Examples of elk absorbing shots and not acting hit?

[RyGuy]

The 6x6 bull I shot last year took a lot of lead before going down and never reacted.
350 yards, 7mm rem mag, 150 gr core lokt.
First shot was hard quartering away, shot and zero reaction. I preceded to panic and miss 3 more times. The bull casually turned broadside, looking for the source of all the ruckus. I then reloaded, took a breath, got steady and put 4 more shots right behind the shoulder. He never reacted at all, only looked slowly from side to side to find where all the noise was coming from. I only knew I hit him because of the loud thumps after each shot.
As I was frantically reloading he turned to walk into the timber, stumbled and fell. He continued to try and get up the whole time I closed the distance, ready to put another shot in him if needed.
When we skinned and quartered him he had 5 holes in him. The first shot was a little back, but took out the liver and part of one lung (I think, based on the angle) all of the rest of the shots destroyed the lungs.
Elk are TOUGH. But this experience made me think I should use better bullets, even though I’ve had really good luck with those on cow elk.

 

[geewhiz]

Quit using Bergers.
Just kiddin. Couldn’t help myself.
Iffin your speaking the truth, that’s damn amazing. What bullet?
BTW, I’m not calling you a liar, just can’t tell if you’re being serious.

I'm dead serious. I was blown away that he didnt tip over before he did. I shoot 300 grain berger elite hunters, and they were performing as designed. Blowing giant holes out the exit side. He spread his front and rear legs to give him a bigger base because clearly he wasnt fealing well, and just stood there and soaked them up. After 4 rounds I just gave him a minute or two and he finally did the ol faceplant.

 

[Addicting]

Lots of super tendering Swiss cheese elk in this thread.

Some of you may want to give the bullet a few seconds to do it’s job if it’s just gonna stand there before initiating a mag change. Lol

 

[geewhiz]

Lots of super tendering Swiss cheese elk in this thread.

Some of you may want to give the bullet a few seconds to do it’s job if it’s just gonna stand there before initiating a mag change. Lol

Tell you what man, if i've got a hit on an animal, I'm going to keep blasting (obviously only if i'm given a decent shot) until its on the ground. I've had too many bad experiences.

 

[rsarkks]

Three years ago had a young 3 point take a 180 grain Accubond broadside right behind the should from about 65 yards away (.30-06), only to have it walk calmly away through the trees, uphill and out of site. No blood trail for the first 50-60 yards, then a big patch of blood at least a foot across with an almost solid line of blood, such that it must have been spurting continuously for the next 70-80 yards to where it was down though not yet dead till I ran another round through it. Of the 7 elk I've shot, none seemed so unaffected like this one, and none have made it as far as this bull before expiring. I've definately had them take off with a spout of adreneline only to pile up within 30-70 yards. Last years bull cleared a 3' high log only to hit the ground and pile up right beyond it. Bullet went through both lungs and the top of its heart.

 

[ImBillT]

Three years ago had a young 3 point take a 180 grain Accubond broadside right behind the should from about 65 yards away (.30-06), only to have it walk calmly away through the trees, uphill and out of site. No blood trail for the first 50-60 yards, then a big patch of blood at least a foot across with an almost solid line of blood, such that it must have been spurting continuously for the next 70-80 yards to where it was down though not yet dead till I ran another round through it. Of the 7 elk I've shot, none seemed so unaffected like this one, and none have made it as far as this bull before expiring. I've definately had them take off with a spout of adreneline only to pile up within 30-70 yards. Last years bull cleared a 3' high log only to hit the ground and pile up right beyond it. Bullet went through both lungs and the top of its heart.

That AB doesn’t open up right away unless it’s moving pretty fast. It’s my opinion that your particular bullet would work better on something bigger. My dad had a similar experience on a mule deer with ABs in a 308. The main difference is that he shot the mule deer three times through both lungs.

They seem to work wonderfully on elk. I light one going really fast would probably work better on deer.

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

I've heard the stories and believe them, but gotta say that all the elk I've shot (minus a leg wound) dropped in ten seconds or less. Fast moving .30 cal barnes TTSX in the deadly V has been potent for me.

 

[JohnCushman]

I know it's not an elk, but my bull moose took a 180 grain accubond through both lungs, scrambling them, and never flinched. He took 4 steps and dropped dead.

 

[Addicting]

Tell you what man, if i've got a hit on an animal, I'm going to keep blasting (obviously only if i'm given a decent shot) until its on the ground. I've had too many bad experiences.

You do you, my goal is to eat them. Hence, why I shoot copper for the least amount of bloodshot meat.
I’ve shot them more than once but don’t make it a habit. If it’s dead in it’s feet, blood loss and gravity will win.

Practice, good equipment, and premium bullets do wonders when we let them do their job. Hearing of 5 shots to put them down is ridiculous.

 

[Lilhowie83]

You do you, my goal is to eat them. Hence, why I shoot copper for the least amount of bloodshot meat.
I’ve shot them more than once but don’t make it a habit. If it’s dead in it’s feet, blood loss and gravity will win.

Practice, good equipment, and premium bullets do wonders when we let them do their job. Hearing of 5 shots to put them down is ridiculous.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[rsarkks]

That AB doesn’t open up right away unless it’s moving pretty fast. It’s my opinion that your particular bullet would work better on something bigger. My dad had a similar experience on a mule deer with ABs in a 308. The main difference is that he shot the mule deer three times through both lungs.

They seem to work wonderfully on elk. I light one going really fast would probably work better on deer.

This was an elk, though I agree with you on the deer. I did have a blacktail buck take four rounds before dropping with the same load, though shot placement might have been a factor as the first shot got him moving and the follow up three were to stop him before he got into the thick brush. With the rain and thick brush a blood trail can be quickly washed out, and waist high brush can easily hide a dead deer so I wasn't taking chances.

 

[ImBillT]

This was an elk, though I agree with you on the deer. I did have a blacktail buck take four rounds before dropping with the same load, though shot placement might have been a factor as the first shot got him moving and the follow up three were to stop him before he got into the thick brush. With the rain and thick brush a blood trail can be quickly washed out, and waist high brush can easily hide a dead deer so I wasn't taking chances.

Don’t know why I was thinking deer. You said elk! Ooops.

 

[brockel]

If it’s dead in it’s feet, blood loss and gravity will win.

My luck is that gravity winning him right down into a nasty hell hole. I’ll keep hitting them till they hit the turf.

 

[blackbeard]

That buck took 2 rounds into the lungs, dropped him both times. Rounded a 3rd and he finally stayed down. Some just have wanna live I guess

 

[David58]

I shot a bull with a 30/06 last week twice in the shoulder and 1st shot I could tell it was a solid hit, but he just stood there. The 2nd shot dropped him. My rule of thumb is to keep shooting until it’s down. I’ve personally had my best luck of dropping game with one shot kills with Remington core-loks.

Man, you need a better bullet!

 

[thomas89]

I'm torn between shooting more to put them down and potentially risk losing meat vs trusting that first shot. Those follow-ups from what I've seen are typically a bit more panicked and all over the place. Doesn't take but one or two bad shots to ruin the bulk of the meat on a critter.

 

[Nick_CO]

About 5 years ago I shot a bull with my .270 that had his head down eating. When I shot he just lifted his head up and stood there. I shot again and about 3 seconds after the second shot he ran behind a big Juniper tree and disappeared. I remember thinking that I couldn't believe I missed, as he was standing broadside and I was shooting from my bipod, no wind, 300 yards straight across at the opposite hillside so little to no elevation gain or loss. After waiting about 15 minutes for him to appear in the trees somewhere I saw the other bull he was with return to casually feeding and eventually disappear into the thicker woods to presumably go bed down for the day, but alone without his companion. So I hiked over to where I last saw the bull and he only made it about 20 feet and was dead under the Juniper with 2 bullet holes about 5 inches apart, both good kill shots. I couldn't believe it, until he ran from where he was standing when hit he didn't even appear to flinch at being hit twice.

 

[Cornbread]

Had a couple with 140 grain and 160 grain accubonds act like they weren’t hit 3-4 times. Still died within 30-50 yards but not much reaction. This will probably get people riled up but since I’ve switched to bergers elk have gotten that sick look as soon as they are hit. Only can remember ever shooting elk twice with a Berger.

I shot my first Elk, a bull, the 3rd day of the season this year. 4 shots out of my 7mm Rem Mag at 100 yards with 160gr Accubonds. All hits right in tge chest. One of tge shots was angled and came out the left hip. No damage to the hind quarter. I recovered one of the bullets on the hide and it was pretty much fully intact. The heart was intact, but I clearly hit him in the lungs. My hunting buddy said, and I could see myself, that all 4 shots hit him squarely in the chest. He was spraying blood, and at least 2 shots exited. My own feeling is that some Elk are just tougher than others, kinda like deer, but much much tougher. My bull just stood there on the first shot. Then here started walking in a circle. I agree with what everybody has said, keep shooting til he drops. I basically pumped around 10-11,000 foot lbs of energy into this bull. My first Elk, so it just amazes me. My buddy thought he was dead on the first shot, but we couldn't chance it being reasonably close to private property. And who wants to recover a huge animal out of a blow down?? It's like shooting a horse, size wise!!

 

[wyoelkfan15]

This year my buddy and I doubled up on a couple antelope does. Had them at 225, my buddy was using his 45-70 iron site, I was running my remington 700 .270 win. Too far of a shot for the lever gun, I took a doe, she dropped immediately. We switched rifles, he made a shot a little far back in the liver, she spun and turned back broadside, he put another one right in the bread basket and she dropped. When we got up to the does 10 minutes later, mine was dead, his was still breathing and picking her head up, he put another one through her chest with the .45-70 (heart/lungs destroyed on the autopsy). She continued breathing for another couple minutes before I went in and bled her out with a knife. I wouldn't have believed an antelope doe could absorb that damage and still be going, but she did. It's wild how some critters just have a tenacity to keep on trucking, even with well placed shots they can take awhile to die.

 

[Boondocks]

I shoot Elk with a 30-06 165 grains. Always aim for heart lung area. I killed four 5 point bulls and two cows. Two of the bulls I jerked the trigger and hit the spine and they dropped right there, the rest heart/lung shots...ran less than 20 yards and plied up. Never shot any big bulls. Haven't heard any stories of them just standing there when shot until this thread.