportsmanlike, but there are a lot of road hunters in the North Maine Woods. Mainers need cover a lot of miles for moose. Not to mention the closer the moose is to a road or drivable trail, the less work you need to drag a 1000 lb. carcass.

 

[Pale Ryder]

Maybe try for an Eastern elk first. Pa. or Tenn. range shouldn’t be as much of a consideration allowing her to go with the .308. Price may come in cheaper too.

 

[remrug]

If you know someone who handloads, they can make you some reduced loads with lighter bullets for the 300 Weatherby mag The reduction in recoil will be easily noticed. I load a 270 with 110 gr TTSX bullets and it feels like shooting a 243.

 

[mpollan1]

OP, your daughter is awesome for expressing her interest in doing something of this sort and you sir are an awesome dad for indulging. If it were me, I would be inclined to use the Weatherby.

 

[ChrisD]

Of the rifles you listed, the 300 WBY would be the best suited for Elk. If your daughter can handle it. I killed one in October with a 300 Win Mag using 180 grain bullets, as did my cousin. Neither one required tracking. Mine was about a 250 yard shot, my cousin‘s shot was 480. His son in law killed an elk at almost 800 yards with a 270 Winchester Short Mag. He used the guide’s rifle on a tripod rest.
If the 300WBY is too stout for her, maybe try and pick up a 30-06, 270 Win, or a 280 Remington. I’d leave the 22-250 and 30-30 out of the equation.
My first time out west on an elk hunt, I used my 30-06 with premium bullets (don’t remember which at this point). Although I didn’t take a shot on that trip, I practiced enough prior and was intimately familiar with that rifle, as I hunted with it for 17 years at that point, that I felt ok to 250-300 yards.

 

[Harrys]

45/70 will do it all

 

[Fredcohunter]

300 Weatherby Magnum if she can handle it. On your list my second would be the 7.62. Personally I use 7mm Remington Magnum

 

[Fredcohunter]

the 270 is a 30.06 case necked down to .277, it would be a good alternative if the 300 is too much recoil. All rounds have pros and cons. The 300 will allow much heavier bullets (more recoil) but a heavier bullets carry more energy. Both the 270 and the 300 can be effective and the 270 might be a great alternative since 300 recoil might be a lot for a 16 year old girl. As for model it is hard to beat a Tikka T3x for out of the box accuracy.

 

[trickg]

45/70 will do it all

The thing I'd be concerned about with 45-70 is distance - I certainly don't know from firsthand experience, but I've read that sometimes getting a close shot at Elk in the Rockies just doesn't happen, so you need a rifle that can comfortably reach out to 400 yards or more. I'm not sure I'd want to think about those trajectories with something like the 45-70.

I have a 35 Whelen - it can push a 225 gr bullet almost 2700 fps, but that's another one that starts to drop hard past 400 yards.

For comparison sake, the 35 Whelen has a drop between 16 and 20 inches at 300 yards, depending on the bullet and velocity. By comparison, the 300 Win Mag has a drop of about 6.5" with a 180 gr at 300 yards.

To keep things simple, I don't see any reason why a 300 Win Mag wouldn't get the job done nicely and with a plethora of factory hunting loads to choose from.

 

[ChrisD]

Question for the OP. What optics do you have on your rifles in question? I am asking because on my trip in October to Idaho, I had a 4-16SFP scope on the 300WM. While it worked for my shot, the majority of elk we spotted were 500-1500 yards away. To me, it felt as if I was underpowered on my scope. I just upgraded that to a 6-24FFP scope. Our group is in the planning stage for another trip in 2025.
The guides we were with had a 7-42 Night Force scopes on their rifles.

 

[trickg]

Question for the OP. What optics do you have on your rifles in question? I am asking because on my trip in October to Idaho, I had a 4-16SFP scope on the 300WM. While it worked for my shot, the majority of elk we spotted were 500-1500 yards away. To me, it felt as if I was underpowered on my scope. I just upgraded that to a 6-24FFP scope. Our group is in the planning stage for another trip in 2025.
The guides we were with had a 7-42 Night Force scopes on their rifles.

That's why I think that whatever the rifle of choice happens to be, it needs to shoot fairly flat, but be heavy enough to have good knock-down power at distance.