Explain This Please

[PNWdude67]

View attachment 303682This is an antelope that I shot at the other day. The shot was 800 yards on the button. I am shooting a 338 rum pushing 300 grain Berger EH's. This is the first antelope I have shot at with this setup. I was expecting different results to say the least.

I made the shot and he took off. Initially I thought I missed. After reviewing the video I realized I put a pretty decent hit on him. He ran over the back side of the ridge so I figured he would be toast just out of sight. I walked over to retrieve him and as I crested the ridge he was on, I saw him on the next ridge back, over 1k yards away, with the same 3 does. I got a look at the exit side and there was a good stream of blood all down his Left side to confirm the hit and placement. He went up and over and I figured I would leave him for the night.

The next morning at daylight i was back with a buddy to recover him, as I was sure he would be toast. After a bit of hiking around sure enough there he was, running down a ridge a couple hundred yards away. Into a draw and up and over another ridge. Then up and over another. I could see blood stains all down his entry side which confirmed he was the same one.
I did not get an opportunity for another shot. I continued hiking in the direction he went and hiked and glasses for the next couple hours with no luck finding him. At that point he was alive and appeared to be doing just fine. Neither one of us were able to locate him again.

I have attached a link to a video as well as a screenshot of the impact frame.



From the more experienced guys, whats the consensus here? Too far back? Too high? Bullet did not perform properly? Antelope did not have enough mass to instigate terminal performance? Ex-con goat who was just downright tough as nails?

I must say I was expecting more of a bang flop type of scenario on an antelope with this rifle.

I would like to know where I went wrong.

Imo you shot high. Most common to miss high at distance in the field if recoils management is even slightly loose. Flesh wound, barely grazed him high it appears. I will look at the video again but it looked high.

 

[PNWdude67]

This was where the bullet impacted the animal. This to me definitely looks like it's below the spine.

 

[PNWdude67]

This is where you hit him the white hair is flying off just left of center and you can see the "part" in the hair at the top of the back where the bullet grazes him and just barely or he would have gone down imo. The dark spot you circled is not where the bullet entered and is there before impact then disappears. Watching the trace real time indicates it is high as well imo. Tough to tell from video really but the animals reaction to the impact would be more dramatic with that bullet if you hit him where the dark spot is. I think you just had too much elevation or your connection to the rifle shifted with recoil just enough for that .2-.3 mil miss high.

 

[bozoben]

I see the bullet clearly hitting the top of the animal. White fur, animal dropping, and vapor trail all confirm to me and it is pretty easy to see.

I also see confirmation bias as OP is agreeing with posts that point to an impact near the tan/white fur line. You asked for help, in my mind you should be more open to what other people are telling you.

Either way, it hit no man's land or high on the back, and both are from poor shot placement, so the takeaway is the same either way.

I am very open to what other have to say, that is why I posted here after all.
To be perfectly honest, and maybe I should have been more clear in the original post, but I am not looking for confirmation on where the bullet impacted, I know with 100% confidence where it hit. I am looking for explanations as to why the antelope did not perish immediately. More of a "how did that goat survive" anatomy question, or maybe it was just a poor point of aim on my part.

 

[Sirrated]

You hit him in what is called no man's land above the lungs there is no vitals you basically poked a hole through and through bullet didn't expand he may or may not survive I'm sure this happens with bow hunters more than rifle hunters

Have to agree with this, having shot a few Red deer down here in N.Z. I've come across this before, Theres an area below the spine , but above the vitail boiler room, that we call the "Void". I have seen a number of shots go in and out , and appear to have no effect. Sadly, you will end up chasing that animal for days.

 

[orkan]

I am very open to what other have to say, that is why I posted here after all.
To be perfectly honest, and maybe I should have been more clear in the original post, but I am not looking for confirmation on where the bullet impacted, I know with 100% confidence where it hit. I am looking for explanations as to why the antelope did not perish immediately. More of a "how did that goat survive" anatomy question, or maybe it was just a poor point of aim on my part.

If you hit only 3" away from where you wanted... (forgive me if I misunderstood you) and the bullet landed where you say it did... (I'll keep my opinions to myself on that) then I would make the observation that you improve your intended point of aim significantly. The shots should be much farther forward. Because if the bullet hit where you say it did, I would have no reasonable expectation of recovering that animal. Much too far back. However, being that I would have hit it with a 7mm that would still put some energy to it... I probably would recover it with a hit where your circle is. Though if I was using a 338... I would have no reasonable expectation of recovering it without an additional impact in a more suitable spot.

If I wanted to light switch that animal... right here is where I'm putting my bullet. I used your photo for reference. The red X is where my bullet goes. If I drift forward, its still a neck shot. If I drift back, its still a vital hit. High/low... I still do massive damage to vital cavity and possibly take out the front leg bone structure. He can take a step while bullets in flight, and I've still got him. These days I put shots more forward and it works out better for me. I hope that helps with your future engagements.

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[jmaars]

Have to agree with this, having shot a few Red deer down here in N.Z. I've come across this before, Theres an area below the spine , but above the vitail boiler room, that we call the "Void". I have seen a number of shots go in and out , and appear to have no effect. Sadly, you will end up chasing that animal for days.

Agree 100% Below the spine, Above the lungs, prolly no rib damage. And My goodness, Use a smaller weapon. Why not just a 50 Cal??!!

 

[Farmerbrown32]

Ive had that happen with the 300 berger. Only my shot was double lung. Penciled right through. So i shot again right through both front shoulders. Exit was about the size of a quarter. This was on a mature mule deer buck at 587 yards. They just dont upen up reliably. Not a fan of them. That shot is absolutely good enough to have killed him quickly with a good bullet in my opinion. If youd have been shooting a 285 eldm he would have been dead before he hit the ground with a softball sized exit hole. This is just what i have found and im sure ill catch grief. But thats my opinion. Watching the video it looks like you hit a little further back then the dot on him and higher. Looks like you split the hair on his back.

 

[cohunt]

I am very open to what other have to say, that is why I posted here after all.
To be perfectly honest, and maybe I should have been more clear in the original post, but I am not looking for confirmation on where the bullet impacted, I know with 100% confidence where it hit. I am looking for explanations as to why the antelope did not perish immediately. More of a "how did that goat survive" anatomy question, or maybe it was just a poor point of aim on my part.

If it hit on your mark-- 1/2 way back and just above the white/tan hide transition OR if it hit high back --- neither hit anything vital -- you can refer to the 2 red dots I'm my "anatomy" pic
You missed lung, you missed heart, you probably missed bone, you may have hit diaphragm or liver or nothing at all but backstrap and hair.
It's always good to review anatomy pics Before you go hunting as different species differ slightly.
I've always been taught to shoot 1/3 up from bottom of body-- "in the crease" -- works every time for me

 

[Chas1]

I agree with others, looks high.

 

[orkan]

@cohunt What a great series of pictures! Nice job man.

 

[PApa Black]

Looks high to me.

Looks like it skinned the hair on the top of his back.... @ 0.53 sec looks like hair flying off the top of the back?

 

[RuninL8]

What is the muzzle velocity of you berger eh?

 

[bozoben]

Ive had that happen with the 300 berger. Only my shot was double lung. Penciled right through. So i shot again right through both front shoulders. Exit was about the size of a quarter. This was on a mature mule deer buck at 587 yards. They just dont upen up reliably. Not a fan of them. That shot is absolutely good enough to have killed him quickly with a good bullet in my opinion. If youd have been shooting a 285 eldm he would have been dead before he hit the ground with a softball sized exit hole. This is just what i have found and im sure ill catch grief. But thats my opinion. Watching the video it looks like you hit a little further back then the dot on him and higher. Looks like you split the hair on his back.

I wanted to shoot the eldm but I couldn't get them to group worth a crap.