25-06 and Elk

[Mojave]

Famous Wyoming gun writer Bob Milek killed something like 30 or 40 elk with a 25-06.

He is buried in Thermopolis across the bridge from the Star Plunge. Go put a box of 25-06 shells on his grave when you are in town.

 

[treydfoster]

Once again know your limits. Pick the right bullets. I cant find the picture but on a bull I killed during archery a few years back, I found a 30 cal in his shoulder blade. The shot had to be long as it really did not deform, but it was in the bone. It was at least 160 grains. Limits, the right bullets, and placement. Oh and be ready to follow up with tracking. I hunt PNW and am tired of I must have missed him people. Then I go in there 2 days later and find him 100 yards away. Will 2506 do it, yes if you do your part. You take the shot you spend time looking for the animal. Use the right bullets do your part and you should be fine.

But but but shoulder's can't stop bullets!

 

[treydfoster]

Famous Wyoming gun writer Bob Milek killed something like 30 or 40 elk with a 25-06.

He is buried in Thermopolis across the bridge from the Star Plunge. Go put a box of 25-06 shells on his grave when you are in town.

Is this how you get your ammo?

 

[SwiftShot]

But but but shoulder's can't stop bullets!

Depends on the range. Hell I bet my shoulder could stop one if it was far enough.

 

[FLS]

Worked for me. 110 Tipped Game Kings wrecked his vitals. Staggered maybe 10 feet from where he was shot to where he tipped over.

 

[nagibson1]

Cliff Gray did a video in which he said he didn't trust guys showing up with magnums if they weren't configured over 10 lbs and with other recoil mitigations. "They prob shot once before he trip and their body remembers how much it hurts, and they'll flinch when they shoot them" It's in his rifle setups video. His go to is a 308 for his mountain rifle, suppressed. This hot take was for "one hunt a year, and one range trip a year" guys mostly. Most of the super shooter guys I've known except one moved down in caliber over time.

2 years ago we did track a small bull wounded by another WI party in CO 34 that was limping along- shot with a small caliber in the shoulder. I suspect it survived that wound, but it was sad to see the kid not have a bull, and to have that animal wounded. But I have lost more game from flinching than from hitting them and the bullet not killing them. My 243 has given a couple uninspiring kills, but they were kills.

 

[kcm2]

A friend of mine's late father killed over 40 elk with a 250-3000 Savage. His bullet of choice was the 87 grain soft point. Some good 6x6 bulls, too. If he can do it, your 25-06 certainly can. Shot placement with good bullets is everything on elk.

 

[35WhelenAI]

...But I have lost more game from flinching than from hitting them and the bullet not killing them. My 243 has given a couple uninspiring kills, but they were kills.

@nagibson1, when you missed animals from flinching, you continued flinching and missing more animals? How many have been "... hitting and the bullet not killing them"?

If you've had enough experience with both issues to make a comparison then you've had some rough times and so have some animals.

No mention of the cartridge however I wonder if what you said just came across differently than what you meant?

 

[3325]

A friend of mine's late father killed over 40 elk with a 250-3000 Savage. His bullet of choice was the 87 grain soft point. Some good 6x6 bulls, too. If he can do it, your 25-06 certainly can. Shot placement with good bullets is everything on elk.

I’ve mentioned this before. The .250-3000 (.250 Savage) in a lever action Savage ‘99 was a favorite among some Wyoming old timers I knew. 87 or 100 grain soft points. Some even took Grizzlies with it. I don’t think it was optimal for that. But it was certainly capable of that.

 

[35WhelenAI]

The 250-3000 Savage was touted as being effective, very similar with respect to bullet weight and the .223 that has emerged in the recent times.

 

[SwiftShot]

I am of the opinion that it is shot placement, then bullet choice then caliber. In my youth which was decades ago I figured out the bullet part fast. Hunting hogs with a 22 Hornet. 35 grain hollow points sucked but a 45 grain soft tip rocked. It gave amazing penetration and usually an exit if I was under 50 yards. The others exploded on impact and it was just a bad day.
So a 2506 with good bullet selection will do fine. Just dont expect a left rear quarter hit to exit right front shoulder. Put it in the chest and it is down.

 

[Anubis]

I've killed a couple of elk with the 25-06 , both with 100 grain Nosler Balistic tips. I would not shoot another elk with the Balistic tips but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot another elk with 120 gr Nosler Partitions or A-Frames or like bullet.

 

[Gman12]

I always find it amusing hearing about the necessity for using a howitzer to kill elk. I have zero idea how my Rage broad heads make them fall within sight every time provided I do my part.