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Elk Hunting
Shot placement on elk
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<blockquote data-quote="upacreek" data-source="post: 1254924" data-attributes="member: 59039"><p>I have been hunting elk since 1989 and have not been skunked very often. Hunting with family I have been around 60 or more dead elk. We have been hunting the same area for 24 years. I cannot understand why anyone would shoot a shoulder. Once the diaphragm is ruptured a bull is mortally wounded. I would venture a guess the folks who have had poor results with 'behind the shoulder' shots have been shooting bonded bullets that just pencil a small hole through an animal. I have seen several good shots not perform well due to lack of damage. The elk runs away, long tracking through bad places and the elk slowly bleed out. </p><p>Its my opinion that a good frangible bullet behind the shoulder will bore a large hole through several organs and the elk goes down in short order. </p><p>Planning to expend 50-80% of a bullets energy on a bone instead of major organ damage seems like a poor plan. Bullets that exit an animal just waste energy on the dirt behind the animal. Delivering bullet energy to destroy soft tissue causing internal bleeding and loss of air way seems better planned. </p><p>If you are worried about an elk getting away, shoot a frangible bullet. If you are worried about hitting the right place, don't shoot. </p><p>I have a rule of thumb. If I can't hit a milk jug I won't shoot past that distance at game. Every season I see how far out I can hit a milk jug first shot. It keeps me honest and real. Try it some time. It shortens every ones distance I do this with. My game goes down and I don't track them. But I know my limitations.</p><p>This year I took a bull at 630 yrds. It dropped but due to more wind than expected didn't die immediately. While I was moving closer for a follow up shot some idiot spotted my bull and proceeded to shoot 13 times at my bull while it was bedded down mortally wounded. I closed the distance to 400 yrs and dropped him with a neck shot. My bullets were the only wounds in the bull.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="upacreek, post: 1254924, member: 59039"] I have been hunting elk since 1989 and have not been skunked very often. Hunting with family I have been around 60 or more dead elk. We have been hunting the same area for 24 years. I cannot understand why anyone would shoot a shoulder. Once the diaphragm is ruptured a bull is mortally wounded. I would venture a guess the folks who have had poor results with 'behind the shoulder' shots have been shooting bonded bullets that just pencil a small hole through an animal. I have seen several good shots not perform well due to lack of damage. The elk runs away, long tracking through bad places and the elk slowly bleed out. Its my opinion that a good frangible bullet behind the shoulder will bore a large hole through several organs and the elk goes down in short order. Planning to expend 50-80% of a bullets energy on a bone instead of major organ damage seems like a poor plan. Bullets that exit an animal just waste energy on the dirt behind the animal. Delivering bullet energy to destroy soft tissue causing internal bleeding and loss of air way seems better planned. If you are worried about an elk getting away, shoot a frangible bullet. If you are worried about hitting the right place, don't shoot. I have a rule of thumb. If I can't hit a milk jug I won't shoot past that distance at game. Every season I see how far out I can hit a milk jug first shot. It keeps me honest and real. Try it some time. It shortens every ones distance I do this with. My game goes down and I don't track them. But I know my limitations. This year I took a bull at 630 yrds. It dropped but due to more wind than expected didn't die immediately. While I was moving closer for a follow up shot some idiot spotted my bull and proceeded to shoot 13 times at my bull while it was bedded down mortally wounded. I closed the distance to 400 yrs and dropped him with a neck shot. My bullets were the only wounds in the bull. [/QUOTE]
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