For those of you who have done quite a bit of Elk hunting, what distance have your shots averaged to be? Also, were you presented with longer shots?

I can say that out of 35+ years of elk hunting and being part of over 100 kills on elk as either shooter or guide/spotter in 6 states I have never had to take or have a hunter take a shot over 300yds. With the vast majority of them being under 200yds. Could shots have been taken at 6-7-800+ yards? Yes, but they were never needed with a little skill and a little work to get in a better position.

526 is my longest, average is usually under 2-250yards, a few under 150.. I have seen and watched some great bulls at distance (700+), but haven't risked a shot like that one. Generally easy to get in a better position.

I think it depends allot on how you hunt. If you just burn leather chasing Elk, you will likely always get a long distance poor shot. I go and sit in a spot and wait. I have hunted them over 30 years and learned real quick, I am not fast enough to catch most of them LOL But I can set myself up in a good spot and get the job done.

I've taken about 25 elk myself and have been in on the taking of around 100 others in my native CO. The closest shot I took at an elk was a big cow at 4 paces with a .54 muzzleloader and the longest was paced off at 459 paces at a wounded 5 pt bull that was headed to a steep and nasty drainage after my cousin placed the first round too far back. I killed both those elk. That being said, I'm betting my average shot was between 150 and 200 yards. Like any elk hunter I've had the opportunity to launch lead at them at distances over 700 yards but have never seen the need to since I have been able to stalk in closer.

Last two people that I know that went public land elk hunting one shat a big 6x6 at 75 yards with a 270 win the other shot a nice 5x5 at less than 30 yards with a 300 Rum

Of my seven bulls, only one was outside of 200 yards, an Arizona elk that I killed with a .338WM across a small canyon at 285 yards. A Roosevelt bull was taken just under 200 yards, around 190, IIRC. The others were inside of 100 yds. So, I'd guess the average is probably about 125 yds.

When I was in my late twenties, on a bow hunt in the Wyoming Gros Ventre country, I flat out missed a raghorn bull at 11 long steps when my arrow flew over his withers.

The two longest shots I've ever taken on ANY big game trophy in a half-century of hunting was 365-370 yards on a Mexico coues deer and a Wyoming bighorn ram. I once made a lucky shot with a Ruger 7x57 on an unlucky hog at a lasered 540 yards, but had that pig been a trophy animal, I would have stalked closer for a sure kill.

I have only shot 1 elk (about 125 yards) but have hunted them for a long time and seen thousands of them. I'd say it depends on where you are hunting. I hunt them in the sage brush, so there is no cover and you usually see them with their butts pointed at you on the run. That being said, if you are hunting sage brush, I would say that the shots are going to be much longer.

125-275 yards.

100-150 yards probably. But, unfortunately, any given elk doesn't know or care. So your best bet is to get comfortable at least to 300.

About a mile. I haven't actually taken the shot, but that seems to be the average distance.

Killed my bull at 200 yards.

I agree with NP. I have killed 4 bulls in Wyoming on public land. The closest shot was about 80 yards and the longest was about 180. The other two were around 140-150.

This has been helpful in selecting my newest caliber for Elk (hopefully next year). Gonna leave Santa a note and keep my fingers crossed.

I've read all the caliber debates on what distance you "could" shoot with such and such gun but figured It'd be nice to get some input from some of you well traveled and wise hunters on what actually happens most of the time.

Nice to hear some of your stories as well.

So what caliber did you ask for?

average for the elk I have taken about 200 yards, some shorter some a little longer.

I've only killed two elk with a muzzle loader. I killed one around 40yds coming down a mountain trail while I was cow calling. The other one I shot at around 160yds across a wooded opening coming into my cow calls. I have seen elk in the woods that were too far to shoot with a muzzle loader (beyond my comfort range.) I was able to call in a 300 class bull within 20yds of me, but he was moving too fast through very thick cover that didn't give me a window to shoot. I was also able to call in two spike bulls within 15yds of my bow on the 1st day of one elk bow hunt but passed on them. Basically, you will see elk at all different ranges...... it's just a matter of what your comfortable with in your shooting skill and the quality of animal you want to harvest.

Kmon1 I'm going to go with a .30-06. Should be good for practical distances and I like the Idea of being able to find ammo easily. I thought of getting a .270 but I already have a .25-06 so a .30-06 will give me more variety.

The old 06 is a good one.

Have shot them fron 40 yards out to 405 yards.

The elk I have taken 165,210,70,370.

Ed

Two bulls, both under 100 yards.

1 bull 375 yds with 300 win mag.