Your weapon of choice!

[Lefty]

And why.


Maybe it was the fellows that I ran into muzzleloader hunting that makes me wonder. Other than one group of guys that didn't fill their tags archery hunting, the other dozen or so guys most were retired with their plan to shoot an elk near the truck


Archery season just seemed to fit my September. I had killed rifle elk , three hunts were short,. My very first elk hunt I killed my bull Tuesday morning, Monday was a full day hunt and a bull Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM
My first Idaho hunt I spend a dozen days scouting, and was gutting my bull before 10:00 AM Opening day.


So my reasons I like to spend time in the woods, And as a punk 13 year old very much enjoyed archery, and grew up in the shadow of a guy that was a hardcore archer.
Also the up close interactions , and found calling intriguing, and has become another part of the hunt I enjoy.

so how about you!

[saddlesore]

Of late, it is muzzle loader season with my 50 caliber. It has become a fact of life that I cant do the deep snows anymore or the extreme cold. The season is as long as our rifle season. However, if I were able, I would go back to rifle season using my pre 64 Model 70 in .06. Packing jn with a string of mules and setting up a wall tent with a good wood burning stove is the ultimate hunt. Sitting around the fire while the snow is swirling outside,knowing as soon as it quits , the elk will be out and about.
I never like to kill an elk opening day. If I do,I feel cheated. I would do so if stupid one walks pass me, but I much rather spend more time in the elk woods. Plus after3-4 days, ,I always became a better hunter, getting back in the groove so to speak

[Jhg]

I am torn between two lovers...

I would not trade archery elk for anything. My static recurve, Elkmaster, at rest.

E0ECC4C8-3111-4E6C-9A5F-6A7C195CDE13.jpeg (147.14 KiB) Viewed 1516 times

I will never give up late rifle cow elk hunts.

DBF145CC-10A4-41EE-9BB7-BF7F958BC1B0.jpeg (121.66 KiB) Viewed 1516 times

They both are super enjoyable for me. I like the winter hunting during late rifle as much as I like archery weather.

I mean, I get to dance with this girl, an old 99F tack driver, .308

C965901C-8698-48D8-BBED-593602E2BC3B.jpeg (187.13 KiB) Viewed 1516 times

[Jhg]

...However, if I were able, I would go back to rifle season using my pre 64 Model 70 in .06...

I would love to see a photo of that rifle in its natural environment. My grandfather had a pre in 250-3000. Super rare. It was stolen.

Anyway, beautiful rifles.

[saddlesore]

This rifle has some history. It was my FIL's and I have the receipt that he paid $100 for it. He left it in his camping trailer in a vinyl case and the trailer leaked.When he found it, it was covered in rust and the finish on the stock was completely gone.We had to use a rubber mallet to even open the bolt.Needless to say,he was sick about it. I polished the bolt and receiver and ordered a used barrel from Numrich Arms for about $75 I think and re finished the stock. I had the receiver re-blued. It didn't look too bad,but there are a few rust pits on the receiver right at the stock line.
My FIL had quit hunting years before this and he never fired the rifle after that. When he past away ,I was given the rifle from my MIL.

I then carved a new stock for it, to fit me and to be able to use a scope a bit better.The original ones were meant for open sights and the comb needed to be a bit higher. It was used on a lot of elk .Several years ago due to a bad shoulder,I had to to put a break on it. Since then I had my shoulder replaced and the break is the only way I could use it.

This is the only photo I could make small enough to post here.

cow.jpg (74.93 KiB) Viewed 1509 times

[Swede]

I am a hunter. The weapon I choose is based on the season and place available to me. I have been hunting with a bow for many years now and I enjoy it. I would have no problem going rifle hunting, but I could only hunt the units I prefer every three or four years and the time would be a constraint.

[7mmfan]

I have been a rifle hunter for the last decade, mostly because of time constraints, but also timing of seasons. I really enjoy bow hunting and have considered getting into muzzleloading as well.

My current go to is the rifle I bought when I was 16. It's a little over 20 years old now. Ruger M77 MKII in 7mm Rem Mag, synthetic/stainless. It is an absolute tack driver of a rifle, and the one that I always grab when I head into the woods. I own other rifles, but they rarely see light.

[WapitiTalk1]

Today? Darton Maverick 2 for the elk rut in (insert elk state here); Weatherby V2, .308 WIN for the in betweens (mostly deer in between elk seasons); and the Traditions Vortek Strikefire .50 cal for late elk in WA state and perhaps Blacktail with a multi-season tag if I don’t get one with the .308.

[Lefty]

I would like to get my Browning A-bolt back in elk action . The gun now shoots better than me !!!

Cow elk on Deseret Land an Livestock 2002 A long shot

[Tigger]

A Matthews something-or-other for my bow. Archery elk hunting is soooo fun because of the calling aspect.

For Rifle, a Sako A7 in .300 WSM. Although I sure like my Browning XBolt in 7mm-08 a lot too.

[MAVinWA]

Hunted elk every year since 1968.
taken many with rifle but archery elk hunting is my favorite!
less hunters than rifle.

when blessed with multi-elk tag, it's lots of time in the elk woods with both rifle & bow.