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To each his own, but I have seen elk with that big tendon above the spine torn from a gunshot. They bleed very little and can run pretty much forever....or until they run into something and break their neck. I have also seen jaws shot off from head shots. I have to say, I can't agree with you on this one. Hit the spine/neck bone, and they will drop in their tracks, but still.....
I agree 100%. I guided hunters for nearly 30 years. You see bad shots and lost game too often. Elk are especially tough and can go a very long way even hit hard.
Fair enough. I've seen crazy hits as well. I'd say 99% of neck shots with a precise rifle does an amazing job. Like you I've seen what look like good shots do absolutely nothing. Once had a friend try to harvest a doe with a 308. 130y She hardly moves on impact. Bullet in/out neat little pencil hole. He took a second shot on neck and spin busted her. Flop. The heart lung shot wasn't and he missed everything by shooting too low and using match ammo - has zero expansion just made a small hole with hardly any blood. He was an idiot and I was too for not checking his ammo. Luckily the neck/spine shot took care of things. Go easy bro and hope you harvest a big one this year
Thank you, and good luck to you too this season. Bad shots happen to everyone sooner of later no matter where you aim.
I somewhat agree that unless one is used to heavier recoiling rifles the 300 or 7mm mags are a bit much on the shoulder out of the box. I have also found that by simply having a good muzzle brake installed the recoil can be tamed down. I have a Browning AB3 in 300 Win Mag, 26 inch barrel and had a custom muzzle brake installed by America's Gunsmith Shop in Kenosha. Unlike many brakes there are no ports pointing down on the brake, thus no gasses being diverted down into the dirt and sand to blow back into your face. The result of the installation is that the 300 mag has about the same recoil as my Browning A5 shotgun shooting 2 3/4 inch hunting loads.Interesting the different points of view. Many share this opinion and I certainly understand it. I am on the other side. I cannot imagine trusting any hunt to mass produced ammo, or a borrowed rifle.
One thing to consider about the 300 magnums. they are the 308 started faster, so same bullet potentially just energy retained further. If you are just starting with a magnum and have not mastered shooting it, you have a better chance of a poor shot at any range. Elk are not cape buffalo or coastal grizzlies. They have a good sized vital area and if you are a master of your 6.5 or 308 and let reason and not pride dictate your shot, you will be fine with a good bullet from either. Part of the reason the hated Creed has such a reputation as a good killer is that folks simply shoot it better and put bullets where they need to go. My $.02.
P.S. You may still want to take advantage of the "excuse" to buy another rifle
That is the kind of thing I delt with guiding hunters. A "bad shot" not meaning you didn't shoot well, just missed that neck bone. The bone itself is not a very big target. There is just too much to go wrong with neck shots. I hear all the time "You either missed it, or it drops in it's tracks". Many are wounded, and will die, but bleed very little and people think they missed when they didn't. We owe the animals we are hunting more than that. I have taken close range neck and head shots if that was all I had, but I try hard not to do it. Most times you can get a better heart/lung shot if you wait......sometimes they run away instead!
Sure a dandy in your thumbnail picture. Much bigger than anything I've shot.
That's my kind of luck! No tag, closed season, closed area, private ground....that sort of thing. All I see in season are spikes and does!!!
