Elk did not tip over.

[JF35]

I killed a bull in western Oregon years back. I hit him a little back but still in the ribs. I knew I hit him hard and didn't even move one ounce. So I hit him again and again nothing he just kept eating on the bush he was nibbling on. I sent another and he dropped his head maybe 2 inches and stoped eating. I sent another and his knees finally buckled, and down he went. He was an bit quartering away and when we open him up his liver and back of lungs was shredded. All 4 shots could fit in the palm of your hand. He was 360ish yards I ranged it but can't remember the exact number. I was shooting my old 30-06 and hand loaded 180gr Sierra STBT loaded HOT.

For what it's worth I did have an old timer tell me to just keep shooting till you see them fall. Elk will suck up a shot like no other animal.

 

[MTLabrador]

Shoot them here if you want them to fall down a lot faster.

 

[old270hunter]

Sounds to me like you did just fine. Congrats

 

[Raisin Bran]

Keep shooting until the Elk is down. They are a big powerful animal and can still run a long ways even with a fatal shot.

 

[Lilhowie83]

Shoot them here if you want them to fall down a lot faster.

View attachment 242422

I'll second this sentiment.

 

[Sask hunter]

My bull last year I hammered frontal at 20 yards with 338 win mag and 225 Barnes ttsx. 1st shot destroyed the heart second shot hit a tree and then his neck but didn’t penetrate very far stopped against the spine and 3rd shot dropped him running broadside. The year before I shot a spiker first shot quartering too and broke the shoulder before exiting the rear of the rib cage, 2nd shot liver running broadside and third shot he stopped all sick looking and broke his neck. All these elk were shot at 20-30 yards with 338 win mag. That’s a lot of energy dumped into an animal at that distance from that gun. Just keep shooting tilk they fall

 

[QELKhunter]

I've shot plenty of elk that never tipped over. I've shot many that just drop as well as some that have spun around, staggered and fell. The first bull I ever shot, I shot with a .308 at less than 50 yards. He gated himself, walked about 20 more yards layed down and died.

The first bull my wife got was shot with a 7mm shooting 175 grain soft points, she hit him high lungs at 50 feet, through and through shot. He ran about 100 yards and "tipped" over.

More often than not, in my experience any way, elk just drop on the spot or maybe go a few yards and lay down, but we don't take super hero shots either. Almost all the elk I have killed were at less that 100 yards, many within 50, even during rifle seasons. The farthest elk I've taken was at just over 400 yards and even he dropped on the spot.

Everyone will have thier own experiences and expected outcome, but I don't think tipping over will ever be an expected outcome from my perspective.

 

[williaada]

Shoot them here if you want them to fall down a lot faster.

View attachment 242422

Based on that picture I was touch further back on the first one, and then on the second shot I was a few inches forward

 

[Trophy Cow]

I've seen broadside behind the shoulder go bad when the closest leg is back, as if they're about to step. That leg will hide the vitals and make for a tough shot. If that leg is forward or neutral then it's game on. When neutral the leg bone makes a sideways "V" that offers access to the heart and low lung shot. It's deadly for bowhunters up close and rifles that are precise.

 

[brownbear932008]

I agree with a firearm shoulder shoot them. Elk are tough animals and can take a lot of lead.

 

[WyoDoug]

Yup and same with other big game. I put 6 bullets in a muley buck once and started cussing my shooting abilities out. It finally fell and I found 6 bullet holes in the buck right behind the shoulder blade. It didn't even budge as it was shot. Just turned and looked in my direction.

 

[reallyoldman]

A big factor is ...did you hit a rib ? If the bullet goes between there usually a lot less damage and thus a slower result. Shot angle is also very critical.

 

[Stocker]

Watched a young bull absorb 5 270 rounds at 80 yards. Never acted hurt until he tipped over dead.

I put 2 rounds through a small rag horns heart with a 7mm Mag at 300. He still went 60 yards.

Rare occasions I have seen them go down quickly.

I have a theory it’s a genetic thing, “will to live”. Looking at cattle EPD’s it’s called “vigor” I suspect other big game animals have similar genetic traits. I’m certainly no biologist though.

 

[2rocky]

The only elk that "dropped on the shot" got up and stumbled off through the trees. I'd grazed the spine but not broken it.
After stumbling, bumbling, and fumbling the blood trail I finally came upon him bedded in the open and shot him in his bed.

I've shot elk with a .300 Win Mag through the ribs at under 100 yds. and they flinched but never wobbled. When I moved up and purposely aimed for the shoulder, Elk started dropping in sight, but never immediately.

 

[Straight Arrow]

is it common for the elk to lay down instead of tip over or stumble down?

Yes, often a wounded elk will lay down.
I once shot a cow elk similarly right behind the shoulder, through the vitals area and she just stood there and stared at me. I aimed at the same spot and shot again. She just stood and stared as I beat myself up for being a lousy shot. Then she just tipped over and fell dead. Both rounds hit very close to one another and each was fatal ... just not immediately. Those elk are tough critters!

 

[reallyoldman]

Elk are tough and so are Alaskan moose. My first moose I shot 4 times at about 75 yards right in the "pocket" and it never even flinched. I hunted with a 338 with 225 gr. I have never had an elk that was difficult to kill but I have been lucky. Every year I use to find elk that had gotten away and died. Kinda makes you sick when that happens.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Coming from hunting whitetail world, it amazes me what western animals can take. I shot a mule deer buck at just over 300 yards last year. I shot him first in the lungs and he just looked up. The second shot went just above his heart in the lungs and he started walking up the hill away from me. My third shot broke his neck as he walked directly away up a hill and finally made him stop. He died soon after but seemed unfazed by the chest wounds.

My understanding from friends is that African animals are even tougher.

 

[shrapnel]

For North America, you can't get much tougher than a buffalo. You can ventilate them many times, but if you don't hit the brain or spine, you can spend a lot of time following a wounded buffalo...

 

[RyGuy]

Could not tell due to the second shot. Did recover the bullet in the off shoulder. A better question when looking at an elk where on a broadside shot do you aim for to avoid another liver, physical characteristics.

Use the “elbow” on the elk as a guide. It’s located right on the green line in this picture. IMO If you shoot between the red and green lines, you’ve got a dead elk but she might walk around for a bit. If you hit behind the red line you’ve got trouble. Hit between the green and black lines and you’ll drop the elk In it’s tracks but lose some meat. Hit in front of the black line and either you’ve got a neck shot (lethal) or you’ll clip something and have problems.

 

[JLS]

Hit in the middle of the yellow triangle and you will 1) watch the elk tip over and 2) lose about 3 ounces of meat.