Where do you shoot this elk?

[Rhino Hunter]

They're all kill shots, but I like #2 the most. It gives me the greatest margin for error.

 

[planetwaves]

Using 195's out of a 28 Nosler...I have never been on a bull elk hunt and never used Bergers on game but have a hunt in a couple of weeks. For front / back, I think just behind the 2, a little forward of halfway between the 2 and the 5, and for vertical probably the bottom of the 2 and 5. Goal is to have most margin for error, and if I hit exactly where I am aiming i obviously want a lethal shot.

Where do you aim and why?

Many thanks.


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I use the 185 gr Berger Classic Hunter bullet in my 300 win mag (my rifle has a SAAMI length magazine). I have killed 3 elk with that bullet. They were between 100 and 200 yards away. The outfitter I hunted with always recommends 1 and says it will shatter the scapula and destroy the heart and lungs. On one of the elk I was steadying my rifle intending to hit 1, but before I got steady something spooked the group, the elk lunged forward, and I hit about 5. The elk took off and mingled with the group, so I couldn't get another clear shot. But it ran about 100 yards, and dropped dead. On gutting and skinning, the bullet had pin holed through both lungs, but didn't hit bone. The entrance and exit wounds looked identical. But it died within seconds of being hit. One of the others was quartering away, so I lined up with the opposite front leg. It was walking, and I hit a little to the right of 5. It took off running but was badly limping, and dropped dead after about 50 yards. The bullet had hit a rib going in, shredded the lungs and a large chunk of the meat under the "arm pit" of the opposite shoulder was hamburger. No exit wound. The base of the brass case was in the mushy shoulder meat. The third elk was walking behind some oak brush and I could only see the upper half of the body. My shot hit at about 2. The elk took a few drunken steps and dropped dead. The lungs were shredded and a large chunk of meat on the opposite shoulder was mush, much like the second elk. Of course if you are steady enough to get a clear neck shot and hit about half way between the head and body, it will drop dead.