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

[Harrys]

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.

The ask was a caliber for big game and yup 45/70 is not a 400-yard shooter but typically good up to 200 yards that said it will take down anything in North America. I took down a Kodiak with a 45/70 in 94.

 

[trickg]

The ask was a caliber for big game and yup 45/70 is not a 400-yard shooter but typically good up to 200 yards that said it will take down anything in North America. I took down a Kodiak with a 45/70 in 94.

They also specifically mentioned Elk. Again, I don't know from firsthand experience, but it's my understanding that getting a closer shot on Elk is sometimes next to impossible, and that requires a gun with some reach. The 45-70 ain't really it - it can certainly work, but I wouldn't use it. I'd probably get a 300 Win Mag.

 

[gwchem]

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.

Those are incredibly difficult tags to draw.

 

[Inigoes]

Those are incredibly difficult tags to draw.

Aren't all of them?

 

[gwchem]

Any centerfire will kill elk. There's a huge thread on Rokslide about people using .223.

I would pick the biggest cartridge shes comfortable using, then find it's maximum distance.

 

[Inigoes]

I was talking about drawing a tag.

All of the lotteries are a long shot, but someone has to win.

 

[TI-tick]

My CA neighbor went elk hunting in WY for years with 300 win mag. Within the past few years he converted to either 308 or 30-06. IIRC he said the juice was not worth the squeeze to his shoulder; Tikka t3 lite.

 

[Harrys]

They also specifically mentioned Elk. Again, I don't know from firsthand experience, but it's my understanding that getting a closer shot on Elk is sometimes next to impossible, and that requires a gun with some reach. The 45-70 ain't really it - it can certainly work, but I wouldn't use it. I'd probably get a 300 Win Mag.

Agree, in the square states it would be very hard to get an elk with a 45/70 due to large tracks of open country. That said in Alaska it is just the opposite very little open country where the elk are I personally have gotten within 75 yards of the elk in AK. One of the few places a 45/70 in AK is not good is the AK National Wilderness Park is it is pretty open for miles along with special permitting to hunt.

 

[trickg]

Agree, in the square states it would be very hard to get an elk with a 45/70 due to large tracks of open country. That said in Alaska it is just the opposite very little open country where the elk are I personally have gotten within 75 yards of the elk in AK. One of the few places a 45/70 in AK is not good is the AK National Wilderness Park is it is pretty open for miles along with special permitting to hunt.

Honestly, I've always been impressed with the 45-70/90, mainly due to the gigantic slugs it can shoot. Dad had bullet molds that would cast 400 gr bullets - that's a whole lotta kinetic energy and thick cross section.

 

[mauser58]

My son goes on at least one big game hunt a year for elk, caribou, bear, moose. He is a big bow hunter. Besides a bow he always chooses the 308 I built him on a Mauser action. I have seen him shoot many whitetail deer with it and a Fallow deer also. 308 will do the job and don't need anything bigger

 

[Harrys]

Honestly, I've always been impressed with the 45-70/90, mainly due to the gigantic slugs it can shoot. Dad had bullet molds that would cast 400 gr bullets - that's a whole lotta kinetic energy and thick cross section.

I have some .458 500 grain HCFNGC loaded up with 31 grains of LT-30 for moose and bears. Extra recoil pad needed in the Henry.

 

[MDHunter]

As someone said earlier, good on your daughter for expressing her interest, and good on you for looking into it!

That said - the shooter is always going to be the weak link in the equation, given the capability of modern rifles, scopes, and bullets. Both your 7.62 and 300 Weatherby are very capable of killing elk and caribou; it will take some time for her to get accustomed to handling the recoil of either of those (and it may not happen with the 300, time will tell). It will take even more time for her to get field proficient at the distances she may need to shoot an elk or a caribou. I am talking moderate distance out to 350 yards or so; I'm not a proponent of the long-range hunting craze, seems more like long-range shooting and hoping to me, but to each his/her own.

I've hunted remote Alaska for moose and caribou since 2002, and have found several different hunt partners for those hunts on various hunting forums. I would tell my hunt partner for the coming year they should consider themselves field ready when they could put 3-shot groups into a pie plate at 300 yards from a seated position, using shooting sticks or their knee as a rest, and not taking a lot of time like you do from a bench. When I practiced for Alaska hunts, I would sit on the range floor with my shooting sticks in front of me, and my rifle pointed downrange but no round chambered. I would glance at the 300 yard target with the naked eye, then chamber a round, acquire the target, and fire; load another round, sight, fire; load the 3rd round, sight, fire. I would also practice this drill offhand at 100 yards, with the scope on lowest power (2x for my scope), since I would only be taking a 100-yard offhand shot if there wasn't time to find a rest or dial up my scope power.

Those are the types of drills you may want to consider having her try, to help her prepare for elk or caribou hunts. Good luck to you both, and please keep us updated!

 

[Archeryrob]

People keep talking big rounds and have to remember this is a young girl which is the subject of this thread and the question. I have seen recoil ruin a girl/womans confidence in shooting and have to be rebuilt. My own daughter can shoot a 10 gauge shotgun, but my 30-06 got her into recoil flinching. I had to buy managed recoil loads and work her through it. I don't think she ever got back on track with it though and always had that in the back of her head shooting it.

She bought a 270 and got good with that. It is a good smaller person gun with plenty of speed and energy and has reduced recoil compared to most other guns being mentioned. It is a good, flat shooter and has a track record of killing elk with larger bullets. She is going to do better with a gun she can handle and be confident with than any gun she could be recoil shy with. Can't speak to what guns as we do not know the subject and what she can handle. Only Dad knows this, but I think 270 is worth considering for any small to normal female.

 

[Jerry M]

^
This
Of the original rifles mentioned the .308 Winchester is the obvious place to start.
I killed two caribou with a 308 in northern Quebec in 2011.

Good Luck