NONYA
Well-Known Member
Im sure the wolves enjoyed him.
Long range elk "mistake"
- Thread starter elkaholic
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HAMMERHAND
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2011
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Never have I been accused of being a "gray-area" shooter of questionable ethics with a clean double shoulder instant 1 shot kill wasting less than a pound of meat by someone with 200 years of experience advocating the use of the most questionable shot imagineable by anyone other than the most expert of shooters (the head shot) on the big game animal least likely to present you with one.
NONYA
Well-Known Member
Yep,dont want to damage that precious 1/2 pound of burger meat on that shoulder blade....Ion the other hand place a high value on those ribs and the encompasing rib meat so I prefer to shoot an adequate round and break those shoulders so the cant run off.....gun)
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
Whooo guys, don't let this thread take a crap, maybe start a thread on the best way to kill elk, we haven't had one in a couple weeks!! Everyone does it different, move on!!!!
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
amen!
Thanks for sharing your hunting story with us Rich. Anyone that's hunted a long time knows that stuff will occasionally happen, whether a Short Range Hunter or a Long Range Hunter. Archery, slugs, or rifle. 100% recovery should be our goal, but if all hunters quit hunting after their first first missed shot or after their first lost animal, there wouldn't be any experienced hunters left.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Thanks Paul.......How is your season going?
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
Just read the post, did not read all the responses. To me this is a perfect example of why most of us strongly recommend "using enough gun" at long range.
Not preaching here as the poster already knows this but for the rest that have not hunted elk at long range, small caliber rifles can easily kill big game at 1000 yards, IF everything goes right. A shot on the fringes can result in very poor results with smaller calibers.
Sometimes our confidence in our equipment clouds our judgement a bit, sometimes the pressure of an ending season makes us decide to take a shot we normally would not take, sometimes just the opportunity for a shot makes us decide to take a questionable shot. I am included in all of these statements.
Its our experience that we rely on and unfortunately, sometimes the only time we grow our experience is to go through one of these unfortuante situations.
The loss of the elk is certainly a sad event but from what I see, the only error I see was in the small chambering used to take the shot, 9 times out of 10 that 6.5mm would have easily done the job, 9 times out of 10 that 7mm would easily do the job, but when the ranges get past 1000 yards on a critter as larger and durable as elk, there is a reason we often hear that its a very good idea to use a 338 magnum for elk past 1000 yards.
Not because its needed ALL of the time, but because for those instances where things do not go JUST right, they can get you out of trouble.
As far as bullet selection goes, match bullets smaller then 7mm really make me nervous when used on elk size targets at any range. The heavy for caliber 30 and 338 match bullets have enough frontal area and SD to get things done. That said there is no substitute for a quality bullet when hunting elk.
We all have bad experiences, those that say they have never lost a big game animal are either not being honest or have not hunted much. Weither at long range or conventional ranges, it happens and eventually will happen to all of us. Live and most importantly learn which I know elkaholic does not need to do. His experience level hunting elk is more then most of us combined but that said, this can happen to the best of us.
When I hear about smaller calibers being used on elk at long range with excellent results, it always makes me nervous, this example is THE reason I would never recommend using smaller then a 30 cal on elk at ranges out to and past 1000 yards.
Good post, good reminders for us all, if your using a smaller caliber on elk at these ranges, its only a matter of time before something like this happens to you.
Not preaching here as the poster already knows this but for the rest that have not hunted elk at long range, small caliber rifles can easily kill big game at 1000 yards, IF everything goes right. A shot on the fringes can result in very poor results with smaller calibers.
Sometimes our confidence in our equipment clouds our judgement a bit, sometimes the pressure of an ending season makes us decide to take a shot we normally would not take, sometimes just the opportunity for a shot makes us decide to take a questionable shot. I am included in all of these statements.
Its our experience that we rely on and unfortunately, sometimes the only time we grow our experience is to go through one of these unfortuante situations.
The loss of the elk is certainly a sad event but from what I see, the only error I see was in the small chambering used to take the shot, 9 times out of 10 that 6.5mm would have easily done the job, 9 times out of 10 that 7mm would easily do the job, but when the ranges get past 1000 yards on a critter as larger and durable as elk, there is a reason we often hear that its a very good idea to use a 338 magnum for elk past 1000 yards.
Not because its needed ALL of the time, but because for those instances where things do not go JUST right, they can get you out of trouble.
As far as bullet selection goes, match bullets smaller then 7mm really make me nervous when used on elk size targets at any range. The heavy for caliber 30 and 338 match bullets have enough frontal area and SD to get things done. That said there is no substitute for a quality bullet when hunting elk.
We all have bad experiences, those that say they have never lost a big game animal are either not being honest or have not hunted much. Weither at long range or conventional ranges, it happens and eventually will happen to all of us. Live and most importantly learn which I know elkaholic does not need to do. His experience level hunting elk is more then most of us combined but that said, this can happen to the best of us.
When I hear about smaller calibers being used on elk at long range with excellent results, it always makes me nervous, this example is THE reason I would never recommend using smaller then a 30 cal on elk at ranges out to and past 1000 yards.
Good post, good reminders for us all, if your using a smaller caliber on elk at these ranges, its only a matter of time before something like this happens to you.
NONYA
Well-Known Member
Didnt you get Big Greens memo? 
ATH
Well-Known Member
I don't see why someone who had a bad experience, but owned up to it and learned from it -- and shared that with others so they could learn -- should be criticized. I made my share of bad decisions when I was younger, anyone who claims to have been perfect in the field is either lying or not very experienced, as someone else said.
I was just talking to a colleague at work about what we look for in employees. I said one of the qualities I look for, above experience/intelligence, is someone who is honest about their limitations, admits mistakes, and is always looking to learn from all of it. This fits that bill. What would get the opposite reaction is trying to pass off a clear screw-up as a success or professing superior skill when it was clearly lacking in the outcome.
I wanted to revisit this thread and respond to the OP. I am sorry for causing a disruption in your thread!
As for your situation. I lost a bull 2 years ago. I really am not sure what happened. He was only maybe 200 yards off (close enough i didnt even bother with trying to range him) and i shot and he ran full bore. I tracked him for about 5 miles over 2 days and at first found drops rather consistant then it was every fifty feet then fifty yards. Nothing of serious amounts anywhere. it sickened me to cause an animal sufferage. I have replayed the scenario a thousands times in my head. The only thing I can figure is he was in heavy sagebrush and I think I might have hit some sage deflecting my bullet. I know my shot was placed when I squeezed that trigger. Sometimes bad things happen even when everything is just right.You pushed the limits some sure but you made an educated decision that didnt work out. What is really important is that you tried to follow up and find the bull to your best abilities and that is where most hunters fail. They just jump in the truck and drive on to the next one. I have pounded into my sons head that no matter what you follow up your shot and if you find blood, exaust every possible amount of energy in finding that animal.
As for your situation. I lost a bull 2 years ago. I really am not sure what happened. He was only maybe 200 yards off (close enough i didnt even bother with trying to range him) and i shot and he ran full bore. I tracked him for about 5 miles over 2 days and at first found drops rather consistant then it was every fifty feet then fifty yards. Nothing of serious amounts anywhere. it sickened me to cause an animal sufferage. I have replayed the scenario a thousands times in my head. The only thing I can figure is he was in heavy sagebrush and I think I might have hit some sage deflecting my bullet. I know my shot was placed when I squeezed that trigger. Sometimes bad things happen even when everything is just right.You pushed the limits some sure but you made an educated decision that didnt work out. What is really important is that you tried to follow up and find the bull to your best abilities and that is where most hunters fail. They just jump in the truck and drive on to the next one. I have pounded into my sons head that no matter what you follow up your shot and if you find blood, exaust every possible amount of energy in finding that animal.
I've read the thread and I feel for you. It sucks to lose any animal but I also know how it feels.
I lost a bull up in unit 16 about 15 years ago @ 865yds. It took a step just as I pulled the trigger and blew the rear leg bone out of the bull. It was in snow when I shot it and we followed it into some seriously dark timber and jumped it twice before we got out of the snow and it pretty much stopped bleeding. It warmed up a lot and everything was drenched from the melting snow which made finding the little blood even harder. We didn't get back to camp until well after midnight and we were exhausted. We actually stopped at another camp to rest and they fed us and drove us back to our camp. I shot it about 8:30-9 in the morning and we were basically after it from then until dark and spend 4-5 hours just getting back to camp in the dark. I was shooting a .30-.338 with 190gr Bergers (well before they made the hunting version). It was a 15+lb gun so unfortunately I got to watch the step and the impact through the scope.
I have to agree with Kirby about the larger calibers. Use as big as you can shoot accurately. With the brakes available now the .338 and up calibers are pretty easy to shoot. I've shot quite a few elk at short range (sub 600yds) with .375's and a .416 and they are pretty spectacular at putting elk down. I don't think I've had one hit in the boiler room go more than 10yds out of more than 10 elk and most have dropped upon impact. What works at short range works at long range provided the bullet construction, BC, and velocity are correct.
I lost a bull up in unit 16 about 15 years ago @ 865yds. It took a step just as I pulled the trigger and blew the rear leg bone out of the bull. It was in snow when I shot it and we followed it into some seriously dark timber and jumped it twice before we got out of the snow and it pretty much stopped bleeding. It warmed up a lot and everything was drenched from the melting snow which made finding the little blood even harder. We didn't get back to camp until well after midnight and we were exhausted. We actually stopped at another camp to rest and they fed us and drove us back to our camp. I shot it about 8:30-9 in the morning and we were basically after it from then until dark and spend 4-5 hours just getting back to camp in the dark. I was shooting a .30-.338 with 190gr Bergers (well before they made the hunting version). It was a 15+lb gun so unfortunately I got to watch the step and the impact through the scope.
I have to agree with Kirby about the larger calibers. Use as big as you can shoot accurately. With the brakes available now the .338 and up calibers are pretty easy to shoot. I've shot quite a few elk at short range (sub 600yds) with .375's and a .416 and they are pretty spectacular at putting elk down. I don't think I've had one hit in the boiler room go more than 10yds out of more than 10 elk and most have dropped upon impact. What works at short range works at long range provided the bullet construction, BC, and velocity are correct.
bridgebuilder
Well-Known Member
I am going back to ballistic tips for every hunting gun I own . The match grade bullets may have the higher BC advantage but i had a match bullet pencil through a nice white tail last year at 430 yards out of a 338 edge . I was able to find the deer but it sucked tracking it for near a half mile through grass over my head . with no blood , down hill and to water almost always works for me.
And so I dont get beat up again here . It wasnt a perfect shot either the bullet intered just behind the front shoulder between 2 ribs and exited just in front of the back leg on the opposite side , lots of soft gooey stuff but no bones.
This is a great thread and i am sorry you last your bull but is nice to know it happpens to all of us.
And so I dont get beat up again here . It wasnt a perfect shot either the bullet intered just behind the front shoulder between 2 ribs and exited just in front of the back leg on the opposite side , lots of soft gooey stuff but no bones.
This is a great thread and i am sorry you last your bull but is nice to know it happpens to all of us.
