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Shot placement on elk!
- Thread starter matt_3479
- Start date
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WyoElk2Hunt
Well-Known Member
The work starts after the kill. At the end its all worth it.
Last edited:
Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
That's sure the truth! As we were making all those trips it was raining and we were soaked to the inner core and saying never again! By the time we did the last trip and headed back to camp to dry out and have a warm meal, we were already talking about next year though, LOL!!! It gets in your blood and the OP will find that out this Fall!
CodyDan
Member
Hi all,
Man a horse goes a long way when planning hunts! I too have packed out my share of elk, not my favorite thing but sometimes part of the job.
On the shot thingy...
Know your weapon. Know where to place shots before you take them, meaning ask here as you did and practice. Keep in mind that an elk is still in the deer family and though a larger animal the parts are still all in the same places, basically. Practice and shoot with confidence. As most here would agree that a heart/lung shot is the highest percentage shot. You already know this and will do just fine.
Personally, filling an animal full of holes until it quits moving is not the approach I prefer. A well placed shot on an elk will kill it as fast as most animals regardless of caliber or weapon choice (speaking in terms of legal weapon calibers for hunting elk). And with all due respect to those who are ready to jump my bones about how tough elk are and you need this bullet or that bullet. Yes they are tough but to shoot animals that are dead on their feet can be unnecessary at times. Been a guide and taxidermist for nearly 25 years and boy have I seen some stuff when it comes to shot up critters. And yes one bullet can out perform another in some aspect but they all, every last one of them, will kill an elk when placed properly
Hunting in pairs is a plus, with your partner spotting and calling for the second shot if needed. Its easier for that person to know where exactly you hit. Most kills, elk still go some distance even heart shot but they are still on the ground soon if not pushed. One poster stated a very important note about giving an animal some time and don't push them or rush in. I have seen elk that were pushed leave the country when the hunter just knew it was going to be down for sure and didn't wait. Its not always a question of the perfect shot but what you do after a questionable shot.
All of the advise and answers to your question here in this thread are valuable and come from the many years of personal experience each poster carries under his belt. Please take take any of it and apply as you see fit during your hunting afield. Don't complicate elk hunting. Know your weapon take the percentage shot and you will do just fine. Trying to break elk down with bone shots can have its disadvantages as a first shot regardless of weapon choice. They are full time elk and can live without a leg if need be to survive. You need vitals. Bet you already knew to shoot behind the shoulder or heart/lung shot anyway...
Good Luck!
Cheers!
CodyDan
Man a horse goes a long way when planning hunts! I too have packed out my share of elk, not my favorite thing but sometimes part of the job.
On the shot thingy...
Know your weapon. Know where to place shots before you take them, meaning ask here as you did and practice. Keep in mind that an elk is still in the deer family and though a larger animal the parts are still all in the same places, basically. Practice and shoot with confidence. As most here would agree that a heart/lung shot is the highest percentage shot. You already know this and will do just fine.
Personally, filling an animal full of holes until it quits moving is not the approach I prefer. A well placed shot on an elk will kill it as fast as most animals regardless of caliber or weapon choice (speaking in terms of legal weapon calibers for hunting elk). And with all due respect to those who are ready to jump my bones about how tough elk are and you need this bullet or that bullet. Yes they are tough but to shoot animals that are dead on their feet can be unnecessary at times. Been a guide and taxidermist for nearly 25 years and boy have I seen some stuff when it comes to shot up critters. And yes one bullet can out perform another in some aspect but they all, every last one of them, will kill an elk when placed properly
Hunting in pairs is a plus, with your partner spotting and calling for the second shot if needed. Its easier for that person to know where exactly you hit. Most kills, elk still go some distance even heart shot but they are still on the ground soon if not pushed. One poster stated a very important note about giving an animal some time and don't push them or rush in. I have seen elk that were pushed leave the country when the hunter just knew it was going to be down for sure and didn't wait. Its not always a question of the perfect shot but what you do after a questionable shot.
All of the advise and answers to your question here in this thread are valuable and come from the many years of personal experience each poster carries under his belt. Please take take any of it and apply as you see fit during your hunting afield. Don't complicate elk hunting. Know your weapon take the percentage shot and you will do just fine. Trying to break elk down with bone shots can have its disadvantages as a first shot regardless of weapon choice. They are full time elk and can live without a leg if need be to survive. You need vitals. Bet you already knew to shoot behind the shoulder or heart/lung shot anyway...
Good Luck!
Cheers!
CodyDan
Topgun 30-06
Well-Known Member
Good info CodyDan! I'll bet you know Jim Marsico there in Cody. He's the taxidermist who does all of the animals my buddy shoots and also did a fantastic job on the antelope I shot in 2009. He also does all of Jim Zumbo's work.
1300meters
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2011
- Messages
- 59
Well again. Did the accu bond fail to open? if you read a lot of threads a pattern starts to develop. That's the reason I stick to my Berbers and barnes bullets.and so far (knock on wood ) the high shoulder anchors em. From 100 to 1100 yds. I would never shoot any animal in low light am or pm. Tendency to abbot low. Good hunting and good luck 1300 meters.
CodyDan
Member
Hi there,
Yep I know who Jim is. Though we never were really friends, nothing bad at all just never got to know him personally.
I don't critique other taxidermists work but am more than willing to teach the novice what to look for in a mount other than the cheapest price. The taxidermists ego is to fragile and most can't take constructive criticism.
Its another topic and I don't want to hi-jack this thread.
Cheers!!!
I shot a beauty of a bull elk in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Western Montana 3 years ago. Although I was practiced with my 7-mag to 500 yards, it wasn't necessary as I got lucky & had the bull present a standing broadside at 27 feet, yes all of 9 yards! I was shooting 160 grain Accubonds & put one right behind the shoulder to destroy his lungs. He immediately sprayed blood from his nose & mouth but my guide said to shoot him again to keep him from running off a cliff & shattering his antlers. I put a round square in the front shoulder — and the bullet didn't reach the chest cavity. The bullet lost it's energy in the 6" of muscle that was between my rifle & his shoulder bone. Not even a fragment made it to the chest cavity. You can be certain I won't recommend Accubonds or shoulder shots on elk! (I also picked up a .300 Weatherby for my next elk outing.)
Guy M
Well-Known Member
Well, that was about a 3,000 fps impact velocity...
A 27' shot is on one extreme end of the bell curve, no doubt.
BTW - congrats on the bull elk!
A 27' shot is on one extreme end of the bell curve, no doubt.
BTW - congrats on the bull elk!
1300meters
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2011
- Messages
- 59
Sounds like the shoulder shot worked but at 27ft.at 3000 plus anywhere on the body would have prettymucj the same results.good hunting. And good shooting.1300 meters.
It opened up early, tore the hell out of the shoulder muscle & stopped at the leg bone. All the damage was to the muscle & no damage was to the vitals. What may work well at 500 yards can't always handle the velocity of point-blank shooting. Being fair to the Accubond, this was a HUGE bodied elk, not the world's biggest rack, but more muscle than any other elk I've seen on the ground. Thankfully the first shot destroyed the lungs.
Thanks! I got to watch it for over a minute at that range without it having a clue I was there. It stormed in looking for the horny cow that it KNEW was waiting for it. When it bugled at that range it was something to remember. The guide asked what took me so long to shoot it. I told him that after it stormed in & my cross-hairs were on target I could take time to enjoy the sight as it wasn't getting away!
Guy M
Well-Known Member
Hunting elk in the rut is pretty awesome stuff...
