Bull Elk. Berger 195 EOL terminal performance video.

[VLD Pilot]

I called him to me with same call. 5 cow elk I've arrowed in the same area. I used call after shot also. Saves a lot of tracking. One turned around and was coming back to me when she dropped. Another a buddy wounded a cow. I went his area and set up. Started calling and the cow he hit came out of trees to within 50 yds. of juniper tree I was behind. All I had was a frontal shot. Had 125 gr. Muzzy 4 blade. Shot her in the chest . She took off running to trees. Blew call couple times. She stopped turned around facing me and went down. Found buddy's arrow broke off sticking in it's butt.

Thats a game changer after a shot 95% of the time. I've done it a few times and it didn't even phase the animal. All the shots were thru the ribs or lower heart shots where the call helped stopped or slow the animal down. When there hit in shoulder or heavier built frontal areas, it doesn't seem to work as well ( at least for me). They know there hit and pain is present unlike when the arrow goes clean thru. When that happens I really don't think they know what happened. That's my perspective on the scenario

 

[Barehandlineman11]

Shoot big and aim for shoulders they cant run with broken limbs

 

[VLD Pilot]

Shoot big and aim for shoulders they cant run with broken limbs

That's an arguable statement by some. Bring enough gun plays an important role in that statement. Kind why I prefer heavy 308 caliber or 338 for elk or bigger. Makes it an easy accomplishment vs smaller lighter bullets especially at the longer ranges elk/moose are shot at

 

[Barehandlineman11]

Ive killed elk from 25-06 too 338ai. 338 does it a lot faster and a lot further. But shoulder shot with heavy bullet breaks that shoulder game over. Might not kill it then in there but itll be shooting fish in a barrel from there on out. Why i shoot a lapua i shot through both shoulders of my elk this year 1281 yards. He still took 5 to go down but he wasn't moving anywhere. 3 landed front shoulder with two behind

 

[Barehandlineman11]

They say wounded elk has adrenaline of a grizzly

 

[VLD Pilot]

Ive killed elk from 25-06 too 338ai. 338 does it a lot faster and a lot further. But shoulder shot with heavy bullet breaks that shoulder game over. Might not kill it then in there but itll be shooting fish in a barrel from there on out. Why i shoot a lapua i shot through both shoulders of my elk this year 1281 yards. He still took 5 to go down but he wasn't moving anywhere. 3 landed front shoulder with two behind

Good decisions make great endings.

 

[bigngreen]

Ive killed elk from 25-06 too 338ai. 338 does it a lot faster and a lot further. But shoulder shot with heavy bullet breaks that shoulder game over. Might not kill it then in there but itll be shooting fish in a barrel from there on out. Why i shoot a lapua i shot through both shoulders of my elk this year 1281 yards. He still took 5 to go down but he wasn't moving anywhere. 3 landed front shoulder with two behind

That would be considered unacceptable performance by most I know especially at that distance!! I've seen quite a few elk takien in those ranges and never saw one shot a second time, something is bad wrong!!

 

[Barehandlineman11]

Ive killed enough elk to know most dont go down in one shot. He was dead first shot i just dont stop shooting until they stop twitching

 

[VLD Pilot]

Ive killed enough elk to know most dont go down in one shot. He was dead first shot i just dont stop shooting until they stop twitching

That's just not a true statement. I've killed 6 elk that went down after two steps one shot. Never got back up and half never tried. 284, 160-175 grain bullets most inside 300 yards couple near 400. Some others I had to track but less than 75 yards. None ever needed two bullets. I could have shot some with followup shots but didn't feel it was necessary as knew where the bullets hit them. Today I prefer bigger caliber bullets in the event of a much further shot in wind. To say you've killed long enough Elk to know they don't go down in one shot tells me they either weren't hit good enough TOO go down with one shot or your just one unlucky SOB if they were hit perfectly. Many times that's why hunters compensate with bigger cartridges. It is what it is.

 

[Barehandlineman11]

I said MOST dont go down in one shot. Ive killed probably a dozen that have gone down in one shot from archery too 1400 yards. But mostly after first shot they still standing. Ive seen what a wounded elk can do with double lung shot. I prefer to not have to track so i shoot until it flops on its side.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I said MOST dont go down in one shot. Ive killed probably a dozen that have gone down in one shot from archery too 1400 yards. But mostly after first shot they still standing. Ive seen what a wounded elk can do with double lung shot. I prefer to not have to track so i shoot until it flops on its side.

Yep same experience here. Many look untouched. Strangest feeling seeing that after hitting one exactly where they need hitting. 30-45 seconds later, wobble, wobble, Down. Then the best of all feelings. Kinda why it's something I'll never stop loving. Lots of work but lots of fun as well.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Being an Oregonian, I'm sure your elk experiences far exceed mine as well as kills. One thing that I I've been fortunate about is the ones I've killed, have been good harvests and no lost animals. All found fast and short tracking jobs. Even the arrow killed animals. Although some making it 200 yards all had great blood trails right to the carcass. Not bragging but being thankful because I'm sure my future will have some opposite experiences. Just a matter of time is all. I've lost a few deer but have had many more opportunities on deer than elk.

 

[bigngreen]

I said MOST dont go down in one shot. Ive killed probably a dozen that have gone down in one shot from archery too 1400 yards. But mostly after first shot they still standing. Ive seen what a wounded elk can do with double lung shot. I prefer to not have to track so i shoot until it flops on its side.

I want them standing after the first round, this lets me see what happened and if there is going to be an issue. Back when I tried to bounce them of the dirt we spent far more time looking for elk that just had the spine shocked and dropped out of sight. I want to watch them the few seconds they are on their feet so I can see where they go down. I have not had to track a single elk hit in the crease that flops over from low blood pressure. If you want to drive an elks adrenaline up and give them the will to live break bones then throw it on full auto, they seen to soak up rounds but blow a fist sized hole over the heart and though the lungs first round and it's done, fast!!

 

[orkan]

Some great perspective in this thread. Gives me a lot to think about.


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