ELK Rifle, best calibre

CreamySmooth said:
I guess I see Manitobans here a lot because once the guys on the west side have shot their Manitoban deer, they buy a Sask tag to keep hunting. And they use the group hunting techniques that Manitobans I understand are allowed to use. Correct me but can't you guys have group hunts? And the guys from Quebec.... they just keep showing up. So many...
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that you can't buy an OTC deer tag as a non resident in SK. You either have to go through an outfitter or go through a draw if you have a family member living there, correct?
I think you may be referring to certain group of hunters that don't require licenses and we're definitely on the same page in regard to their practices.

Anyhow, back to why the 338 WM is the best elk cartridge. :)
 
J
bearkilr said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that you can't buy an OTC deer tag as a non resident in SK. You either have to go through an outfitter or go through a draw if you have a family member living there, correct?
I think you may be referring to certain group of hunters that don't require licenses and we're definitely on the same page in regard to the heir practices.

Anyhow, back to why the 338 WM is the best elk cartridge. :)
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Well, that last parts bang on. Usually for moose though.

You could buy non-resident tags over the counter until the draw was instituted for non-residents last year. It's helped a lot.

.338 is overkill. .308 is where it's at. Though this year I used 6.5/284, and it works good too. And typically so much lighter to carry!!
 
Bigfoot 870 said:
...most voted for the .30-06. Irony? "A simple way of putting it is that irony usually signals a difference between the appearance of things and reality."
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Since you chose to use the word "reality," I feel the need to point out that "most" chose something other than .30/06... 43% chose the .30/06... 43% is not "most."
 
Bigfoot 870 said:
When Ardent asked members to vote for a cartridge that would effectively dispatch ALL big game species in North America (I.e. The Ultimate North American Hunting Round), including elk, moose, bison, grizzly & brown bear and polar bear, most voted for the .30-06. Now, when asked what is best for elk, most want a magnum, when that same .30-06 is plenty. Irony? "A simple way of putting it is that irony usually signals a difference between the appearance of things and reality."
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I wonder what the results would have been if a condition of voting had been having actually shot at least one of the following; polar, grizzly, or brown bear(world wide), bison (or any of the worlds bovines) with the caliber that they voted for? One isn't much, but is somewhat more than nothing. It would also help if they had used more than one caliber on said species to indicate some basis for their opinion. You could ask the few left what their experience with long range shooting was, and what on what animals and which calibers.
 
Dogleg said:
I wonder what the results would have been if a condition of voting had been having actually shot at least one of the following; polar, grizzly, or brown bear(world wide), bison (or any of the worlds bovines) with the caliber that they voted for? One isn't much, but is somewhat more than nothing. It would also help if they had used more than one caliber on said species to indicate some basis for their opinion. You could ask the few left what their experience with long range shooting was, and what on what animals and which calibers.
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Finding someone who's shot more than one polar bear might be difficult and I'm guessing it would leave you with an Inuit and a 243. :)
 
bearkilr said:
Finding someone who's shot more than one polar bear might be difficult and I'm guessing it would leave you with an Inuit and a 243. :)
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True, but that someone may have also shot a grizzly or six, three bison and a walrus. If we could at least establish someone's bonafides, its easier to decide what weight to give his opinion.
 
Dogleg said:
True, but that someone may have also shot a grizzly or six, three bison and a walrus. If we could at least establish someone's bonafides, its easier to decide what weight to give his opinion.
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Perfect.... that will be a short thread... then we can move on to "bear defense with a .30/30."
 
hoytcanon said:
Perfect.... that will be a short thread... then we can move on to "bear defense with a .30/30."
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The thread would probably be the same length, but the poll would be meager.

Bear defense polls and studies are fundamentally flawed, simply because if there are no injuries and no real reason to believe that the shooting will be discovered who would report it and subject themselves to the tender mercies of the legal system? Bear? What bear?
 
bearkilr said:
That may work in SK, but our elk and moose don't live on bald ass prairie intersected by road allowances, so I like to put them down a little quicker. :)
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LOL! You have never seen the majority of Saskatchewan. Everyone just thinks about the lower 1/3 of the province as that is where they drive on the Trans Canada and Yellowhead - and you are right, that part is flat as a pancake. Go above the tree-line and check out your theory. Very different hunting anything up there.

My vote still goes to one of the .338's for elk. Just a little more margin for error on an animal with a real strong will to live.
 
I love that! Everywhere else, the term "tree-line" refers to the point that is far enough north, or far enough up a mountain, that no trees grow beyond.

Apparently, in Saskatchewan, the tree-line is the point far enough north that you might actually find something taller than a cornstalk! :)
 
With the improvements in modern high quality ammunition should a .308 not be sufficient?

Reason I ask is that recoil is an issue for me. I am a big strong guy but have a rebuilt shoulder.
 
Kevan said:
Why such a hate for Saskatchewan ? Have you ever been east of Chilliwack ?
I never knew what a small buck was until I filled my first BC deer tag 30 years ago...
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No hate for SK at all. "Tree line" is generally what's referred to the line where no trees can grow north of. I'm pretty sure all of SK is within the tree line, except for maybe a tiny spot in the uppermost NE corner.

And I actually live east of SK, so yeah, I've been east of Chilliwack BC quite often. :)
 
Sorry Bearkilr, I guess you have been East of Chwk.
I farmed in Saskatchewan, actually South of Saskatoon.
That may have been South of the tree line because we had 6 trees on 1920 acres, no Elk but a small band of Pronghorn Antelope.

Sorry for the hi-jack...
 
The way things are going and the one ups man ship , 80 Years ago a 303 was fine 70 years ago 30-06 was the new big everything round. the 308 was supposedly a improvement on that cartridge and in a lot of ways it was some ways it isn't but with modern powders and bullets its pretty darn close.

Then the Magnum 30's were the minimum for large game , Then 375H&H , Then 338 Lapua Mag and other 338 become the Minimum recommended to some people.

At this rate just do yourself a favor and get a Anzio 20mm because these darn big game animals are just getting way to strong and thick skinned at a exponential rate its better to get ahead of their evolution .
 
Kevan said:
Sorry Bearkilr, I guess you have been East of Chwk.
I farmed in Saskatchewan, actually South of Saskatoon.
That may have been South of the tree line because we had 6 trees on 1920 acres, no Elk but a small band of Pronghorn Antelope.

Sorry for the hi-jack...
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No worries, it's all in good fun. :)

Saskatchewan actually has one of the most diverse terrains within Canada and a lack of a big city attitude and politics, something many of us should be jealous of.

Here in MB, we used to compete with SK for "car theft capital", "murder capital" and "transfer payment King", but since they've yanked the NDP, found oil and potash, it's a no contest.

I just wish they wouldn't be so protective on allowing fellow Canadians in on their excellent mule deer and antelope hunting!
 
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