New to hunting deer and elk in oregon

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

I've read a lot of old threads and have collected some new info and great ideas on top of a lot of common sense and prior experience. I have hunted white tail deer in Minnesota for 20 with great success. 30-30 has been a great brush gun and shot a lot of deer with it, including a 10 pointer out at 300 yards, YES 300 yards. I was 14 and did not really understand some of the ethical practices with shot placement and only shooting with a clean kill shot. It took 5 tries but it went down, basically choked on the bullet after I aimed about 5 feet above its front shoulder from a tree stand.
Anyway, I have not seen very many people that use a 7mm Remington mag, or at least none talking about using one. I have no doubt about its ability to kill a black tail, actually too much but also would think it would be a great gun for elk. Flat shooting for ranges around 300 yds or less and enough muscle to travel in some light vegetation if hunting from a portable tree stand in the edge of a tree line.
Any reason for this gun not being a popular weapon out here or do I have a wrong assumption about this.
Since it is the only hunting rifle I brought with, what size bullet would you recommend for hunting elk. Thanks and looking forward to responses.

Also, I am terrified about rattlesnakes. I have been told they are not seen much above 4,500 feet elevation, and that they are not out during hunting season due to temperature. Are these correct and how much do you have to worry about them. Im not really sure where to hunt yet and would like to hunt in areas away from crowds and will plan on hiking in a ways. I have alot of planning and scouting to do, but the dang snakes worry me for scouting during the summer. Am I just a Wuse?

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[Jamie6.5]

7mmRM is extremely popular out here for the reasons you mentioned.
Just because they aren't talked about a lot doesn't mean no one uses one, it just means they work so well that not a lot of discussion is necessary!
I would choose a bullet in the 160-165 gr class for elk. Nosler accubond or Hornady Interbond would be good choices. You can go bigger/heavier, but you'll give up some of your flat trajectory.

Rattlesnakes can be an issue during the summer months when scouting. Keep your eyes open, and carry a .22 pistol with bird/snake shot if you're worried about it.
I carry a .22 revolver half loaded with these:
Federal Game-Shok Ammunition 22 Long Rifle 25 Grain #12 Shot Shotshell - MidwayUSA
For snakes that I don't see until they're unavoidable.

Welcome to the great NW!

 

[coyote223]

Seeing your in PDX, you didn't specify which side you'd be hunting. Your not going to run into any rattlers on the NW side. A garter snake for sure, maybe an occasional gopher snake, but no rattlesnakes. Different story on the east side. A lot of people still use 30-30's around here, .24 caliber on up is legal for elk.

 

[nwwoodsman]

Nothing wrong with a 7mm Rem Mag for deer or elk. I killed a buck with mine two years ago at 75 yards and didn't damage any more meat than a 30-06. 30-30 is a good gun for the brush on the west side. Then again a lever action .308 is a good gun for the brush and taking longer shots. Of course 45/70's are becoming more popular. There's also the .300 savage. A .243 is a good lightweight rifle....Seriously, use whatever you're comfortable with and can take an ethical shot with.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Dont worry too much about the 7MM, it makes a great snake gun

 

[moose]

Dont worry too much about the 7MM, it makes a great snake gun

I may have to post this over in the thread http://www.northwestfirearms.com/ge...surd-statement-gun-forums-make-you-laugh.html

 

[MinnesotaORnewbie]

Well, I was looking and for some reason am fixed on trying out or at least scouting the White water unit. I just looked at the rules book and saw it is a controlled hunt and I would still be able to hunt it for one of the two in the general hunt I believe (deer or elk, can't remember) but am aware that I need to APPLY next year in May in order to get a tag there. Anyone have experience hunting on the public land in that unit?
And yes I figured the 7mm would work fine out here, just didnt see too many post about them at first.

LOL, snake gun, that would be interesting

 

[Quackerbacker]

We only count one side out west. A 10 point = 5 point here.

Good common western oregon multi-purpose calibers are .270, .308, .300 savage, 7mm. Check ammo prices for identical unusual calibers and you find you pay quite a bit more. If you plan on hunting Eastern Oregon i would narrow down those choices to 308 or 7mm and maybe add in 300wsm.

I've hunted all over the state and have yet had my first encounter with a rattler. I think eastern oregon is too cold by the time i'm out there and they're hiding away.

 

[clownbuster]

I hunt long range with a 7mmRM full of handloaded 168gr Bergers and havent lost an animal (deer or elk) yet.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Dont forget the 30-06,, the cartridge that the rest are judged by. Yep, I started it

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I gotta wonder,, do they make snake shot for the 7mm rem mag? In the words of the immortal Alf, Haw! I kill me!

 

[clownbuster]

I gotta wonder,, do they make snake shot for the 7mm rem mag? In the words of the immortal Alf, Haw! I kill me!

Alf is good.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Alf is good.

He's my favorite Melmacaian!

 

[Mark W.]

Before you get all interested in a 7mm find one to shoot. I been shooting and hunting in Oregon since 1968 and I am sure Ihave never heard of a caliber more people have owned and given up then 7mm. They are amazingly flat shooting critters and at the same time can be horribly punishing on a guy. The recoil on every 7mm I have shot over the years has been amazing compared to the 30-06's I hunt with.

As to Rattlesnakes. Hunting Western Oregon from Vernoina to Ashland I can't remember ever seeing a rattler on the West side. And those I have seen in Central and Eastern Oregon have been when we were looking for them not when we happened upon them (well save the one run over on the road) So I wouldn't worry so much about Snakes

Yes controlled hunts have to be applied for in late winter (most deadlines this year were May 15th if memory serves) and in most hunts you have a 20-30 chance of getting a tag.

So 1. make sure you have a place to hunt (scouting trip and besure to talk to land owners about permission)
2. Make sure you have more then one place one unit one hunt to hunt incase plan A goes to bubblegum.
3. Make sure you hunt with a buddy. Hunting alone on ground not known is not smart things go wrong and sometimes things go very right and trying to quarter and drag a nice 6 point Elk or even 4-5 point Buck in the dark for a 1/2mile back to the pickup can be a lot easier with help.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

All excellent points Mark.

 

[clownbuster]

Shooting a 7mmRM 1st before you buy is good advice. The following is a Rifle Recoil Table. Notice the "felt" energy differences between 7mm and .30-06.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

 

[61henry]

The 7mm mag can be punnishing, I don't like it and I have a .300 weatherby mag that I love. For deer and elk don't rule out the .270, .308 and the plain old .300 minchester mag, unlike what the fad is now it don't have to say short mag or um to be effective, get what you can shoot comfortably, alot of shooters think they have to have these ultra mags nowdays then can't hit anything because they start flinching because the recoil is too heavy then they are afraid to shoot it. I wouldn't worry about rattlesnakes too much, I have lived and hunted in eastern Oregon most of my life and have never had a problem, I can only remember seeing 2 in 35+ years of hunting. they will usually give you a warning that they are there before you ever see them.

 

[Jamie6.5]

Shooting a 7mmRM 1st before you buy is good advice. The following is a Rifle Recoil Table. Notice the "felt" energy differences between 7mm and .30-06.

Rifle Recoil Table

That's odd. In the table you reference from Chuck Hawks, the 7mmRM is nearly identical to the '06, especially with bullets suitable for elk.
In terms of recoil velocity, it rates even lower than the '06.
So according to Chuck, it should be easier to shoot accurately.

7mm Rem. Mag. (139 at 3100) 9.0 19.3 11.8

Cartridge/ Bullet weight@Velocity/ rifle weight/ Recoil energy/ Recoil Velocity

7mm Rem. Mag./ (150 at 3100)/ 8.5/ 19.2/ 12.1
7mm Rem. Mag./ (160 at 2950)/ 9.0/ 20.3/ 12.0
7mm Rem. Mag./ (175 at 2870)/ 9.0/ 21.7/ 12.5

.30-06 Spfd./ (150 at 2910)/ 8.0/ 17.6/ 11.9
.30-06 Spfd./ (165 at 2900)/ 8.0/ 20.1/ 12.7
.30-06 Spfd./ (180 at 2700)/ 8.0/ 20.3/ 12.8

 

[johnboy]

The rifle you shoot the best in a legal deer/elk caliber is the best one. Snakes.....have hunted in Oregon for 45 years East and West and have seen one rattler and he was going fast away from me. No worries there....