Forget caliber and bullet, let’s talk shot placement

[nastynate]

That was my gut feeling. Looking at your crosshair. With time to think, I know yours is a far more intelligent position. It's just interesting how my split second reaction would be to tuck it behind the shoulder. I think part of it is my dad would get pretty pissed when I would ruin meat when I started hunting.

I agree w/ your post entirely. I have the same aim point as you, for the same meat preservation reasons (though to date I haven't shot at an elk yet). And I think it probably isn't necessarily the best aim point. Interesting to read other's responses.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Choose your own adventure

 

[Sask hunter]

Best blood trail I ever had on an elk was a 20 yard frontal with my 338. Shot his heart in half and he was spraying. Wasn’t a long trail or one that I even followed as I shot him twice more dropping him 10-15 yards from the first shot

 

[Farmerj]

View attachment 252972

All. Day. Long.

That’s how my deer presented itself.

I still want to know how it tracked up the hide around the ribs to lay on the back strap. Last time I shot federal pow’r shok.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Those all look right on for a high caliber elk gun... how does it change if you’re shooting a .270? My friends cousin said it’s not enough gun for elk

 

[brockel]

Those all look right on for a high caliber elk gun... how does it change if you’re shooting a .270? My friends cousin said it’s not enough gun for elk

I think you better be ready to pack elk

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

There's a lot going on here but stay focused

 

[Bullshot]

This simple crosshair exercise and some of the comments once again reinforce that most people, myself included, probably aim too far back as a general rule. Shoulder always seems imposing, even if the skeletal architecture is not what it seems. I wonder if people who bowhunted 1st are more prone to move back?? Could explain a good percentage of the gut shots. I almost never hear of bad shots being forward! But a more measured look almost always moves the shot forward from instinctive aim, except those hard quartering away looks - nobody likes intentionally clipping ham and guts, even when the angle says do it! ( with proper weapon and bullet).

Anyway, thanks for the refresher!

 

[Redman]

I guess I don't understand people's feelings on a frontal shot. At my own reasonable distance the frontal is a very deadly shot and have yet to have an animal that didn't die either right where it stood or with in eyesight. Broadside aiming changes for me depending on range. If it is close to my max I aim more for a double lung vs heart. That is only to allow for a margin of error AKA gives roo. For the bullet to be forward or back a few inches and still make a clean ethical kill.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

View attachment 252988
Choose your own adventure

SHOW ME YOUR BUTTHOLE ! LOL

 

[Gerald Martin]

I completely agree with the lethality of all those shot placements. I also agree with the advantages of shooting a monolithic bullet of you are going to aim for busting either the scapula or the leg bone and want to limit the amount of meat that is lost.

I shot my cow this fall with my son’s 7mm-08 and a Nosler Accubond. The bullet held up and got great penetration but I lost a lot more meat than I normally do when shooting copper. The shot was slightly quartered to as illustrated in #1 or #2 and I shot through the leg bone on the near side and through the thickest part of the scapula on the off side. Interestingly enough the bullet must have fractured since I had an exit wound and also found a chunk of the bullet in the neck about 6” from the base of the skull. Must have been something crazy happening for that bullet to be up in the neck on a quartering to shot.

Recovery distance of 6 feet.

 

[old270hunter]

It seems we have ad nauseum conversation and debate about what is the best caliber to get a blood trail out of an elk. Followed up by, what is the best bullet to get a blood trail out of an elk.

It’s been my experience over the years that shot placement is far more important than either the heads stamp, or the type of bullet being used in terms of a short recovery on an elk.

In order to find the ideal aiming spot for a fast kill, do the following:

1. imagine a vertical line that is perfectly centered between the two front legs

2 for your horizontal hold imagine the body cavity is divvied up into quarters. Go slightly above 1/4 of the way up that vertical line.

You can go higher than this if you want to, but absolutely do not go above the halfway point of the body. The further away you get from that 1/4 horizontal hold, you are still in double lung territory, but the amount of vasculature is greatly reduced relative to the lower hold. View attachment 252966View attachment 252967View attachment 252968View attachment 252969

Straight up double lung for me preferred. If quartering, one of the front shoulders is going bye bye along with 1 lung.

 

[Carl]

When asked where I aim, my go-to answer is "the front half".

Is my actual aim point a bit more nuanced? Yes, but not by all that much.

 

[brymoore]

FullSizeRender.MOV

• brymoore
• Nov 30, 2022

Clay elk

Based on butchering, I’d say right there. Very dead elk quickly and no lost meat.

 

[Ben Lamb]

2 pages deep and not one HTM quote.

Sad.

 

[rjthehunter]

Rifle = heart shot. Any angle, except for a Texas heart shot. I just don't think I'd take that shot... Unless someone had a convincing story as evidence that it is effective!

Bow = double lung. I'd rather take a frontal shot than a quartering too shot.

 

[rjthehunter]

2 pages deep and not one HTM quote.

Sad.

Post #4!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Post #4!

Thanks, but that's pretty cerebral. It's like the prequels when you really wanted Empire & A New Hope.

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

Still ran 40 yards with a 338 LM

 

[MTTW]

Could have been better. Little above center.