WildRose
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I feel the same for sure.If animals stood still all the time, would we still call it hunting? Come on, you should be the one telling me stories of 'things that happen during time of flight'!
I realize the YouTube example you provided wasn't your own. Anatomically, it's actually one of the more accurate representations I've seen, which is notable. Still, the elbow is not a safe target (Unless, say you're zero'd at 300 and the elk is at 150)
The OP mentioned a couple of examples of elk appearing bullet proof when hit low, good PSA! Those who do well aiming for leg bones are shooting big bores at close ranges, and they are certainly not using VLD's.
It's always interesting discussing shot placement with someone as experienced yourself. Rarely are two presentations ever the same. Angle, aspect, distance, wind... the illusive 'bang-flop'... I too have found frontal shots seem to provide 'instant results' more often than 'side address'. There seems to be a 'shut down' switch above the heart and below the spine - I don't always find it, but it's real satisfying when I do!
Bull Elk are hairy beasts. Their skeleton is not well defined, even to someone who has deconstructed a few.
As much as we enjoy debating the finer points of placement, in the spirit of general education, I'm sure we can agree the fundamentals are pretty simple. Keep impact in within (vertically) the middle third of the torso, slightly fore or aft of the shoulder (depending on presentation), and let the work begin!
Nothing runs far with a golfball size hole in the heart especially if the angle also allows for a pass through low on one or both lungs. If it does you'll have a blood trail that looks like it was laid with a high volume hose of some sort.
This is basically the same shot I was taught growing up and as long as you hit it with the right bullet you'll end up with a dead animal every time.
I use the theory that no matter what the angle you pick up your broadside POI, draw a mental straight line through the animal to adjust for the angle and adjust POI accordingly.
I brake animals down into three catagories.
Game animal-If I'm gonna eat it, I want it stone dead with a single shot with minimal meat loss. I prefer to spine them where possible with the track taking the bullet into the vitals as well. Through the shoulder at the base of the spine tends to be the most efficient as the shock takes out the spine even if you miss it and the bone fragments then destroy the lungs.
Varmints/Predators-Put it anywhere you can that will result in a fatality. Some farmers and ranchers request that I shoot them in such a manner as to allow them to exit tilled fields before cratering so lung/liver shots are preferred.
Dangerous game-Maximum penetration through the vitals for the length of the body so as to damage as many major organs possible and to leave a good blood trail.
Often, particularly on hogs and coyotes my only shot is while they are running straight away, aimpont there is below the anus hoping to split the pelvis and run the bullet through the chest. Very effective if you can pull it off but it's a very low percentage shot on an animal running 40+ MPH.
I've also had to make the same shot on standing/walking deer/antelpe ove the years and you better have the right bullet or it gets ugly.
Bullet placement charts always give us the ideal, usually on a broadside animal or frontal brain shot. We have to take those charts, think about the situation we're in and adjust accordingly.
