subject: Elk Hunting Equipment [print this page] You all have seen other bull elk hunters having their trophy hunt displayed on the wall. The pair of beautiful antlers that forms a display so magnificent that it stuns you all with the threatening looks from the head of the preserved bull. You all have been deeply inspired by the very gun that your hunter host showed you all that killed the bull elk that is hanging on the wall in front of you all. Your blood is rushing under your skin, and you all asked your host when the next trip to the grounds is so that you all hope he will bring you all along too.
Before you knew it, he agreed to bring you on the next trip, but insisted you to follow him along the whole preparation process so that you will enjoy the most of the overall hunting process. Everything to start off hunting for elks is best shown by guides or seasoned hunters to the beginners. Let's see what is important to prepare before your first trip to the hunt.
The most important piece of equipment is of course your rifle. For a beginner in hunting, buying a rifle is as simple as stepping into a fishing, game and hunting shop to get your license done and you are off to choose the rifle that suits your gaming needs. There are so many choices available, each with its own unique properties that allows optimum performance throughout your hunt.
Rifles are graded by calibers, which will give both the bullet weight and speed of the bullet to bring your kill down in the lowest number of shots made. Popular choices for elk hunting are the .270, 7mm, .308, .300, and the .338 magnum. These caliber choices are a good combination of performance, effectiveness, and user friendliness. There are choices of firing mechanism too but the recommended still is the single bolt action rifle, which delivers more power and the ease of use by beginners.
A good scope is also needed to sight your prey. When buying a gun, make sure that it is paired with a good scoping sight so that the bullets can really hit the animal at a distance. There are decisions like the variable scope, 2x7, 3x9, or 4x16, which, choosing the best one is the only choice. Sighting in during target practice is a must to calibrate the weapon of your choice. Taking consideration of the weapon's weight, a heavy gun like the .338 Magnum will not be a good choice for tracking and hunting on foot as it will strain you all all day.
Alright, now you have got your rifle ready to go to the out into the wild, it is time to grab some clothes to protect you form the external elements. Proper clothing plays an important part throughout the hunt. It is essential to keep yourself warm and comfortable to make yourself concentrate on the hunt more. There are also special camouflage patterns on clothing to avoid being detected while stalking your prey.
Last but not least, is a set of outdoor tools that every hunter will prepare when they go hunting. That will be their maps, compass, sleeping bags, mess tins, and so on. These are the essentials for outdoor activities and especially for hunting elks. A set of butchering knives is equally important as it will be used to field dress an elk. A frame pack to carry your kill back is a must otherwise you will need to divide the kill into multiple parts to lighten the load then.
Equipment preparation is as necessary as to get ready your skills to hunt for elks. Many newcomers did not get ready themselves well, often complains about a bad experience of elk scouting and hunting, thus making them a one-time participation in the game only. Take some time to get ready nicely and it is a guaranteed enjoyable game of scouting and hunting.
