The 25-06 is the smallest recommended cartridge recommended for Elk. Since I reload and worked up pet loads that shoot along other loads, personally I would use a 120 grain Nosler Partition. In the past few years, ammunition manufacturers have turned the shooting world upside down. To answer your question the best, you need to find a source of available ammunition you need. A 115 to 120 grain that will not blowup upon impact, Nosler Partition, Barnes, A-Frame and Hornady just came out with a new bullet similar to the Barnes. I know this is a general answer, but with all the darn good choices out there now and what is available in your area is hard to recommend. Remember to buy enough to sight in with, do a little plinking at medium and long range to get the feel of the load and to hunt with.

Moishe

Talking from experience, 375 H&H or better put, all the fire power in the world will not do you any good if you cannot hit with it and follow up on repeated shot. But the best Bear protection as I said before is a small pocket size 22 pistol and a pair of tennis shoes. When the Bear charges, you shoot your buddy in the ankle and run like HELL!

I would fill my pockets with rocks to throw at it too! Do yourself and the elk a service by using a bigger caliber. 270, 30-06, 7mm are minimum in my eyes.

Elk have been killed with even smaller or less powerful rounds.That said even those that love the 25/06 would tell you it's not a elk round.(Always use enough gun)

Sourdough Dave

A +1 for you

From Clays archives of bookmarks, places, information and things to read,

ken.mcloud said it best!

“So, I think that the superior killing power of larger rounds is largely in our heads.(likely testosterone induced) A flat-shooting round that you can accurately place will produce as many if not more "bang-flop" kills as a heavy caliber round.”

Disclaimer: This opinion does not constitute legal advice. Please consult an attorney licensed to pratice in your jurisdiction. Wear sunscreen, protective eyewear, and hearing protection. Buckle your seatbelt. Call your mother. -- The Armchair Outfitter

Has anyone seen what a 25-06 120 Nosler Partition does? WOW!

steve182 a +1 for you, regardless what your using, Ive witnessed Moose hunters empty there 375 H&H and 460 Weatherbys three times and still had to trailem almost to Russia!

The #1 recommended cartridge for Elk is the 338 Win Mag, not to big and not to small. But I still wouldn't give it a second thought of using my 25-06!

What is a ethical kill?

A cartridge you can hit "MOP" or some big cannon can't hit the the broadside of Mount Everest and have to reload 5 times spraying and praying for a hit!

You know how many people who use a 375 H&H and cannot hit "MOP" at 200 yards off the bench!

If you really need a 375 H&H to knock down a poor little Elk, you seriously have a problem!

I watch a fella stop his Ford pickup in the middle of a jeep trail in New Mexico and drop a 6x7 at 300 yards with a 7mm Rem Mag using 150 grain Nosler Partition. OK it's .023 of an inch bigger than the 25-06 and 3/4 of a 22 bullet heavier or 530 foot pound of energy difference, that's right only 530 foot pounds at 300 yards. You really think and Elk is going to tell teh difference in 530 foot pounds of energy!

blackdawgz

To act on bad advice?

You have any idea how many hunters I had to deal with who received bad advice? OMG!

A 270 with 130 grain works fantastic for Caribou. I know of a idiot who just have to have a 375 H&H (sounds familiar) who couldn't sight it in on the bench, I had to sight it in for him. He shot a triple shovel Bull which was never to be recovered and knocked down three Cows all with one shot!

It's not the arrow

It's the Indian!

Clay, you're assuming that I "chose" to shoot the animal in the neck. Offhand I can only recall once where it was an option. You shoot at what's available. Take a look at my first bull. Tell me you wouln't take a neck shot if that's all you could see (and that's all I could see except his horns). Mind you, I wouldn't take a butt shot (unless I was desparate to stop something that was wounded) but the neck is not a bad place to put a bullet if that's the best that's available. I've also had a few problems after they've been shot behind the shoulder. These are big animals. Not deer. They can take some punishment. A lot more than a 25-06 normally dishes out.

And I don't know who told you that elk can take more punishment than moose. Moose have a thicker hide (much thicker). They also have heavier bones. It is not logical to think that they would be whimpier. I've shot my share of both. Can't say as I have seen any difference.

I sure as heck would not be trying to place a .243 or 25-06 in the shoulder of an elk or moose! If you're off even a bit and that flimsy bullet actually hits the shoulder bones instead of behind it ... well, the bullet is not going through the animal. If it's a moose, it might not get through the shoulder. A full grown moose or elk on three legs is pretty much lost, especially if it's a front leg. And no, I wouldn't try placing a .243 or 25-06 in the neck of a moose or elk. Might have a bit better luck now that I've bumped up to 200 grain boattails. Boiler room shots? Yes, they usually do take the animal out ... if you can find it when it's died. Half the time a chunk of fat plugs the hole and the animal stops bleeding. Especially if there's no snow, you're really taking a big chance with gut shots. And if you pop that elk or moose in the guts at the end of the day, you stand a good chance of not finding it till morning. By then it will be bird food.

I took this question as if it were from a new elk hunter or average hunter who does not reload.One who doesn't shoot hundreds if not thousands of rounds a year.I reload and shoot hundreds of rounds so if I were out deer hunting I too would shoot a elk with my 270win.(Barnes tsx).That said I wouldn't leave the house to go on a elk hunt with that gun must less a 25/06,Iwould take my 30/06 or Rem7mmmag they too would be topped with barnes tsx bullets.

If that bullet went through the heart, she was not going far. But you don't know that when they take off!

If they are still on their feet, I'm still shooting too! The only elk or deer I ever lost was from a shoulder (?) hit that I was so confident of that I failed to follow up with another shot while he was still in range. Never again......

The only elk I ever had escape after the shot actually ran about 30 yards then slowed and sauntered uphill through some thick stuff and just kept going, and going, and going. I was standing there after the shot watching and waiting for him to fall over, particularly after he slowed down after the initail run following the hit. I had opportunity to hit him again, but I was overconfident that I made a good hit and he would not get too far. Two miles and 5 hours proved me wrong on that when the trail was lost.

Your observation is correct. I have seen them do both up or down a sheer slope (usually down) or do the dive into the thick stuff. If disturbed, they are going to unass the AO, so don't miss!

In answer to the question, I would say that yes, a 117g 25-06 bullet WILL ethically kill an elk. That long bullet has tremendous penetration and shocking power and I find that it penetrates bone and even steel better than many much larger caliber bullets just like the 6.5mm bullet does. I have done a variety of penetration tests even on steel, bone and a variety of substances... there is no doubt from what I have seen. Elk are tough and strong... however they don't wear kevlar. If you shoot them in a VITAL location within 200 yards, this bullet will give you the same result as a 180g 30-06 as it passes through an elk. That being said, my preference for elk is my .300 Dakota because it can do the same thing at a longer distance and it has even more hydraulic shocking power. I have no interest in actually shooting elk with my 25-06 because it is just too marginal for such a once in a life time opportunity. Like Ontario Honker said, in real hunting you don't get to pick the situation and you have to be prepared for much less than desirable conditions.

stanleyda

Pulled the trigger to soon

You have a valid point, 25-06 or cartridges larger than 30-06 for Elk is not for everybody. I've watched countless of shooters at the range flinching so bad couldn't hit paper at 100 yards with those cannons! Fun to watch those.454 Casull shooters shoot the ground at 30-40 yards out aiming at a target 50 yard out 5-6 feet off the ground.

I don't shoot enough shells in a year to get flinchy. Unless the scope got knocked off real bad and takes some work to sight in, it's an exceptionally wasteful year if I shoot five rounds. I'll never waste ammo (or my shoulder) trying to lob bullets into game a half mile away and I guess that's probably the big difference in my ammo consumption as opposed to others. My personal comfort is not important. Killing is serious business and I am obligated to do the best I can to reduce the animal's suffering and waste of meat. I won't use marginal or excessive calibres and I don't approve of any claims that they are ethical. Not in anyone's hands.

You know, no sane person would think of going after a grizzly bear with a 25-06 or a .243. But I've shot elk and moose that were as big as many good-sized grizzly bears. The difference is that a big griz might just rip your head off if you muck up a shot. Sometimes I think we need to pretend that deer and elk have sharp teeth and claws. That way they might get the respect and treatment from hunters they deserve.

Ye might get away with it! Careful bullet placement will win out. For the overwhelming majority of the population, however, it's all luck, and it's important to drain the blood.

But I'll back what you said, a little bit.

I drove a deer up to within 10' of my hunting partner who was sitting on a stump with a 7 Mag.

He actually missed with the first shot.

The second shot hit the abdomen and the the intestines fell out on the ground.

The deer ran off.

If it hadn't been for The Gypsy (rest her soul) we never would have found that deer.

You never know what may happen to divert your aim.

There are so many people hunting here that there is no such thing as a stationary elk.

You won't believe how fast they can go through the bushes with those huge racks.

You got to hit them moving with something that will let the blood out.

For an inexperienced hunter to take a shot with a small caliber or underpowered rifle is to act on bad advice.

One more thing to know. When I was in AK, people would ask me what would be the best cartridge. I would say nothing less than 30 cal and no smaller than a 30-06. That was the "Gold Standard" the guides and Biologist used. Of course, Caribou and Black Bear, you don't need a cannon, but you never know when Ol'Ben would slip around!

Back in 1980 that's the reason why I switched from 300 Win Mag to the 25-06. Part of it was to recoil and blast; I realized at an early age you didn’t need a cannon on a lot of game and besides the 06 is fun to shoot!