Explain This Please

[sp6x6]

Shot the biggest buck antelope in my life with bow,same result.I put in about ten miles dogging him,no lunch or water.

 

[340Wby-4-everything]

338 rum

I had issues with a 25-06 one yr and wound up antelope hunting with my 340. Killed 2 does at 250yds each. Both head shots and you'd have thought they were hit in the head by a pickup truck. Needless to say, they were drt (or should I say landed within 2 yds of where they were drt) Got rid of it, got 2 .264 win mags and just last yr bought another 25-06 as my primary prairie goat gun and haven't considered ever using the 340 on them again. Tried a 7mm STW one yr and was an inch or two forward onto the shoulder (260yds but most likely my fault) and basically lost the meat from both shoulders so sold it right after. Some times you can indeed have too much gun!

 

[bozoben]

I had issues with a 25-06 one yr and wound up antelope hunting with my 340. Killed 2 does at 250yds each. Both head shots and you'd have thought they were hit in the head by a pickup truck. Needless to say, they were drt (or should I say landed within 2 yds of where they were drt) Got rid of it, got 2 .264 win mags and just last yr bought another 25-06 as my primary prairie goat gun and haven't considered ever using the 340 on them again. Tried a 7mm STW one yr and was an inch or two forward onto the shoulder (260yds but most likely my fault) and basically lost the meat from both shoulders so sold it right after. Some times you can indeed have too much gun!

Well this rifle was never technically intended for antelope but I have been putting a lot of rounds through it lately for practice and to gain confidence. I killed a bull in archery this year but still have a cow tag that I am hoping to fill with this rifle. So this hunt was basically a bit of a practice round for a longish range cow hunt. Should suffice I hope.

 

[falco394]

Make sure the tips on your Bergers are open and not pinched. I have had personal experience with this issue and it will pencil through like a FMJ. It was with a 338 Lapua, 300 Bergers VLD on game. A guy would expect "bang,flop", but it wasn't the case.

You can get a meplat trimmer or do like I did and welder tip cleaner to clear out the tips. Do it every time now and the Bergers perform as they should. I shoot Bergers in 7mm, 30 cal and 338 and it's only the big 338's that I have to make sure the tips are clear and open.

 

[Coldfinger]

Prolly need to step it up a bit in cartridge selection!! Bullet construction, impact velocity, animal density plus bullet drop angle all lined up perfectly for him to continue spreading his DNA!!

 

[Deleted member 115360]

And this is why you should hunt antelope with a 50bmg or larger. If the bullet is roughly the same weight as the animal you are shooting, your success rates increase dramatically. I've put off shooting any more whitetail until the ATF approves my 25mm build.

 

[milo-2]

Correct me if I am wrong here, you didn't hit what you were supposed to hit at 800 yards and now you are looking for where to place the blame?

 

[JAYgs8163]

The spot you are saying you hit him is not where the bullet hit in the video you posted. The video clearly shows the bullet skimmed off his top side and took some hair off. If you'd hit where you're pointing in the picture the fur also would have not flown off the top of his back.

 

[BenelliHunter]

I agree with no man's land. I just shot a huge buck in no man's land this past week with a crossbow. Fortunately he had swelling from the wound put presssure on his spine and the next day he was standing but could not walk and I was able to finish him at 14 yards. It's such a small region but if you hit it right (wrong) it is not terminal.

 

[johnish]

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.

If I am seeing the clip correctly (and the freeze frame is useful)

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

Agree.

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

I agree. I know of a few hunters who have had this happen.

 

[dhbikerczar]

Do you clean out the tips on your bullets when you load them? I'm 99.9% sure I penciled through a deer shoot in that same location with a 338 LM-improved. 300 gr Berger going 3050 FPS at the muzzle, and it was a 100 yard shot. I did a ton of reading after that and found a lot of guys saying you need to clean the tips out to make sure you get expansion.

 

[johnish]

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

First watch on the video and I thought you hit him high, but on the still it looks like a solid hit and in that no mans land. I have known a few people have this occur. I think the shot is a might too far back, but 2 inches down and you would be eating that prong horn.

 

[257 wtby]

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

It probably went through the void between the spine and lungs. I have seen that before. Nice shot, no vitals there. I have seen it on elk before and they just keep on ticking, up the mountain and gone.

 

[Flintlock shooter]

One more vote for no mans land.