nickn10
Member
I understand the argument over what caliber it takes to kill an animal cleanly. I started hunting in 1965 here in Colorado. An argument/discussion that I have not seen here is the changing conditions as it affects caliber choices, ie. length of hunting season, hunting pressure due to more hunters in the area, different seasons for archery, muzzle loaders, early and late rifle etc. Nowdays, here in Colorado, deer and elk are hunted from late Aug to late Dec. The pressure on the animals have made them both extremely wary and nocturnal. You must apply for and draw, if you are lucky, for a season and animal which may be for the following year. Will it be hot and dry or cold and wet or even during a blizzard? Usually the season drawn will be a week or ten days long at most, you usually have a job and can only hunt a few of those days or if out of state you have spent a ton of money hoping for a once in a lifetime hunt. All those conditions must be considered, add to that the greedy Div of wildlife pumping more hunters into the area and success becomes an iffy proposition. You needed assurance, that if an opportunity presented itself, you couldn't afford to pass up a shot due to distance or an inadequate bullet. ASSUMMING YOU COULD ACCURATELY PLACE THAT BULLET INTO A VITAL SPOT! Magnums, 7mm, .30win and .338win provided an edge. I hunted from 1964 to 1995, since 1980 the conditions for both the hunter and the hunted have changed for the worse. I remember when Elk grazed openly during the day and antelope herds were much bigger, big Muleys, 30 inchers, were not a rare occurrence if you were willing to work for it.
All that being said I started with a .270 thanks to Jack O'Connor and it worked well until the mid 80's. Then the outdoor magazines started touting the great western Elk experience, up until that time most of my hunting buddies ignored Elk, they were too heavy to carry out, and who the heck can eat all that meat! From 1985-1995 I settled on a 338 win for Elk and a 7mm for deer. Nowdays hunting times are short, competition is high and the animals are harrassed, a big caliber is insurance worth carrying if Elk is the quarry. Today I turned 71 and those hills and mountains have gotten too hard for me, but the memories are sweet. BTW I still have a .22lr, a mini 14 .223 and a .308 just in case. Good hunting to you all.
All that being said I started with a .270 thanks to Jack O'Connor and it worked well until the mid 80's. Then the outdoor magazines started touting the great western Elk experience, up until that time most of my hunting buddies ignored Elk, they were too heavy to carry out, and who the heck can eat all that meat! From 1985-1995 I settled on a 338 win for Elk and a 7mm for deer. Nowdays hunting times are short, competition is high and the animals are harrassed, a big caliber is insurance worth carrying if Elk is the quarry. Today I turned 71 and those hills and mountains have gotten too hard for me, but the memories are sweet. BTW I still have a .22lr, a mini 14 .223 and a .308 just in case. Good hunting to you all.
Last edited: