Elk Muzzle Hunt Suggestions

[Couzer]

Well your pretty much using a rifle on a muzzle loader hunt, shouldn’t be that tough. Good luck on your hunt if you get drawn.

[Boarman03]

Well, at least getting drawn the first time I ever put in for a hunt  last year for deer didn't hurt my point standings. I guess I'll have to just wait and see what happens. But I'm still going to be educating myself as much as possible so if the opportunity arises, I'll be ready, just like the Boy Scout Motto.

[Crazymonkey]

Don't limit yourself on the early hunts only .There are plenty of big bulls in most units .We've hunted 6a muzzleloader for quite a few years and taken some nice bulls mine was a 6x5 broke the one beam at the wale tail and my dad on his very first hunt took a 7x6 .Absolutely put in by yourself or with someone that has as high or higher points as you as they add all points and split them biased on the size of your group.I'm praying for a tag as I've got a 7x7 that I've watched for 3 years do the same thing and give us a look just outa range for most muzzys but not anymore.I'm primarily a meat hunter and will shoot what gives me the best opportunity at a good shot .Never tried calling always a spot and stalk or a water hole type hunt depending on who has the tag .My dad is mid 70s and a lot of walking is out for him .

[Boarman03]

Thanks Crazymonkey. You've been very helpful. I actually put in for the earlier hunts to avoid the cold, then found out that is when they probably rut. My bad back reduces my mobility and some ability. I have a crossbow permit but haven't had any practice with it yet. Probably time to learn.

I wonder if COVID got more people to try to hunt? Some of us are aging out and want to accomplish some hunts before we go "Home".

A good friend of mine put in for hornless Elk for the first time since 1985. He was born here and I grew up here. Too bad we don't get points for how many years we've lived here and paid taxes. We both sacrificed a lot for our families, no regrets from me, but one of his kids and his wife went off the deep end and he just finished going through a very nasty, expensive divorce.

We hunted his small parcel in Texas for hogs, him every year but me every five if I could get away since 2008. 20 hours is a long drive each way. He's probably going to sell it next year.Too hard to manage from a distance and another friend that lives there has been over hunting it and dong nothing with the money that he was given to manage it. He fired him last November.

So I've tried duck hunting, had to urban hunt coyotes that were attacking my sheep, and I've now gone on one Mule deer hunt, and it was very successful. I try to guarantee my success in all I do by being prepared in advance as much as possible and seeking wisdom from those more experienced.

Thank you again for your help.

[Explorer]

Deer and elk are two different animals. Elk clot blood so fast and can take so much more than deer. I was shooting 4 inch groups with my bow at 80 yardds and jazzed about it until I hit a bull with a arrow designed for a deer and luckily I tagged said elk but it was not the performance I expected at 20yards! Took 2 follow up shots to seal the deal even though it bedded and was hit hard and never moved.

[yotebuster]

22 minutes ago, Explorer said:

Deer and elk are two different animals. Elk clot blood so fast and can take so much more than deer. I was shooting 4 inch groups with my bow at 80 yardds and jazzed about it until I hit a bull with a arrow designed for a deer and luckily I tagged said elk but it was not the performance I expected at 20yards! Took 2 follow up shots to seal the deal even though it bedded and was hit hard and never moved.

My take on elk has always been the opposite.  If you put a hole in their lungs and they tip over they won’t get back up.   Seems like a deer can get an adrenaline rush and they’re so light they can pop up and cover ground.  Elk have nice big lungs and if you drop the wind out of them they usually tip over quick.  They’ve got a whole lot more hide, muscle and bone in the way depending on your angle.  

[Explorer]

Just speaking from my own experience.  Even with a rifle deer and elk are two different animals when hit with a projectile.when it's an elk you keep pumping lead until it is down. Or in my case aluminum and steel.

[Boarman03]

Thanks! All good input. I do understand where you hit them, type of projectile, Ballistic Coefficient for the distance, and the bullet's Kinetic Energy at point of impact are all important factors to a successful humane taking of the animal.

According to Colorado's Parks and Wildlife, the minimum Ballistic Energy required to kill an Elk  is 1500ft-lbs. while only 1000ft-lbs is required for Whitetail. Since those are minimums, knowing the ballistics of your ammo in your gun at the different ranges, distances, is very important. I understand that. There are many nice calculating programs out there to help.

I have the data for my gun out to 600+ yards. That's why I could down the Muley at 321 yards with the wind gusting. Todd South is extremely knowledgeable as well as being a fantastic rifle builder.

I now need to learn everything I can about Elk's habits, preferences, and needs for different times of the fall in Arizona. I need to learn how to very effectively call them in, learn what helps to attract them legally, when do they move around, bed down, etc.

[CatfishKev]

Hope you get drawn. Your deer thread was cool i bet youll get it done if you draw.  

[Boarman03]

On 2/20/2022 at 7:02 PM, CatfishKev said:

Hope you get drawn. Your deer thread was cool i bet youll get it done if you draw.  

Thanks. I had fantastic help. I believe in trying to guarantee your own success. Todd South and I were talking tonight about the Zeiss app and that I need to put the info in to it. We wrote down most of the info on the box of bullets when we dialed in the rifle. He used his app for the Muley, but I need to do it myself. So much to learn.

Thanks again for the compliment.