Elk - What would you use from these choices (270WSM or .308)?

blasted_saber

blasted_saber

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So, in the extremely unlikely chance I get drawn for the inaugural elk hunt here in Ontario, I have two choices of rifle in my cabinet I believe are suitable. Given that I have no experience with hunting elk, and I have read they are more difficult to kill then moose, I would appreciate some feedback as to what rifle/round you would use. As with most of Ontario, ranges would be typically under 100m, with a long shot likely being 200m.

Anyways heres what I got

In .308 I have 180gr Nosler Partitions, 180gr Woodleigh Weldcores, or 200g Silvertips.

In .270WSM I have 140gr Failsafes, 140gr Accubonds, or 150gr Nosler Partitions.

What say you?
 
Seeing as we are competing for the same tag, I must say that, unfortunately, you do not have a suitable gun for elk. I, however, have both the .308 and the .270 WSM so I'm okay. Especially with the .270 WSM and my Barnes TSX in 140 grain :)
 
Just shoot it low in the chest, about 1/3 the way up the body. High lung shots or shoulder shots 1/2 way up the body or higher can allow an elk to go a long ways after being hit. If you only manage to take out one lung it is even worse.

Making a good low shot through the vitals will count for 10X more than the difference between the cartridges and bullets you listed.
 
Elk only got hard to kill since the advent of the internet.

Elk are tenacious but not more difficult to kill than a moose. The difference is that an elk will instinctively hit high gear 0.5 seconds after being hit, whereas moose will often respond less energetically. Both die when blood flow to the brain is interrutpted, but the elk might be farther away when that happens. Anything else is fairy tales started by hunting mags to spur sales, and perpetuated by "internet" hunters.

use whatever you'd use for moose. Either rifle / load you listed will be just fine.
 
270 wsm with some ttsx and you will have some of this.
CIMG0703.jpg
 
If I draw I will use the 30-06 and load up some 165's I think. I suspect good shot placement and a a bullet that won't blow apart are all thats necessary on any caliber from .270 on up.
I have read about guys shooting Elk with 120gr pills in 25-06's. I'd be damn hesitant to use mine though....
 
I believe that elk are definitely CAN be harder to put on the ground compared to a moose. Also even if it is an equal amount of time it takes for them to die they can go a lot further than moose. An elk can and will cover an incredible distance in 5 minutes.

It's their instinct.

When wounded, a moose will move off a little ways hold up and die. Considering their whole life is usually spent with in a square mile or two, one can see that is their nature. Move off a little ways, hold up for a minute then move off some more, often going in circles.


An elk is a highly mobile animal, often covering 5 miles a day just going out to feed then bed down. They will also travel many miles between fall, winter, spring calving and summer ranges, somewhat of a migration. When pushed they will go miles and miles if they have to, not stopping, being led and pushed onwards by the other animals in the herd. It's in their nature to cover great distance.


That's the difference between moose and elk as I see it, both before and after the shot.
 
The reason you are having trouble deciding is that there is very little between the two rounds upon which to base a decision.

Take the rifle you like the best and stop fretting about angels on a pin.
 
blasted_saber said:
So, in the extremely unlikely chance I get drawn for the inaugural elk hunt here in Ontario, I have two choices of rifle in my cabinet I believe are suitable. Given that I have no experience with hunting elk, and I have read they are more difficult to kill then moose, I would appreciate some feedback as to what rifle/round you would use. As with most of Ontario, ranges would be typically under 100m, with a long shot likely being 200m.

Anyways heres what I got

In .308 I have 180gr Nosler Partitions, 180gr Woodleigh Weldcores, or 200g Silvertips.

In .270WSM I have 140gr Failsafes, 140gr Accubonds, or 150gr Nosler Partitions.

What say you?
Click to expand...

Elk shots are hard to come by around here. I would use the 270WSM to be sure the job gets done. 7mmWSM or 7mmRM are fine too. I would never use failsafes. Won't expand. Nosler Partition are great though.
 
rral22 said:
The reason you are having trouble deciding is that there is very little between the two rounds upon which to base a decision.

Take the rifle you like the best and stop fretting about angels on a pin.
Click to expand...

Very little difference between a .308 and a 270WSM? I disagree with that.

And no where am I fretting. Its discussion on a Hunting board. This is what this board is here for.

Thanks for the replies fellows!
 
well, if yours are anything like ours, you have to go early in themorning, your shot won't be any less than 250 yards, and if you look twice, they'll vanish on you- the ODD one can be called, and it's better on horseback- as far as gun goes, my scabbard wears a savage 99 in 308/180- either gamekings or hot-cors - granslams have a nasty habit of shedding the jacket- if i'm on foot, then the 338 gets the nod b/c of more bullet weight, better range(325) - i try not to be on foot if at all possible- you CAN get them mad enough to charge if you can bugle properly, amnd that's a shot i think i'd leave
 
Republic of Alberta said:
I believe that elk are definitely CAN be harder to put on the ground compared to a moose. Also even if it is an equal amount of time it takes for them to die they can go a lot further than moose. An elk can and will cover an incredible distance in 5 minutes.

It's their instinct.

When wounded, a moose will move off a little ways hold up and die. Considering their whole life is usually spent with in a square mile or two, one can see that is their nature. Move off a little ways, hold up for a minute then move off some more, often going in circles.


An elk is a highly mobile animal, often covering 5 miles a day just going out to feed then bed down. They will also travel many miles between fall, winter, spring calving and summer ranges, somewhat of a migration. When pushed they will go miles and miles if they have to, not stopping, being led and pushed onwards by the other animals in the herd. It's in their nature to cover great distance.


That's the difference between moose and elk as I see it, both before and after the shot.
Click to expand...

5 minutes?! In my experience, if it takes longer than 15 seconds for an animal to bleed out and drop - then your shot placement is bad. 5 minutes is twilight zone stuff..
 
t-star said:
well, if yours are anything like ours, you have to go early in themorning, your shot won't be any less than 250 yards, and if you look twice, they'll vanish on you- the ODD one can be called, and it's better on horseback- as far as gun goes, my scabbard wears a savage 99 in 308/180- either gamekings or hot-cors - granslams have a nasty habit of shedding the jacket- if i'm on foot, then the 338 gets the nod b/c of more bullet weight, better range(325) - i try not to be on foot if at all possible- you CAN get them mad enough to charge if you can bugle properly, amnd that's a shot i think i'd leave
Click to expand...

Well, in Ontario you're lucky to see 25 yards throughout 90% of the province. So 250 might cause a problem. As for being like yours; theirs a debate raging about whether nuisance elk permits should be issued, cause they stand in peoples backyards and wreck crops in the limited amount of farmers fields in area. For now, they are pretty tame. After a couple years of being hunted, I'd imagine that will change.
 
Certainly not the last word on this, but I have taken a couple of bull elk, albeit with a .300 WM, and one bull moose with a 30.06.

Either caliber mentioned will knock down an elk quite efficiently. Secret, just like with any other critter, is shot placement. Around here, the good ol' .270 Win is still very popular for elk hunting.

That said, I'd like the .270 WSM over the .308 because it's flatter shooting, albeit marginally, which can be an advantage at times.

Pick a top quality bullet from 130 to 150 gr. and you're good to go, right out to 350 yds.

An elk shot through the heart/lungs won't go any further than will a moose.

However, any elk or moose, poorly shot, is capable of putting a lot of distance between themselves and a hunter.

FWIW.
 
stories around bancroft about a farmer chasing elk off his lawn with a tractor only to park it, turn around and see his lawn quickly fill up with elk again. Goes out every other day and fills his loader bucket with wapiti guano. Rumour has it, he got charged by a big bull while doing so.



sorry for the hijack
 
I do not understand why so many poeple have so many rilfes. I do not care what you shoot 260, 270, 280, 7-08 30-06 they all kill the same. If you own and shoot one rifle, if you are good with it. You rule. I have one rifle I hunt with it is a 7m Rem Mag I shoot everything with it. Deer Moose elk bear and if a yote pisses me off him too. If you shoot over 300 yards then you should look at a magnum. Oh just so I do not get ragged on IMHO
 
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