Are Elk easy to kill?

[sp6x6]

Bullet performance could still be the biggest determining factor of whether the elk drops or runs off. Small caliber bullets are still marginal in performance with the exception of the mono bullets like the tripple shock and e-tip. This year while hunting antelope, my hunting partner shot an antelope buck at about 125 yards with his T/C 243 with a hornady interbond bullet leaving the muzzle at about 3500 fps. The bullet hit the antelope behind the shoulder and the frontal area exploded on impact making a very large surface fleshwound with the remainder of the bullet only achieving marginal penetration after the bullet changed direction. The antelope ran far enough that it had a chance to lay down in the brush out of sight. When we jumped it it took off like it wasn't even hit. Bullet performance failed. That bullet wouldn't have had a chance of killing an elk.

My sons first elk was at 300 yrds. lazered, broadside, 3 shots , 2 pass threw,243 100 gr. spire. Elk body was one of the larger I ve seen, packed out about 100. bull went about 20 yrds.

 

[straightshooter]

30 plus years elk hunting, and no they are not easy to kill. I will never shoot a large bull elk with anything smaller than a 30 caliber. Just not worth the risk!

 

[D.Camilleri]

My sons first elk was at 300 yrds. lazered, broadside, 3 shots , 2 pass threw,243 100 gr. spire. Elk body was one of the larger I ve seen, packed out about 100. bull went about 20 yrds.

Good bullet performance and good shot placement equals dead elk.

 

[kc]

My older Brother shot an elk with a .300MAG the bullet went through both lungs and what was left of the bullet was under the hide. it ran for a mile till she bled out. It was a messy stalk there was blood all over th place. there tough.
Take a 243 and leave it home.
If you get a good heart shot it will drop, if you hit the lungs dont chase after it let is set.

 

[BH Hunter]

Elk are quite easy to kill...if you are a wolf.

 

[sp6x6]

A number of years back, I went after a good 5x6 with my bow. Tried to catch him in a high mountain saddle, and I did. But when I saw the herd bull I wanted him, about that time a spike was crossing the saddle, I herd a twang and my hunting buddy zipped that bull, it took 2 small steps and fell over dead. That is the closest to DRT Ive seen when bowhunting, still amazes me. HE double lunged it at 40 yrds.Love the stick and string, when that does not happen, pull out the old gun)340WM

 

[bigngreen]

A number of years back, I went after a good 5x6 with my bow. Tried to catch him in a high mountain saddle, and I did. But when I saw the herd bull I wanted him, about that time a spike was crossing the saddle, I herd a twang and my hunting buddy zipped that bull, it took 2 small steps and fell over dead. That is the closest to DRT Ive seen when bowhunting, still amazes me. HE double lunged it at 40 yrds.Love the stick and string, when that does not happen, pull out the old gun)340WM

I haven't killed many elk with a bow yet but I help out calling 4-5 every year but I have yet to see a bull get more than 60 yrds at best and that was a liver shot.
I work with a guy that killing elk and whitetail with a bow is his passion and he is very good at it and he hands down gives the being tough to kill to the whitetail over the elk, and over the past few years from what I've see, I believe him.
The stick and string is a rather effective

 

[kc]

Sorry guys I never know it was a Lotto program for an Elk tag in South Dakota.

But it's still a great State.

 

[D.Camilleri]

I used the Hornady InterBond 154 grain in my 7mm Weatherby Magnum this fall, and factory loaded they quote 3200 fps. Struck the elk head on and penetrated all the way back to the left flank - not at all a short distance. Elk immediately went to its knees and it was all over.

FYI, the Interlock bullet from Hornady has stories out there more similar to what you describe; are you sure it was the InterBond? Just asking, that's all.

No mistake, 85 grain INTERBOND. Maybe the speed was just too fast for the bullet. The swift sciracco's perform better in that caliber. I am not saying that all interbonds blow up, just this particular one in .243.