Your links don't work, but welcome to the site,

Kevin

Welcome to the site.  There is tons of information to be had on this site, and lots of people willing to help.  

Let us know what caliber it is you are looking at.  Seems like everyone has an opinion on what caliber you can/should use for different hunting situations.  

Have you already taken your hunter safety course?  If not, you will need to get that done sometime before early April (if you are planning on hunting Colorado?) so that you can apply for licenses in the draw.  

When you say Unit 501, you mean in Colorado, right?  If so, it looks like that will require at least one preference point for any of the rifle seasons for a bull.  It also looks like a handful of cow licenses made it to 2nd choice, but not many.  That means that you probably can't hunt a bull in that unit in your first year applying.  

Regardless of if you draw the license you want or not, I would recommend trying to accompany your friends on their elk hunt.  It would give you an excellent opportunity to learn more about hunting first hand.  Also, if you don't draw the license you want, but you still want to give it a try yourself, there is the leftover draw, leftover licenses, and Over The Counter (OTC) licenses for elk.  Basically, there are so many opportunities to elk hunt that if you don't draw the license you want, there are still plenty of other licenses available.  

Anyway...

Stick around and let us know how it is going for you.  Good luck!

thanx.  sorry about the links.

looking at a Rem 700 SPS in .308.  26" varmint.  also a nikon prostaff scope at 3x9 04 4x12 @40mm.  

hunter safety no, but i will be doing it here in the next month or so.  yes, 501 in CO.  i dont care if its a cow or bull, im in it for the experience and meat for my family at this point!  as i have time, ill be digging through the site and reading all i can.  thanx for the responses!

http://www.impactguns.com/remington-700-308-win-special-purpose-syntheti...

http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/prostaff/3-9x50_BDC_RET...

Do NOT get a Varmint style heavy barrel.  You will regret the extra weight.  .308 is perfectly acceptable, in fact more than adequate.  Most people will enjoy the lighter recoil. But take advantage of the lighter weight actions it can provide and get yourself a nice, short action, sporter weight rifle.  I would not recommend either of those scopes either.  A 3-9x50 or a 4-12x40 would A) look ridiculous on a little .308, B) Have to be mounted too high (the 50mm), and C) add unncessary weight.  A 3-9x40 is about perfect, and 2-7 or 2.5-8 is great too.  Also, consider a stainless instead of blued rifle for your first one.

Next step, get your hunters ed, then learn about the draw odds and preference points.  Like it was mentioned, there's not much chance of you drawing any kind of bull tag in 501 this year.

I have to agree with ExBio on the gun.  A heavy long barrel is great when shooting off of a bench at the range.  Especially when shooting many rounds successively.  But for hunting, it is terrible.  You will be much more comfortable shooting off hand (or off shooting sticks) with shorter barrel that is much lighter.  

Good luck on starting your hunting adventures.  If you're like most on this forum, you'll be hooked for life once you start!

thanx for the input.  would you mind making some suggestions.  keep in  mind that the key points of why this rifle over that one would help trmendously.  Im set on a .308, i think i prefer a remington.  my budget for rifle, scope, rings, mounts is $800-1000.  but with that said, less is better, as i have more things to buy to be ready for this coming season.

thanx for the help again!

I was going to post the same thing, but got beat by Exbio. Then i thought about what you said you were going to hunt. You mentioned coyotes. The heavy barrel would be ideal for that, but still not needed if you hunt elk too.

You have plenty of options witin your price range. You can still stay with a Rem 700 with a lighter barrel if you want. It's what i'm using for elk/deer in a .270. You can also look at the Winchester 70. very nice gun in your price range. I'm not a fan of BDC reticles, but some guys swer by them. The .308 shoot pretty flat to 300yds. No need to shoot further than that. Some guys likre the Tikka T3. Very accurate gun that uses basically a Sako barrel, and has a good trigger. Very light gun though, and recoil will be higher than other guns with wood stocks.

Leupold has upgaded all their scopes. You can get a VX-1 for about $200, and it basically a VX-2 now. Nice scope with a killer lifetime warranty.

Try here for good prices. 

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php

Welcome to the site. If you intend to use your rifle for hunting, you might want to stay away from the heavy barrel.

Hope to hear your hunting stories soon!!! 

I want to thank you all for the input.  i decided to go with the Rem 700 SPS Varmint in .308, as i want to do long range target shooting.  this will serve its purpose forhunting this season.  and from there, i can better determine what i would like/dislike for hunting in the hills and brush.  I did notice right away that holding it up was far more difficult than the same rifle in a small barrel.  but, i do love this rifle!  with an in depth and 90 minute long discussion with the salesman at the store, a damn good one i might add, I decided to go with a Vortex Diamondback scope in 4-12x 40.  i think it is by far the best view in the price range, and the warranty can not be beat!  very good for my first if i say so myself!

I also noticed that i do believe a 20" or 22" barrel would be better/more maneuverable.  i also have set a date for my hunter safety.  break in of the rifle should come in the next month i hope. cant wait to start sighting with match grade to see what my crappy eye sight can muster!

here is the scope

http://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-diamondback-4-12x40-riflescop...

i like it alot!  also picked up a cleaning kit, leupold dual dove tail rings, and a soft case for it.

Giggity!

I'm not a Reminton fan, but if you're happy, I'm happy!   My three "go to" rifles are a Sako .243, a Ruger 25-06, and a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 amongst two safes full of long guns and a few handguns.  I'm a Leupold guy when it comes to scopes, but the Vortex is a very good scope and matched with the Leupold dual dovetails you should be all set.  Now get out there and break that sucker in, LOL!