I just found out this morning that I got a big game combo in Montana - elk, bear or muley. For someone born and raised dropping midwestern whitetails only this is a dream hunt come true. I've got a local contact so I should be able to keep it affordable.
I wish I could say that my Omega was going to make the trip, but for the cost of this trip (and luck in getting a permit!) the 300 Win Mag is going this time. Maybe next time.
Congrats! I have to wait until June 10th to find out about mine. (CO)
Make sure you post some pics of your trip.
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So here is a thought for you (regarding taking both guns). I am not going to leave the rifle in the truck and risk having a good rifle opportunity and only having the ML (I'll shoot a whitetail at 300yds with my Omega but I am not comfortable doing so with an elk, and I can shoot past 300 with the WinMag).
However, I am in extremely good shape (30 yr old, easily can run 70 or more miles a week, good enough that I spent a few years trying to qualify for the Olympic trials). I have an Omega X7 with just the peeps, so it is very light. I plan to get a Yukon pack that I could strap the rifle in and carry the Omega.... I've run at altitudes up to 10,000 ft with no issues, long races as high as Denver.
Thoughts? Packing the elk out would be more difficult than carrying an extra 6.5lb gun...
I totally agree with your thoughts of taking the 300 especially for elk. I drew a late elk hunt permit here in Idaho last season (it was a rifle hunt), but I decided I was going to hunt with a ML a 50 Rem 700ML... More than one day I saw elk but at a greater range than I was willing to try with the ML... Bout the middle of the season - I was getting a little frustrated so out came the Tikka 300 win mag... range was not going to be problem any longer. Dusted it off, cleaned the glass and loaded it up... but then the next morning I would convience myself - I am going to try the ML one more day... then I decided I would keep ML until Dec. 25 - then for sure switch to the 300... Dec 17 I finally got one in respectible range... poppedit with a .458/300 grain Nosler at 176 yards -I was tired of waiting for really close shot.
I am thinking for you hunt with the 300 till you take your elk - pass on any muley less it isa monster - till you take the elk - then once the elk is out of the way then go to the ML for muleys... I am not thinking of packing both at the same time.... But all of this ML hunting depends on terrain... if you out in the Montana desert - might not be much opportunity for the ML in a limited time period.
But I would still take both... ask your contact about hunting with the ML... if he is a hunter he should be able to give you a good thought or two about where you would be hunting...
Biggest thing is to have fun on the trip...
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Keep on Shooting Muzzleloaders they are a Blast
Thanks for your thoughts Sabotloader. I'll be in the moutains in the southwest portion of the state. As it was explained to me, the permit is "either or", you only get to pick one of the animals then you are done. You imply differently, do you have more info than me or just drawing from my earlier description of the permit? Now that I actually have the permit I'll spend the time reading ALL the regs!
Good luck to you on your hunt Spaniel.. Take what every you feel comfortable with. Being a mid-western hunter myself, trips like what you have do not come every year and we have to make the best of them. I've done the center-fire routine before so the next time at bat it will be a muzzleloader, but again, that's a personal choice. So good luck, shoot a nice one, take lots of pictures for all us that do not get that kind of opportunity...
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Shoot! I think you are right (either - or hunt)... southwest part of MT... Let me check with a friend of mine I think that is where he hunts every year.. He has some really good ranch contacts in the area... might be a little further north though...
So if that is the option I'd think it would be the 300... You sure want to be able to harvest an elk or even a big muley buck at the range he is standing... If you did it every year, it would be a little different...
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Keep on Shooting Muzzleloaders they are a Blast
Spaniel - I wish you luck. If this is your first elk hunt - a few words of advice. Don't expect to see a 6x6 around every corner. They are far and few between. I've been on 3 elk hunts and haven't dropped the hammer yet. I've had opportunities on animals that didn't meet my stds (spikes - 4x4s). - Take a 4x4 if you want and don't look back. If you're in open country, take the 300. Get in shape - my last hunt I walked 5 - 15 miles every day, and I swear out of the entire 7 days I don't think 100 yds was flat. You were either going up or down. On this last hunt I saw elk every day - but always saw the really big bulls while driving in (crossing posted ground) and could never locate locate one during legal shooting hours.
Again - good luck. I hope you collect on both an elk and a nice mulie. Oh, and bear too.
__________________ PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE RISING COST IN AMMO PRICES I WILL NO LONGER BE FIRING A WARNING SHOT.
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Got my elk permit!
