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Drew an Elk MZ tag... now what?

coleslaw

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So against all odds (about 4% draw odds) I drew an Arizona bull tag for a November muzzleloader hunt. Of course I'm still in disbelief; winning lotteries and raffles is something that just doesn't happen to guys like me lol.
I'm not new to elk hunting and have been successful with a rifle, but I am new to doing it with a MZ. And yes, I have taken whitetails with a MZ before, but it's just not something I gave much thought about beyond going to the store and buying whatever powder and bullet combo I could find. It's supposed to be a no- brainer anyways, right? Stuff it down the tube and shoot, but not if your target is over 100 yards. At least that used to be the traditional way of thinking, even with in-line MZ's.

Then a few years ago my brother in law started practicing out to 200 plus yards. I thought it was impressive enough. Then last year a mutual friend drew a New Mexico MZ elk tag. He had a Remington Ultimate MZ and was practicing out to 500 yards. I had never heard of such a thing, so instead of asking a dumb question, I googled it lol. It appears with all the long range crazes in today's shooting world that muzzleloaders are no exception.

I am a somewhat experienced reloader, and shoot a fairly high volume of reloads (apparently not this year though). But being a reloader already has my head spinning with bullet, sabot and powder combinations to test before this year's hunt and I fear I am falling down the rabbit hole with excitement.

I am shooting a CVA Optima V2 with the regular 26inch barrel... pretty standard. I would of course like to start extending my ranges out towards 300 yards. That is going to be my ethical limit and from the looks of it, a fair portion of the area I will be hunting looks pretty thick with pine and juniper anyways. I am not above re-investing in my setup and have looked into the V2 long range and a few other models, but I feel this probably won't necessary. However, I really don't want to squander this tag if the opportunity presents itself this fall.

Let me know what you guys are using for Elk, what you recommend and what works for you. I am starting from blank and am all ears. Thanks!
 
If they are legal in AZ I strongly recommend Parker Bullets. High BC and very lethal.

 
I’m skeptical of muzzleloaders. I shot a coues deer with one twice in the vitals last year and still had to plug it in the head with another when I got up to it.

The year before I watched my mother in law make what I thought was a perfect behind the front shoulder shot on a bull elk in AZ 6a. It stumbled around a bit before walking off with a blood spot on its side, never to be recovered with 4 people looking for it for 3 days in a fairly open forest.

I would definitely research various projectile types(I know nothing about this) and pick the one that is supposed to be the mostly deadly.
 
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BH209 and not over 150, 100 is better with that muzzleloader. You don't have the same bullet specs as you do with a partition or accubond. And, your energy is falling off fast. You need energy to kill the elk quickly. You don't have a quick follow-up shot if he's on his feet. Wind won't be your friend either compared to rifle cartridges that are at much higher speeds with better ballistic coefficients.

Look at is an archery hunt but your range is tripled and be happy about that.
 
90gr of BH209 is accurate in my Accura V2. Below 2 MOA at 100 yards using TMZ or TEZ sabots. Didn't see a big difference between the two.
 
So against all odds (about 4% draw odds) I drew an Arizona bull tag for a November muzzleloader hunt. Of course I'm still in disbelief; winning lotteries and raffles is something that just doesn't happen to guys like me lol.
I'm not new to elk hunting and have been successful with a rifle, but I am new to doing it with a MZ. And yes, I have taken whitetails with a MZ before, but it's just not something I gave much thought about beyond going to the store and buying whatever powder and bullet combo I could find. It's supposed to be a no- brainer anyways, right? Stuff it down the tube and shoot, but not if your target is over 100 yards. At least that used to be the traditional way of thinking, even with in-line MZ's.

Then a few years ago my brother in law started practicing out to 200 plus yards. I thought it was impressive enough. Then last year a mutual friend drew a New Mexico MZ elk tag. He had a Remington Ultimate MZ and was practicing out to 500 yards. I had never heard of such a thing, so instead of asking a dumb question, I googled it lol. It appears with all the long range crazes in today's shooting world that muzzleloaders are no exception.

I am a somewhat experienced reloader, and shoot a fairly high volume of reloads (apparently not this year though). But being a reloader already has my head spinning with bullet, sabot and powder combinations to test before this year's hunt and I fear I am falling down the rabbit hole with excitement.

I am shooting a CVA Optima V2 with the regular 26inch barrel... pretty standard. I would of course like to start extending my ranges out towards 300 yards. That is going to be my ethical limit and from the looks of it, a fair portion of the area I will be hunting looks pretty thick with pine and juniper anyways. I am not above re-investing in my setup and have looked into the V2 long range and a few other models, but I feel this probably won't necessary. However, I really don't want to squander this tag if the opportunity presents itself this fall.

Let me know what you guys are using for Elk, what you recommend and what works for you. I am starting from blank and am all ears. Thanks!
Congratulations! Your CVA rifle is plenty for elk. Match it up with some Blackhorn 209 and whatever bullet your rifle likes - it's an experiment every time you try a new bullet. I have a November MZ tag in Arizona also. I'm shooting a Traditions Strikerfire LDR, 110gr (by volume) BH 209; working up loads to decide between the THOR 300 gr all copper bullet and Federal B.O.R. 270 gr. Both are accurate!
 
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I’m skeptical of muzzleloaders. I shot a coues deer with one twice in the vitals last year and still had to plug it in the head with another when I got up to it.

The year before I watched my mother in law make what I thought was a perfect behind the front shoulder shot on a bull elk in AZ 6a. It stumbled around a bit before walking off with a blood spot on its side, never to be recovered with 4 people looking for it for 3 days in a fairly open forest.

I would definitely research various projectile types(I know nothing about this) and pick the one that is supposed to be the mostly deadly.
Interesting, same projectile in both instances?
 
Thanks for the replies everybody. Time to start searching for some BH209, and budgeting for some bullet and sabot samples. This should be a fun summer of preparation.
 
Congrats on drawing a tag that should be a fun hunt! I just got into muzzleloaders 2 years ago when I drew my 1st elk tag. I would recommend a finding a bullet that your gun likes to shoot and practice with that and not be to worried about needing to shoot long range. Just take your time to get into a range your comfortable with I shot my bull at around 45 yards. Good luck with your hunt! Also be ready for all types of weather I've only been to Arizona once and it was an all out blizzard when I hunted there a couple years ago.
 
your smoke pole will do the trick but if you like buying new guns i'd take a hard look at the CVA accura V2 LR. The trigger is absolutely remarkable for factory, almost as good as some $300 drop ins i have in my AR's. The 30" Bergara barrel has been been recognized as the most accurate production muzzleloader barrel in the world. Top that with 150 grains of white hot pellets and a powerbelt plantinum aerotip and you've got yourself a long range killing machine
 
I have done quite a bit of shooting at 200 yards with my TC PRO hunter. I have drawn two NM muzzleloader tags in the past 6 years. I do NOT use the high BC plastic tipped bullets. I run BH 209 with a MMP Sabot and a 350 grain Kodiak .458 bullet. 1953 FPS as chrono'd which is basically identical to a 45/70 Govt. I practice with the much less expensive Hornady 350gr .458 or a Speer 350gr .458. All three fly to the same POI, but the Speer and Kodiak are more accurate at 200 yards.

At 200 yards all three hit 9" low when point of aim is dead on. This drop coincides with the second hash mark, ballistic mark etc.. on the Burris scope on the rifle with the Ballisic plex.

How well does that combo perform at 200 on a bull elk?? I don't know. My 2015 bull came in to our calling and one Kodiak thru the sternum at 35 yards as he was facing me was all it took. Knocked him on his butt.

I have taken 2 or 3 whitetails with the Speer 350 and the same recipe and like Hank says, it leaves a golf ball size hole going in and out. Easiest blood trails ever.

Practice, practice, practice...
 

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