Hey folks, I am scoping out an elk hunt next year in CO, and wanted to get some practical advice from some seasoned hunters.
I am a regular turkey hunter but not big on deer/big game, until I tried elk, and man, I want to fill my freezer.
Looking at what I need for a rifle, I have two choices:
FREE - girlfriends dad has a ruger .30-06 (I'm guessing not a great scope but haven't had a chance to get my hands on it), for what it's worth - he would let me shoot it as much as I want to get comfortable with it
NOT FREE - buy my own rifle, looking at the tikka t3x .30-06 or 300 win mag with a luepold VX-freedom 3x9 40, best price I can find totals at about $1000. Big benefit here is that it's mine and I can shoot it, learn it, make sweet love to it, etc.
Sounds like chance are high I will at least get an ethical shot on a cow, so I don't want to get all the way there just to have a rifle I am not confident in fail me.
Though I haven't been on an elk hunt yet I would assume it's something I will continue doing, so might be worth getting the extra year of practice with my own rifle for years down the road. At the same time the price point would pretty much bankrupt me for the next few months until it's time to start buying tags, few extra pieces of gear etc.
I know it's a weird question but any advice is appreciated!
I am a regular turkey hunter but not big on deer/big game, until I tried elk, and man, I want to fill my freezer.
Looking at what I need for a rifle, I have two choices:
FREE - girlfriends dad has a ruger .30-06 (I'm guessing not a great scope but haven't had a chance to get my hands on it), for what it's worth - he would let me shoot it as much as I want to get comfortable with it
NOT FREE - buy my own rifle, looking at the tikka t3x .30-06 or 300 win mag with a luepold VX-freedom 3x9 40, best price I can find totals at about $1000. Big benefit here is that it's mine and I can shoot it, learn it, make sweet love to it, etc.
Sounds like chance are high I will at least get an ethical shot on a cow, so I don't want to get all the way there just to have a rifle I am not confident in fail me.
Though I haven't been on an elk hunt yet I would assume it's something I will continue doing, so might be worth getting the extra year of practice with my own rifle for years down the road. At the same time the price point would pretty much bankrupt me for the next few months until it's time to start buying tags, few extra pieces of gear etc.
I know it's a weird question but any advice is appreciated!