How Many Shots? Your Advice Needed.

[rdennisrobert1]

It sounds like you had quite the experience out there in Montana. Long-range shooting can definitely lead to some tough decisions, especially when it comes to ensuring a quick, humane kill without wasting meat. In situations like yours, patience is often key. If you're confident in your first shot and see the animal react, it might be best to wait and observe its behavior before deciding to take another shot.

Animals can sometimes stand still for a moment after being hit, and it can be challenging to gauge how seriously they're affected. If they start to move, you can assess whether they're in distress or just spooking with the group. If you have a good view and can see that the animal is still standing and not showing signs of severe injury, it might be worth waiting a bit longer before taking another shot.

If you by any chance find yourself in a similar situation, consider focusing on the animal's body language and giving it a moment to react. If it starts to move away and you feel the need to take another shot, make sure it's a clean, well-aimed shot to minimize any further damage. It's always a tough call, but prioritizing a quick and humane kill while being mindful of meat preservation is a solid approach.

 

[Brushcutter]

Elk are tough animals. Hunting season 2012, I had busted my left shoulder, so holding a rifle was out. I had first successfully handgun hunted deer with a 44 mag. in 1979 but had always felt that rifle was best for elk. I bought a Taurus raging bull 454 cassul a few days before leaving but only found a scope on the way to camp. I mounted it and tried to sight it in at camp. No go. Decided to hunt the next morning with the Super Blackhawk 44 mag. I thought that for elk the 300 gr. hard cast loads should be best. Had a spike walk by at 50 yards. Between shooting one handed, and using a handgun caliber for the first time on elk, it seemed best at the time to aim behind the shoulder. At the first shot he stopped and looked around. Still aiming behind the shoulder, I fired 4 more times before he just WALKED around the hill. I was confused. He didn't act hit. I knew better, but impatiently I started tracking in about 5 minutes. He stayed on the game trail in the timber. Only 50-60 yards on the trail, I saw that he had lain down in the trail. It looked like 2 gallons of blood in the depression. I came too soon, didn't give him time to die. I new better than that. I lost his trail when he left the timber and it was all grassy. A nephew who heard the shooting came along and helped, but we lost the trail. I found the bull dead, the next afternoon a half mile away, spoiled. The off side was up. 5, 44. cal holes in the offside ribcage. I felt lousy. But anyway, one thing I did do right was keep shooting.

 

[bigngreen]

Would your opinion change based on the terrain you're hunting in?
I've always respected your opinion which is why I'm curious.

I have thought about the question and I don't think I would change anything, course every shot is a little different.
Elk are so easy to push but if they have no reason to take off and their hit hard they will bed up fast, to me if an elk needs a second one I'm stacking the deck to make it the last one. If I stroke one in the timber I just let the smoke clear and then proceed like I'm still hunting it so it needed that second shot is the same as the first.
One BIG reason I do this is to mitigate killing multiples, elk can turn people inside out, one shooter shoots we verify elk is down then if another shot is available we take it. I've seen some monster wrecks from shoot till their down, like super crappy situations that required law enforcement.
I don't like an animal suffering but if their dead on their feet pumping them full of lead isn't going to do anything faster or beneficial unless you blow the shoulders out which is a massive meat waste BUT sometimes needed.

 

[Roadrunner2]

bigngreen, thank you for your thoughts on my question. Your concern for mitigating killing multiples, is a potentially huge problem that I hadn't thought of. My elk was in a small bachelor herd of 8-10 bulls that were all of similar size and antler growth, but if the herd suddenly took off running then the potential to accidently shoot at a second one when you think that you're shooting at the first one you shot at, would be huge in such a group. Prior to taking my first shot this bachelor herd was strung-out along a ridge with about 6-10 feet between each of them so the chance of accidently shooting a second one with a second shot was small. But it would be far better to miss the bull entirely and have the whole herd run off then it would be to accidently shoot a second one. Thank you again for your input.

 

[hesse]

My stance is if it is still standing keep shooting