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10-27-2006, 02:49 AM
| #1 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Colorado
Posts: 23
|  Elk Rifle for Heavy Cover  I am planning to hunt 1st Rifle Season in Colorado in 2007 Oct 14 -18. I did a lot of scouting leading up to that time this year. The areas I want to hunt are between 10,000 and 12,000 feet in heavy timber. The big bulls seemed to have little trails worked out for themselves in some really thick cover. Most of my rifles are Winchesters with 26inch barrels, topped with variable power scopes (7mm and 30:06). I think target acquisition in the heavy cover could be tough on 3 power. Should I be looking for a short carbine to top with a low power fixed scope or even open sights. The last Elk I killed was at 400 yds in Oregon. The same thing could happen here. I could spot an Elk 3 or 4 hundred yds over in a meadow. Do I just need to practice a lot of shooting. Can I get to a point where I can acquire a target quickly in heavy cover with my traditional scopes. I am doing a lot of hiking to get to where these bulls are hiding. A lighter shorter rifle might be better suited for what I will be doing. Any ideas. |
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11-28-2006, 12:56 AM
| #2 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2
|  Lighter is nicer to tote but you sacrifice accuracy and handling. Not to mention more kick with a lighter gun. If it were me, I would have a 7mm mag scoped with a 4-12x40. With gear around 9-10lbs sounds good. Also, you could play hide and seek with a friend to practice locating; using an unloaded rifle of course. Take a pair of radio' to help communicate. Nothing replaces actual hunting experience though. I'm jealous. I'd love to have a similar trip in my plans next year. |
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11-28-2006, 02:35 AM
| #3 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Colorado
Posts: 23
| DWB. Really liked your hide and seek idea. I think I should hike with my rifle with the bolt out (know need to give the warden a stroke). I could do some quick pointing. I need to get to a place where I can put the cross hairs on a point in timber almost as quick as I can get shotgun on a quail. Tall order. I just don't have enough experience shooting with scopes. |
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11-28-2006, 02:37 AM
| #4 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Colorado
Posts: 23
| I might have the rig. Just need more practice. DWB- Got your email. Thanks for the feedback. I have a rig that is very close to what you described. I have a 7mm Mag with 3X10X40 Burris on top. It is a Winchester Classic bolt action in Super Grade. It is a little heavy with it's 26 inch barrell. It has the little plex dots in the scope. We have a pretty good range out here with targets out to 1,000 yds. I am 3 inches high at 200yds and 3-4 inches low at 300 yds with 150 grain boat tail soft points. I can hold the first plex at the top of an 18 inch square block out at 400yds and hit it consistently from the bench. I need to work on this a lot more to be consistent with the shooting. Practice is what I need. Patterns are pretty good. I have a very similar rig in 30-06 except 3X9. It is more accurate with 165 grain boat tails but drops to 8-9 inches below at 300yds. |
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07-07-2007, 03:38 PM
| #5 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3
| Try acquiring the elk in the scope using 2 eyes The fastest way to get a scope on any animal is to look through two eyes as you bring the scope to shoulder mount. This way you are pointing exactly where your non-scoped eye tells you the elk is located. Try practicing it for a while and your acquisition time will get down to about 1 second. I don't even know why I am telling you that. I prefer that others miss the large trophies and leave them for me. |
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