I like the 2,1,4,5 box and tend to hold closer to the shoulder. If meat is a little blood shoot you can soak it in cold salt water and pull a lot of the blood out, also my Dad always said to stick'em like you do a pig as soon as you get to the animal, this helps bleed them out. I do not claim to be an expert on any thing but here is about 2 elk I have shot and see if it helps. Elk #1 shot at about 400 yards 300 Win. Mag. 180gr. win. power points, hit high just above shoulder, 2 steps and down, some back strap messed up but not bad. Elk # 2 shot 100 yards, 35 Whelen Speer 220gr. flat point hand load, strait on into chest, out the top of neck, heart completely gone, dropped in tricks, I'm guessing the breast bone turned and/or split bullet, only way I can figure could go in chest and end up out of top the neck and still take out the heart. Hope this helps. Good luck hunting.