That did clear alot of things up. I would use the 12ga, probably not a better choice.

Without question, the 12 gauge will do the job, especially under the conditions you mentioned. elknut1

Well Coach, you must have a good winning percentage if you think you even have a chance at drawing an elk tag here in Michigan! I' ve been applying every year and have yet to draw!

Hey Msuron,

Someone has to get one, it might as well be me. I have some buddies who also applied. If just one of us get a tag, we are all going. It will be a good time either way.

Good Luck to us all!

The Coach

Coach,

Having guided for elk in Michigan I can tell you the 12 guage should get the job done, because it is so darn thick you often can' t see over 75 yards. However, if you see the bull of a lifetime at 120 yards you' re gonna wish you had a 30.06, 300, 300 mag or 348.

If you want to learn a few things about elk and elk hunting come on over and join us on the T.R.' s Tips board.

T.R.

Well I' m going to get alot of flack for this but if it was my tag I would go with the 30-30 with 170gn. loads.I have hunted and havested elk with a 30-30 and have no regrets about using one again.I belive there are better tools to kill and elk so I choose a larger rifle.If this tag is so hard to get Coach I would trade both the rifle and the shot gun in for a new rifle.The 30-30 was one of the first smokless rounds it has killed griz,elk and deer for along time so don' t dout it' s performance.Keep the shots under 150 yds and right behind the front shoulder.By the way are you hunting in the UP.BBJ

Unless things have changed in recent years, the only way to hunt elk in the UP is on a game reserve, probably at Smoky Lake; ' cause there ain' t no wild in the UP, unless they swam across Lake Michigan. []

T.R.

T.R.,I was just wondering where he was hunting,my brother-in-law always talks about the U.P. and all the elk he sees.I thought they wre wild,not penned game.I live in montana and never been there so my bad[&:]BBJ

I could be wrong, but don' t spraed it around. It will ruin my reputation.

T.R.

I know, I know. There' s a typo. I' m just going to leave it there so Taz and Rack have something to give me heck about. Without me to give a hard time to, they wouldn' t have much fun at all.

T.R.

If a 30-30 is proven for you then I don' t think anyone will say to stop using it. However with all the hunting politics going and the sport being in general danger we need to be more responsible and careful in our approach. I would NEVER recommend a 30-30 to someone who has never hunted elk, and in my opinion niether should anyone else. As stated there are better cartridges and a 30-30 may have killed a lot of Griz and elk but they' ve also maimed more game than any other big game rifle I' ve seen. A 30-30 is only a griz and elk gun in very experienced hands. 100 years ago thats the best they had and more importantly no one was watching. Well everyones watching now and our sport is not growing while anti sentiment is growing, wounded animals in the woods only hurts our cause.