I'm new .. Welcome me!

[Toothy]

Hello, hi everybody... as stated I'm new here and I hope to learn much more about hunting elk. Specifically methods used during rifle season on a public DIY hunt, scoping, stalking..etc. A bit about me: I grew up in GA hunting deer, quail, dove, ducks, rabbits and squirrels on our family land and farm. Moved to south Florida 15 years ago, hunted less and learned to fish saltwater. I spend about 3-400 hrs a year fishing with friends from Stuart to Ft Lauderdale and 4-5 times a year we cross over the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. We target most pelagic species, dolphin, wahoo, kingfish, even swordfish, along with deep water snapper, tilefish and grouper. I can post up pictures if anybody's interested. I still hunt here some, mostly ducks, squirrels and hogs. I terrain is horrible, thick swamps, wetlands.. it's all flat. I'm not new to forums.. I'm a member of a couple dedicated to fishing and wide open off topic subjects.

About 5 years ago, I hunted MT with friends and their family for the first time, 9 days in the Big Belts. It was an amazing adventure, wall camp, hiking, climbing, missed opportunities and on day 9.. I got my first bull elk. Not a beast, but not a dink either. My buddy and I decided to go back, we're bringing 2 on their first trip elk hunting, but they're seasoned outdoor types. For us our hunt begins Oct 29 in White Sulphur Springs.

[ElkNut1]

Welcome aboard bud! For me it's glassing, glassing & more glassing when it comes to rifle elk hunting! I like getting to vantage points sometimes right off of roads where I can see great distances or just some elky country. Other times I'll hike a mile or 4 to get to some great looking country & vantage points established through studying topo maps. All in all it boils down to glassing lots of country!

ElkNut1

[Stick]

Welcome!

[Mike_Parson]

Welcome to the group.

[Tigger]

Welcome. There is nothing like fall in the rockies chasing elk!

[Toothy]

thanks all. Lots of good stuff here, I'll keep reading and hope to participate more once i catch up. Been busy this weekend so far, fished Friday, we caught a wahoo early and struck out on swordfish, got up early today to beat the storms and went to the range with a few friends. I just picked up a Tikka T3 LITE, 300 WSM and needed to site it in. It still needs some more work. I'll be back in a couple weeks. 1st pic is at 100yds, 2nd is at 200 yds.

Welcome. There is nothing like fall in the rockies chasing elk!

I agree.. that's why I think about everyday!

[Swede]

Toothy, it is good to have you on the forum. You can learn a lot by viewing old threads including ones in the archives.
For successful elk hunting in the rifle it is all about locating elk. Elknut referenced a tried and proven way. It is especially good in large unroaded tracts, or places where the roads are closed.
I know this sounds crazy to some rifle hunters that have not seen the places I hunt, but driving roads until you cut a fresh track works better where I have been lately. The area is heavily roaded, and the timber stands are relatively small. If you cut a track heading into a stand, then circle the area on open roads. If the elk has not come out, then move in after him. The point is not to suggest driving around your hunting area looking for fresh elk sign, but to figure out the area you are hunting, and learn to find them. Where I live you can save yourself some time by reviewing Google Earth, and some contour maps, then head into the worst, meanest, ugliest place you can find that has some feeding spots in the bottom. There is a reason I don't hunt around home. Good luck.

[Lefty]

Control the finger squeeze!!
On your scope: Two more clicks right and three up!!! and you will be good to 350

( In my opinion)

Ohh welcome!!!!

[Toothy]

Thanks, and I think you're right Lefty. I'll be back at the range in 2 weeks to do some more fine tuning. This rifle came set at 4#'s of trigger, that felt a bit heavy for me. I'm going to reduce that. Also, I'm going to try another set of ammo, possibly Nosler.