Finally drew a bull elk tag!!

[modified5]

After 13 years of trying, I finally drew a bull tag in Nevada! It’s up in the Jarbidge area in far northern Nevada.
My oldest son also drew his first deer tag which is super exciting. He gets to hunt all seasons from Aug-Nov.
I told him we really need to work on his archery shooting this summer.
Now the dilemma is, what to take on the elk hunt?[smilie=l:

[Markopolo]

Open scrub up there?? Take a medium range sumthin.. heavy hitter. If it’s bushier take a nice lever gun in 35 rem or sumthin..

[modified5]

My main choices are between my 30-06, 7 mag and my Marlin 1895 guide gun in 450 Marlin.
As far as rifles go. I could take my Contender hand gun in 45-70 or .375 JDJ.
I also have a bunch of 94 Winchester’s in 30WCF.
So many choices, so much time![smilie=l:

[Shawlerbrook]

Congratulations ! Don’t think any of your choices are bad ! I would take which ever of the 30 06 or 7 mag you shoot best.

[Gray Fox]

20 years ago I did the same thing in Utah. I took my Browning 1885 in .45-70 for the dark timber and my Sako '06 with 180 Noslers for the more open stuff. The latter was what did the job. We camped out and had mule deer grazing within 50 yards of the tent every morning when we got up. Best of luck to you and your son. GF

[DW475]

Congrats, that's a great elk tag to draw on!

[Winger Ed.]

Very good. Good luck on your trip.

If it was me, I'd be leaning toward taking the 7Mag.

[Texas by God]

On my first elk, I used a Remington 700 30-06 with 200gr Speer HotCor at 2500 fps. One shot at 300 yards drt. YMMV.

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[lostsixgunner]

If You are a handgun hunter take your .375 JDJ , that's what I used on my first Elk, 20 years ago.

[AllanD]

If on a guided hunt and you want to make your guide happy show up for the hunt
with a 30-06 rather than looking like a Yahoo with a 300Mag, not sure how they
feel about a 7mm MAG or 45-70(or 450Marlin which is kinda the same thing)

[quilbilly]

Not necessarily open scrub. There are lots of aspen thickets with white bark pine and subalpine fir mixed in with openings between thickets. Your shots could be anything from up close and personal before the aspens drop their leaves to across the canyon. A lot of the area was burned over in the last couple years west of the Jarbidge River in huge fires so elk population needs to be thinned badly for the land to recover. I am not an elk hunter anymore, just deer, but I love the Jarbidge Mountains, probably one of the most remote ranges in the lower 48. It is much like the Tetons but without the people. As a general rifle, the old '06 or its equivalent is just fine whether in the thickets or across the meadows. If I were hunting elk there, I would end up taking my 338 WM with cast boolits and my 444 with CB's as well in case of technical difficulties. Don't forget your fishing rod as many of the small streams are excellent for brookies. The way the snow pack looks this year, it might be August before it all melts above 8500 feet. I wish I could drive up there after NCBS next week but there is still 4 feet of snow in my favorite places.

[Three44s]

I would opt for the 7 mm Rem Mag and the 450 Marlin and decide between them once you take stock of the area first hand.

Congrats on getting drawn!

Theree44s

[Buzzard II]

Congratulations! Pack light! I don't know the country, but if you are walking you want to pack light. If you don't need it to sustain you, don't take it. Pack it in-pack it out. Do take unscented baby wipes and unscented powder. Good luck!
Bob

[1bluehorse]

It took 13 years to draw a tag. 13 years. Take the 06', it's the best of the bunch you're contemplating. Load up some 180 grain Accubonds and go kill an Elk. The 7 would be my second choice with 175's. I wouldn't waste my time with the others if I'd had to wait 13 years for a tag. Unless it's just the hunt you're interested in, then anything will do.