hunting elk in north idaho is hard. Lots of trees. I see alot of elk right around cda and seem to see less elk the further away from town i go. With that said though you are in a very elk like area. Lots of hunter hunt up the cda river. You might try the st joe but i hear the same thing. I have stopped going out in the woods and just hunt around my house and have been doing decent the last couple of years. your story is also very similar to alot of peoples stories about elk in north idaho.

tim

Leave Grandpa at home next time.....only an idiot would take a 700 yard shot at an elk. There is no caliber that will take the place of stupidity!

Go FIND somebody else to piss and moan to cause if you think that there isn't a cailber that is capiable of taking an elk at 700yds then you shouldn't shoot at an elk at 700 yds. You can just save those shots for the rest of us who do belive in the 700yd shot and are willing to take the chance at an elk at this distance.Go ahead and call it stupidity I will be the one supporting meat when you will be having some of that delicious TAG SOUP!!!!!!!!

I have seen shots made on game at this distance and further,Maybe not ethical but definetly doable.I have made shots in that range on antelope and a wt doe with my 7mag and i have seen it done on elk twice with a 8 mag.