Elk Hunting

[MikeW]

I have two opportunities to hunt in either Colorado with my stepdad or Idaho with a freind of mine.

1) Which state would be cheaper for licences
2) Do you have to wear anything like blaze orange in Idaho or just plain hunting clothes?
3) My rifle is a Ruger M-77 30x06 with a Nikon scope that I won at a Ducks Unlimited banquet when I was a freshman in high school years ago. Is 30x06 enough for Elk? If so what grain bullet do I get?
If not I was thinking of buying some 8mmx57 Mauser German WW2 Mauser for 250-300 and mount my scope on it. I have a Leoupold on my other rifle. I could just have someone handload some 8x57 mauser cartridges, since factory loaded 8x57 suck. Or should I save up my money and buy a Browning A-bolt II?
If so what caliber should I buy the Browning in?

I am just looking for advice, please help me out, thanks!

[Hef]

Elk tastes good.






Hef

[TTURokToy]

Leave the gun at home. Get a bow and make it a challenge. Where is the fun in shooting something 300 yds away?


But, if you must take a gun, go with a 300 mag.

[Jeepskickass]

Use the Ruger. The 30-06 has plenty of woop to take down an elk. I wouldn't chance a hunt of a lifetime to a WW2 relic.

As to your other questions, hell if I know. Just make sure you post pics if you tag one!

[Aron82]

If it were me I would rather hunt in Idaho than in Colorado.

A 30-06 is plenty to take down an Elk.
Get at least a 150 grain bullet for Elk hunting.
180 has a lot more knock down power, but less range.

You will have to wear "blazing Orange" in either state. It is a good idea to wear it so you don't get shot by some idiot. Deer and Elk can't see the color anyway. They can see solid patches, but not colors, understand. We wear Orange for a reason, gun shot wounds from high powered rifles kill, they don't really wound. If you want to hunt in camo go bow hunting and try to buggle into range, not nearly as easy as most people think.

Learn a little more about Elk hunting before you go.

[NotQuiteSane]

Originally posted by MikeW
I have two opportunities to hunt in either Colorado with my stepdad or Idaho with a freind of mine.

1) Which state would be cheaper for licences

Dunno

[2) Do you have to wear anything like blaze orange in Idaho or just plain hunting clothes?

I belive blaze orange is required everwhere, but it just plain good idea, IMO. Being shot hurts!

3) My rifle is a Ruger M-77 30x06 with a Nikon scope that I won at a Ducks Unlimited banquet when I was a freshman in high school years ago. Is 30x06 enough for Elk?

Yes. hell, I've hunted elk with a .250 savage, if it can take one, a 30-06 will do fine.

when I was in WY, My groupe had 1 7mm mag, 1 300 win mag, 1 30-06 (mine) and about 4 .270's, plus the .250 & 300 saveage 99 "loaners"

If so what grain bullet do I get?

I'm fond of a 180 grain x-bullet over 40 some odd gtrains of 4350. Gotta look up the exact amount.

Or should I save up my money and buy a Browning A-bolt II?
If so what caliber should I buy the Browning in?

If you're gonna save up for anything,m save up for a custom rifle. As to caliber, with the exception of grizzly & ploar bears, the 30-06 can handle anything in north america. what caliber largle depends on what target. but for elk, a 30-06, 270.280 or 35 wheelen all will do fine. the various "magnum" gartridges are "cool", but more often than not a solution in need of a problem (don't let this stop you if you want one, just be aware it won't make you shoot better, thats what practice is for)

NQS

[TEX]

Leave the 8mm at home, the .30-06 is actually a much better choice. Go with 180 grain premium bullets (Nosler Partition, X-bullet, etc).

As for the bow-hunting comment, rifle hunting for elk is plenty tough given the fact that bugling is pretty much done by the time rifle season starts.

TEX

[Bobzooki]

30-06 is fine.
180 grain bullet.
Go to Idaho.

Go to anywhere other than Colorado.

[Rip DeLips]

Originally posted by Bobzooki
30-06 is fine.
180 grain bullet.
Go to Idaho.

Go to anywhere other than Colorado.

Hehehe. Hey Bob, Bryant just bought a Ruger .270 for this coming elk season. He's pretty damn stoked.

Oh yeah, how's your stash of Larry's holding up. I'm sending Bryant a case probably next week but he only wants half. Other half can be yours.

[Bigger Valves]

take the .30-06 and a premium 180 grain bullet.. barnes X or trophy bonded bear claws.. a .30-06 is enough for any elk, but within the limits of the guns range and your shooting abililty..

[Bobzooki]

Originally posted by Rip DeLips
Hehehe. Hey Bob, Bryant just bought a Ruger .270 for this coming elk season. He's pretty damn stoked.

He gonna hook up with us? Should be plenty of room.

We've got some Larry's left, still - Oops, I didn't manage to get any of this batch delivered to HIM!

If he's gonna be hunting with us, we should probably schedule him in to some of our camping trips this summer, to get familiar with the area (not to mention that there is some championship cut-throat fishing in the area).

[Rip DeLips]

Originally posted by Bobzooki


He gonna hook up with us? Should be plenty of room.

I mentioned it to him that I was planning on going with your crowd. He's got some other buds he was planning on hunting with, but he very well may be interested.

BTW, HAVE YOU SEEN HOW MUCH A FAWKING OUT OF STATE PERMIT IS??? HOLY SHIT!!! I might just tag along and play drunken camera man/mule.

EDIT: If it has anything to do with fly fishing, he's all over it.

[Bobzooki]

Originally posted by Rip DeLips
BTW, HAVE YOU SEEN HOW MUCH A FAWKING OUT OF STATE PERMIT IS??? HOLY SHIT!!! I might just tag along and play drunken camera man/mule.

I think it's $240.00 - That's down from $400, I think...

[TEX]

Originally posted by Bobzooki


I think it's $240.00 - That's down from $400, I think...

$470 for an out-of-state bull tag. The cow tag is $270.

BTW, am I the only one who is a little irritated at getting socked by the STATE of Colorado to hunt on FEDERAL land?


TEX

[Weasel]

Not wearing orange is just stupid IMO.

The other beat me too it but 30-06 is plenty for elk hunting. My dad has used a .243 for elk before and buddies of mine use a .270

[Rip DeLips]

Originally posted by TEX


$470 for an out-of-state bull tag. The cow tag is $270.

BTW, am I the only one who is a little irritated at getting socked by the STATE of Colorado to hunt on FEDERAL land?

TEX

Nope, you ain't the only one. $470 is a bit steep for a couple days of hunting. I wonder how much revenue they bring in on permits? Gotta be somewhere near a metric shitload.

[Bobzooki]

Originally posted by TEX
BTW, am I the only one who is a little irritated at getting socked by the STATE of Colorado to hunt on FEDERAL land?

That's all we need - a state AND a federal license. And then we'd have federal game wardens, as well as state game wardens. Let's keep the federal government out of this, thank you very much...

[TEX]

Originally posted by Bobzooki


That's all we need - a state AND a federal license. And then we'd have federal game wardens, as well as state game wardens. Let's keep the federal government out of this, thank you very much...

Would love to. But, the states need to self-police themselves a little better. CO in particular, used to open out-of-staters with open arms. Now, it's 180 degrees opposite. Can you say "happy middle"?

TEX